7 Best On Walking Shoes in 2025

The On Cloud 6 is a fuss-free shoe with comfort that fades in the background. Our lab tests reveal that its minimalist profile offers strong ground control, further enhanced by its high-quality outsole. With its adaptive and light nature, we crown it as our best On walking shoe.

Cloud 6 offers minimal resistance to movement through its light and flexible build. Our scale shows it’s only 9.7 oz (274g), and it never burdened us during our strolls. It bends freely with our feet, as evidenced by its 7.9% higher flexibility score than average.

Its minimalist 28.3/19.5 mm profile enhances free movement and also a surefooted sensation. We felt in control of our strides since we could feel the ground feedback and adjust accordingly.

Another element that enhances our control is the reliable traction of Cloud 6. In our friction test, it showed a strong 0.48 score, promising good grip on both dry and wet surfaces. Furthermore, its outsole displays exceptional wear resistance, showing 64.3% less damage than average in our Dremel test.

However, those seeking cushioning for long hours on foot won’t find that in the Cloud 6. We recommend a more supportive platform for better impact protection.

Hassle-free to pack, makes our feet feel like on a real holiday and is light and breezy. These are our main criteria for perfect travel walking shoes and of all the On pairs we’ve tested, On Cloud 5 Push reigned supreme. Nothing came close to how sensational it felt while we went through our on-foot journeys. 

In our lab, we verified how pliable Push is. We didn’t struggle much in bending it, our tool reflected an opposing force of 14.4N, which is near the 13.9N standard. Weight-wise, this shoe is also on the light side. It weighs 8.5 oz (242.0g) and is 10.5% lighter than others. During our trips, we could truly bring it everywhere, whether in our baggage or feet.

Even though our durometer clocked in a midsole hardness of 31.0 HA, which is 9.9% firmer than average, on our wanders, it never felt like we were stepping on something hard. Instead, we felt zero fatigue and just pure comfort throughout the day.

We don’t think it would last us many vacations, though. When we applied our Dremel to the shoe’s upper and sock liner, we noticed that the materials were quickly eaten away. Due to this, we suggest being easy on sporting Cloud 5 Push or completely considering a more durable pair if that is what you prefer.

The On Cloudnova Form 2 is our go-to when we know we'll spend long hours on foot. It offers the perfect mix of everything: cushioning, responsiveness, and stability in one shoe. Lab results back up its surefooted sensation, without losing comfort and flexibility, making it our On walking shoe with the best support.

The effective containment of Cloudnova Form 2 stems from its wide platform. Our calliper shows it’s indeed massive at 119.1/98.0 mm compared to the 112.0/90.3 mm average. This shoe doesn’t need a very rigid structure to offer a well-planted footing.

Speaking of structure, the midsole feels fluid and natural, which enhances its comfort and versatility. In our bend test, we verified it’s 7.9% more flexible than average.

The cushioning was a delight on foot, offering both joint protection and a nice spring to our steps. Our shock absorption test shows an above-average 115 SA, while our energy return test records an impressive 54.5%. We attribute its bounce to the CloudTec cushioning and the nylon Speedboard, which help propel us forward.

We encourage clothing with reflective elements on night strolls with this shoe, since it has none and blends in the dark.

The Cloudtilt’s comfort is beyond compare, with its light and gentle nature allowing us to glide effortlessly through the miles. Its plush, stacked foam provides a stable yet cushioned ride as validated by our lab, with a highly durable outsole suitable for extensive mileage. Among On’s walking roster, Cloudtilt is the king of shock absorption.

At 9.4 oz (266g), Cloudtilt is noticeably lighter than the average walking shoe (9.8 oz/277g), even with its generous stack height of 35.5/26.8 mm. It delivers excellent impact protection, further enhanced by CloudTec’s compression, and pleasant responsiveness. Our shock absorption test validates this with a high 132 SA rating, 18.9% above average.

We were impressed by the stability Cloudtilt offers, given its height. It does so by widening its base to 117.7/96.7 mm, giving extra room for us to find our footing securely. 

