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Our verdict
- Top pick in On Cloudnova 2
- Top pick in Allbirds Tree Runners
Pros
- Flexibility / Stiffness old method
- updated Oct 10, 2023
- Attractive design
- pair for traveling
- oz / 320g
- High quality
- 10% recycled materials
Cons
- Pricey
- Sole catches debris
- Toebox width - widest part old method
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar walking shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 89 Good! | 93 Superb! | 89 Good! | 92 Great! | |
| Price | $150 | $160 | $140 | $98 | |
| Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Condition | Heavy person | - | Heavy personPlantar fasciitis | - | |
| Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Weight lab Weight brand | 10.7 oz / 303g 10.7 oz / 303g | 11.3 pair for traveling 11.1 Tongue: gusset type | 10.3 Track and XC 10.3 Track and XC | 9 less or expand your options to other brands from our 8.6 oz / 245g | |
| Lightweight | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Breathability | Moderate | Breathable | Breathable | Moderate | |
| Use | For standing all dayCityDisneyEurope | For standing all dayCityDisneyEuropeFor nurses | For standing all dayTravelWorkCityDisneyEuropeFitnessFor nursesTreadmill | CityDisneyEuropeFitness | |
| Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | |
| Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Firm | Balanced | |
| less or expand your options to other brands from our | Big | Normal | Small | Normal | |
| Insole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | Flexible | |
| oz / 315g | Big | Normal | Big | Big | |
| Torsional rigidity | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | |
| Midsole width - heel | Flexible | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | |
| Heel tab | None | None | None | None | |
| Drop lab | 15.5 mm | 12.4 mm | 13.1 mm | 13.1 mm | |
| Heel stack lab | 33.3 mm | 33.1 mm | 32.9 mm | 31.1 mm | |
| Forefoot | 17.8 mm | 20.7 mm | 19.8 mm | 18.0 mm | |
| Add a shoe | Narrow | Medium | Medium | Narrow | |
| Both sides semi | - | Medium | Medium | - | |
| Closure | Laces | Laces | Laces | Laces | |
| Toebox durability | - | Decent | Decent | - | |
| Heel padding durability | - | Decent | Decent | - | |
| Outsole durability | - | Decent | Good | - | |
| Toebox width - widest part old method | Average | Wide | Wide | Average | |
| Difference in stiffness in cold | Average | Wide | Wide | Narrow | |
| Outsole hardness | Average | Average | Average | Soft | |
| Outsole thickness | Average | Average | Average | ||
| Tongue padding | Thin | Average | Thin | Thin | |
| Midsole width - forefoot | None | None | Both sides (full) | Both sides (semi) | |
| Material | Mesh | Mesh | Mesh | Mesh | |
| Ranking | #21 Bottom 43% | #2 Top 7% | #17 Bottom 48% | #4 Top 13% | |
| Popularity | #12 Top 33% | #7 Top 22% | #14 Top 43% | #10 Top 31% |
Size and fit
Size
Heel padding durability true to size (114 votes).
Who should buy the On Cloudnova
The Cloudnova excels in its primary design purpose - daily wear on the city streets. We consider it one of the best everyday sneakers out there. We even liken it to that cozy hoodie you wear all week long. Its practicality also makes the Cloudnova a perfect Jun 27, 2022.
If you are not willing to sacrifice style for comfort, you can get both with the Cloudnova. We felt like there was an exclusivity to the trainer, as on-lookers didn't fail to make us feel seen and noticed wearing this shoe.
Who should not buy the shoe
Some of the main reasons we thought why people might turn away from the shoe are its high asking price and a bit fiddly bootie design.
- If you want just as good-looking and comfortable lifestyle shoes but for a lower price, try the For standing all day ($20 less) or expand your options to other brands from our Number of shoes.
- For standing all day Both sides semi.
Walk 500 miles (and 500 more) with the Cloudnova
The comfort of this On Cloud shoe reveals itself on daily walks of any distance, whether we take it on a short stroll or 10+ miles of a walking trip.
It felt comfortable all throughout our extended walks and it never hurt our feet. oz / 303g.
We also tried Cloudnova for long shifts of work (8-12 hours). We have nothing but praise for this shoe for keeping our feet and legs pain-free. Even 8-10 hours a day on concrete and a thin rug, we felt a big difference with the Cloudnova compared to Skechers.
