Disclaimer: The Run Testers sometimes use affiliate links. This means that we may receive payment if you buy products on our website or YouTube. Our use of affiliates supports the channel and does not affect how we review shoes, tech or gear.
On is one of the newer running brands on the market, but the distinctive, innovative design of its shoes have made them easily recognisable for runners and non-runners alike.
Check out our round-up of the best running shoes available right now
We’ve been testing the best On running shoes ever since the brand launched its first models, and we’ve tried most of the current range, from cushioned cruisers like the Cloudmonster 3 through to the Cloudboom Strike carbon racer.
You can find all of our reviews of On running shoes below. Check out the The Run Testers YouTube channel for more running shoe, watch and headphones reviews, and comparisons of top models.
The Best On Running Shoes 2026

On Cloudsurfer 2
Price: £150/$160 | Weight:266g/9.4oz (UK 9) | Drop: 5mm
The On Cloudsurfer 2 is not the newest option in the On line-up, but it’s our top daily trainer pick, partly because it’s one of the more reasonably-priced shoes from the Swiss brand.
It has a smooth, comfortable ride thanks to the CloudTecPhase midsole setup, which collapses forward like dominos to move you through your footstrike. It’s great for easy and steady miles, and though it’s not the most responsive foam at faster paces, the fact the shoe is quite light helps it to be pretty versatile.
We prefer the Cloudsurfer 2 to shoes like the Cloudsurfer Max and Cloudmonster 3 for racking up your easy miles, but it’s not quite as cushioned as those shoes, so if you want more foam underfoot they’d be good alternatives, while the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS offers more versatility at a higher price.
Read our full On Cloudsurfer 2 review
On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS
Price: £270/$280 | Weight: 216g/7.6oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
In all our years of testing On shoes, the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS is the best we’ve ever tried. It’s an exceptionally versatile shoe, truly living up to the super-trainer tag by being light, comfortable, stable and fast.
We enjoyed using it for track sessions, tempo runs, easy shuffles, and everything in between, with the CloudTec bottom layer of foam proving stability while the Helion HF top layer bringing the bounce and fun.
It’s a fantastic shoe, but eye-waveringly expensive. On doesn’t have an alternative that can deliver the same level of performance for less, but other brands do, with shoes like the Asics Megablast and Kiprun Kipstorm Tempo being great super-trainers that cost less.
Read our full On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS review
On Cloudmonster 3
Price: £170/$190 | Weight: 274g/9.7oz (UK 9) | Drop: 5mm
The Cloudmonster 3 might be the most recognisable On shoe thanks to its triple layer of the brand’s trademark pod cushioning, and it’s a shoe that works well for both lifestyle use and easy daily training.
It doesn’t have the softest or bounciest ride though, and it’s quite heavy for its stack height compared with highly-cushioned shoes from other brands. The Cloudmonster 3 is also quite expensive for a cushioned daily trainer.
If you prefer a firmer feel with your running shoes and love the look of the Cloudmonster 3 for general use it could be a good pick, but we prefer the Hyper models of the shoe and the Cloudsurfer 2 for daily training ourselves.
Read our full On Cloudmonster 3 review
On Cloudsurfer Max
Price: £170/$180 | Weight: 306g/10.8oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
Billed as the softest option in the On range, the Cloudsurfer Max still has quite a firm ride compared to max-cushioned shoes from other brands. This doesn’t stop it being comfortable for daily training, however, and if you find many cushioned shoes too mushy and soft, it might be a better fit for you.
It has a quite a smooth and pleasant ride for easy runs, but the foam isn’t the most responsive or exciting, and it’s once again quite an expensive shoe for what it does on the run.
The firmer feel of the foam means that you can pick up the pace a little better in the Cloudsurfer Max than in many max-cushioned shoes, but it’s not as versatile as the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper shoes or the Cloudsurfer 2.
Read our full On Cloudsurfer Max Review
On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
Price: £210/$220 | Weight: 268g/9.5oz(UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper is a step up from the last-gen shoe with a full length wedge of the livelier Helion HF foam across the shoe that delivers a softer, springier ride. It’s still notably firmer than rival super shoes and not as energetic and versatile as the LightSpray model, which is lighter and has a smoother ride, but it’s a good daily trainer in its own right with a comfortable, stable ride.
The Cloudmonster 3 Hyper uses the same two foams in its midsole as the LS, but the CloudTec is more noticeable. Along wiht the thicker, denser uppers, that makes for a clunkier, heavier ride feel that can’t quite hit the top gears as well as its Lightspray sibling.
It’s great for logging steady, tempo and daily training miles and if you don’t like the higher compression midsoles in a lot of super trainers, but found the original Hyper too firm, then the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper might ring a bell for you. it’s a looker you can wear outside your training as well.
Read our full On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper review
On Cloudboom Strike LS
Price: £310/$250 | Weight: 192g/6.8oz (UK 9) | Drop: 4mm
The LightSpray model of the Cloudboom Strike is easily the best carbon plate running shoe On has ever made, and it’s the shoe used by Hellen Obiri to great effect in conquering Major Marathons.
It’s lighter than the standard Cloudboom Strike and has a lively, responsive ride that pushes you onto your forefoot and propels you on your way. It’s expensive – you’ll have noticed that’s a theme with On shoes – and doesn’t top our personal lists of the very best racers available, but it’s certainly competitive as will help you set PBs if you opt for it.
On Cloudboom Max
Price: £220/$230 | Weight: 283g/10oz (UK 8) | Drop: 8mm
The On Cloudboom Max is billed as a marathon racing shoe for runners aiming for times around four hours, and so tries to offer a balance of responsiveness, comfort and stability. It’s designed to be a more accessible racing option than the Cloudboom Strike.
We didn’t find it really excelled even in this role – which we’re not entirely sure is needed. It’s not as comfortable as many runners will hope for when tackling a four-hour marathon, and it doesn’t have a particular lively or run ride.
It’s a solid cruiser, but you can get a shoe to do that job for less, even from On – the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper would be a much better pick for the job, for example.
