ON running shoes
I have known this brand for a long time, but I tried their shoes for the first time this year. Now in my running collection, there are five models. An important point I especially want to pay attention to is the size range of the models because this is the most confusing part for me. I think there should be a separate guide on choosing the correct size.
Today I review these models: Cloudmonster, Cloudultra, Cloudstratus, Cloudflyer, and bonus CloudNeo
Cloudmonster
Cloudmonster is one of the newest models, I wrote my opinion on them here https://annjoyrun.wordpress.com/2022/04/20/on-running-cloudmonster/
They are true to size; all my Nikes are 7.5 in size, and this model is also the same size. As I already wrote, I can’t say that they are very soft or plush; instead, on the contrary, I can recommend them for training at a medium pace or even for high-speed ones. They certainly don’t push you forward like carbon shoes and are not as light, but for tempo training, they are excellent, as you will still feel how they help you move forward.
Cloudultra
WEIGHT 245 g 8.64 oz
HEEL-TOE DROP 8 m
This model is for trail running. I tested them for the first time on the 50 kilometers race, so they did not disappoint me, and they already have a lot of kilometers on the trails behind them.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the size. In this model, I had to size up half a size. If I usually wear 7.5 US, then I have these 8 US. My usual size in this model turned out to be very tight, and, most importantly, the upper gave too much pressure on the bone where the thumb is. They were also normal in length, but this model is still relatively narrow and tight, so I advise everyone to take a half size up. Even half a size up, these shoes are not the most comfortable to put on; what do I mean? They fit snugly, are difficult to put on, and will probably feel very tight after road running shoes. But give them a tray. In fact, on the trail, this is what you need: a snug fit allows you to feel the surface well, the feet will not dangle inside, and the foot will not slip forward; the lacing is very comfortable and does not press on the top of the foot. Surprisingly, although when you put them on, it feels very uncomfortable at first, when you run them, I can say this is one of the best ultra shoes on the market.
I can mention two more things about the outsole; it would be great to choose the sole option with Vibram technology, especially if you run a lot on technical trails with wet stones. What else? Design of the heel collar. When I run, everything is fine with my heel, but when I hiked more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) in them, then at the end, the heel collar pressed very hard on my heel, which was impossible to walk, I think these are mine anatomical features, but that’s all.
Overall this is an excellent pair of shoes with a good fit, is well-balanced, and they have good anatomy.
About shoes from On Running website:
“The Cloudultra is the versatile trail shoe made for all-terrain adventure and off-road running.
The ultra-breathable two-layer sandwich mesh upper is reinforced with lightweight TPU for durability, while the wrap-fit construction is perforated to ensure total comfort. Our revolutionary new FlipRelease™ system makes finding the perfect fit as easy as flipping a switch. For more grip and more fun, a closed-channel construction outsole stops stones catching, while Missiongrip™ provides the traction you need to master mixed terrain. A double layer of Helion™ superfoam works with two layers of CloudTec® to deliver unbeatable cushioning and long-term comfort. BEST FOR Long trail runs, off-road training on forest trails and gravel roads.”
Cloudstratus
https://www.on-running.com/en-us/products/cloudstratus/womens/white-black
WEIGHT 248 g 8.75 oz
HEEL-TOE DROP 6 mm
I can probably say that this is a classic On running shoes. This model is adored by everyone I know who has tried them. They fit true to size; I have them 7.5 US like my Nikes. It is an excellent shoe for daily running, suitable for recovery training, and you can add a little speed to it. They are not soft; on the contrary, in my opinion, they are the opposite of soft shoes. They have a plate inside; this plate is more plastic than carbon, even though it is carbon infused. The presence of the plate creates the feeling that the shoes are pushing forward and also helps them to remain not very soft and suitable for high-speed training. Compared with other carbon-infused models ( plastic plates), they are less soft and smooth because they have less foam inside. This is a pretty wide and stable shoe. Although they are for neutral pronators, their design adds additional stability to them, which is vital if you have an overpronation. Because my Achilles are extremely sensitive and I do most of my training on concrete, I don’t like the response I get in shoes with plates, which is why this model is not my favorite, but this is a very subjective preference. I just need more foam inside the midsole if the shoes have a plate. I like to run in them when I want my run more powerful than relaxing and it’s working.
About shoes from On Running website:
“Double CloudTec®, double your run. The performance shoe for maximum cushioning on the road runs – from 5k to a marathon.
