Brooks Hyperion Max 3 vs HOKA Skyward X

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

• Kofuzi considers the Hyperion Max 3 a pretty good shoe and strongly prefers it over the Max 4, finding it more pliable, less rigid, and more agreeable across a range of paces.

  In their words: "a little bit more pliable and a little bit more agreeable to run in"

  — Kofuzi , source

• Reviewer's favorite of the three Brooks Max shoes — bridges Brooks into the high-performance non-plated conversation alongside the Mizuno Neo Vista and HOKA Mach X.

  Ride:Best in class for non-carbon-plated high-cushion fast training shoes. 18-mile run felt great the whole way; over 100 miles in and it still looks and feels new.

  Fit:Surprisingly wider fit than expected; unique upper that works very well.

  — Run Moore , 100 mi tested , 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

Ride profile: maximal cushion , neutral stability .

• Retrospective: a comfortable cushioned shoe that was too big, too heavy, and too expensive to earn a regular slot in his rotation.

  Ride:Comfortable and bouncy in retrospective wear-test, but heavy and clunky enough that Nick never made it a rotation mainstay; even on easy days it felt like 'a lot of shoe' under foot.

  — The Run Testers , source

• The biggest, most extreme stack on the list — bulky but really fun, with a plate that lets it pick up the pace better than the other max-stack shoes; a fan favorite of his channel.

  Ride:Massive 48mm stack with soft squishy PEBA + supercritical EVA, but the carbon plate adds enough stiffness to keep it stable and bouncy at marathon and half-marathon paces, unlike the squishier-only options on this list. Heaviest shoe Ben has ever tested.

  Fit:True to size with good lockdown.

  — 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 expensive luxury cushion shoe that Ed sold on — the foam is good but the heft makes it strictly a recovery-day option, and even there he prefers the lighter Superblast 2.

  Ride:Cushion is nice but the carbon plate dictates a heel-to-toe rocker rather than letting the runner drive the shoe. The 5mm drop felt like an attempt to stabilize a very tall stack — Ed thinks 8mm with less midfoot foam would have made the shoe more aggressive. Far too heavy for him as a lighter-framed runner — strictly a recovery option in his rotation.

  Fit:Plush, padded tongue and heel collar; similar forefoot/heel widths to the Superblast 2.

  — EDDBUD , source