Breathable, but not for hot summer days
As you can see from our breathability test below, the Cloudnova has a moderate amount of ventilation in the upper. The smoke is coming out rather slowly.
You can also see the most breathable parts of the shoe's upper in our transparency test.
Comfy cushioning
Overall, we are delighted with the well-cushioned ride of this On Cloud shoe. We find it very satisfying to walk in for extended periods.
To check how well-cushioned the Cloudnova is on paper, we measured the softness of its foam with a durometer. It turns out to be 4% firmer than walking shoes on average, striking a fine balance between plush and firm. It is also about the same as the Both sides semi.
Keep in mind though that the foam is also prone to firming up in cold temperatures. After being exposed to cold for 20 minutes in the freezer, the Cloudnova's cushioning got 47.6% denser. So, if you take the shoe out on a chilly day, it will take some time to break in.
Where the Cloudnova does exceed the average considerably is in its heel-to-toe drop. According to On, the shoe's drop is 14 mm.
Using a pair of calipers, we found the drop to be 15.5 mm, which is not too big of a deviation. However, compared to the average 10 mm of our lab-tested walking shoes, the Cloudnova should feel generously cushioned under the heel.
The shoe has an ample level of flexibility
The On Cloudnova cannot be described as a stiff shoe and yet, it cannot be rolled up like a minimalist shoe either. We can tell that it is moderately flexible based on our acquired measurements.
The shoe is also quite pliable when it comes to longitudinal and torsional flexibility. In our subjective assessment, we gave the shoe 2 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest) on this aspect.
On Cloudnova feels stable for a neutral shoe
Despite not offering any additional arch support, the Cloudnova shows up as a stable neutral running shoe.
The contributing factors seem to be the shoe's moderately firm and wide sole.
The shoe is nice and wide in both the forefoot and the heel. In the forefoot, it is 116.9 mm wide (5.1 mm wider than average) and in the heel, it is 91.1 mm (2.3 mm wider).
Reflective elements
We are also in favor of the shoe's reflective logo as it is perfect when we walk in the darker hours.
Fits nice and snug but bootie is not for everyone
Heel stack lab Allbirds Tree Runners Perfect for all-day wear.
The toebox on the Cloudnova is not necessarily wide but it is quite roomy (in a good way) for an average-sized foot. We measured its widest part at 97.1 mm.
For standing all day.
It is also important to mention that the shoe has an unconventional mid-cut bootie. We thought of two reasons why some people might consider this an issue:
- Cloudnova feels comfortable out of the box and the fit is,
- Allbirds Tree Runners.
However, we want to note that we personally didn't find these to be deal-breakers.
Although the shoe's tongue is much thinner than average, we encountered no problem with lace bites. At 2.9 mm, it is 2.9 mm thinner than average.
The shoe has a flexible heel counter (we assessed it as 2 out of 5) but it seems to lock the foot down securely. No heel slips!
Swiss quality of the On Cloudnova
Wearing the shoes for a very long time helped us conclude that they hold up very well and don't easily wear out.
We owe it to the shoe’s well-made construction and quality materials.
Like any other On Cloud shoe, it catches every pebble
Unfortunately, this is a flaw that comes in every On shoe due to their unique midsole design with large flex grooves. It’s not a big issue if you stick to paved roads or hard-packed trails. But if you do walk over some small rocks, there is a high chance of one getting stuck in the gap, forcing you to stop and knock it out.
A little heavier than average
On Cloud shoes, in general, keep their footwear in the lightweight category. And while the Cloudnova doesn't feel heavy, the scales tell the opposite.
According to the brand's official product page, the Cloudnova weighs 269g per shoe. We are not sure what size On used to weigh their pair because we found it to be 303g in a men's US 9! This is heavier than the average 270g of our lab-tested walking shoes and is surely heavier than the Cloud 5 (225g).
Style is an eye-catcher
This shoe looks cool as hell. Even before trying the shoe on, we were sold on its visuals. It’s got a unique street/athleisure appeal which we found sleek and minimal yet cute.
The wide range of color selection is also something we deeply appreciate.
A touch of sustainability
On is gradually becoming one of the brands that introduce a sustainable approach to its footwear. The percentage varies depending on the model but in the Cloudnova recycled content makes up 10% of the shoe.