Maximum cushioning, maximum performance. Dare to go farther in the shoe for runners who demand more. Double Clouds meet a re-engineered midsole, a recycled upper and a redefined inner construction. It’s comfort and just the right amount of support. Around 75% of the polyester used in the durable and dynamic upper is recycled. With a wide-fitting forefoot and improved heel hold, topped off with a star-lacing system, the Cloudstratus is highly inclusive and ideal for all types of runners. Rubber grip in the outsole provides traction on the road. The Cloudstratus features two layers of Helion™-enriched CloudTec® for increased vertical and horizontal cushioning. Connected forefoot Cloud elements are perfectly aligned with the Speedboard®, resulting in big energy return, durability and road protection.”
Cloudflyer
https://www.on-running.com/en-us/products/cloudflyer/mens/black-white
WEIGHT 280 g 9.88 oz
HEEL-TOE DROP 9 mm
Cloudflyer is one of my favorite pairs of running shoes all the time. I use them for light recovery runs; they are comfortable, fit well, and are soft but don’t feel like you’re sinking into foam every time your foot lands. Cloudflyer is one of the best models for daily running in the city. I think it’s hard to find great running shoes for recovery runs because brands put lots of technologies and effort into creating the best race shoes but not much into daily recovery shoes. I have them in my usual size is 7.5 US, but I’m almost 100% sure I need a half size down. Based on my experience and feelings, half a size down will be more comfortable. Now they feel too wide at the ankle, and when I am walking, they seem to hit the lateral malleolus; usually, when this happens, it indicates that the feet are not positioned in the shoes as they should be, and most likely, they are too big. Unfortunately, I have not tried this model half a size smaller, but I think it will be more comfortable. Even now, when they are a little bigger than they should be, I love them very much. Running in them is pleasant and relaxed; there is no feeling that you are sinking into them or that they are too hard for a recovery run. The lacing and upper are very comfortable. I want to add from the minuses that the upper feels a little not breathable and my feet were so hot, though I only felt it when it was more than 30 degrees above zero Celsius outside.
About shoes from On Running website:
“Built for the graft nobody sees, but ready to step into the spotlight. The Cloudflyer is for the resilient. The strugglers. The overcomers. Those who stare adversity in the face and grin back. Because hard work pays off in the long run, support makes light of any challenge. A midfoot stability tube combines support with a gentle, foot-hugging feel. The ultralight engineered mesh upper has a new airflow-optimizing pattern. Underfoot, Helion™ and CloudTec® combine for lightweight agility and heavy impact protection. The next-gen Cloudflyer has the plushest tongue of any On shoe and some of our largest Cloud elements. With Helion™ superfoam, a bespoke Speedboard®, 3D-molded heel and a wider outsole, it’s all about comfort and support. Slow and fast. Short and long. Heel and toe. However you run. BEST FOR Intervals, tempo runs, recovery runs, short runs to marathons, heavier runners.”
Cloudneo
100% recyclable and high performance. Available only through Cyclon subscription service.
WEIGHT less than 260g
HEEL-TOE DROP 9 m
Sizing also I bit confusing my usual size 7.5 turned out to be small for me in this model, and I had to exchange them for a half size up, which seems perfect for now. I’ve only run in them once 13 kilometers or about 8 miles. To be honest, the first time I touch them, it seemed to me that running in them would not be pleasant. I don’t know why I got that impression; they just don’t look like the rest of the brand’s shoes. They do look minimalistic, maybe this aspect confused me. Already after the first and so far the only run, I can say that I think these are one of the most comfortable shoes I own. Perhaps I will change my mind later. What do I like about them so far? The first is a very smooth ride; when you run you can feel how they are helping you move forward. The second is stability; the sole is wide, and even if you are not a neutral runner, your foot will not hang in the air. The third is comfortable lacing and a good fit on the leg. This is an essential point for me, this shoes can be put on very quickly and easily, and they sit comfortably and tightly, and if you tighten the laces a bit, it is enough. I would say that these are light shoes, fast and not very soft, and when you put them on for the first time, you get the feeling that they are soft and you drown in them, but this is due to the geometry when you start running in them, they are not soft and plush. The only downside I’ve noticed so far is that the knitted upper is hotter than many other models. I’ve run in them in the heat of about 29 degrees above zero Celsius, so maybe lower temperatures will be better. From my experience, I noticed that if the top of the shoes makes your feet hot inside, they will most likely be hot all the time, regardless of 20 degrees or 30 degrees outside.
The facts below and information about the shoes and the subscription service from ON running website:
- Recyclable
Less materials. Less CO2. Less waste. Better for the planet.
