Shoe Review: On Cloudsurfer – The specifics

Run Oregon receives and tests running shoes from time to time. This initial post about the On Cloudsurfers, which Matt has been testing, is outlined to provide some background information about the company and the shoes they manufacture.

On-Running Cloudsurfer

Company: On is a company that was founded by Olivier Bernhard and his friends David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti. Their offices are based out of Zurich, Switzerland and our very own Portland, Ore. The company grew out of a simple idea – that being the thought of the unique “clouds” that On Shoes are recognized for. Those clouds actually began  with a prototype of attaching cut-up pieces of a garden hose to the bottom of a pair of shoes! Read more about their history here.

The technology in the clouds are designed to cushion both vertical and horizontal forces simultaneously in an effort to provide the most amount of cushion with the least amount of impact. The clouds also claim to stabilize form and foot strike and offer a rebound effect upon release from the ground. There are some videos on their site that offer neat visualizations. This technology is said to be better at preventing injuries as a result. From 2005-2009, Olivier worked with a Swiss engineer to develop a new running shoe with superior cushioning and efficiency. In 2010, their first shoe – the Cloudsurfer, hit the shelves in Europe.

On specializes in producing only a small selection of shoes, not the myriad of styles that the bigger shoe companies have. These shoes are specifically designed with runner’s skill levels in mind. In fact, each of their 4 styles is specially geared towards a runners pace:

View of the “clouds”

The Cloudster is for beginning runners and walkers.

The Cloudrunner is for all runners with a Target speed of 8:00-9:30 min/mile with a goal to “build endurance on and off the road”.

The Cloudsurfer is for runners with a Target speed of 6:40-8:00 min/mile with a goal to “increase performance, train, and compete”

The Cloudracer is for the fastest of runners maintaining a sub-6:40 min/mile and designed keeping speed and competition in mind.

Shoe: On Cloudsurfer (comes in 4 colors for males and 4 for females)

Specifications:
– Heel-toe offset: 7 mm (0.28 in);
– Weight: 9.2 oz (US W 7), 10 oz (US M 8.5)

Price: $139.99