The carbon fiber plate and the shoe’s spine construction work together to speed the transition from heel to the forefoot in each step and provide a toe-off propulsion effect. “If the shoe can work with the runner and give back the energy that the runner themselves are actually exerting,” Mr. Jain says, “it is a win-win for us.” The new design also includes an upper built of mechanical stretch woven material, both lightweight and supportive.
Brooks plans to roll out the new Hyperion Elite during the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta on Feb. 29, making the shoes available to consumers on the brand’s website and in select retailers just days before the event. Wider distribution will follow in June.
World Athletics recently further opened the possibility of carbon fiber uses in racing shoes, and Brooks is already prototyping its Hyperion 2.0.
