Most comparable sneakers
Mizuno Neo Vista
Adidas Adizero Boston 12
ASICS Magic Velocity 4
Stats
Approx, Weight: males’s 9.25 oz / 262g US9
Pattern Weight: males’s 9.03oz / 256g US8.5 (Prior Model males’s 7.32 oz / 206g US 8.5)
Stack Top: males’s 36.25 mm heel / 30.25 mm forefoot (6mm drop spec)
Prior Model Stack Top: 32 mm heel (measured) / 24 mm forefoot (spec 8mm drop)
Platform Width: 80 mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 105 mm forefoot
First Impressions, Match and Higher
Sam: A easy gentle grey major shade with vibrant splashes of pink on the collars and orange on the midsole with black and orange pink highlights the Max 2 is a pointy trying shoe.
Tha excessive midsole sidewalls by means of the middle of the shoe trace at a directed guided and secure trip on the medial aspect with the lateral aspect (beneath) stepped to permit for some give and certainly the Max 2 is notably linear and supported by means of the midfoot whereas the help doesn’t impede ahead movement as I typically discover in Brooks’ GTS Go To Help fashions.
The engineered higher’s mesh is densely woven with a contact of compressive stretch to make it very safe.
The stretch knit tongue is a but extra compressive made up of the tongue and rear angled gusset straps all one piece of the identical materials. On the within of the higher there are knit-in bands of help of what appears like a much less stretchier fiber than the principle higher mesh
The midfoot lockdown is notable for its cosy but snug maintain. In actual fact I ran a methods with an untied lace and didn’t even discover it. There is no such thing as a must lace this shoe tightly as I came upon on my first run lacing them too tight on the final lace holes and getting some chunk. The laces are the now extra generally seen in race and efficiency shoe, the ridged edge kind
The heel counter is shut to totally inflexible. The collars are properly and deeply padded with padding wrapping ahead to lace up. Impeccable heel maintain right here.
The toe field is snug and given the slight stretch reasonably broad.
Such considerably stretchy compressive uppers some instances intrude with my bunion however not so right here though this isn’t possible a shoe for very broad toes. As with the midfoot inside barely denser blue knitting cut back the stretch of the grey mesh and provides some construction.
The toe bumper is stiff and vertical giving the toe field good construction and top with out interfering or urgent on the toes.
The breathability has been satisfactory throughout my check runs in excessive humidity and heat temperatures.
The match is true to measurement (US8.5) for my slim to medium quantity toes with not like many sneakers no distinction in match between my narrower proper foot and wider left foot.
Midsole & Platform
The midsole foam strikes from nitrogen infused DNA Flash to a brand new taste with DNA Flash v2, the identical foam utilized in Brooks’ latest Hyperion Elite v4. This foam is alleged to be “10% extra responsive” and this clearly felt. The unique Flash was fairly agency with a really sharp brief rebound sensation.
Whereas clearly not a brilliant gentle, low density supercritical foam, the brand new foam is significantly extra nice and has extra rebound sensation whereas remaining secure and really constant in really feel. For certain the Max 2 has a much more snug protecting and dynamic trip than Max 1 as a result of new foam but additionally to extra of it.
The Max 2 features 4mm of cushion on the heel and 6mm on the forefoot transferring to what I may name a mini max stack top of 36.25 mm heel / 30.25 mm forefoot. The platform width is a center of the street 80 mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 105 mm forefoot with the comparatively slim heel and midfoot not getting in the best way of transitioning off the heel at any tempo
Its plastic Speedvault plate is redesigned.
The mixture of froth, plate, and finish of the entrance rising midsole aspect partitions give the Max 2 a quick flex level fairly far again, on the center of the “Brooks” brand with in entrance of that the profile virtually inflexible, amplifying the rocker.
The general rocker design known as “Speedy Roll” and I feel it’s apt, to some extent: an extended clean roll, not race shoe explosive, sharp and “fast” however constant and a plus within the combine with the brand new foam By not making the shoe inflexible by means of the midfoot the Max 2 flex profile permits for one of the best of two worlds: a straightforward sufficient transition off the midfoot at slower paces and a decisive rocker off the entrance because the tempo picks up.
I’d add that the rising midsole aspect partitions offered prime of platform stability and what I’d name arrow-like alignment within the path of journey. Whereas related in look to Brooks Information Rails (GTS), and are even increased rising, these sidewalls information however on no account are “felt” as are the extra inflexible firmer than midsole foam medial inserts are on Brooks GTS sneakers.
And by stepping them down then up on the lateral aspect the sidewalls play much better, move higher for me with the foot in movement than GTS sneakers do. A GTS model of the Max 2 can also be accessible however I can see few truly needing it.
Backside Line: The Max 2 has a midsole appropriate to any distance or tempo run with deep cushioning, a energetic coaching power really feel, reasonable and efficient plate propulsion, and sufficient flexibility to accommodate virtually all paces.
Outsole
The outsole has a standard structure for a brilliant coach/ racing shoe with a big full protection forefoot and a pair of rear pads. Loads of sturdy rubber right here. Miles thus far are to restricted to touch upon long run sturdiness however usually Brooks sturdiness is excellent.
The sample focuses on a clean lay down and toe off and that is what I skilled.
