On Cloudflyer

Daily trainer · Stability · Road · 9.8 oz · 7mm drop

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

How it ranks

The On Cloudflyer ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Looks and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 7 runner reviews and 1 other rated shoe in the Cloudflyer product line. Another 5 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Good

87/100

Overall

Good 87

Appearance

Exceptional 99

Comfort

Good 86

Cushioning

Good 86

Durability

Good 82

Value

Decent 75

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

78/100

Moderate 78

What runners say

“The shoe fits snug in the heel but spacious in the toe box.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw came from the adidas UltraBOOST 21

“They caused blisters on both of my pinky toes.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 6

“Even with all of the seeming extra cushion the shoe feels way lighter than other cushioned shoes.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw came from the adidas UltraBOOST 21

“After having spent some time healing from a stress fracture I had zero issues with shin problems or injury resuming my training.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

“It is extremely comfortable even for someone with a wider foot.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the HOKA Bondi 3

“The inner is plush enough to run comfortably without socks.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw came from the adidas UltraBOOST 21

“It's a lot lighter than any other supportive shoe that I've had.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the New Balance 860 v8

“The cushion of the shoe is fantastic and it is very light.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the HOKA Bondi 3

“For a stability shoe they feel light and flexible.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

“If it has resulted in increased, pain-free running, the high price may wind up being well worth it.”

4/5 Full review 12 mpw came from the Brooks Cascadia 14

Prefer this shoe over another

50% 5/10

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Four reviewers say it is light for a stability shoe.
Two reviewers report a snug heel with room in the toe box.
Reviewers rate appearance 4.9 out of 5, its highest dimension.

Cons

It lists at $160, above the $150 median for daily trainers on sale, and four reviewers call it expensive.
One of seven reviewers so far returned it after blisters on both pinky toes that no sock or insole fixed.
One of seven reviewers so far has to stop and pick gravel out of the sole units.

Cloudflyer rates 87. This shoe has moderate certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the On Cloudflyer

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

87 2016 66 2022

Release year

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

Cloudflyer 4

2022 · 5 reviews

66 Below average

24 Confidence
Cloudflyer This shoe

2016 · 7 reviews

87 Good

78 Confidence

Reader Ratings

7 ratings

5/5 4

4/5 3

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.8 oz
Release: 2016 Q3
MSRP: $160
Drop Height: 7mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Big ON Fan from Now On....

5/5

Overall

I've been a runner for close to 30 years now and have had 2 pairs of the Cloudflyer and will be buying more if can.

The shoe fits snug in the heel but spacious in the toe box. The inner is plush enough to run comfortably without socks (on a cooldown from a workout). The ride of the shoe is fantastic: soft, yet responsive, I feel that I get a lot of return from the midsole instead of a deflated landing with little ground reaction force.

I am ball of the foot to mid foot striker and feel that shoes I've worn in the past and much more cushioned in the heel and forget to boost up the comfort in the forefoot. Not so in the Cloudflyer. Even with all of the seeming extra cushion the shoe feels way lighter than other cushioned shoes.

Highly recommend.

Anonymous runner · Jun 5, 2023

25 mpw came from the adidas UltraBOOST 21

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

Reader review

5/5

Overall

As a newbie runner this was the first pair I was fitted for at a running store. After having spent some time healing from a stress fracture I had zero issues with shin problems or injury resuming my training in a pair of cloudflyers. I absolutely the loved these shoes. For a stability shoe they feel light and flexible, and I loves the look of them. Very comfortable, no pinching in the toes. My only issue was gravel getting stuck in the wide track on the bottom of the shoe. I run in a rural area and there's usually gravel kicked up on the road. Having to stop here and there to pick gravel out is pretty irritating. If you're running in an area with grav free roads I highly recommend these shoes.

Hbergum86 · Aug 14, 2019

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon

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

The jury is still out

4/5

Overall

I have been running for 42 years, since 1977. I am 75 years old. From the late 90s to about 2016, I wore Asics. Then I had my foot measured and was told I measure a 9 but should go up at least a half size for running. At that time I switched to Brooks which were very good. When they wore out, I bought the expensive ON shoe--I had a gift coupon which helped. Thinking about this shoe change now makes me wonder if the On shoe has played a part in my increasing the length of my runs. I had been down to 2.5 miles 2 or 3 times a week. I am now running 3.7 miles at least 4 times a week. At first, the ON sole with its individual pillow cushioning gave me pause, felt a little strange. But hey, if it has resulted in increased, pain-free running, the high price may wind up being well worth it.

Anonymous runner · Jul 15, 2019

12 mpw came from the Brooks Cascadia 14

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

Great Stability Shoe

5/5

Overall

I recently had a gait analysis and was told I needed a stability shoe. After looking at all of the options, I choose this one because I liked the way it looked and it had other good reviews. After training in it for a month, I think it has made a big difference for me and I really like how comfortable they are. A little pricey, but worth it.

Anonymous runner · Jul 8, 2019

50 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4

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

I Wanted to Love Them, But They Broke My Heart

4/5

Overall

I really, really wanted to like these shoes. But something just wasn't right in the fit. They caused blisters on both of my pinky toes. I tried 4 different types of socks (different brands, different thicknesses). I tried 3 different insoles (custom orthotics, super feet, and the ones provided). I also tried on a size above and below before purchasing. But every time I ran, I had some rubbing in the same spot. Despite the unusual soles, the ride felt good, and the cushioning was just right. I loved the look and if they weren't so expensive, I would've kept them for just everyday wear. About the price. It's kind of high. I'm not sure if the premium is worth it, even if they hadn't caused blisters. Durability is unknown since I returned them. I only had a couple of runs on wet surfaces, but the traction felt a bit slippery. They were new, so maybe that will improve after adding some miles.

Bullet the Blue Sky · Oct 1, 2018

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 6