What I've Tried Wednesday: Review of the On Cloudflow

Disclaimer - I was given a pair of the On Cloudflows in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.

In a market saturated with choice,  many running shoe companies are thinking outside the box to develop a trademarked technology.  One that brings consumers a better or unique running experience and that is immediately associated with their brand.  Newton comes to mind with their lug sole technology.   Adidas with their ultra boost technology.   When I think of these brands, that's what comes to mind.  

With new technology, especially something that is not quite traditional (like Newton's lugs) there always seems to be extra scrutiny because these things are almost always seen as gimmicky.  That was definitely the case when I first saw On running shoes.  I originally saw these shoes on instagram back in early 2015.  They were being worn by several Australian triathletes that I follow.   The shoes reminded me of the old Reebok Zigtech shoes that came out in 2010.   Not as garish but definitely different.  

I never wore the Zigtechs so I can't really speak to their performance.   That being said, I'm never one to shy away from trying something different (after I've done a bit of research of course).   So when I had the opportunity to purchase a pair of ON Cloudsurfers at a heavily discounted price, I jumped at the chance.   There's nothing I hate more than paying full price for something (like a shoe) and I end up not liking it.  

Suffice to say, that didn't happen.   But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let me fill you in on the technology behind the On brand.

On is a Swiss company that was founded in 2010 by friends Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti.  Olivier was a 3 time World Duathlon Champion and a multiple Ironman winner who, when he retired from the sport, devoted his time to "finding a running shoe that would give him the perfect running sensation".    The concept that drove the creation of this brand was all about a cushioned landing and firm take off.   That is what the pods (or Clouds as they are called) on the bottom of the shoe provide.

From the On website:

When you hit the ground, the highly adaptive rubber elements cushion both vertical and horizontal forces (there is a great demo of this in on the website) for a soft landing.  Once on the ground, the Clouds lock firm to provide a solid foundation for a natural and powerful take off.  The Clouds act like tiny stability balls, responding to every movement of your foot.  They activate your postural muscles and enable you to stabilize your foot strike without artificial support.

I ran in the Cloudsurfer and loved them.  Shortly thereafter, I got the opportunity to test out On's new racing shoe, the Cloudflow.   I figured if it was anything like the Cloudsurfer, I'd probably really like it.

Like is an understatement.

I will boldly say that the Cloudflows are THE best shoes I've worn in a very long time, and I've worn a LOT of different shoes over my almost 20 years of running.

When I took it out of the box, I was a little concerned that it wouldn't fit as it looked quite narrow.  I have a neuroma in my left foot that gets aggravated when my toes are squished together, which is what seems to happen in most traditional running shoes.   So a narrow toe box would not be good for me.   I put my orthotic in and slipped my foot into the shoe.  It actually felt really good.  Taking a closer look at the shape of the shoe I noticed that the toe box is slightly squared which is probably what contributes to giving the shoe some more room.

My first run in them was 6km and it was fast.  The shoes felt great.  I didn't notice the clouds underfoot at all.  All I felt was support and excellent energy return.  I then decided to wear them on a long run.  Again, they felt fantastic.  And, to top it off, I had no blisters, no hot spots, no foot pain, nothing.   I'm chalking that up to what I feel is the best part of the shoe:  the upper.  Yes, the cloud technology is amazing but the upper is incredible.  According to the ON website, the upper of this shoe is "in a league of it's own".    It's made of an adaptive engineered mesh that uses the latest weave technology to blend breathability with support.   It's like wearing a supportive sock because it hugs your foot just like a sock would.  I haven't tested them without socks yet but plan to do so now that I'll be integrating some brick workouts into my training.

The clouds on the bottom of the shoe feature On's patented Speedboard technology that is built with a responsive flex and rocker that promotes "flow-motion".  According to the folks at On, it "encourages the natural rolling process promotes explosive take offs".  I definitely felt this when I was running.  I had no problem do an easy long run and a hard interval run in these shoes.  I also took them off road onto dirt and gravel trails with no issues.  They do lose their grip a bit on wet surfaces but other than that the grip is quite good.  The clouds occasionally get rocks stuck in them which is a bit annoying but they are relatively easy to remove.

If you've been reading this blog for the last few years, you'll know that I've struggled with knee issues.  Patella Femoral pain to be exact.  I worked at changing my gait, strengthening my gluts and getting them to fire etc but I was still experiencing some pain after my runs.  Even after switching to a highly cushioned shoe (Hokas).  I couldn't figure it out.  I started to suspect that it was due to impact.  I'm not terribly light on my feet so I figured that was part of the problem.  Since switching to these shoes, my post run knee pain has almost stopped completely.  I'm chalking that up to the energy return these shoes provide.   These shoes seem to keep me from landing too hard and they assist with push off.   Whatever the case may be, all I know is that I don't hurt like I used to and I've been increasing my mileage significantly over the last 2 months.  I've run almost 200km in these shoes and my knees still feel great.

