ShoeGeometry

Brooks Hyperion Max 4 vs Saucony Kinvara 16

Two popular shoes in the same category, compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

heel boneBrooks Hyperion Max 4: heel 45 mm, forefoot 39 mm (drop 6 mm); toe rocker 36 % of length, radius 43 % of length; heel bevel 13 % of length, 23 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.Brooks Hyperion Max 4: toe rocker 36 % of lengthSaucony Kinvara 16: heel 28 mm, forefoot 24 mm (drop 4 mm); toe rocker 34 % of length, radius 44 % of length; heel bevel 12 % of length, 20 mm high at the back, ending about under the heel bone.Saucony Kinvara 16: toe rocker 34 % of length
  • Brooks Hyperion Max 445/39 mm · toe rocker 36 % · heel bevel 13 %
  • Saucony Kinvara 1628/24 mm · toe rocker 34 % · heel bevel 12 %
Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you wantPickBecause
A smoother roll at toe-offBrooks Hyperion Max 435.7 vs 34.1 % toe rocker; 47.5 vs 36.4 mm toe tip
More cushioning under the heelBrooks Hyperion Max 445 vs 28 mm heel stack
More under the forefootBrooks Hyperion Max 439 vs 24 mm forefoot stack
A lower dropSaucony Kinvara 166 vs 4 mm drop
A stiffer, snappier forefootBrooks Hyperion Max 458 vs 21 /100 stiffness
A wider base under the forefootBrooks Hyperion Max 4119 vs 113.8 mm forefoot base

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

MetricBrooks Hyperion Max 4
Tempo · Road
Saucony Kinvara 16
Tempo · Road
Heel-to-toe drop6 mmStated4 mmStated
Heel stack45 mmStated28 mmStated
Forefoot stack39 mmStated24 mmStated
Weight286 gStated207 gStated
Toe rocker36 %est.34 %est.
Rocker radius43 %est.44 %est.
Rocker rise angle30 degest.25 degest.
Rocker angle at toe57 degest.57 degest.
Toe tip over ground48 mm*est.36 mm*est.
Visible rocker lift onset75.4 %est.78.9 %est.
Toe spring (relative)20.5 %est.15.8 %est.
Heel bevel length13.2 %est.12.1 %*est.
Heel bevel height23 mm*est.20 mm*est.
Midsole width (forefoot)119 mmMeasured113.8 mmMeasured
Midsole width (heel)86.8 mmMeasured86.5 mmMeasured
Toe box shape—73 %*est.
Interior forefoot width92.7 mmMeasured94 mmMeasured
Toebox width71.7 mmMeasured70.8 mmMeasured
Longitudinal stiffness58Derived21Derived
Midsole firmness15Derived—
PlateNylon plateNo plate
Primary foamDNA Gold (PEBA)PWRRUN
List price$200$130

Key differences

  • Brooks Hyperion Max 4's heel-to-toe drop is 6 mm, 2 mm higher than Saucony Kinvara 16's 4 mm.
  • Brooks Hyperion Max 4's heel stack is 45 mm, 17 mm thicker than Saucony Kinvara 16's 28 mm.
  • Brooks Hyperion Max 4's forefoot stack is 39 mm, 15 mm thicker than Saucony Kinvara 16's 24 mm.
  • Brooks Hyperion Max 4's weight is 286 g, 79 g heavier than Saucony Kinvara 16's 207 g.
  • Toe rocker is about the same: 36 % of length for Brooks Hyperion Max 4, 34 % of length for Saucony Kinvara 16.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

Brooks Hyperion Max 4

Saucony Kinvara 16

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Brooks Hyperion Max 4 details · Saucony Kinvara 16 details · Add more shoes