Shoe of the Week: On Running Cloudflow
This new lightweight performance trainer from Swiss shoe brand On Running offers a buttery smooth, natural ride and a good amount of energetic pop.
On Running is a small, upstart running shoe brand from Switzerland that has quietly created a stir over the past few years. Utilizing some new concepts (namely its “Cloudtec” cushioning system) and aesthetically clean designs, it has made runners of all abilities do a double-take or at least take a second look. OK, looks aren’t everything … but the ride of its new Cloudflow shoe certainly is.
Like many of On Running’s other shoes, this new lightweight performance trainer offers a buttery smooth, natural ride, a comfortable fit and a good amount of energetic pop. Although it’s a low-to-the-ground speed-oriented trainer, it has ample amounts of cushioning from its 18 uniquely shaped “Cloud” cushioning pods under each shoe. (They’re different sizes and shapes according to how each contributes to a specific portion of the heel-toe roll-through process of the foot on the ground. It’s all about soft landings and energetic toe-offs.) The responsive ride is enhanced by a rockered profile and a firm but flexible board sandwiched between the foot and the outsole.
Our testers reported that the Cloudflow fits so well that it almost felt like it was an extension of their feet. The clean designs of the upper aside, its the unique combination of woven mesh material that accommodates to the slight nuances of foot shapes (especially in the forefoot) and yet enough midfoot support from thin but strong saddle-reinforcement straps. The thin, padded tongue is one more high point that rounds out the luxurious fit.
On Running debuted the shoe just before the New York City Marathon and offered a free pair of shoes to runners willing to run 26.2 miles through the Big Apple in them on race day. (Watch the video of that challenge here.)
This is the shoe for you if … you’re looking for a next-level training/racing shoe without limitations ideal for anything from short and fast repeats or racing from 1 mile to half marathon distances.
Price: $140
Weight: 8.0 oz. (men’s size 9), 6.7 oz. (women’s size 7)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm
Info: On-Running.com