As much as I love these shoes, they aren't perfect.  The one major issue I have with them are the laces.  They are ridiculously long and very skinny, which makes it difficult to tie the shoes well.  I also have to quadruple knot the laces to make sure they 1) don't undo and 2) become short enough that they don't hang over the top of the shoe.  I'm not sure why On has done this with their laces.  I'm going to try to replace the laces with my Nathan speed laces to make these shoes triathlon friendly.  The lace holes are quite small so it may be a challenge.  I'll let you know how that goes!

For those of you that like shoe specs, here ya go:

Specs:  Womens 7
weight:  6.7oz
heel to toe offset:  6mm <----  a good option for folks like me who can't wear zero drop shoes due to less than ideal ankle mobility!

At $170 Cdn ($140 US) the shoe is in the moderate to high price range.   I would have no qualms about spending that money for another pair, that's how much I love them.

If you're looking for a speedy shoe with a smooth, fast ride, then I highly recommend checking out the On Cloudflows.


What's your go to shoe brand?  Have you tried a shoe specifically because of the technology behind it?


Coach PK

The Zoot Makai - Not Just for Triathletes!

I've been wearing Zoot products for as long as I've been doing triathlons, which is a long time.   Their products used to be geared 100% to triathletes but over the years they've really branched out embraced all 3 sports by creating top notch gear for each leg of the race.  Where they've really made some inroads is in their shoes.  For years, Zoot shoes were what were known as a "quick entry" shoe that had elastic laces and a seamless upper.  It was something you could literally just pull on and go.  No need to tie up laces.  Because transitions are where you find free speed!  You don't want to fuss with laces.

Some of their shoes do come with the option for regular laces and speed laces.  The old Ultra Kiawe was one of them.  Others, like the Solana and the Diego have regular laces.  The Solana was actually voted  Best Debut by Runner's World when it was launched back in 2015.  It's been my go to Zoot shoe since it came out.  I just replaced the regular laces with race laces and BOOM, I'm race ready.

I was content to continue training in my Solanas this year until I saw pictures of the new Zoot Makai.  Oh boy.  Now I know you're not supposed to pick a shoe based on how it looks.  But lets be real, good looks help, right???  Being a Zoot sponsored athlete, I get the opportunity to purchase items at a substantial discount so I thought, why not?  Let's give these puppies a go.

I'm a sucker for brightly coloured shoes so these ticked that box right off the bat.  

I slipped them on and adjusted the laces.  The first thing I noticed was the smoothness of the upper.  Zoot does seamless technology really well.  This shoe completely nails it.  There is not a single seam anywhere across the top and sides of the shoe.  Some other shoe brands do a seamless liner but there are still seams / detailing on the outside of the shoe and those can irritate your feet and cause hot spots.   Zoot kept it clean with this shoe.

Look Ma, no seams!!!

Secondly, the lacing system is really easy to use.  You just pull the toggle and adjust as required.

It is surprisingly secure without having to be done up too tightly.   I was a little concerned when I first put them on and started to walk around but with a few toggle adjustments, they were perfect.  The true test was when I went out for my first run in them.  They didn't budge.  And I didn't have a single blister.

Now let's talk about the things you DON'T see here, namely the technology in the shoe.  The shoe has a molded 3D heel counter for excellent heel support.  Zoot's seamless technology is called BareFit and it is one of the things that makes this shoe so good.  The shoe, like most Zoot shoes, fits like a glove.  It fits close to the foot and it feels supportive and stable while remaining light and responsive. It doesn't feel sloppy or soft.  My foot felt snug and secure, even through a 2 hour run.

Zoot's shoes have always felt very zippy and responsive and I'm chalking that up to the other proprietary technology in their shoes.  It's called Z-Bound and it's found in the sole of the shoe from the heel to the toe.  Z-Bound essentially rebounds a runner's energy reducing stress and fatigue.  I can honestly say this stuff works because I did my longest run in 2 years in these shoes and I thought for sure my legs would feel brutal.  They didn't.  I was especially surprised at how good my legs felt the next day.

A few other key features to note:  the mesh upper is incredibly breathable.  There is a medial post for some guidance and the shoe features an 8mm drop.   The shoe is geared towards a runner with neutral foot mechanics and a medium arch.   It also comes with regular laces if the quick lace system isn't your thing.

This is going to be my go to shoe for my A race in Tremblant this year.  I haven't tested it barefoot yet  but will do so once the weather gets better.  If my feet stay blister free when I go sock less, I'll be using it for my short course races as well.

Even if you don't swim or bike before you run, that doesn't mean that you should over look Zoot as a shoe option.   I can't say enough about their shoes (or their other products for that matter).  I've been wearing them since I started in triathlon over 10 years ago.  If you're in the market for a new pair of racing shoes, take a look at Zoot!