The Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 is a racing shoe for runners chasing a time in a half or full who want lightness and spring together. Released Sep 4, 2026, JPY 49,500, 192 g in a 27 cm, 7 mm drop. The drop is 1 mm lower than the Elite 5, and the midsole foam and the plate angle were rebuilt.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
The Elite 6 is the generation where the foam and plate were remade at the same time. DNA GOLD is a nitrogen-infused 100% PEBA foam. Brooks claims, in its own comparison, that it's 11% lighter and has 14% more rebound than its DNA FLASH v2. A carbon plate with a changed angle, fitted to each size, goes in, and the drop falls to 7 mm. A light midsole and a forward-rolling shape are lined up in 1 pair. At 500 km a month, I don't pick a racing shoe as an extension of training. If you can accept it as a race-day pair, I'd pick this 192 g.
Key points
- Released 9/4, JPY 49,500. 192 g in a 27 cm, 7 mm drop, unisex in D width only
- From the Elite 5: drop 8 → 7 mm, weight 195.6 → 192.8 g (about 3 g lighter under the same U.S. official conditions)
- If it also needs to be a training shoe, the sibling Hyperion MAX 4 (285 g, JPY 30,800). The gaps are 93 g and JPY 18,700
When does the Hyperion Elite 6 come out? Price and weight
The answer is 11 a.m. on Sep 4, 2026. An announcement on the official Brooks Japan site gives that date and time for the start of sales. The price is JPY 49,500, and it weighs 192 g in a 27 cm.
It's the top racing model in Brooks' line, with a carbon plate in the midsole. It's a shoe for road half and full marathon days.
| Item | Hyperion Elite 6 |
|---|---|
| Release date | Sep 4, 2026 (Fri) 11:00 |
| Price (tax included) | JPY 49,500 |
| Weight | 192 g (27 cm, per shoe) |
| Drop | 7mm |
| Foam | DNA GOLD (100% PEBA, nitrogen-infused) |
| Plate | Carbon SpeedVault+ (tuned for each size) |
| Width and sizes | D (regular) only, unisex 23.5 to 29.0 cm |
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Brooks Hyperion Elite 6
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 49,500 (as of 10/17). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on the official BROOKS siteSee it on Rakuten IchibaHow is it different from the Elite 5? What changed from the last generation
Three things changed: the foam, the plate, and the drop.
- Foam: DNA GOLD was remade with a softer feel
- Plate: the shape and angle of SpeedVault+ changed, with stiffness tuned for each size
- Drop: from 8 mm to 7 mm
The U.S. official site says the shape of the sole under the foot (the sole geometry) was also revisited for the Elite 6. Sponsored athletes including Josh Kerr, who holds the world record in the 1-mile, took part in development.
| Elite 5 | Elite 6 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195.6g | 192.8g | −2.8g |
| Drop | 8mm | 7mm | −1mm |
| U.S. list price | $275 | $275 | 0 |
Let's turn 2.8 g into a full marathon. At a 1 m stride that's about 21,100 steps per foot. 2.8 g × 21,100 means each foot lifts about 59 kg less in total.
On paper it's a small weight saving. The point of this generation is less the weight than the 1 mm of drop and the plate angle. The heel sits a little lower and the shape carries your weight toward the toe.
How it differs from its siblings | Hyperion MAX 4, MAX 3 and Hyperion 3
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Weight (27 cm) | Drop | Price | Who should pick which |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite 6 | 192g | 7mm | JPY 49,500 | Buy lightness for race day |
| MAX 4 | 285g | 6mm | JPY 30,800 | Plated, for key workouts and race day |
| MAX 3 | 280g | 6mm | JPY 24,640 | A cheaper MAX. The last generation is fine |
| Hyperion 3 | 240g | 8mm | JPY 17,600 | Plate-free, a light tempo shoe |
The gap between the Elite 6 and the MAX 4 is 93 g and JPY 18,700 (285 − 192, 49,500 − 30,800). Over 21,100 steps per foot in a full marathon, 93 g × 21,100 is about 1.96 tonnes. Whether to pay JPY 18,700 for that gap is the whole choice.
The MAX 4 has 2 layers, DNA GOLD and DNA FLASH v2, and its use is listed as "Racing, Training." The Elite 6 has only DNA GOLD, and its use is "Racing." If you don't want to wear it down in training, the Elite becomes a shoe you keep for race day.
