Latest revision as of 06:01, 23 July 2018

This is my third review of an ON Cloud shoe, and almost certainly my last. Their "unique selling point" is to use small cylinders of foam or rubber to improve cushioning and rebound. This was apparently inspired by the inventor stepping on a garden hose. They claim is that this approach is lighter and creates more rebound. Unfortunately, I've not found this to be true of any of the issues, including the "X". The cushioning to weight ratio of the "X" is quite poor, even though it's a shoe that compromises comfort to save weight. And instead of a spring key midsole, I found these hoops of cushioning made the shoe noticeably uneven under foot. Combine this with a shoe that isn't designed to fit a healthy human foot, and I have to rate this as "Not Recommended". (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

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  ON Cloud X top

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  ON Cloud X outside

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  ON Cloud X bottom

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  ON Cloud X inside

1 Characteristics

• Cushioning . ON use a radically different approach to cushioning, with a collapsible midsole foam ("CloudTec.") See my review of the On Cloudracer for an analysis of this approach. Like the other Cloud shoes, the Cloud X is too firm for its weight. It weighs nearly as much as the Saucony Kinvara 8, but provides less than half of the cushioning. While you can't get them anymore, the Cloud X has the same cushioning as the New Balance RC5000 while weighing 2.5x as much! To add insult to injury, the hoops create a rather uneven feel underfoot, and provide less of perceived rebound than a traditional foam shoe.
• Drop. The Cloud X has an 7mm drop either loaded or unloaded, which is rather more than I'm comfortable with. While many shoes with a 7 mm drop don't feel too bad, that's often because the drop is far less when the shoe is loaded, something that doesn't seem to happen here.
• Structure. There's no structure in the usual sense; no variations in cushioning to prevent the natural movement of the foot. I found the Cloud X didn't interfere with my running in the usual ways issue interferes, which is by limiting pronation. On the other hand, the Cloud X never felt natural or smooth.
• Flexibility. The Cloud X is moderately flexible, but a less than you'd expect given how thin the sole is between the cushioning hoops. They put a fairly hard plastic plate under the insole, which creates a little bit of spring, and I'm guessing is an attempt to isolate your foot from the uneven cushioning.
• Outsole. The Cloud X only has harder rubber outsole over some of the contact areas. The CloudTec bumps can act as stone traps, and while mostly they are likely to be stuck in the gap between the outsole bumps, I have a nagging concern about any stones that do get launched under the bumps themselves.
• Shape. The Cloud X is shaped like many traditional shoes rather than being designed to fit the human foot. I'd recommend cutting open the toe box for your feet to move naturally. (I recommend cutting open the toe box of virtually all running shoes, with the exception of a few shoes like some Altra shoes. When you have some worn out shoes, you should try cutting open the toe box. I've found that it's a big improvement, allowing my toes to move naturally and engage for toe off, as well as reducing the possibility of blisters.)
• Upper. The upper is far more minimalist than you'd expect from a shoe weighing this much. There is very little padding, even around the ankle opening, which has some weirdly positioned squares of extra padding. I've never seen the shoe quite like this, and I don't expect I would in the future, as the ankle padding is a remarkably crappy piece of design.
• Tongue. The Cloud X has a traditional tongue that is unpadded and thin.
• Lacing. The Cloud X has thin flat laces that stay tied reasonably well.
• Heel Counter. The Cloud has a rather hard heel counter, but it's too small to really have any impact.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy On Cloud X at Zappos Buy On Cloud X at Road Runner Sports Buy On Cloud X at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy On Cloud X at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.