bad traction, good comfort.
The shoes are super comfortable but are tough on even moist trails or mud. For that reason I had to give a low rating. I like the lighter upper body. Wore them through rain on muddy trails and it was fine as long as it was flat. Their other trail sneakers - I own the waterproof ones (they really work) and the regular version. They are far superior for traction and my go to. I liked these because they are lighter and the material is more flexible than the older waterproof pair I have. I wanted these to be great. But I saw how I was slipping compared to friends. That doesn’t happen with the other cloudventure. Tried them in terrain in Scotland (range was meh to it’s fine, water drainage is good), Guatemala (perfectly fine on dry lava trails). Iceland (fine on dry ... MoreThe shoes are super comfortable but are tough on even moist trails or mud. For that reason I had to give a low rating. I like the lighter upper body. Wore them through rain on muddy trails and it was fine as long as it was flat. Their other trail sneakers - I own the waterproof ones (they really work) and the regular version. They are far superior for traction and my go to. I liked these because they are lighter and the material is more flexible than the older waterproof pair I have. I wanted these to be great. But I saw how I was slipping compared to friends. That doesn’t happen with the other cloudventure. Tried them in terrain in Scotland (range was meh to it’s fine, water drainage is good), Guatemala (perfectly fine on dry lava trails). Iceland (fine on dry trails uphill, not for snow). I did wear them for hours in back to back days. I wouldn’t recommend them because alternatives at this brand and others are better.... Show more
alwaysSearching
originally posted on REI
Do size up!
My shoe sizing is odd. Sometimes I’m a 7 1/2 or an 8 in both in athletic shoes and heels. My feet are on the narrow side. I wouldn’t be able to recommend exactly how much you need to size up for.These shoes are beautiful so I grabbed a pair in a size 8 without trying them on; I was so confident they were going to fit me perfectly despite looking a little small. They did feel a little snug so I decided to keep them because i thought I would eventually break them in. Well that did not happen at all, I wore them around the house for approximately 20-30 mins nonstop and they hurt the back of my heal so badly. Unfortunately,I could not keep these. I went back and the associate brought in pair in a size 9: the 9s were too big and the 8 1/2 were out of stock so they will ... MoreMy shoe sizing is odd. Sometimes I’m a 7 1/2 or an 8 in both in athletic shoes and heels. My feet are on the narrow side. I wouldn’t be able to recommend exactly how much you need to size up for.These shoes are beautiful so I grabbed a pair in a size 8 without trying them on; I was so confident they were going to fit me perfectly despite looking a little small. They did feel a little snug so I decided to keep them because i thought I would eventually break them in. Well that did not happen at all, I wore them around the house for approximately 20-30 mins nonstop and they hurt the back of my heal so badly. Unfortunately,I could not keep these. I went back and the associate brought in pair in a size 9: the 9s were too big and the 8 1/2 were out of stock so they will be arriving soon. Hopefully those fit better.... Show more
Esther
originally posted on nordstrom.com
Good all around trail shoes.
I’ve been looking for a lighter weight, comfortable, cushioned trail shoe for the sandy, Rocky Texas trails to replace Brooks Cascadias that I spent the last decade running in. I initially tried Hokas, and the toe box wasn’t wide enough for longer distances. I purchased 3 pairs of On trail shoes, and like the sock fit of these. I really like the feature to increase the toe width with a flip- I’m looking forward toward my next 100 to really test this out! These seemed to hug my feet while providing my toes enough room to spread out. I have long, narrower feet but like a wide toe box. I ran 1.5 hour on a dusty, rocky trail outside of Austin, TX. These didn’t slip as much as the Cascadias on the rocks. At the end I noticed hardly any dirt/sand had gotten into my shoes ... MoreI’ve been looking for a lighter weight, comfortable, cushioned trail shoe for the sandy, Rocky Texas trails to replace Brooks Cascadias that I spent the last decade running in. I initially tried Hokas, and the toe box wasn’t wide enough for longer distances. I purchased 3 pairs of On trail shoes, and like the sock fit of these. I really like the feature to increase the toe width with a flip- I’m looking forward toward my next 100 to really test this out! These seemed to hug my feet while providing my toes enough room to spread out. I have long, narrower feet but like a wide toe box. I ran 1.5 hour on a dusty, rocky trail outside of Austin, TX. These didn’t slip as much as the Cascadias on the rocks. At the end I noticed hardly any dirt/sand had gotten into my shoes (I wasn’t wearing gaiters). I did notice my feet were damp, as well as the inside of the shoe so it may not be as breathable. But, I do most of my longer distances in winter, it may not be an issue.... Show more