The first shoe available from the Cyclon program uses over 50% bio-based materials. The uppers are made from one cut of material so that it can be recycled and re-used in a future pair of Ons. For the first time ever, we’ve engineered a single-unit upper made from an undyed 100% recyclable bio-based yarn. That means zero waste. No excess material and no environmentally-harmful dyeing process. But this is no ordinary knit. This knit is built from a 100% bio-based material derived from castor beans. Yes, you read that right – beans. What’s really great about castor beans is that they are more sustainable than other bio-based options because growing them doesn’t compete with the food chain. Castor oil is extracted from the beans and (we’re skipping a few steps here) through an advanced synthesis process it’s possible to create a special kind of polyamide called PA11. This upper is seriously unique. Creating a textile shoe upper purely from this polyamide has never been done before. Certainly not at this scale. Engineering a knitted fabric from PA11 is a challenging and complex process but we broke ground. We’ve created an ultra-lightweight and highly resistant yarn that’s optimal for footwear.
The Cloudneo is so much more than a recyclable running shoe. We completely reimagined this running shoe to engineer a product that not only uses the highest quality sustainable materials but minimizes waste. Most running shoes have over 60 components from several different material families. Cloudneo has less than 10 components made from one material family (making it even easier to turn the Cloudneo into new products). You might think a recyclable running shoe means compromising on performance. Not with Cloudneo. That’s what makes this product so unique – it’s exceptionally high performance. It’s lightweight and agile with an incredibly responsive twin layer of CloudTec® cushioning (more on that later), making it ideal for training and fast workouts. In fact every component of this majority bio-based materials shoe is cleverly engineered to create the different functionalities you expect in a high-performance running shoe.
- Innovative
These shoes are made with beans. Yes, you read that right. B-E-A-N-S.
From innovation and design to supply chain and development, our team went to extraordinary lengths to get our first fully recyclable, high-performance running shoe on the road. Designing a single piece upper from a 100% bio-based material, creating a new circularity production model and even re-engineering CloudTec® to create our signature Clouds in the lightest foam On have ever made. All so we could have the highest-performing, fully recyclable shoe possible.
How the subscription works?
Only available via Cyclon, our circular subscription service to make your run more sustainable with products that are designed to be recycled. Simply put Cyclon works like this: you subscribe and run. Then when you’re done, we recycle.
- Get a Cyclon subscription.
- Receive recyclable running shoes and RUN.
- Run, train, and run some more (say 600km or so).
- Run ’til you can’t run anymore (in these shoes anyway).
- Every 6 months you can request new running gear. When the new shoes arrive (still recyclable, obviously), put the worn out, recyclable ones in the bag and send it back to us. Easy!
- Repeat.
What inside?
Midsole
The bottom unit engineered from a high-performance polyamide compound called Pebax® and upper unit re-engineering CloudTec® ( cushioning system from ON, more here https://www.on-running.com/en-us/technology/cloudtec )
“To engineer a recyclable shoe of this standard, you cannot use common production processes. The beauty of the Super Critical Foaming Technology is that we replace harmful chemicals with a gas that controls the expansion of the foam. If you want to have high performance and a high rebound, it’s only possible with the highest quality materials.” – Nils Altrogge, Innovation Technology Lead
Sandwiched between the two midsole layers of this running shoe is ON running signature Speedboard®. It’s 100% recyclable, 100% bio-based and 100% high performance. Engineered from a high-performance polyamide thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-A for short), the Speedboard® works together with our new foam. Cloudneo has signature CloudTec®. Bringing the Clouds to such a soft and responsive foam meant re-engineering CloudTec® from scratch. No easy feat. It was an adventure that brought our two core technologies – the Speedboard® and the Clouds – closer together than ever before, sandwiching the Speedboard® between the two midsole layers to get that much desired soft landing, hard push off.
What outside?
Upper
“This knit is built from a 100% bio-based material derived from castor beans. What’s really great about castor beans is that they are more sustainable than other bio-based options because growing them doesn’t compete with the food chain. Castor oil is extracted from the beans and (we’re skipping a few steps here) through an advanced synthesis process it’s possible to create a special kind of polyamide called PA11.
Each Cloudneo shoe upper is engineered with an intricate geometric knit pattern designed specifically with performance running in mind. Alternating patterns in zoned sections at the forefoot offers breathability where you need it most.”
More information here
https://www.on-running.com/en-de/articles/always-accountable-for-our-impact
ON running has many interesting models and everyone can definitely find something for themselves. I already know what I want to try soon.
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