On Running’s Cloudstratus Made Me Beat My Mile Time (and It’s On Sale)

I’ve grown to love running on the treadmill when it’s freezing or boiling out. I used to be committed to strictly outdoor training year-round, but after each insanely sweaty run (I know, sounds hot), I found myself running into H&M way too much to buy a shirt to change into afterward because of how gross I felt.

I’ve had knee issues in the past, and now that I’m in the midst of training for a half marathon, I need to be extra careful about what footwear I choose. While I’m picky, I did happen to find another shoe brand besides Hoka that surprised me with its performance—On’s Running, specifically the Cloudstratus—and it happens to be 20% off, which is rare! Besides the treadmill, they also have huge race potential given I ran a personal record during the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. All those sprints on the treadmill were worthwhile.

On Running was hatched in the Swiss Alps, which is no surprise—the Swiss know what they’re doing. On the whole, the brand’s shoes are specifically designed to absorb impact, reduce strain, and adapt to your own unique running style.

On Running’s goal is to mimic the sensation of running and walking on clouds with its CloudTec innovation. The technology makes for soft landings (thank god) and powerful takeoffs, thanks to the sneakers’ feather-light construction. The Cloudstratus, the sneaker that made me a true fan of the brand actually has double the CloudTec for maximum cushioning, and purportedly has the ability to reduce muscle fatigue and lower your heart rate during the duration of your run. Speaking after wearing the brand’s shoes on a few runs, my muscles do, in fact, feel less tight, but I can’t vouch for the lower heart rate bit—it’s a complex metric based on a lot of different factors such as fitness level, temperature, terrain, the list goes on. Unless you know your average heart rate as measured across multiple past runs, it’s hard to determine whether or not these sneakers can actually impact it one way or another.

True to the Cloudstratus’ puffy namesake, I feel like I’m practically gliding on the treadmill and during races while wearing these Swiss angels. They offer a slight elevation with forward rolling at the heel, which mimics the feeling of running on water.  

One shocking highlight is that like many sneakers, the shoes are the proper width as is—they’re super comfortable for my feet. I avoid narrow shoes like the plague since I have cursed bunions, so I don’t know what kind of witchcraft could be responsible for the fact that these feel amazing. This great fit and high comfort level is on top of the shoe’s superior bounce, which, I must say, is superb. 

TL;DR: If you’re looking for weightless shoes that feel like you defy gravity, working out in On Running’s CloudTec technology is a no-brainer. On’s Cloudstratus sneakers provide me with pain-free running that makes running on the treadmill and races feel effortless.

These give Moon Shoes a run for their money. 

On’s Cloudstratus sneaker is available for purchase on On Running’s website. 

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