Brooks Hyperion Max v3 vs HOKA Skyward X v1

Ride profile: maximal cushion , firm_responsive feel , high energy return , neutral stability .

• A soft-yet-fast $200 super trainer that fixes the Max 2's firmness and fit issues — great for performance-oriented long runs and tempo work.

  Ride:Soft, highly-cushioned but fast with a nice toe-off; corrects the v2's overly-firm, narrow feel.

  Fit:Unusual upper with booty-cup construction works well — supportive, well-padded heel, no slippage, still accommodates wider feet.

  In their words: "a big beefy boy" · "soft and high cushion but very fast" · "a nice toe off feel"

  — Run Moore , source

• A very different shoe from the Max 2 — now a big, bouncy max-stack super trainer that's great for marathon-pace long runs but lacks the snap for fast sessions and is overpriced given the weight.

  Ride:New DNA Gold + DNA Flash V2 setup is bouncier and more comfortable than the firmer Max 2; excels at marathon-pace cruising and long runs; weight and bulk work against it at faster paces; stability acceptable for the high stack

  Fit:True to size across all four testers; upper is closer and more racy than Max 2; booty-style design with reserved padding around laces and inside heel collar; some found it warm; one tester felt forefoot was unusually roomy

  In their words: "marathon pace, long run potential" · "much more close and hugging" · "I do think it's a limited shoe"

  — The Run Testers , 37 mi tested , source

• A well-built but confusingly heavy max-stack trainer whose bulky upper spoils the DNA Gold midsole; scored 9.1/12 overall, with the reviewer feeling Brooks should have trimmed the upper and weight like they did on the Hyperion Elite 5.

  Ride:Dense, controlling ride with the plate most noticeable in the heel and DNA Gold PEBA more prominent in the forefoot; feels locked into cruising pace and takes effort at half-marathon pace due to weight; stable but not particularly fun or propulsive.

  Fit:Constrictive upper, hard to get into, needs a shoe horn; shallow toe box height; booty-like construction does most of the lockdown; true to size with no need to go up a half size; better suited to normal-to-wide feet rather than narrow.

  In their words: "Hyperion overload rather than max" · "a bit of a Frankenstein model" · "quite a controlling shoe this one"

  — EDDBUD , source

• A dual-foam marathon training shoe with a PEBA top layer over DNA Flash; heavy at ~312g and expensive, with a midfoot cutout that can feel unstable, but the reviewer personally likes it.

  In their words: "made it a bit unstable for some" · "this is your marathon training shoe" · "it's also a heavy shoe"

  — FORDY RUNS , source

Ride profile: maximal cushion , neutral stability .

• Despite a hefty ~13oz weight and a price he calls steep, Ben rates this as the best HOKA on the market right now and a top-tier long-run cruiser — bouncy, smooth, and comfortable, but pace-limited.

  Ride:Crazy bouncy energy-saving PEBA foam over supercritical EVA, gets even livelier after about 20km of break-in. Aggressive rocker enables silky transitions. Plate is for stability rather than propulsion. Heavy and bulky on foot but very fun and comfortable at relaxed paces; works hard if pushed faster than marathon pace.

  Fit:Sock-like flat-knit upper with good breathability; secure midfoot lockdown via internal strap; lovely tongue padding; no heel slip (a fix vs the old Bondi X); no wide widths available, narrow-to-regular footed runners only.

  — Ben Parkes , source

• A genuine love-hate relationship after 266 miles and a marathon — Steve calls it one of his top 2-3 favorites of 2024 for effortless long miles, but the narrow stiff toe box hurts his feet and the outsole has worn faster than peers at the price point.

  Ride:Effortless protection — bounces along on PEBA + EVA + carbon plate without ever feeling the ground. Stiff through the toe box. Best go-to when legs are already beat up. Outsole has worn down faster than competitors at the same mileage on similar terrain.

  Fit:Stiff narrow toe box that aggravates bunions and width-sensitive feet — gets slightly wider with break-in but never fully resolves; foot soreness later in the day is a regular tradeoff. Hip wear-and-tear noted from Steve's tendency to supinate in this shoe.

  — Run Moore , 266 mi tested , source

• An exciting spec sheet (PEBA + supercritical EVA + Double-H carbon plate at 48mm stack) that is executed as a muted, controlled cushioned cruiser; Kofuzi calls it a 'spruce goose' that feels like a Bondi-class shoe at a $225 price he considers too high.

  Ride:Tall, comfortable and controlled, but the squishy materials are stabilized to the point that the experience feels muted. Carbon plate is a stabilizer/roller rather than propulsive, similar to NB SC Trainer v2 or Mizuno Wave Rebellion convex plates. Reviewer compares the overall feel to a 'Bondi X2'.

  Fit:Wide footprint, comfortable padded heel collar with rigid plastic flare, moderately padded tongue (concern in heat).

  — Kofuzi , source

• A soft, max-cushioned, stable-neutral super trainer better suited to relaxed long-run miles than fast workouts; the cushier and more centered of the two compared shoes.

  Ride:Softer of the two compared shoes — Matt's first impression was 'wow this is definitely soft.' Tall stack with smooth aggressive rocker, very stable neutral with wide midfoot-filled base. Done one workout in it; works well for training miles, long runs, light uptempo, but not the fastest.

  Fit:Lower-volume knit upper that sits low on the foot, slightly tapered toe box that widens, stiff heel counter, very tall noticeable sidewalls. Better for normal-to-narrow feet.

  — Doctors of Running , 20 mi tested , source