On Cloudracer Review

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The On Cloudracer is a relatively lightweight shoe with a novel cushioning technique called CloudTec. I don't think CloudTec is much better than the more usual foam, but it works better than I expected. The Cloudracer is not a bad shoe, but it's not a great one either. (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.)

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside

1 CloudTec Cushioning

The Cloudracer uses a novel approach to cushioning. Instead of using foam, the Cloudracer uses CloudTec bumps of outsole material. Apparently inspired by standing on a garden hose, the idea is that the bumps collapse and act as cushions as they do. The most surprising thing about the Cloudracer is that it feels remarkably similar to a conventional foam shoe. There are some issues however.

  • The biggest problem is that for its weight, the Cloudracer is not as well cushioned at the best shoes. For instance, the Cloudracer has similar cushioning to the Nike Zoom Streak LT, but is quite a bit heavier. Looking at it the other way, the Cloudracer weighs the same the Hoka Clifton that is massively more cushioned.
  • The cushioning is not quite even as pressure increases; it seems like the initial touchdown is softer, and then firms up. I think the initial softness is when the CloudTec bumps collapse, then the firmness is the underlying foam.
  • Unlike foam which provides even cushioning along the length of the shoe, the Cloudracer has cushioning in the bumps. This is most noticeable at the extreme rear of the shoe where there is no bump at all. Runners should not be landing with an extreme heel strike, but it is an issue for anyone walking, which naturally has an extreme heel strike.
  • The CloudTec could last longer than traditional foam, but I'm a little concerned that runners who have uneven wear on their soles may have problems. A wear patch on the outsole of a foam based shoe will not cause undue problems, but with CloudTec it will impair cushioning in that spot.
This view of the heel shoes the gap between the strips of outsole that can catch stones. You can also see the gap from the last CloudTec bump to the rear of the shoe.
Here's a close up of the bumps. You can see they have "teeth" to prevent the outsole slipping.

1.1 CloudTec Research

A study shows that CloudTec shoes had a lower average heart rate and lactate level than conventional shoes[1]. The lower heart rate was small (2 beats/minute), as was the drop in lactate. There was no difference in Running Economy, and one third of the subjects had reduced HR and two thirds had no change. The subjects used their normal running shoes as the control condition, suggesting that CloudTec results in a slightly lower HR than some shoes, but not others. (There was no correlation in HR change with shoe weight.) My personal conclusion from this single study is that CloudTec is as good as most other running shoes, and possibly better than some.

2 Characteristics

  • Why you’d buy it. The main reason for buying the Cloudracer is probably novelty and possibly the promise of longevity.
  • Cushioning . As noted above, the Cloudracer works surprisingly well, and it's comparable with some of the firmer shoes I've tested. However, the cushioning to weight ratio keeps it from being considered as one of the better shoes. It's possible that the CloudTec bumps may allow the Cloudracer to last longer than conventional foam shoes.
  • Drop. The Cloudracer has an 8mm drop when unloaded, but thankfully this drop to 5mm when it's worn. That's still more than I'd like, and far from ideal.
  • Structure. There's no structure in the usual sense; no variations in cushioning to prevent the natural movement of the foot. Overall I found the Cloudracer didn't interfere with my running at all. The CloudTec bumps can act as stone traps, though so far they've been between the strips of outsole and easy to remove. If you got a stone inside the bump, I think you'd have some real problems getting it out without tools.
  • Flexibility. The Cloudracer is nicely flexible, and I didn't find the CloudTec bumps to interfere or cause creases in the sole.
  • Outsole. Because of the CloudTec, the Cloudracer has outsole over the entire contact patch. This should give good wear characteristics.
  • Shape. While Cloudracer is shaped like many traditional shoes rather than being designed to fit the human foot. I had to cut open the toe box for my feet to move naturally.
  • Upper. The upper is quite thin, and what you'd expect from a lighter shoe. You can see where they've saved weight to try to offset the heavier CloudTec cushioning. The upper is mostly seamless, with a bit of padding at the rear of the foot.
  • Tongue. The Cloudracer has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. The tongue is unpadded and thin, and I found it tended to crease unless I was careful when I put it on.
  • Lacing. The Cloudracer has thin flat laces that stayed tied reasonably well.
  • Heel Counter. The Cloudracer has a surprisingly strong heel counter that I didn't like much.
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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.


3 Cushioning and Shoes

It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.

4 Visualizing the Attributes of the On Cloudracer

How On Cloudracer compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How On Cloudracer compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How On Cloudracer compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.
How On Cloudracer compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

5 Comparisons

Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.

