On Cloudultra Pro Review
By Matthew Klein
On Cloudultra ProPrice: $259.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.2 oz, 261 g (men's size 9), oz, g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 41 mm heel / 35 mm forefoot
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Ultramarathon Trail Super Shoe
Pros: Wide comfortable upper, smooth ride, great balanced cushioning, excellent over long miles
Cons: Lacks high-speed versatility, Heel Collar a little high under malleoli
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The On Cloudultra Pro is a super trail shoe for ultramarathon distances and all day wear. The upper features a wider fit with plenty of room up front for those who want toe splay and tons of breathability to keep feet cool. A full length HelionHF midsole with a fiberglass plate provides a rolling ride than feels comfortable underfoot for hours. A fantastic shoe for long runs and ultramarathon efforts on a variety of non-aggressive terrain, the On Cloudultra Pro is one of the smoothest trail racers out there.
SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Ultrafly Trail, La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
PAST MODEL: New Model
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The On Cloudultra Pro fits me mostly true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The fit is a tiny bit long but not long enough to consider changing sizes. This is especially beneficial on long runs, as it accommodates foot swelling. The fit is on the wider side, especially up front. The forefoot and toe box are wide without being sloppy, allowing plenty of toe splay and slightly higher volume. This transitions into a normal to slightly wider midfoot. The tongue is strategically padded, thin and well-gusseted. The gusset helps secure the foot but I still had to tighten the laces to get a secure fit. The heel fits normally in width but has an extremely high ankle collar. There is moderate heel collar padding, however I have notice some pressure under my lateral malleoli (lateral ankle bone) that has not caused me issues long term but is a bit annoying during the first half mile of a run. There is a flexible heel counter that has not bothered me, so those with heel sensitivities might be okay. Those with extreme sensitivities may still find too much pressure. The inner liner is comfortable with socks on but highly scratchy without socks due to the weave mesh. While this creates great durability, socks are needed to protect the skin. If you are looking for a wider shoe with a little extra volume for swelling, the On Cloudultra Pro may be one of the best out there, minus the ankle bone rubbing.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Not Flexible
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Great
Recommended for Haglunds: Somewhat
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The On Cloudultra Pro is a long distance and ultramarathon racing shoe. The midsole is full length HelionHF foam (PEBA?) that provides a protective but balanced underfoot feel. Classic to On, the midsole is not as soft as others but maintains its feel over long distances. It is responsive and moderately bouncy but the rolling transition is far more prominent of a sensation The full-length fiberglass speedboard adds some structure and likely makes the ride feel a little firmer, but it helps this shoe roll long at a variety of speeds. There is not much flexibility to this shoe, but the fiberglass makes the transition smooth and even fine as a walking/hiking shoe given it isn't as stiff as carbon. The weight feels light without feeling superlight, although it will feel light for a trail shoe. The transition is so smooth that the Cloudultra Pro feels lighter than its listed 9.2 oz (men's size 9) weight. There is a large, posterolateral heel bevel that creates an buttery smooth heel transition. This continues into the forefoot, where a long forefoot rocker with only slight toe spring makes for a comfortable transition. Those with mild toe mobility deficits will do fine, but the fiberglass plate does have a little bend to it. Those with extreme toe motion loss may not find this quite stiff enough, but for those with normal toe mobility it will feel fine.
The easier transition makes this shoe great for easy to tempo paces. Hold steady paces is easy and super comfortable. I have done everything from easy long runs to uptempo long runs and shorter tempos. While not the speediest shoe, it is excellent as it was designed. It is meant to hold steady paces over long efforts. I did attempt to take this shoe on the track and road for workouts, and it doesn't respond quite fast enough for 10k to 5k and below efforts on track/road. That is not what it is designed for and if I had to do a long-distance trail race above a half marathon distance tomorrow, this would be the shoe I would grab.
The lugs on the bottom of the shoe are more mild than other trail shoes, making it best for gravel roads and smooth trails. On technical trails and mud, the traction is not good enough but on smooth trails and road it is great. 1/3 of the 75 miles I have on my pair are on road, either from road to trail efforts or the occasional road-only run. They do fine on road, feeling a bit firmer but still rolling along nicely. However, the trade off is that the lugs do wear out early if you use these on road. While the outsole is doing absolutely fine, I have worn down the lugs on the lateral midfoot of my left foot. If I had stuck to trails this would probably be fine but road use will wear them down quicker. Midsole-wise, the Helion HF has held up extremely well over my 75 miles. It has softened slightly, but has generally maintained its feel of cushioned but slightly firmer and rolling. If used on trail only, I expect this shoe to last an above average number of miles but if the hybrid capacities are used, I expect an average number out of these for a trail super shoe.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The On Cloudultra Pro is a neutral racing shoe with some guidance methods. There are no traditional stability mechanisms, but the sidewalls, lateral bevel and speedboard (plate) add enough structure that those with mild guidance needs should do fine. The sidewalls are the most prominent part of the guidance, running from the heel all the way into the forefoot. The sidewalls in the forefoot are slightly more prominent on the medial than lateral side, so those sensitive to rubbing from those should approach cautiously (I love it). The large lateral heel bevel offsets the slightly narrow midfoot and makes for a laterally guided rearfoot. There is slight sole flare that is more prominent at the medial forefoot but this is controlled by the speedboard. The speed is narrow in the rearfoot to keep from overly stiffening that area. In the forefoot it expands, creating torsional resistance and facilitating a forward roll. This makes the whole shoe somewhat centered but especially guided in the forefoot and heel with slight lateral bias in the heel.
