Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

On Cloudflow 1

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.0 oz · 22/16mm stack · 6mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The On Cloudflow 3 replaced it

How it ranks

The On Cloudflow 1 trails most daily trainers in our data. Looks and durability are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 18 runner reviews and 4 other rated shoes in the Cloudflow product line.

On Cloudflow 1

of 5

Below average

60
Overall
60
Appearance
93
Durability
63
Comfort
56
Value
53
Cushioning
50
Confidence

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

91 High

91

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

  1. Brand rating
  2. Our ratings
  3. External ratings

What runners say

“After only running around 200km, wear in the soles and grip has been smoothed down.”
4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20
“Rocks frequently get caught in the outsole, terrible for trail running or even gravel.”
3/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Lunar Tempo 1
“Toe kick material glued on front started coming apart at 30 miles.”
4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon
“The sneaker will only get me about 200 miles.”
5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon
“Perineal pain almost immediately—needs better torsion control.”
2/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34
“Low drop of 6mm which makes my runs feel much more natural.”
4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20
“Great for a competitive runner looking for ground-contact feel with their foot in control.”
5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ghost 11
“Great in the dry but in the wet can be slippery.”
4/5 Full review 6 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 7
“Comfortable with no more recurring calf strains.”
5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2
“Smooth transition from heel to toe and the firm take off.”
4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20
“By far the lightest I have ever worn.”
4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20
“Not much cushioning but that forces me to run better.”
5/5 Full review 44 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ravenna 7
“Perfect cushion but still that firmness on the push.”
5/5 Full review 45 mpw came from the HOKA Arahi 3
“Has a more nimble feel to it.”
4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon
“Rocks get stuck in the treads a lot.”
5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ghost 11
“Some wear around the upper already visible at 250kms.”
4/5 Full review 6 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 7
“Cushioning that is provided is springy and neutral.”
5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ghost 11
“Good stack height with minimal offset (6mm).”
4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon
“Very flexible and moves well with the movement of my feet.”
5/5 Full review 44 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ravenna 7
“Does not flare wide at mid foot to toe box.”
4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon
“Not recommended for long runs or anything more than ~7 miles, as it was a bit jarring.”
4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon
“It is a miles shoe.”
4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon
“Occasional rock getting stuck in the treads.”
5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon

Prefer this shoe over another

50% 6/12

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.


Pros

  • Six reviewers call it light with good ground feel.
  • Two reviewers say the 6mm drop makes the transition feel smooth and natural.

Cons

  • Three reviewers find rocks lodging in the outsole pods.
  • Five reviewers see the sole smoothed or the upper worn between 200 and 250 miles.
  • Three reviewers find it jarring past seven to ten miles, two calling it tight across the midfoot.

Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale

Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.

Confidence
50 60 70 80 90 100 25 50 75 100

Better Shoes Rating

Cloudflow 1 rates 60. This shoe has high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the On Cloudflow

Each dot is one version of the Cloudflow, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.
  • Cloudflow 5

    2025 · 0 reviews

    77 Decent

    59 Confidence

  • Cloudflow 4

    2023 · 3 reviews

    71 Decent

    71 Confidence

  • Cloudflow 3

    2022 · 1 review

    73 Decent

    54 Confidence

  • Cloudflow 2

    2023 · 1 review

    75 Decent

    59 Confidence

  • Cloudflow 1 This shoe

    2017 · 18 reviews

    60 Below average

    91 Confidence

Runner Ratings

18 ratings
5/5 7
4/5 8
3/5 2
2/5 1
1/5 0

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
9.0 oz
Men's / women's
Men's 9.0 oz · Women's 9.0 oz
Release
2017 Q3
MSRP
$140
Stack
22/16mm
Drop
6mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 11–15 of 17 written reviews

4/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

30 mpw training for a marathon came from the On Cloudracer 2

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
4/5

These shoes were pretty great

4/5

Overall

I was recommended to try these shoes on by someone at my local running store. I needed new shoes before my track season started, so I tried them on and they felt pretty good. They're fairly light and they don't have too much cushion, which I like. They are a great shoe if you are looking for something with a slightly lower drop or less cushion. They lasted through my track season and I had some hard workouts in them.

KilyKilyPower · Jul 2, 2019

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas adizero adios Aktiv

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
3/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
4/5

4/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Jun 25, 2019

15 mpw training for a half marathon

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
3/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
4/5

On CloudFlow

4/5

Overall

Overall: A good lightweight trainer with cushion. The CloudFlow has a similar feel in the stack, offset, and cushion as the Hoka, but has a more nimble feel to it. The energy return is good for a steady motor session, but is not snappy by any means. Simply put, it is a miles shoe. For speed, both workouts and long sessions, I will wear something else. Upper: Material light and breathable, durable with exception of toe kick material glued on front (started coming apart at 30 miles), laces come a mile t long and you have to cut to your needs. Width is almost continuous from front to back (does not flare wide at mid foot to toe box). Would not be a good pick for someone with wide feet. Arch support is ample, does not have the "lump" many shoes have awkwardly hitting some part of your mid foot. Midsole: Good stack height with minimal offset (6mm), the pod design helps keep the shoe light, ample cushion Outsole: Blown rubber of pods at forefoot and heel, seems fairly durable. A road shoe, but can handle crushed gravel surface, pretty stick on wet surfaces.

Anonymous runner · Jun 21, 2019

55 mpw training for a half marathon

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
4/5

Overrated

3/5

Overall

I was talked into these shoes from an eager running shoe store saleswoman and I regret being taken by the flashiness of the shoe. ON promises a different running experience (on "clouds") and that's not what I got at all. I wouldn't recommend these for long runs (over 10 mi); adequate for short runs or speedwork. PROS: Lightweight, good ground feel, snazzy looking CONS: Rocks frequently get caught in the outsole (terrible for trail running or even gravel), low support for ankles, tight across the midfoot

Anonymous runner · Jul 25, 2018

40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Lunar Tempo 1

Comfort
2/5
Cushioning
3/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
3/5

Alternatives

Other shoes worth considering.

More from On

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Current shoe
Choose a model
Best appearance
Newest
Lowest price / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Speed shoe
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.0 oz
9.0 oz
9.9 oz
Stack
22/16mm
37/31mm
40/35mm
Drop
6mm
6mm
4mm
Release
2017 Q3
2025 Q3 Newest
2022 Q3
MSRP
$140
$180
$165
Best price
—
$180
$95 Lowest price
Ratings
Overall
60 Below average
77 Decent
99 Exceptional Best overall
Comfort
56 Bottom-tier
66 Below average
99 Exceptional Best comfort
Cushioning
50 Bottom-tier
57 Bottom-tier
99 Exceptional Best cushioning
Durability
63 Below average
70 Decent
97 Exceptional Best durability
Appearance
93 Excellent Best appearance
85 Good
75 Decent
Value
53 Bottom-tier
66 Below average
77 Decent Best value rating
Specific shoe

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