5.1 On Cloudracer and Asics Gel Hyper Speed

The Asics Gel Hyper Speed is a truly great running shoes, and the Cloudracer suffers by comparison. The only advantage the Cloudracer might have is in longevity, but even that's not necessarily the case. I've had good life out of the Hyper Speed, and if you have uneven wear on your sole, it will impact the cushioning on the Cloudracer. I'd choose the Hyper Speed every time.

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 top
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 bottom
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 inside
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 outside

5.2 On Cloudracer and New Balance RC5000

The Cloudracer is reasonably light weight, but the New Balance RC5000 is quite stunningly light. The RC5000 is less than half the weight of the Cloudracer, but nearly as well cushioned. Of course, the bare bones RC5000 is not for everyone as it provides just enough cushioning to improve Running Economy, but no more. The RC5000 is a fast shoe, but the minimal cushioning my not be sufficient for you. However, if the RC5000 lacks sufficient cushioning, then the Cloudracer may not be enough either. The Cloudracer has slightly more rear cushioning, but less in the forefoot.

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside
New Balance MRC 5000 top
New Balance MRC 5000 bottom
New Balance MRC 5000 inside
New Balance MRC 5000 outside

5.3 On Cloudracer and Hoka Clifton

The On Cloudracer and the Hoka Clifton are almost exactly the same weight, but the Clifton is vastly better cushioned. While this might be too much cushioning for some, it shows just how good conventional foam cushioning can be. The Clifton is less flexible than the Cloudracer, and neither of them have a shape that matches the human foot. In choosing between the two, I'd choose the Clifton pretty much every time. If I wanted less cushioning than the Clifton, then the Cloudracer would not be where I would look.

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside
Hoka OneOne Clifton top
Hoka OneOne Clifton bottom
Hoka OneOne Clifton inside
Hoka OneOne Clifton outside

5.4 On Cloudracer and Brooks PureConnect

The On Cloudracer and the Brooks PureConnect are similar shoes. The PureConnect is a little heavier, a little better cushioned in the forefoot but slightly less cushioned in the rear, closer to zero drop, and both are quite flexible. It would be tough to choose between the two, but I'd probably go for the PureConnect due to the lower drop.

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside
Brooks PureConnect 3 top
Brooks PureConnect 3 bottom
Brooks PureConnect 3 inside
Brooks PureConnect 3 outside

5.5 On Cloudracer and Asics GT 2000

I tend to compare shoes against my benchmark "normal running shoe", the Asics GT 2000. The GT 2000 weights about a third again more than the Cloudracer, but you do get some extra forefoot cushioning for the weight. You also get a much softer, padded upper in the GT 2000. However, a lot of the excess weight is from over engineered features that are more likely to cause problems than solve them. The Cloudracer won't attempt to interfere with your stride, or encourage you to heel strike like the GT 2000. The GT 2000 helps show how much worse the Cloudracer could have been. When compared with the GT 2000, the Cloudracer starts to look like a real winner.

On CloudRacer top
On CloudRacer bottom
On CloudRacer inside
On CloudRacer outside
Asics GT2000 top
Asics GT2000 bottom
Asics GT2000 inside
Asics GT2000 outside

6 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

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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.

