The ON Cloudsurfer is my first ON shoes.
When my previous running shoes reached more than 500km of roads ran, I decided to look for an alternative pair. I chanced upon the ON line of shoes in my neighborhood sports equipment store while I was on the hunt. The sole of their shoes looked so different and so appealing that I decided to try out about five pairs.
Regarding those pairs that I didn’t buy, I found that those shoes were too narrow for my feet. I was hoping that, since ON makes shoes for athletes, then most of the shoes in their line up would have provisions for swollen feet (swollen because of all the running). But, no, only one pair in the entire ON lineup in the store I was in had a nice fit on my, ehem, feet.
That was the ON Cloudsurfer.
My criteria for running shoes are very simple:
- It should feel good when worn and while I’m running (of course!)
- It should look really good
The ON Cloudsurfer manages to tick both criteria.
The shoes are so light that it feels like you are not wearing anything at all. Compared to my training shoes, the Cloudsurfer feels like it is at least 150g lighter. Also, the design of the rubber sole is different from anything I have ever used before. The cushioning is perfect for runs shorter than 16km. The upper is made up of breathable material that my feet didn’t heat up on said middle distance runs. Considering that I wear thick socks when I run, that last thing was a big plus.
This same upper is also made up a quick-dry materials: I was caught in the rain while running, but, the day after, the shoes were already dry and ready to go.
The shoes felt “springy”, if you can imagine such a thing. It seems as if I can feel the reaction force of the ground back every time my feet goes into contact with it. For me, this makes my runs more efficient as the energy, or so I believe, is returned to my feet.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but with these shoes, I feel that I’m prevented from running the “heel-to-toe” way. My feet always seem to land flat on the ground, the so-called neutral foot strike! For me, this is a good thing!
Also, with this pair of shoes, I feel that the ground contact time between my feet and the ground are lessened, thus reducing the chances for injury.
I just have a couple of issues with the ON Cloudsurfer.
One, the shoe laces are too thin. Maybe it’s designed like that so that it will be lighter. But, I think thicker laces would have been better. Also, I took the shoes running for a half-marathon and I felt a niggling on the side of my knee two-thirds of the way. I think this pair of shoes is not really designed for long distance runs.
But all-in-all, I would highly recommend this pair of shoes to anyone who are looking for a better alternative. This pair of shoes should be enough for anyone who wants to try out running for the first time, or for those who are not satisfied with their current race shoes.
The ON Cloudsurfer, again, is highly recommended.
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