On Cloudsurfer Trail Review | A Great Road to Trail Option

by thebestworldevents.com 12 April 2024 · Running

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When the brand new reinvented Cloudsurfer came out last year, I was one happy easy day runner. And that left me anticipating this new On Cloudsurfer Trail shoe. So without further ado, let’s jump in to a review of the fit, feel and function! On Cloudsurfer trail review

Over the last 11+ years, I’ve run in a bunch of On Running shoes and always come away with the feeling that what they labeled as “cushioned” was not. That changed with the Cloudmonster and again with the new shape of the Cloudsurfer road shoe.

On is going in a new direction and friends, I like it.

What a treat to have shoes that we feel look a bit more stylish AND now feel good underfoot. Ok, but how does this totally new cushioned Cloudsurfer fair on the trails?? That’s an interesting and probably the more important question.

As you know I’m always honest in my running shoe reviews with what I like, dislike and what might work for you that wasn’t a fit for me! Which is why when someone asks about On Running shoes I’ve always said I think they’re good, but their everyday run shoes didn’t feel great to my foot.

On Running Cloudsurfer trail

Technically the brand is simply, On. But maybe you, like me, noticed that trying to just search ON or On running never quite got you where you wanted to go, so that’s why you may see them referred to as On, On Running, or On Cloud.

There is no one perfect running shoe for all runners, so I’m going to share my findings. But as always I encourage you to head in to a running store and put them on! Run around the shop and see what you think.

On Cloudsurfer Trail Details

This is the first iteration of this trail shoe and it uses their newest, softest cushion called CloudTec Phase™ and Helion™ superfoam.

If you want some nice cushion in your trail shoe, step on in. For all my past tests, I just found the pods to be too firm and thus never really a super comfortable ride (based on my preferences). Again, this new foam and eliminating the complete pods and gaps under the shoe has created an entirely different feel.

I noticed when sharing things on IG lately that a lot of you said a road to trail shoe would really be a benefit to your running shoe rotation and tada, here it is. I would not put this in the solid trail shoe category personally, but that may very well be due to the types of trails in Colorado.

If you’re hitting gravel, dirt roads, light trails then these are absolutely going to do the job. It’s a perfect entry level trail running shoe for those who are just starting to test out some off roading, again assuming that doesn’t include tons of big rocks or slippery sections.

For me once things start to get a bit more technical the lugs just aren’t deep enough and I’m concerned about enough protection underfoot for hard rocks. I have not tested these on slick surfaces because one quick look told me it wasn’t enough grip for my preference.

Cloudsurfer trail outsole

The other thing I do have some questions about is the lifespan of these shoes. There are portions of the sole that are not covered in rubber, which is where you can see I have a burr stuck in to the shoe. So not a rock between pods, but now anything pointy is taking a spot in that exposed cushion.

I love how lightweight this shoe is as well. It’s a great combo of comfort for daily training from the road to the trail. Many trail shoes are a bit heavier, so this makes for a great option when you aren’t needing a ton of grip or ankle stability.

They do also have a waterproof version and that sounds so perfect for all of you training in say Seattle, through snowy winter runs, or wet spring!

Drop: 7 mm
Weight: 8.2 oz women’s, 9.4 oz men’s
Also available in waterproof
Available in four colors
Not available in wide
Available at On Running, REI and retail stores for $160 ($180 for waterproof)

The direction of the pods on the sole make a difference in how the foam compresses! Did you know that? Yup, even if the shoes are changing, they aren’t losing some of the great tech they’ve developed with the pods. The slightly more vertical ones on the heel are actually going to give a nice soft feel for heel strikers (which is a whole lot of folks).

Bonus: I really like the way Cloundsurfer Trail looks. That’s not really fit or function, but I feel like it matters! Truly, I got compliments on it the first time I even stepped out the door…and well who doesn’t like it when people appreciate our running shoes?!

On Cloudsurfer Trail Fit

In general, On Running shoes are a little more narrow than some brands, but this one feels roomier to me. Like a more average fit similar to a Brooks or Asics road shoe. I often find that to be the case with trail shoes vs road in the same brand.

The toe box is rounded, but I still wouldn’t describe it as a good fit for wider feet. Rather I would say it’s good for the average foot size and even for those with more narrow feet the lacing provides plenty of options to get a good fit.

One of the changes they made from the road version is the tongue and I am elated!!! The Cloudsurfer is such a beautiful shoe, but the high tag of the tongue rubbed my ankle raw repeatedly. In the Trail version, they’ve actually removed some padding and one away with that tag.

Cutting down on the tongue padding adds more room for the foot, and drops weight. It fits great, isn’t sharp and doesn’t come up too high on the foot.

Cloudsurfer vs cloudsrufer trail

You’ll noticed the cords for some of the lacing, I can’t say that changed the feel of the shoe to me. I was able to tighten it down as I wanted in different places. The laces would definitely have been stretching it a bit to do my standard heel lock lace, but I felt pretty decent without it for these easy road/trail miles.

Unlike the Cloudmonster 2 where my foot just felt a bit like it was swimming, this seems like a pretty standard fit. Again, not as narrow as past years of On shoes (i.e. the Cloudboom Echo 3 carbon shoe).

I have used these for a number of road to trail runs up to 10 miles.

It was a good amount of cushion underfoot for the run and just felt light and springy.

The only potential drawback on the trails is if you want a shoe that’s going to provide some ankle or arch support, these don’t have that. Which I think just goes back to what I noted about the real usage of this shoe. I don’t think it’s your outback super intense Colorado 10,000 feet up a mountain shoe.

What You Need to Know About On Running Shoes

On started in 2010 in Switzerland, when yet again another runner thought “I could do this better.”

This time it was three retired professional athletes, who decided there needed to be a shoe that had more firmness to create that bounce off the ground, along with cushion.

On uses CloudTec technology which is what makes their shoe look and feel different.

The pods (or clouds) compress both horizontally and vertically and then rapidly expand, helping to propel you faster off the ground.

And in fact, those clouds are different sizes based on the shoe and the goal for that shoe.

on cloud pods

Is it like running on clouds?

No. Not cloudlike in that plush fluffy kind of way.

So for me, no…not at all like a cloud. And that’s not all bad.

In my On Running Shoes Review, I go in to all the reasons that there are benefits to the pod design and why other runners have loved them from the start. So checkout that if you’re curious to learn more.

OK, so that brings us to how they are taking that design and moving forward. Now they are calling it CloudTec Phase that harnesses a “wave technology”. This midsole still uses their Helion™ super foam, but there is a noticeable difference in the way that it will collapse, creating a softness and forward motion.

Drawbacks to On Running Shoes

As noted, every runner has a preference, so there are just a couple of things from my experience.

They are not ideal for those with high arches or a high mid-foot
Most On Cloud shoes run narrow, and the toebox is not wide (they have started created specific wide models!)
Rocks stuck in between the pods make them not ideal on trails or gravel running.
Not much traction to these shoes, wouldn’t love them in rain

I found the Carbon fiber shoe to run small, but otherwise I have found them to run true to size.

See current colors and pricing on all models >>

All right I hope this On Cloudsurfer Trail review gave you some info to help you make a shoe decision! If there’s more you want to see in a review let me know!