Are these shoes Legit? Seems similar to newtons but I haven’t heard anything on them yet.
They look great, and I love the “Arnold Voice” in the video on their site.
But I think others tried that technology already (Nike Air) and it is really (as mentioned in the commercial):
Like running on/in sand…
So you got me with your guerilla marketing…
Are these shoes Legit? Seems similar to newtons but I haven’t heard anything on them yet.
Caroline Steffen runs in them, as does David Hauss. (And yours truly.)
I started using them at the beginning of 2011 as part of a study conducted by ETH Zurich (results here: http://www.on-running.com/index.php?article_id=15) and got one pair Cloudsurfers for free. I used them for everything, including triathlons, and was quite happy with them. Friends of mine who also participated didn’t like them at all, so they might not be for everybody.
I like:
The shoe is very neutralThe somewhat weird feeling when just walking due to the special cushioning elementsWell suited for barefoot running in triathlonsHelped me transitioning to a midfoot strikeI don’t like:
On the heavy side. Even the lightest one, the Cloudracer, is more than 200 g.While comfortable for barefoot running, there is a part that rubbed my foot pretty bad during a HIM. They improved on that in later versions, though.Crap for trail running and snow/ice. Even though Ben Allen runs around in the woods with them: http://youtu.be/EaNmGhbUDM0The whole “totally different feeling, run on clouds!” talk. I didn’t have a “totally new” running experience.Expensive!This being said, I was content enough with them to replace my original pair of Cloudsurfers after about 770 km with a new one, which I used for NYC marathon last year. There was a season end sale (the company is Zurich based, where I live), where I got another pair of Cloudsurfers (to become my tri race shoe) and a pair of Cloudrunners (for long runs) at 50% discount, so currently I have three On shoes in rotation, but I also use other shoes. I think of getting Cloudracers, so all in all I’m obviously pretty happy with the shoes. Plus the guys running the company (multiple Ironman and Powerman champion Olivier Bernhard among others) are friendly and into running/tri themselves.
I have done reviews of both the Cloudsurfer and the Cloudracer. For some background I am not super fast, a 3:20 marathoner and I have a midfoot strike. The Cloudsurfer definitely felt different walking and had a bit more cushioning compared to a “standard” shoe. I believe this will also depend on the style of your running. They say the biggest difference will be how the pods reduce the horizontal impact forces on the body. For me I could not tell a whole lot of difference but I am not sure if I would be able to. I did feel pretty good after long runs in them. They are heavy as stated.
The Cloudracer was a bit of a disappointment for me. They were heavier than other racing flats but I did not feel like you get much for that extra weight. The cushioning was definitely less than the Cloudsurfer and I felt like my pace with each of these was the same.
If I was to recommend trying one it would be the Cloudsurfer. I can see it being a good long run training shoe as I may help eliminate some of the wear and tear you will face. I have a buddy who really likes them but he is more of a novice runner who loves cushioning. He shoe try the Hoka’s. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Here is a link to the full reviews: