On Cloudsurfer Review

In the past, we haven't been particularly impressed with On CloudTec cushioning. We have changed our tune with the Cloudsurfer 7. It provides a thick stack of smooth cushioning and an almost luxurious upper that we came to love.

Performance Comparison

Landing Comfort

The last time we tested an On shoe, we noted that the CloudTec just didn't feel like anything special. It wasn't particularly soft and wasn't that different from other shoes on the market. That isn't true for the Cloudsurfer. The thick, 40 mm slab of Helion foam in the heel area compresses under weight and rolls you forward, almost like dominoes. It's a pleasant and plush sensation, one we thought was among the best in our testing. This shoe has a soft bed of cushioning that makes landing feel almost pillowy with a bit of bounce.

The Cloudsurfer has a rather large heel-to-toe drop — we measured it at 12 mm in our lab, despite On claiming it's only 10 mm. When you're walking around or standing in the shoe, it absolutely feels like a high 12 mm. But once you get running, it actually feels closer to the more average claim of 10 mm. We suspect this is the result of the soft foam compressing under impact. We think that runners who tend to land towards the rear of the foot will enjoy this shoe more, but we also found it to be comfortable while landing mid/forefoot. While the ride is extremely soft, there is enough bounce to the cushioning to keep the shoe feeling lively.

Responsiveness

This is a soft shoe, first and foremost. It's comfortable, and we think it's best thought of as a cruiser. That doesn't mean it can't do a bit of faster work. The Cloudsurfer has a mild rocker that gives a reasonably quick toe-off. It's not winning any responsiveness contests, but for a non-plated shoe this plush, it's not bad at all.

There's enough pop and bounce to this shoe to make threshold efforts comfortable. Moving much faster than that, and we think it feels too mushy as we push off. We strongly dislike the Cloudsurfer for mile pace strides — the combination of high drop and soft foam feels unnatural. We enjoyed the Cloudsurfer during pickups and threshold efforts during our long runs, where the soft foam felt good on our legs, and the responsiveness kept us rolling along well.

When compared to other highly cushioned daily trainers, we actually think the Cloudsurfer does better than most. The tradeoff between cushioning and responsiveness is apparent here, but we don't think it's outsized. This is a great shoe for easy miles and the occasional tempo.

Stability

The stability of this shoe is one of the worst we've tested. The soft foam doesn't provide much lateral support. Just standing in the Cloudsurfer takes some engagement of the lower legs to remain stable. The upper does a good job of keeping your foot locked to the base, but the base doesn't remain solid.

This shoe is terrible to run in on uneven surfaces. Even washboard roads felt a little risky. It makes sense, given the high stack and soft foam, but it is a little disappointing. Similarly, this is not a shoe for track sessions. Taking turns at high speed is not something we would recommend in the Cloudsurfer. For the most part, this is par for the course with a highly cushioned, high-stack shoe. We had similar issues in the Saucony Triumph 22, which is similarly cushioned to the Cloudsurfer.

Upper Comfort

This is one of the most comfortable uppers in our lineup. It combines plush cushioning and soft padding with breathability, an uncommon combination that can be hard to pull off. The forefoot utilizes a finer, soft mesh to allow for comfort and breathability and a looser mesh overtop that aids durability.

The tongue is thick and well-padded, with a soft underside. The lacing system is good and allows the comfortable upper to hug the foot. There is a mild heel cup with a thickly padded collar to prevent slippage. We didn't experience any issues with the upper during our entire test period.

As a final note, it's not often that running shoes look nice enough for us to be willing to wear them in social settings. But the Cloudsurfer is visually appealing, and we love some of the available colorways. This might be the ultimate brewrun shoe.

Weight

Thanks largely to that comfortable upper, this isn't a heavy shoe, even with 40 mm of foam in the heel. Impressive numbers on the scale aside, one area where we would like to see added weight is the outsole. As we mentioned earlier, the durability of the Cloudsurfer has been a pleasant surprise, but better grip would be appreciated.

Traction

On opted for an exposed foam outsole on the Cloudsurfer, which typically results in premature wear, particularly on abrasive surfaces. We have been pleasantly surprised with how well it has held up so far, even when landing on loose and rough terrain. However, the grip is mediocre at best.

Should You Buy the On Cloudsurfer 7?

There are obviously some drawbacks to this shoe — mostly related to what it does best. The super plush ride means it isn't the best at faster paces, and it is unstable. But the plush ride is also fantastic on easy runs and even surfaces. We think the Cloudsurfer is best as part of a rotation. If you only run on smooth surfaces and mostly threshold paces or slower, it could work well as your only shoe. It could also make a decent travel shoe — one we'd be willing to wear for both runs and social settings. We'd recommend the Cloudsurfer to those looking for a very pleasant and smooth shoe that does best at easy paces.

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