On Cloudmonster

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9 oz · 6mm drop · 39/33mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The On Cloudmonster 2 replaced it

How it ranks

The On Cloudmonster is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Looks and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. Most runners who came to it from another shoe preferred it. The rating rests on 77 runner reviews and 2 other rated shoes in the Cloudmonster product line.

Exceptional

97/100

Overall

Exceptional 97

Appearance

Exceptional 99

Cushioning

Excellent 97

Comfort

Good 88

Durability

Good 87

Value

Below average 66

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

98/100

Very high 98

What runners say

“I feel like I've strapped mini trampolines to my feet.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38

“The best shoe I've ever run in. Super responsive with a comfortable but firm ride.”

5/5 Full review 45 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance Fresh Foam 880 v10

“Super lightweight, tipping the scales at just around 10.8 ounces.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38

“They feel like I'm running on clouds.”

5/5 Full review 16 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Brooks Glycerin 19

“I love the way they bounce back after hitting the ground.”

5/5 Full review 16 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Brooks Glycerin 19

“So comfortable and cushioned, they made me feel like I was actually running on clouds.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a marathon came from the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v2

“Boasts a substantial cushion stack height, which provides a plush ride.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38

“This shoe functioned as a great daily trainer that especially excelled at picking up the pace.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37

“They seem to strike the perfect balance between cushioned and stable.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39

“The cushioning is good without being too soft, and the speedboard allows for a propulsive feel.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v3

Prefer this shoe over another

71% 25/35

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers say the plate and rocker add snap for tempo and long runs.
Reviewers call it among the most comfortable, cushioned shoes they have run in.
Reviewers describe the ride as cushioned but firm rather than soft.

Cons

It lists above the $150 median for daily trainers on sale, and eleven reviewers call it expensive.
Five reviewers say the sole wears out sooner than other trainers, though three report 500 miles or more.
Three reviewers find the stiff plate uncomfortable at slow, easy paces.

Cloudmonster rates 97. This shoe has very high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the On Cloudmonster

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

97 2022 69 2024 92 2026

Release year

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

Cloudmonster 3

2026 · 5 reviews

92 Very good

79 Confidence
Cloudmonster 2

2024 · 12 reviews

69 Below average

62 Confidence
Cloudmonster This shoe

2022 · 77 reviews

97 Exceptional

98 Confidence

Reader Ratings

77 ratings

5/5 45

4/5 29

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: 2022 Q1
MSRP: $180
Stack Height: 39mm heel - 33mm toe
Drop Height: 6mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Best Shoe I've Run In

5/5

Overall

After struggling with nagging injuries for the last couple years, switching to the Cloudmonsters has been a game-changer for me. They seem to strike the perfect balance between cushioned and stable--I'm 6'2 and weigh around 180, so I'm on the heavier side. I was a Nike shill for many years, but I'm not going back!

Side note: I'm not sure how they've done this, but the shoes I have simply do not get dirty. I've put about 250 miles on the pair I'm wearing now, have run on muddy trails with them, and they still look a week old. I don't care too much about looks, but it's striking.

Anonymous runner · Dec 13, 2023

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39

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

It is has cushion but not comfortability.

4/5

Overall

It feels too fast for a cushion shoe with the speed plate. It also takes awhile to break in for comfort.

TexasNatty · Dec 11, 2023

40 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40

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

Long lasting booster shoes

5/5

Overall

I love the on cloudmonsters! They lasted me over 500 miles unlike my other shoes which i replace after like 350ish miles. I love them for my everyday runs and they boost you forward when you feel sluggish and it feels so good to run in them.

Ellie · Dec 8, 2023

30 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the HOKA Mach 5

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

Best ON Shoe Yet

4/5

Overall

The Cloudmonster is a fast-feeling, stable-fitting, neutral running shoe. The speedboard (also seen in the Cloudrunner) gives the shoe a snappy feel. Although this is still very much a daily trainer, the Cloudmonster is completely viable for faster runs especially fresh out of the box.

sevenmpw · Dec 6, 2023

50 mpw training for 5K and 10K

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

Really fun pair of shoes

5/5

Overall

I really enjoy these shoes. They have a unique yet comfortable ride. They are a bit pricey but if you can find them on a sale it’s definitely worth it.

Eric · Dec 3, 2023

50 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Nike Pegasus Turbo Next Nature

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

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Analyses

On Cloudmonster

Exceptional