Full Review

Brand Name Rating Recommended
price 		Benefit Weight
(oz) 		Penalty
(sec/mile) 		Forefoot
Thickness 		Heel
Thickness 		Loaded Drop
mm 		Cushioning Flexibility
Saucony Type A Review Saucony A/A7 Recommended $100 6.4 6.7 12.1 19 22 1 4.3 7
Saucony Type A6 Review Saucony A6 Highly Recommended $100 8.2 6.1 9.5 17 21 4 5.0 7
Saucony Type A8 Review Saucony A8 Highly Recommended $90 7.5 6.2 9.7 19 20 -1 4.7 7
Adidas Adios Boost 2 Review Adidas Adios Worth considering $140 4.7 8.6 13.4 17 27 11 4.0 6
Hoka Bondi 5 Review Hoka Bondi Recommended $150 6.1 11.6 18.1 38 42 5 7.1 2
Hoka Clayton 2 Review Hoka Clayton2 Highly Recommended $150 9.1 8.3 12.9 23 28 1 7.5 5
Hoka Clifton 4 Review Hoka Clifton4 Worth considering $130 7.7 9.3 14.5 30 35 10 7.2 3
ON Cloudflash Review On Cloud Cloudflash Worth considering $180 4.4 8.3 14.6 19 26 7 3.7 6
On Cloudracer Review On Cloud Cloudracer Worth considering $130 5.7 8.2 12.8 19 27 5 4.7 7
ON Cloud X Review On Cloud CloudX Not recommended $140 4.5 8.3 16.3 21 27 7 3.8 7
Mizuno Wave Cruise Review Mizuno Cruise Worth considering $120 6.6 5.9 12.5 17 20 7 3.9 6
Newton Distance IV Review Newton Distance Worth considering $155 7.5 9.1 14.2 26 31 3 6.8 5
Asics Gel DS Racer 10 Review Asics DS Racer Worth considering $110 8.2 7.0 10.9 21 26 6 5.8 5
Altra Duo Review Altra Duo Recommended $130 6.0 8.4 13.1 29 29 1 5.0 5
Mizuno Wave Ekiden 8 Review Mizuno Ekiden Worth considering $115 5.7 5.7 14.6 13 18 6 3.2 8
Saucony Endorphin 2 Review Saucony Endorphin 2 Worth considering $115 8.0 5.1 9.6 15 13 -1 4.1 8
Adidas Energy Boost Review Adidas Energy Worth considering $160 7.2 10.0 15.6 20 30 7 7.2 5
Altra Escalante Review Altra Escalante Best of the Best $130 9.1 8.7 13.5 28 25 -1 7.9 6
Altra Escalante 1.5 Review Altra Escalante 1.5 Best of the Best $130 8.2 9.0 14.0 26 27 -1 7.4 7
Saucony Fastwitch Review Saucony Fastwitch Highly Recommended $90 9.5 7.1 11.1 20 22 4 6.8 7
Topo Fli-Lyte 2 Review Topo Fli-Lyte2 Highly Recommended $100 6.7 9.1 14.2 24 26 3 6.1 5
Reebok Floatride Run Review Reebok Floatride Worth considering $150 7.7 9.6 14.9 28 34 10 7.4 5
Saucony Freedom Review Saucony Freedom Recommended $160 5.4 10.7 16.6 25 29 3 5.8 6
Skechers GORun 4 Review Skechers GORun Not recommended $100 6.1 7.5 11.7 15 23 3 4.5 7
Skechers GOrun Ultra 2 Review Skechers GRU Worth considering $90 7.5 10.0 15.6 28 34 8 7.5 4
Asics GT 2000 Review Asics GT 2000 Not recommended $120 4.8 11.2 17.4 28 35 5 5.4 2
New Balance Hanzo S Review New Balance Hanzo Worth considering $110 7.6 6.9 10.7 21 19 2 5.2 5
Hoka Hupana Review Hoka Hupana Recommended $115 6.1 8.9 13.9 31 36 7 5.4 4
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 7 Review Asics Hyper Speed Highly Recommended $75 10.9 6.3 9.8 22 26 5 6.8 6
Altra Instinct 4.0 Review Altra Instinct 4.0 Worth considering $120 6.0 9.8 15.3 29 25 -1 5.9 5
Asics Tarther Kainos 3 Review Asics Kainos Worth considering $130 10.0 6.9 10.7 17 27 9 6.8 6
Altra King MT 1.5 Review Altra King MT Recommended $140 7.5 10.7 16.7 19 21 3 8.0 5
Saucony Kinvara 8 Review Saucony Kinvara 8 Best of the Best $110 9.3 8.6 13.4 26 31 3 8.0 5
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Review Altra Lone Peak Highly Recommended $120 4.2 11.4 17.7 24 25 4 4.8 5
Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 Review Nike LT3 Best of the Best $80 9.8 5.4 8.4 16 21 5 5.3 7
Nike Zoom Streak LT 4 Review Nike LT4 Recommended $90 8.5 5.5 8.5 15 21 3 4.6 6
Nike LunarSpider R5 Review Nike LunarSpider Recommended $125 6.9 6.7 10.4 17 21 3 4.6 6
Hoka Mafate Speed Review Hoka Mafate Best of the Best $170 7.6 11.9 18.5 39 40 4 9.0 1
