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On Cloudracer

12,385 bytes added, 18:01, 17 April 2015
Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:On Cloudracer Review}} The On Cloudracer is a relatively lightweight shoe with a novel cushioning technique called CloudTec. I don't think CloudTec is much bett..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:On Cloudracer Review}}
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. {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|250px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|250px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|250px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|250px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|}
=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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:CloudTec 1.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|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. ]]
|[[File:CloudTec 2.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|Here's a close up of the bumps. You can see they have "teeth" to prevent the outsole slipping. ]]
|}
==CloudTec Research==
A study shows that CloudTec shoes had a lower average heart rate and lactate level than conventional shoes<ref name="Knoepfli-LenzinWaech2014"/>. 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.
=Characteristics=
* {{H:WhyBuy}}. The main reason for buying the Cloudracer is probably novelty and possibly the promise of longevity.
* {{H: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.
* {{H: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.
* {{H: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.
* {{H:flexibility}}. The Cloudracer is nicely flexible, and I didn't find the CloudTec bumps to interfere or cause creases in the sole.
* {{H:outsole}}. Because of the CloudTec, the Cloudracer has outsole over the entire contact patch. This should give good wear characteristics.
* {{H:shape}}. While Cloudracer is shaped like many traditional shoes rather than being designed to fit the human foot. I had to [[Shoe Modifications| cut open the toe box]] for my feet to move naturally.
* {{H: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.
* {{H: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.
* {{H:lacing}}. The Cloudracer has thin flat laces that stayed tied reasonably well.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. The Cloudracer has a surprisingly strong heel counter that I didn't like much.
{{BuyShoes|RRS=T|AZ=T|ZP=T}}
{{ShoeGraphs}}
=Comparisons=
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
==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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-6-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 top]]
|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-6-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 bottom]]
|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-6-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 inside]]
|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-6-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 outside]]
|}
==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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 top]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 bottom]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 inside]]
|[[File:New-Balance-MRC-5000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|New Balance MRC 5000 outside]]
|}
==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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Hoka-OneOne-Clifton-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Hoka OneOne Clifton top]]
|[[File:Hoka-OneOne-Clifton-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Hoka OneOne Clifton bottom]]
|[[File:Hoka-OneOne-Clifton-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Hoka OneOne Clifton inside]]
|[[File:Hoka-OneOne-Clifton-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Hoka OneOne Clifton outside]]
|}
==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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Brooks-PureConnect-3-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Brooks PureConnect 3 top]]
|[[File:Brooks-PureConnect-3-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Brooks PureConnect 3 bottom]]
|[[File:Brooks-PureConnect-3-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Brooks PureConnect 3 inside]]
|[[File:Brooks-PureConnect-3-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Brooks PureConnect 3 outside]]
|}
==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 [[The Science of Running Shoes| 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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer top]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer bottom]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer inside]]
|[[File:On-CloudRacer-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|On CloudRacer outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Asics-GT2000-top.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics GT2000 top]]
|[[File:Asics-GT2000-bottom.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics GT2000 bottom]]
|[[File:Asics-GT2000-inside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics GT2000 inside]]
|[[File:Asics-GT2000-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Asics GT2000 outside]]
|}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}
=References=
<references>
<ref name="Knoepfli-LenzinWaech2014">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 [http://www.worldcat.org/issn/0264-0414 0264-0414], doi [http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.915421 10.1080/02640414.2014.915421]</ref>
</references>

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