Jennifer
originally posted on REI
Good shoe, just terrible traction on wet concrete
I decided to try this shoe out after wearing down the pair I'd been running in all of quarantine. These seemed really neat and cool on the rack and the REI salesperson who helped me said they were good for narrow feet, similar to the shoes I'd been running in previously. I've never worn a pair of On shoes before and I was excited to try these out, but unfortunately I came up mildly disappointed. The big negative for me was that these shoes have little to no traction on wet concrete (sidewalks, roads, etc). I found myself slipping and almost falling during my first walk in these on some slightly wet sidewalk, which seemed odd since I expected these to have good traction. I understand that these shoes are trail-running specific, and I run in trail running shoes ... MoreI decided to try this shoe out after wearing down the pair I'd been running in all of quarantine. These seemed really neat and cool on the rack and the REI salesperson who helped me said they were good for narrow feet, similar to the shoes I'd been running in previously. I've never worn a pair of On shoes before and I was excited to try these out, but unfortunately I came up mildly disappointed. The big negative for me was that these shoes have little to no traction on wet concrete (sidewalks, roads, etc). I found myself slipping and almost falling during my first walk in these on some slightly wet sidewalk, which seemed odd since I expected these to have good traction. I understand that these shoes are trail-running specific, and I run in trail running shoes purposefully because I prefer trails to roads. But my usual routes require running on road or sidewalk in order to get to the trails, unless I wanted to drive which kinda ruins the run. I purchased these shoes in the summer and found that during the warm, dry summer months, that on the few runs I did with these that I had no traction issues on dry concrete or any of the trails. I think these shoes probably have great traction on trails in any condition, but it was disappointing to have traction issues on wet concrete of all things. With summer coming to a close, I decided to not risk getting an injury and return them before the wet, fall weather arrived and get another pair of La Sportiva Bushido II's since I had been running in those previously and knew they had great traction.On the positive side, I did really enjoy the feel of these shoes. The toe-heel drop was a little higher than what I was running in previously but didn't run into any issues. I found that these shoes provided a lot of bounce in my step and for the most part they were a fun shoe to run in. The main issue was that most of the time I spent wearing them I was thinking about how bad the traction was and not focusing on my run. I think the ability to loosen or tighten the laces is a really cool feature and I utilized that on most of the runs I did with these. Overall, this shoe is good, but I can't get past the traction issues, especially since I live in an area that receives a lot of rain.... Show more
Toast
originally posted on REI
Grassy terrain and downhill running
This shoe looks great. It is a beautiful fashion-forward shoe with reflective detailing, that transitions well as Athleisure. On the technical side, if you're playing ultimate frisbee, running downhill on loose dirt / pebbles, or have a grassy trail; these are the conditions that best showcase the performance. These shoes also have innovation in the laces! The FlipRelease clasp allows you to easily make a bit of extra room in the forefoot after you’ve been running awhile, or to cinch up the forefoot before heading downhill. It’s the bit of adjustment that is VERY useful as your feet swell during the run. In the past, I generally didn’t bother to untie-loosen-retie my shoes mid-run, and I didn’t realize how much difference this minor adjustment in the forefoot ... MoreThis shoe looks great. It is a beautiful fashion-forward shoe with reflective detailing, that transitions well as Athleisure. On the technical side, if you're playing ultimate frisbee, running downhill on loose dirt / pebbles, or have a grassy trail; these are the conditions that best showcase the performance. These shoes also have innovation in the laces! The FlipRelease clasp allows you to easily make a bit of extra room in the forefoot after you’ve been running awhile, or to cinch up the forefoot before heading downhill. It’s the bit of adjustment that is VERY useful as your feet swell during the run. In the past, I generally didn’t bother to untie-loosen-retie my shoes mid-run, and I didn’t realize how much difference this minor adjustment in the forefoot makes.Other Notes: This shoe runs true to size and seems to favor a mid-foot strike. Overall, the ride is stiff. For running on pavement or cement, I found the strike to be too hard. But, for running on loose gravel / pebbles / dirt, this means that every stride is confident and lands firmly. Particularly going downhill, the way the laces and upper tie around the inner “sock” allow for a secure fit and the treads are grippy enough to run with confidence. For those that have a mid-foot strike and like a solid feel / firm ride, I would recommend this shoe.I found that these shoes need to be broken in. The first 3-4 miles and first day is not going to feel like miles 14+. Initially, the tongue at your ankle is stiff, but will become flexible and fit better after the first few runs.... Show more