Pearl Izumi EM Road N0 v2 Review Pearl N0 Highly Recommended $100 7.9 6.5 10.1 14 20 4 5.2 8
Saucony Nomad Review Saucony Nomad Worth considering $110 4.3 10.5 17.2 25 27 2 4.5 4
Hoka Odyssey Review Hoka Odyssey Highly Recommended $130 8.5 9.4 14.6 37 45 5 8.0 3
Altra Olympus 2.5 Review Altra Olympus Highly Recommended $150 4.6 11.8 18.4 35 34 0 5.4 6
Altra One 3.0 Review Altra One Recommended $100 6.1 8.8 13.7 23 23 0 5.4 6
Altra Paradigm 4.0 Review Altra Paradigm Highly Recommended $150 5.3 11.0 17.1 28 30 5 5.8 8
Asics Piranha SP 5 Review Asics Piranha Recommended $100 10.1 4.2 6.5 11 15 3 4.2 9
Brooks PureFlow 5 Review Brooks PureFlow Worth considering $110 6.0 9.7 15.1 26 29 5 5.8 8
Salming Race Review Salming Race Worth considering $130 6.9 6.5 10.1 16 19 4 4.5 6
Altra Escalante Racer Review Altra Racer Highly Recommended $140 6.6 7.6 11.8 24 26 6 5.0 8
New Balance RC1600 v2 Review New Balance RC1600 Highly Recommended $110 8.8 5.6 8.7 15 21 5 4.9 8
New Balance RC5000v2 Review New Balance RC5000v2 Best of the Best $125 14.2 4.0 6.2 13 21 6 5.7 7
Skechers GoRun Ride 3 Review Skechers Ride Worth considering $85 5.9 8.5 13.2 18 28 6 5.0 8
Nike RN Distance 2 Review Nike RNDist2 Worth considering $120 8.0 9.2 14.3 25 28 4 7.4 7
Inov-8 RoadXTreme 220 Review Inov-8 RXT-220 Worth considering $120 5.2 8.0 18.2 14 17 3 4.2 8
Salomon Sense Ride Review Salomon Sense Worth considering $120 8.5 10.0 15.6 26 29 6 8.5 0
Altra Solstice Review Altra Solstice Highly Recommended $90 7.1 8.1 12.5 23 25 0 5.7 5
Topo ST-2 Review Topo ST-2 Highly Recommended $90 8.2 7.3 11.4 20 18 0 6.0 7
Hoka Stinson Lite Review Hoka Stinson Highly Recommended $160 7.3 11.6 18.1 35 40 6 8.5 0
Altra Superior Altra Superior Highly Recommended $110 5.6 9.9 15.5 21 25 -1 5.5 4
Adidas Takumi Sen 3 Review Adidas Takumi Sen 3 Highly Recommended $160 7.7 6.6 10.2 17 21 4 5.1 5
Topo Terraventure Topo Terraventure Review Pending $110 2.6 10.8 27.5 24 24 0 2.8 10
Altra Timp Review Altra Timp Best of the Best $130 3.7 11.6 18.1 30 31 -1 4.3 6
Altra Torin 2.0 Review Altra Torin Worth considering $125 3.4 9.6 20.7 30 25 1 3.3 9
Altra Torin 3.5 Review Altra Torin 3.5 Worth considering $125 5.8 9.3 14.5 27 28 0 5.4 8
Hoka Tracer Review Hoka Tracer Recommended $130 7.2 7.4 11.5 21 24 2 5.3 5
Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review Merrell Trail Glove 4 Best of the Best $100 3.4 8.4 23.8 13 13 0 2.8 10
Topo Tribute Review Topo Tribute Recommended $100 5.9 7.3 11.4 20 18 -1 4.3 6
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review Mizuno Universe Highly Recommended $125 10.7 3.1 10.6 9 12 1 3.3 9
Altra Vanish-R Review Altra Vanish-R Recommended $100 16.1 5.3 8.2 19 21 4 8.5 6
Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Review Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Highly Recommended $85 2.1 6.1 27.6 6 5 0 1.3 10
Nike Vaporfly 4% Review Nike Vaporfly Best of the Best $250 10.4 7.2 11.2 25 37 8 7.5 2
New Balance Vazee Pace Review New Balance Vazee Pace Worth considering $110 6.0 8.6 13.4 18 24 6 5.2 5
Asics TartherZeal 3 Review Asics Zeal Worth considering $140 10.9 6.3 9.8 17 27 9 6.8 6
Saucony Zealot 3 Review Saucony Zealot3 Recommended $130 8.9 9.5 14.8 29 32 4 8.5 6
Nike Zoom Fly Review Nike Zoom Fly Worth considering $150 8.3 8.7 13.5 29 36 8 7.2 3

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.

7 References

  1. ↑ Claudia Knoepfli-Lenzin, Jennifer Carole Waech, Turgut Gülay, Florian Schellenberg, Silvio Lorenzetti, The influence of a new sole geometry while running, Journal of Sports Sciences, volume 32, issue 18, 2014, pages 1671–1679, ISSN 0264-0414, doi 10.1080/02640414.2014.915421
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