New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4 vs Brooks Hyperion Elite 6:
Which to Choose

Start with what's identical: both run a PEBA-based foam (New Balance's FuelCell, Brooks' DNA Gold) over a full-length carbon plate, both are neutral with no pronation support, and both rate the same on our scales for pace, cushioning, responsiveness, and stability (6/6, 6/6, 6/6, 2/6). Both also share the super-shoe tradeoff — a tall platform that feels tippy and unsettled at jogging speeds and only comes alive when you commit to pace, plus modest durability from the thin, breathable racing uppers. The real separators are weight, drop, and range. The Hyperion Elite 6 is the lighter shoe at roughly 192–198 g in a men's US 9 versus about 230 g for the SuperComp Elite v4 — a meaningful gap you feel in the back half of a race. Heel stack is effectively the same, right around 40 mm, but the two get there differently: the Brooks runs a 7 mm drop (roughly 40 mm heel / 33 mm forefoot), while the New Balance sits at a lower 4 mm offset with a thicker forefoot near 36 mm. That gives the SuperComp a softer, more pronounced forward roll that rewards patience and settling into a long marathon rhythm, while the Hyperion's steeper drop and firmer-feeling forefoot deliver a quicker, snappier, more insistent toe-off. Range is the other divider: both nail the half and full marathon, but the Hyperion Elite 6 is explicitly happy at 10K too, making it the more versatile racer, whereas the SuperComp Elite v4 is at its best over the longer, 90-minute-plus distances where its deep, rolling cushioning pays off.