On Cloudflow 1

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9 oz · 6mm drop · 22/16mm stack

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 rests on 18 runner reviews and 4 other rated shoes in the Cloudflow product line.

Bottom-tier

54/100

Overall

Bottom-tier 54

Appearance

Exceptional 98

Durability

Bottom-tier 57

Comfort

Bottom-tier 50

Value

Bottom-tier 50

Cushioning

Bottom-tier 50

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 will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

89/100

High 89

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

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 Sep 14.

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.

Cloudflow 1 rates 54. This shoe has high certainty. 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

40 60 80 100

54 2017 59 2023 58 2022 54 2023 59 2025

Release year

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

Cloudflow 5

2025 · 0 reviews

59 Bottom-tier

0 Confidence
Cloudflow 4

2023 · 3 reviews

54 Bottom-tier

52 Confidence
Cloudflow 3

2022 · 1 review

58 Bottom-tier

5 Confidence
Cloudflow 2

2023 · 1 review

59 Bottom-tier

13 Confidence
Cloudflow 1 This shoe

2017 · 18 reviews

54 Bottom-tier

89 Confidence

Reader Ratings

18 ratings

5/5 7

4/5 8

3/5 2

2/5 1

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9 oz
Release: 2017 Q3
MSRP: $140
Stack Height: 22mm heel - 16mm toe
Drop Height: 6mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

On Cloudflow - the racing cloud

4/5

Overall

The On Cloudflow is my first shoe from the largely successful running company 'On'. These shoes are marketed as lightweight road racing shoes, and they certainly live up to the legacy. Coming in at 230g, or 8.5 Oz in a mens 8.5, these shoes are by far the lightest i have ever worn (my previous asics gel cumulus 20 being 300g or 10 oz). The On cloudflow has a low drop of 6mm which makes my runs feel much more natural. On claims that these shoes are 'the shortcut to your runners high', which they hope to achieve through the smooth transition from heel to toe and the firm take off. This smooth, flowing feeling is certainly achieved and I really enjoy how these shoes feel to run in. The only flaw I can find in these shoes is the durability. After only running around 200km in these shoes, i can see wear in the soles and the grip has been smoothed down. Other than that one flaw, the On Cloudflow are extremely good, fast running shoes that are certainly worth trying

Anonymous runner · Jul 21, 2019

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20

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

Perfect

5/5

Overall

Looks great, very flexible and moves well with the movement of my feet. Not much cushioning but that forces me to run better. Not cheap but latest versions have lasted longer and kept their looks.

Anonymous runner · Jul 19, 2019

44 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ravenna 7

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

Great shoes

5/5

Overall

On Cloudflow is a really great shoe. It is not excessive in cushioning, so if that is what you are looking for, try a more plush brand like Hoka. However, the cushioning that is provided is springy and neutral, which is great for my neutral foot. I really enjoy the low drop the shoe has in comparison to other brands, and the look and feel of the shoes is far better than others I've run in. The shoe isn't bulky looking, I personally find it flattering for a running shoes. The colors are great, too. The only negative is that rocks get stuck in the treads a lot. Aside from that, it find it a great shoe for a competitive runner who is look for a more of a ground-contact feel with their foot, not the shoe, in control.

Anonymous runner · Jul 18, 2019

20 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ghost 11

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

cloud flow review

5/5

Overall

These shoes seemed to be pretty good. I bought my first pair of cloud tec shoes when they company first came available in the US. They seemed to fit me the best and work the best for me. So of course year after year I get a new pair. I first started running with the cloud surfers. they worked very well and helped me enjoy running more actually. Once I could not get these anymore I moved onto the newer style. Which brought me upon the cloud flows. They work very well and I have ran many half marathons in them. They seem to wear out quicker than the original cloud surfers though. Overall I really enjoy running in these shoes and am excited to put them on and get out there.

Anonymous runner · Jul 12, 2019

18 mpw training for a half marathon came from the On Cloudsurfer