Let's line it up with plated shoes from other brands too. Our Endorphin Elite 3 is 204 g (27 cm), 8 mm drop, JPY 46,200. The Elite 6 is 12 g lighter and JPY 3,300 more (204 − 192, 49,500 − 46,200). The Alphafly 4 is about 188 g (26.5 cm) at JPY 39,600.
What I like
First, what's in the foam. DNA GOLD is 100% PEBA infused with nitrogen at high pressure. Against Brooks' own DNA FLASH v2, the company claims it's 11% lighter, has 14% more rebound and is 25% softer. It goes after both lightness and return at the material stage.
Second, the plate is tuned for each size. The smaller the foot, the harder it is to flex a plate of the same stiffness. A plate with strength and flexibility adjusted for each size is built on the premise that the plate works even in small sizes.
Third, the 7 mm drop. It's 1 mm lower than the previous generation's 8 mm, and the sole shape was revisited. In the late stage of a race, when your legs have nothing left, the shape of the shoe does the work of carrying you forward. At 192 g with this build, I rate it highly as a racing shoe.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Brooks Hyperion Elite 6
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 49,500 (as of 10/17). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on the official BROOKS siteSee it on Rakuten IchibaThings to watch
First, the price. JPY 49,500 is higher than any shoe lined up here. It's JPY 3,300 above the Endorphin Elite 3 and JPY 9,900 above the Alphafly 4.
Width comes in 1 option, D (regular), with no wide. It's built unisex, so there's no women's B width either. If you've struggled with foot width, this is where you stop.
It isn't a daily training shoe. Its use is racing, and the foam is a single layer of DNA GOLD. Wearing down a pair close to JPY 50,000 in key workouts is a waste.
The reason to move up from the last generation is the drop and the plate angle. The weight gap is about 3 g, so if you only want to swap for lightness, there's little to gain.
Who is it for?
- You're chasing a time in a half or full and can keep a separate pair for race day
- You want both plated rebound and a weight under 200 g
- You're used to shoes with a 7 to 8 mm drop
If you need 2E or wider, there are other ways to choose. If you want 1 pair for both training and racing, the MAX 4 fits. If your Elite 5 is still new, wearing it out first is early enough.
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperion Elite 6 | JPY 49,500 | JPY 49,500 |
| Hyperion MAX 4 | JPY 30,800 | JPY 27,700–53,360 |
The color on the official Japan product page as of 10/17 is gray, 1 color. The Elite 5 has been removed from the official Japan site, so if you're hunting for a cheaper last-generation pair, it depends on shop stock.
When you buy, look for "Elite 6" (or "Elite6" written together) in the product name. The "Elite 5" and the "Elite LD 2" (a track spike) are different shoes.
New releases are collected in the release calendar. For Brooks daily shoes, see the Ghost 18 article and the Ghost AMP article. For the list of plated-shoe numbers, see the carbon shoe numbers article.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Brooks Hyperion MAX 4
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 27,700 (as of 10/17), ranging up to JPY 53,360 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaFAQ
When does the Hyperion Elite 6 come out?
Sales began in Japan at 11 a.m. on Sep 4, 2026 (Fri). The price is JPY 49,500, tax included.
How does the Hyperion Elite 6 fit? Is there a wide version?
There is no wide. Width is D (regular) only, unisex, in 0.5 cm steps from 23.5 to 29.0 cm. If you usually fit a men's D, start from your usual length. If you fit a women's B width, this will tend to feel wide.
What's the difference between the Hyperion Elite 6 and the 5?
The drop falls from 8 mm to 7 mm, DNA GOLD feels softer, and the carbon plate's shape and angle were redone. By the same measurement conditions on the U.S. official site, weight goes from 195.6 g to 192.8 g, about 3 g lighter. The U.S. list price is unchanged at $275.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- Brooks official Japan site announcement: "9/4 (Fri.) [Hyperion Elite6] Sales start"
- Brooks official Japan site: Hyperion Elite 6
- Brooks U.S. official site: Hyperion Elite 6
- Brooks U.S. official site: Hyperion Elite 5
- Brooks official Japan site: Hyperion MAX 4
- Brooks official Japan site: Hyperion MAX 3
- Brooks official Japan site: Hyperion 3