Underfoot, we observed a tough 81.6 HC rubber in high-wear areas. Putting it against our Dremel, it bravely resisted with only minimal damage of 0.6 mm—60.0% less than average, ensuring its long-lasting nature.

Unfortunately, those seeking a breathable experience won’t find that here. The upper is tightly woven and will best be enjoyed in cool weather.

Upon punching in countless hours in the lab and out on the streets and trails, we determined that the best waterproof On walking shoes is On Cloud 5 Waterproof. This shoe is so much more than its ability to ward off liquid. Wearing it round-the-clock doesn’t punish the toes, but it makes every moment count with its magnificent feeling all over the feet. And sporting it for lengthy hours every single day doesn’t pose any quality problem as it is also heavy-duty.

To learn more about the shoe’s material, we examined its upper through a bright light and our microscope. The first test showed an unlit upper, not even a shade of light passing through. Our microscope, on the other hand, displayed a super interwoven upper. Ultimately, both proved one thing: Cloud 5 Waterproof is airtight and watertight. Durability-wise, this shoe is smashing, too. We measured the hardness and thickness of the outsole at 84.0 HC and 3.3 mm. They are both over their averages by 10.7% and 22.22%. Simply said, it would take a long and tough time before you penetrate the outsole. 

On our all-day escapades, we found this shoe non-exhausting. In the lab, we discovered that the midsole is 30.4 HA hard, which is 7.8% firmer than average. This gave the foam an optimal balance between dreamy comfort and A1 support. 

However, this is not the case during winter. We shoved the shoe into our freezer for 20 minutes and measured the midsole hardness once again. It didn’t only firm up by 41.9% but the midsole became 10% harder than average. Hence, we recommend sporting other cold-ready shoes during chilly seasons.

The On walking shoe that we can never skip for our trail adventures is the On Cloudaway. It’s superbly equipped for the demands of trail walking, especially with a base and overall structure that fortify our footwork on our hikes. What makes it a done deal is the tough outsole that doesn’t diminish even after miles.

Even after long-distance off-road walks, we didn’t feel a hint of weariness on our legs and feet because of the shoe’s extra supportive footbed. We analysed this in our lab and with the help of our durometer, we recorded a midsole hardness of 32 HA. While this is 27% firmer than average, it kept us well-balanced. Cloudaway also has an accommodating fit that preserves the comfort throughout our treks. Employing our calliper, we acquired the width of the widest part of the toebox to be 103.1 mm. This gives our toes 5.2 mm extra space compared to the average.

When it comes to durability, based on our trail walks alone, Cloudaway’s outsole could last for a long time as it didn’t even thin out after using it for a long period. This was also the case when we exposed it to our Dremel, as the tool only trimmed 0.7 mm of the outsole, which is 56.3% less than the average, proving its robustness.

However, it took a while before our feet got dry from sweat because of the insufficient airflow of the shoes. When we examined the upper under our microscope, it became clearer why: the upper is closed shut. Due to this, we recommend individuals who can’t deal with sweaty feet to search for breathable pairs.

Aside from sterling and uninterrupted airflow, On Cloudrift’s features are geared toward delivering dreamy comfort from sunrise to sunset. Our feet are always in a state of relief whenever we wear this pair, which is why this is our top breathable walking shoe from On!

We peeked at the Cloudrift’s upper through our microscope to closely inspect its construction and how it affects breathability. We observed that the material had large gaps that enabled the unrestricted air passage on our feet. Supplementing the breezy sensation is the lightness of the Cloudrift. Our scale entered an 8.71 oz (247g) weight, which is more lightweight than the average by 3.5%. 

It was also unchallenging for us to take our every step in Cloudrift as it synced to the movement of our feet. Upon testing its flexibility, we learned that it is easily influenced by bending. It only resisted the force with 10.5N, indicating that it’s 24.5% more flexible than other walking shoes and that it supports natural heel-to-toe strides.

However, with our calliper, we also found that this shoe’s tongue is not padded at all. It’s only 0.5 mm thick, which is an 87.2% downgrade from the average. While this facilitated unhindered ventilation, this is a minor trade-off in comfort. If generous padding is a requirement for you, we suggest checking out other shoes.