The underside of the shoe highlights its on the floor stability but clean transitions with broad rear “rails” of froth, a deep decoupling and a weight financial savings central groove. The outsole is segmented with lower outs to extend the shoe flexibility whereas with its stepped kind profile to extend traction. Traction on dry street and onerous packed granite mud has been glorious.
Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions
Brooks lately had many trainers (Ghost and Glycerin come to thoughts) centered totally on “step in really feel” and luxury on foot reasonably than efficiency. Then again, prior Hyperion went fully the opposite approach with agency fairly harsh rides on extra minimal stack heights than their competitors.
Right here Brooks delivers a excessive efficiency tremendous coach that’s all enterprise, has a contemporary foam supercritical foam with a delightful really feel and close to max cushion top, a pleasant efficient plastic plate and an irreproachable safe if a bit heavy higher.
The Max 2 is a shoe for lengthy miles at reasonable to quicker paces and isn’t ideally suited, however is usable, for “jogging” because the heel feels a bit blocky to me at gradual gradual paces (11:00 miles and slower), so it’s not the best restoration run shoe.
Because the tempo and distance picks up, the geometry and supplies actually come to life. The cushioning is energetic but constant, the sidewalls stored it notably aligned and secure within the route of journey with out forcing the help as Brooks GTS does. The toe off, aided by the Speedy Roll, properly some roll if not tremendous speedy whereas the considerably versatile plastic SpeedVault plate stored issues clean and energetic.
At 9.25 oz / 262g they aren’t the lightest of their class and I want and I feel they may very well be lighter and my solely destructive.
I see the Max 2 as a close to ideally suited lengthy, quicker run and lengthy tempo shoe, a stable and secure race possibility for the three:30 and up marathoner. It’s clearly additionally a just about ideally suited extra max cushioned every day coach if you would like the cushion depth, a safe extra efficiency centered higher and a secure impartial platform.
Sam’s Rating: 9.3/10
Deductions for weight, at 8.5 oz US9 they’d be according to increased stack opponents. A lighter higher could also be so as right here.
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5 Comparisons
Index to all RTR critiques: HERE
Brooks Hyperion Max 1 (RTR Evaluation)
Sam: Plateless, at a significantly decrease stack top (30/22) with the older firmer Flash v1 foam the Max 1 was to its credit score 1.7 oz / 48g lighter. Even by 2023 requirements it didn’t should have “max” in its title, Max 2 does. And for many who miss that form of trip and profile the Hyperion 2 (RTR Evaluation) with its just like Max 1 31.5 / mm heel / 23.5 mm forefoot and significantly lighter weight than the Max 1 and Max 2 turns into the extra basic decrease stack perfornace coach within the Brooks line, sharing very a lot updated Flash v2 with the Max 2
Brooks Ghost Max 2 (RTR Video Evaluation)
Sam: Brooks’ different huge coach is significantly plusher in match and softer in trip. Larger in stack at 39mm heel / 33.5 forefoot it’s 1.5 oz / 42g heavier. It’s clearly the large stack, simple days, restoration runs and strolling shoe possibility with numerous pleasant cushion and luxury from Brooks whereas Max 2 is the efficiency possibility.
Mizuno Neo Vista (RTR Evaluation)
Sam: Lighter in weight, significantly increased in stack the Neo Vista additionally has plate, in its case fiberglass bolstered plastic. Its trip is a little bit softer and it’s simpler to show over at slower paces than the Brooks. Whereas very secure its stretch knit higher shouldn’t be as safe because the Max’s because the tempo picks up. General, I discover the Mizuno extra versatile and nice to run however lags the properly aligned and extra decisively energetic Max because the tempo picks. Each true to measurement with broader increased quantity toes possible happier within the Neo Vista stretch knit higher.
ASICS Magic Velocity 4 (RTR Evaluation)
Sam: As with the Neo Vista the Magic Velocity 4 is significantly increased stacked than the Max at 42.5 mm heel / 34.5mm forefoot and weighs virtually 1 oz much less at 8.13 oz / 230g US 8.5, a weight for such an enormous stack top that higher places it in higher rivalry as an extended race shoe than the Brooks. Each are moderately priced for cutting-edge plated trainers ($170 ASICS, $180 Brooks). The upper forefoot stack and carbon vs. plastic plate of the Magic Velocity 4 make it a stiffer firmer shoe upfront however a extra responsive one. For coaching functions the Brooks has a wider vary of paces, is barely extra secure and is extra nice to run and roll by means of given its non completely inflexible plate however not fairly as decisive. Each matches are true to measurement for me with the Magic Velocity 4 toe tox decrease quantity than the Brooks.
Adizero Boston 12 (RTR Evaluation)
Sam: All of the issues I say concerning the Magic Velocity 4, I can repeat in a comparability to the Boston 12 though the Boston 12 is nearer in stack top to the Max 2 and has some entrance snappy flexibility, as does the Max 2, which the ASICS lacks being a inflexible carbon to the Boston’s considerably versatile Vitality Rods.
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Tester Profile
Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2024 Sam’s 52th 12 months of working roads and trails. He has a many years previous 2:28 marathon PR. Today he runs halves within the simply sub 1:40 vary if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week principally at reasonable paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 164 lbs, if he isn’t having fun with too many fantastic New England IPA’s.
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