The On Cloudmonster Hyper launched earlier this year as the hyped up, lightened up, version of the Cloudmonster 2. Promising a lightweight feel, with max energy return thanks to the same ‘Helion HF’ high energy midsole foam that you’ll find in the On Cloudboom Echos. The Cloudmonster Hyper is a bit of a super-shoe meets every day running shoe hybrid. The running shoe equivalent of smart-casual fashion, the Cloudmonster Hyper is pepped up enough to offer a bit of extra bounce. But not so aggressive that you can’t use them as your daily training shoe.
After several months of testing, TRI247’s Jenny Lucas-Hill brings you her tried & tested verdict on the Cloudmonster Hyper.
HOW WE TESTED THE oN cLOUDMONSTER HYPER RUNNING SHOES
The On Cloudmonster Hyper running shoes have been in my shoe rotation since April, meaning I’ve tested them everywhere from the slippery rain-soaked streets of Singapore, to the sand-blasted beach promenades of Suffolk and most recently – the deck of my treadmill. I’ve used these shoes for a range of session types – tempo runs, easy miles and interval work – to get a feel for performance as well as comfort.
On Cloudmonster Hyper specifications: stack height, drop and everything else you need to know at a glance
| Cushioning | Max |
| Support | Neutral |
| Feel | Forward rolling/propulsive |
| Terrain | Road |
| Stack height | 37.5mm |
| Drop | 6mm |
| Weight | 272g (men’s) / 210 g (women’s) |
| RRP | £210/~$265 |
Fit and first impressions
I’d never actually tried On running shoes until the Cloudmonster Hypers landed on my desk, so I had no idea what size I’d need. I took a risk and went with my regular street shoe size (UK 5) and they fit perfectly. I wish more running shoe brands would do this and just align their sizing with regular street shoe sizing. Because the mental gymnastics of having to remember which brands I have to size up or down in whenever I need new runners is exhausting and quite often ends up with multiple rounds of returns. Thanks On for making life simple!
The fit and feel of these shoes is ultra-comfortable. The toe box is roomy enough not to squash my freakishly long second toes, but not so wide that I feel like I’m running in clown shoes. The traditional lacing system offers a good heel lock down, which combined with the lightweight and breathable upper feels secure without putting pressure on the top of the foot. The inner is also really nice underfoot – featuring a Goldilocks amount of squish which is comfy without feeling like jelly shoes.
I was excited to see that On had used laces with these little silicone dots underneath, presumably to prevent them from untying. I thought this would mean I could get away with only tying a single knot but alas – the shoes quite quickly came undone a kilometre or so into my first run. Back to double knots it is.
On Cloudmonster Hyper stack height
These shoes look seriously chunky. Monster by name, monster by nature. And when I posted a snap of them to my Instagram story when I first unboxed them, I had quite a few replies from people asking if the huge stack would break the World Triathlon/IRONMAN 40mm stack height limit.
The design of the Cloudmonster Hyper is deceptive though, I think that rubber outsole makes them look chunkier than they actually are. The stack is a perfectly legal 37.5mm. They’re also surprisingly lightweight despite their hefty appearance, with the women’s shoe coming in at 210g.
What is it like to run in the On Cloudmonster Hyper running shoes?
So would the On Cloudmonster Hyper shoes live up to the hype? Or leave me needing some extra E-numbers to put a pep in my step instead? I’ve had these shoes in my rotation for several months now, and here’s how I’ve found them.
Cushioning and stability
Some running shoes with a big stack height and max cushioning can end up feeling unstable underfoot – a compromise for the forgiving ride. But in practice I’ve found the Cloudmonster Hyper strikes the ideal balance, cushioned enough to feel nice underfoot but with enough grip and stability to feel supportive. I’d been running mainly in the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp shoes before testing out the Ons, which had become just a touch too marshmallow-like. Comparatively, the Cloudmonster Hyper shoes are a good combination of cushioned but supportive.
Grip
My first run in these shoes ended up being out in Singapore while I was over there to cover the T100 race, and naturally the moment I stepped out of my hotel I got caught in a torrential downpour. When it rains, it rains in Singapore. The sidewalks quickly became water logged and quite slippery, and the grip on the Cloudmonster Hypers coped surprisingly well.
Since then I’ve also worn these shoes for one of my favourite run routes near where I live, along the tarmac (but often wet and sandy) promenade of the seafront and along a gravel track through the harbour. They’re not an all-terrain trail shoe by any stretch of the imagination, but they’ve been grippy enough to cope with different surfaces just fine.
Energy return
I think if you’re putting on the Cloudmonster Hyper expecting it to feel like a super-shoe, you’re going to be disappointed. It hasn’t got a carbon plate, and personally I wouldn’t be using this as a race shoe. Think of it as a supped-up training shoe for those sessions where you want a bit of extra spring in your step. In that frame of mind, these are really nice tempo shoes with enough of a propulsive feel to give you a bit of bounce and a hint of that ‘fast feeling’, without being overly aggressive. I’ve used these for intervals and tempo sessions, as well as some steady state runs and they’re comfortable enough to do it all – if the drop works for you (more on that later).
Comfort and breathability
As mentioned, these shoes got their first outing during race week at Singapore T100. After several days of heat, humidity and walking around in these all day every day – I can confirm they did very well on the breathability front. And thankfully they didn’t generate an eau de fromage in my suitcase during the long flight home. They dried out pretty quickly too after that torrential rain I mentioned earlier.
From a comfort perspective, these shoes were getting pretty much everything right. But sadly for me the 6mm drop just didn’t quite work – which is the only reason they didn’t become my go-to every day shoes and have mainly been reserved for shorter, tempo runs. I have a tendency to heel strike and as such usually opt for an 8-10mm drop. I found running in these for longer than 45 minutes or so started making my calves and Achilles tighten up. Which isn’t really the shoes fault – I can’t blame On for my faulty biomechanics.
That being said, my every day runners (the Nike Zoomfly 5s) have had to go into retirement recently after a long summer of Ironman training. So I’ve been reaching for the Cloudmonster Hyper running shoes far more often over the last few weeks. I’ve really tried to focus on becoming more of a midfoot runner over the last few months to minimise all the ITB issues I tend to get when I up my mileage. And I think it might be paying off – all that lower leg tightness I was getting in these shoes earlier in the year hasn’t yet materialised. On Cloudmonster Hyper – did we just become best friends?
Verdict – are the On Cloudmonster Hyper running shoes worth the hype?
The On Cloudmonster Hyper isn’t a race shoe. If you come to it expecting that super shoe feeling, you’re going to be a little bit disappointed. But if you step into these expecting a really comfortable, nicely energetic tempo shoe – you’ll be pleasantly surprised. They’re cushioned enough to feel really nice underfoot, but that max cushioning is balanced with enough stiffness to feel stable – without being too harsh of a ride.
The fit is true to size, and so far (slight question mark over whether the drop will work for me long term aside) I have no concerns on the comfort front. The energy return is good, with enough of a propulsive feeling for faster training runs. But with that over £200 price tag, many would probably be wanting a bit more performance for the pennies.
All in all, these running shoes are probably more ‘mildly excitable’ than all out ‘Hyper’. But as a do it all shoe that offers some extra bounce on long runs and a boost of energy and propulsion for tempo work, it’s hard to find much not to like about the On Cloudmonster Hyper.
Ratings
Overall the On Cloudmonster Hyper running shoes are a great option as an elevated every day running shoe. But the high price tag might leave some feeling these shoes are lacking a bit of performance to justify the cost. And if it’s ultra-fast super shoes you’re after, you’d be better off going for a carbon-plated option.