DesignerKB
originally posted on REI
Looks cute but gave me blister on back of ankle
I got the pink ones because they look great in the store. I’m usually 7.5 and can fit into 7 too for some brand, but ended up getting size 8 in these. The shoes do not have a lot of cushion but I think they are still comfortable. I wore them on a very easy 3mi hike and my right foot got a terrible blister in the back of my foot around ankle area. I wasn’t sure why at first, but after I took them off I realized the back has a seam that come together and it protrudes out and you can actually feel it, that bump was rubbing against my ankle the whole time. My left foot was fine, but I think I will have to return these. I’m really sad because I really love the style.... Show more
Hiker123
originally posted on REI
LOVED the shoe, but not durable
I have truly loved these shoes. I sized up by a half size and always thought I should’ve gone up a full size. They are comfy, supportive, snug enough, but not too snug, and feel good even after a long run. However, the soles completely wore out after only about 150-175 miles. The soles are great as they’re super grippy, but the got worn out surprisingly fast, which is a big disappointment because the rest of the shoe is still in great shape. I would’ve given 5 stars if they lasted longer.... Show more
Dlap
originally posted on REI
Most comfortable shoe ever!
I bought these shoes this summer after owning a couple of other on shoes, thinking they were going to be about the same comfort wise compared to my other on’s, I was so wrong! These are the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve owned in years! They have adequate support for running but are also incredibly comfortable for daily wear! I think they are incredibly cute on also, hands down my absolute favorite pair I’ve ever owned. The one downside is that they run small. I tried them on in store luckily and my regular 6.5 was way to tight and my toe was touching the front, so I sized up an entire size to a 7.5 and they are perfect! Just keep that in mind if ordering online!... Show more
SamanthaMelton
originally posted on nordstrom.com
Not for High Insteps!!
Sock fit construction means there is now adjustable tongue!! I missed that part of the review. I have unusually high insteps on both feet, and I can’t wear shoes that have an elastic band in place of laces. This shows has laces, so I didn’t think to explore what “sock fit” means. The toe box is also less elastic than other On running shoes, so it is a little bit snug across the ball of my foot, even though I have narrow-ish feet. Hugely disappointing compared to other on shoes. I was hoping for something more like Cloud, but with a sole that didn’t collect so many rocks.... Show more
WestCoastHiker
originally posted on REI
Super comfortable, and great for narrower heel
I absolutely love the On CloudUltras! They fit my narrow foot near perfectly, are super comfortable over long miles, and work well both on trail and on city streets. I went in search of trail runners before my trip to Italy, wanting to pack light and have shoes that would work both on the streets in Rome and Florence, and when hiking in Cinque Terre and the Dolomites. I tried at least 10 pairs and before these, none fit my narrow foot, not even La Sportivas that supposedly run narrow. I had heel slippage and other fit issues with all I tried until these. The sock fit of the CloudUltras kept my heel secure at last! The toe box seems roomy so they would probably work for those with wider feet too. And they are both cushioned and springy, and all around comfortable. I ... MoreI absolutely love the On CloudUltras! They fit my narrow foot near perfectly, are super comfortable over long miles, and work well both on trail and on city streets. I went in search of trail runners before my trip to Italy, wanting to pack light and have shoes that would work both on the streets in Rome and Florence, and when hiking in Cinque Terre and the Dolomites. I tried at least 10 pairs and before these, none fit my narrow foot, not even La Sportivas that supposedly run narrow. I had heel slippage and other fit issues with all I tried until these. The sock fit of the CloudUltras kept my heel secure at last! The toe box seems roomy so they would probably work for those with wider feet too. And they are both cushioned and springy, and all around comfortable. I thought they were grippy and worked well on our day hikes too (the terrain I hiked in these was not too technical, but they handled scree slopes, some wet conditions, and some rocky slopes just fine.... Show more
Dec38
originally posted on REI