On Cloudmonster review

Get the Cloudmonster if you're looking for a: 

• maxed-out daily trainer for road running and walking 
• highly protective and bouncy shoe for long training runs

Consider the New Balance 1080 v12 instead if you want a cushy and protective ride for recovery days. 

And if you're among the wide-footed runners out there, we discovered that your toes can splay comfortably in the  Saucony Triumph 21 or the Nike InfinityRN 4. What's more, both shoes have amazingly soft cushioning!

The Cloudmonster definitely looks oversized, and its shock absorption lives up to that chunky appearance.

Following the ASTM F1976 standard, we recorded 135 SA in the heel and 108 SA in the forefoot. That's more than enough for long-distance efforts by On fans.

However, energy return didn’t live up to expectations. Despite the midsole’s bounce-promising design, we measured just 57.0%, a letdown for performance-focused runners... especially considering the premium price of this shoe.

With a monstrous amount of cushioning, it seems like On has made its own version of the Hoka Bondi! comfort. We did find a lot of similarities between the two shoes.

Measuring the shoe's heel stack height, we got 34.9 mm. This is significantly higher than what's typical for On Cloud shoes (26.9 mm on average) and is also a little higher than the average of our lab-tested shoes (33 mm).

The shoe continues to be a monster in the forefoot too! With a stack height of 28.1 mm, it is 3.5 mm taller than average!

The Cloudmoster sure did make us feel elevated.

According to the brand, the On Cloudmonster comes with a 6-mm heel-to-toe drop.

Based on our own measurements, we found that to be almost true. The difference in our stack measurements shows that there is a 6.8 mm drop from the heel to the toes. Not too far from the official claim!

It's not your typical On running shoe that's firm. We believe that it's a massive step forward from the rigid and brick-like On shoes of the past. Simply, the brand has finally achieved what they've always promised the Cloudtec to be.

But let's not get our hopes up! The Cloudmonster is still far from being plush.

When you're looking to really slow it down, the Cloudmonster is still on the firmer side despite it being branded as On's version of the Nike Invincible Run. It is not the marshmallow ride you might expect to give your feet on a rest day.

Measuring the heel foam softness, our durometer showed 25.8 HA. And while it does come softer than the average On Cloud shoe (by 21%, yay!), the Cloudmonster still sits at the average of road running shoes.

The shoe's rocker geometry also creates a nice and easy rolling sensation. To our delight, moving forward doesn't require too much effort because the shoe did it for us.

All throughout our test run, we kept thinking that this must be the most responsive On running shoe yet! Its smooth heel-to-toe transitions are complemented by springy toe-offs which is very unusual for maximalist shoes. 

We think that for runners with narrow to medium-width feet, the toebox room is more than enough in the On Cloudmonster.

Checking the shoe's forefoot in its widest part, we got 97.3 mm which sits right at the average of road running shoes. However, the actual toe room can be a letdown for wide-footed runners. It is a bit shallow and tapered.

Unfortunately, this On shoe is not available in wide options so it's better to size up or try a different shoe. We recommend the Saucony Triumph 21 or the Nike InfinityRN 4. Both are insanely plush too!

The shoe's generously padded collar holds the ankle nicely while allowing for some mobility. It's complemented by a fully-gusseted tongue (attached to the sides) to really lock the foot in place. 

Additionally, the unconventional lace loops (eyelets) helped us achieve a perfect lockdown.

We found the Cloudmonster's grip to be satisfactory on both dry and wet concrete.

Measuring its coefficient of friction with a SATRA TM144 method returned 0.46. This is a normal result for a road running shoe.

We found that the outsole uses the CloudTec system with pods split into independent blocks that compress on their own. On has covered the areas most prone to wear with traditional rubber, while other parts remain exposed.

Featuring such a high and substantial platform, it was no surprise that this On shoe turned out to be on the stiff side.

Using a force gauge, we measured how much force it takes to bend the Cloudmonster to a 30-degree angle. Turns out, it needed 17.0N which is a bit more than it takes a road shoe on average.

On average, max-cushion shoes weigh in at 289 grams or 10.2 ounces in US men's 9. However, the Cloudmonster is only 280 grams or 9.9 ounces despite its massive look and cushion.

This is one of the reasons why it felt rather easy to pick up the pace in this heavily cushioned shoe.

Breathability is unparalleled in this On running shoe! It felt like an actual ventilator for our feet on a hot summer day!

To back up our real-life experience, we also conducted a special breathability test back in the lab. With a little bit of smoke-pumping magic, we can confirm our findings with the highest 5 out of 5 score for breathability.

See how easily the smoke is passing through the shoe's upper material! Like there is no fabric at all!

It is only natural to worry about stability when you're dealing with such a high-stacked shoe.

Given the fact that the Cloudmonster is a neutral trainer, meaning that it has no foot-guiding features, we found it to be stable enough. Especially when cornering or towards the end of the run. 

Contributing to that sense of stability is the shoe's firm and moderately stiff midsole. Assessing its side-to-side stiffness in our manual test, we rated the shoe as 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest).

The heel counter, on the other hand, has little-to-no rigidity to it. Pushing and squeezing it with our hands, we gave it the lowest possible score of 1 out of 5. It is as flexible as a heel counter can get!

This translates to very little ankle support at the back.

Despite the shoe's titan-like stack, we never experienced any unwanted side-to-side movements. This is primarily thanks to the shoe's adequately wide base that provides planted steps.

Using a caliper, we measured the shoe's sole width in the widest part of the forefoot at 109.0 mm.

Meanwhile, in the widest part of the heel, our caliper showed 86.2 mm.

As we can see, the Cloudmonster's platform is not wider than the average across road running shoes but it is broad enough to provide stability.

Another reassuring fact about the Cloudmonster's outsole durability is its thickness.

Using a caliper, we measured the shoe's rubber pods at 3.7 mm. Slightly above the average, it means a little more rubber to wear through before it becomes unwearable.

The insole is moderately padded in this On running shoe. Measuring its thickness with a caliper, we got 3.4 mm.

There is practically no padding in the shoe's tongue! Our caliper shows as little as 1 mm of thickness in this part of the upper.

While this is really helpful for keeping the shoe's weight down and breathability high, it could be a problem for those who those sensitive to lace bites.

The shoe's futuristic look really catches onlookers' eyes. If you choose to wear this shoe, get ready for some attention.

Puts a dent in your wallet

The average maximalist trainer retails for $149. Meanwhile, the On Cloudmonster costs $170 a pair, which is a hefty price.