On Cloudflyer symbolizes elegance and style on the road. You cannot really say that about many sports shoes. If you compare the design to Asics or Brooks, it is a completely different story. Foremost, the pods on the outsole. How unique… For many runners, it is not the most important factor but let’s be honest. It looks simply very different from any other famous brand that you may come across in the market.
Speaking about running attributes, this Swiss company works a lot with air compression. You may come across that also for example in terms of air bubbles in case of Nike Air Max 200 or older Nike Air Vapormax Flyknit 2. But ON Cloudflyer doesn’t have the air compressed in closed bubbles, instead, it is open, having holes part of the outsoles. Thus, you cannot expect that the compression on open pods will work that effectively. Nevertheless, the midsole part is made of standard EVA cushioning. That secures maybe a bit firm, but still quality cushioning. It is not the most protective, soft or responsive shoe below the sun, but me, personally, the cushioning was well-sufficient.
A bit weak point is the overall weight. You would say that when the outsole has the holes, then it will be light. The opposite is the truth. ON Cloudflyer goes easily over 10 oz in the man’s version (some 280 grams). Besides, the shoe really runs narrow. That was not my problem as I do prefer narrower running shoes. But when I see how many people constantly complain about it, it is better to point it out here.
The upper secures some sort of structural support. It is well breathable in the front, complemented with a removable outsole inside. In the middle part, the upper is a bit thicker, so that the breathability is lowered but overall still good. Anyone who likes the ON company style will definitely enjoy this shoe. Even though it has some weak points, it is still a trustworthy companion for running longer distances. And the aforementioned style, that is the main motto here. For design, in my eyes, the shoe would score 10/10. ON Cloudflyer is definitely a recommendable model of running shoes.
Last but not least, the price… I must say that unfortunately ON Cloudflyer is very expensive. As it is a Swiss company presenting itself as of high-quality, it is far beyond the normal price tag of a shoe. For this only point, a big thumb down. So count with the fact that the price tag, it really hurts.
ON CLoudflyer