Thoughts as a DPT: Endurance vs Speed Footwear Design Contrasts
By Matthew Klein
Shoes are tools. Each tool is designed with certain purposes in mind. Some of these tools are designed for easy mileage and training. Others are designed for extremely fast efforts, ie racing shoes. This needs to be in the forefront of each person's mind as they choose their tools. It is difficult, if not impossible, to design a shoe that does all things for everyone. The On Cloudultra Pro is a great example of this. This shoe has clearly been designed with ultramarathon-type efforts in mind. The rocker geometry is smooth and not aggressive in the forefoot. The heel features a large efficient posterolateral bevel, meant to handle the more common rearfoot style landings seen in distance events. The plate is not the stiffest and the foam is not the most insanely responsive, meant to hold up over long miles.
When picking up the pace, these components naturally max out early but keep you going for longer. That is what the shoe was designed for. It would not be a good option for a fast 5k or 10k because that is not what it is designed for. This greatly contrasts with something more extreme like a 5k/10k track spike, which is meant to be as light as possible, as stiff as possible and as fast as possible. Track spikes do not have heel bevels or rockered geometry. They often have negative heel drops because runners are running so fast many tend to shift their foot strike forward or are running such a short distance that force generation (getting into more extremes of ankle motion) is more important than ultra-distance efficiency. The uppers are not wide, but extremely narrow and restrictively close to the foot for ultimate security rather than comfort. This would be a terrible shoe to run an ultramarathon in because that is not what it is designed for.
When looking at footwear, you must select the right tool for the right activity. Each shoe has a purpose and areas where it is stronger or weaker. No shoe is good at everything and the more unique the event, the more specialized a shoe you will need.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I have really enjoyed the On Cloudultra Pro. While I have 75 miles of running, I have many more miles of walking and standing time. They have been incredibly comfortable and are well designed for ultra distance events. The wider fit is great and accommodates both toe splay and swelling. The midsole is cushioned and holds itself up over long distances. My first suggestion, as with many On shoes, is to soften the midsole just slightly. It is a touch on the firm side and a tiny bit more compliance may improve comfort even further. This cannot be too much as then this shoe will feel mushy and make some of the intrinsic muscles of the hip work too hard, which would be counter-productive over long endurance events. My second suggestion is to widen the midfoot just slightly. The shoe isn't unstable, but a touch more width in the midfoot could improve the last bit to make this shoe stable neutral. This would have to be contrasted with the speedboard, which would need to be slightly less stiff in the midfoot to offset the increased stiffness from the wider midfoot. The last piece is the high heel collar in the rearfoot. This has created some pressure underneath my medial and lateral malleoli that over 15-16 miles was mostly fine but may be irritating for some people. I would suggest lower this a little to work around those bones so there is less opportunity for irritation. Outside of those minor things, these are fantastic.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The On Cloudultra Pro is for those with higher volume feet wanting a rolling, super trail racing shoe for ultra distance efforts. The fit will work for those who have higher volume and wider forefoots, with plenty of room for toe splay. The ride will work best for those who want a rolling, smooth and cushioned but slightly firmer ride for how much HelionHF there is. The geometry will work best for those who like a rockered shoe that rolls well and excels best at easy and uptempo efforts. The outsole will work best for road/trail efforts and less technical terrain. The On Cloudultra Pro has been my go-to long trail run shoe and has done many long runs at Forest Park in Portland, Oregon. Many may not like the relatively firmer ride for a super trail shoe but once you get used to that, it is a shoe that easily rolls for hours. It is not a fast super shoe for shorter distances and those approaching it need to understand it shines over ultra-distance events and not shorter ones. If used with the right mindset, it is a great shoe that is an impressive trail super shoe debut for On.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: A (Wider, higher volume forefoot with strategic gusseted tongue for security. Highly breathable)
Performance: A- (A ultramarathon specific shoe with a superfoam midsole, rolling geometry and good consistent cushioning)
Stability: [Neutral, Mild Heel/Forefoot Guidance] A- (Large Sidewalls, wide forefoot speedboard and lateral heel bevel make for some mild guidance at the heel and forefoot)
Value: B+ (Extremely comfortable shoe that handle running, hiking and even standing. Still expensive)
Personal: A- (A go to long trail run and hiking shoe. Extremely comfortable upper with a smooth transition)
Overall Design: A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DOROn Cloudultra ProPrice: $259.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
*Using the link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
Check out Gear We Love
Naked Belt The best way to carry your phone and goods on the run. No bounce and various sizes for waist.
Saysky Running Gear: We were really taken aback by this Scandinavian company's ultra-thin, durable performance clothing
Skratch Recovery, Coffee Flavor: Mental and physical boost post run. Coffee flavor is excellent and goes great straight into a fresh brewed cup
goodr Sunglases: Run in style with goodr's super fun sunglasses.
Feetures Socks: Massively grippy socks that will make you feel more one with the shoe
Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Water Bottle: Perfect for long runs when you need hydration in the summer
Trigger Point Foam Roller: Help get those knots out post-run and feel better for tomorrow
Ciele Hat: Our team's favorite running hat of choice!
Fractel Hats: Our team's wider fitting running hat of choice!
FURTHER READING
Puma's daily trainer.
New Balance's premium cushion trainer.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunning
LinkedIn: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
Pinterest: Doctors of Running
PODCAST
Check out the Doctors of Running Podcast to find more reviews, interviews, and running features from the team.
Visit our Podcast Page
Find us on Apple
Find us on Spotify
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: New Balance 1080 v15
