On Cloudmonster women's running shoe review (unsponsored)
Cloudmonster, the latest On running shoe has landed! Here’s everything you need to know about the Cloudmonster women’s version and my honest thoughts. I hope this will help you decide whether you should give this shoe a try!
Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to attend the launch event of the On Cloudmonster in London and to receive a pair of shoes, however I was not asked to write this review and all opinions, as always, are my own :)
About the brand
On was born in the Swiss alps and has had the same mission since day one: to create a revolution in the running shoe world, combining soft landing and explosive take-off for optimal performance.
Former professional athlete Olivier Bernhard and his friends David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti joined forces in 2010 to make their ideal running shoe a reality.
After multiple prototypes, the first On running shoe, fully engineered in Switzerland, landed in running stores in July 2010.
Over a decade, multiple awards and a wider running shoe range later, On is now implanted in over 50 countries, staying focused on innovation to bring out even better running shoes for all types of runners.
What makes On running shoes different?
The Cloudtec®
Swiss-engineered CloudTec® technology has been show to help reduce heart rate and muscle activation, which means that On shoes allow you to preserve your energy & run more efficiently.
See the little “cloud” elements underneath the shoe? This is CloudTec®, an adaptive system that cushions when your foot lands and allows for optimal energy return when you lift off off again.
Plus, the system is designed to reduce the impact of landing both horizontally and vertically, therefore helping with injury prevention.
This technology is also what makes On running shoes great for everybody regardless of their foot strike. How? Because the individual clouds compress where your weight is distributed when your foot land. For instance, if the inside of your foot touches the ground first, this is where the clouds will cushion to absorb the impact.
The Speedboard®
The Speedboard® is On’s signature plate, present in all of their shoes. The liquid-injected plate of thermoplastic polymer which you can spot between the Cloud elements.
This plate works in synergy with the Cloudtec® outsole: as the Cloud elements soften the landing, the Speedboard® flexes and uses the energy you generate for an explosive next step.
The Cloudmonster: newest and weirdest On Running shoe creation
Main characteristics of the Cloudmonster:
The Cloudmonster is On’s most cushioned running shoe, featuring the CloudTec® midsole and the Speedboard® plate for high energy return and optimal bounciness. It is also temperature resistant, avoiding your feet to overheat on those long runs.
The women’s shoe weighs 230g with a 6mm heel-top drop. It comes in two colourways and retails at £160.
Finally 35% of the shoe is made from recycled materials.
What types of runs is the Cloudmonster made for?
The Cloudmonster is designed for your medium to long runs on the road, from your mid-week 10k to long Sunday run and even your post-race recovery shake out.
Do you need to size up?
The brand says that the shoe runs true to size. I personally had to go half a size up as the fit is tight in my opinion. I’m usually a UK 4 in Nike and Adidas, I wear a UK 4.5 in the Cloudmonster.
Testing out the On Cloudmonster: first impressions and honest thoughts
When I put these shoes on for the first time, they reminded me of my Adidas Ultraboost 21, with the “easy step in” and bouncy sensation.
It’s my first pair of On shoes and I was worried that they might not feel great at first. But unlike some of my Nike shoes which required a few runs to get used to to them (such as the Pegasus), the Cloudmonster felt really comfortable from the start.
I had the chance to attend the launch even where we went on a group run and I could tell, looking at how everyone was running and enjoying the shoes, that these little Clouds really do a great job at adapting the cushioning to each and every runner.
It’s definitely a shoe that I will regularly use for my easy longs, especially as I’ll be increasing my weekly mileage to train for half-marathon races.
I’m keen to get as much energy return as possible with every stride and let the max cushioning absorb the impact, so that I run more efficiently and reduce the risk of injury.
So far I’ve had a great experience with the Cloudmonster and if you love bouncy running shoes or are looking for a new pair of trainers for your easy runs, they might be the right fit!
The only slight issue I’ve had is easy to solve: the shoe sits right underneath my ankle bone and creates some friction when I run if I wear low ankle socks.
Oh and definitely go half a size up!
PS: you can check some footage from the Cloudmonster launch event in this vlog:
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