On's New Trail Shoe Proves High Design Can Still Be Highly Technical
The Swiss brand's latest high-fashion collab with Loewe isn't made for runways or even cities.
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Sneaker collabs take on many forms, and On is a master of the trade. The Swiss running brand counts Beams, Invincible, Post Archive Faction and, soon, Kith among its roster of collaborators.
But none hold a candle to the brand's most important partner of all: the Spanish fashion label Loewe, with whom On has released a string of high-profile collections since 2022.
Last year, the Cloudtilt 2.0 — which has seen multiple drops over the last 12 months — topped the Lyst Index ranking fashion's hottest products and brands.
Thus sets the bar for the pair's latest luxury sneaker, which On calls the Cloudventure Loewe 2. That said, it looks nothing like your typical high-fashion collab. In fact, it's not even made for city sidewalks.
When it releases this week, the Cloudventure Loewe 2 will arrive as a technical trail shoe, building off the lightweight template established by On's existing Cloudventure series.
Like the Cloudventure Peak 3, the brand's lightest and fastest trail offering, the Cloudventure Loewe 2 combines CloudTec cushioning with what it calls a Speedboard — a carbon fiber plate designed to offer both stability and propulsion.
The shoe also features On's signature Helion foam, as evidenced by sub-branding on the heel.
Though the exact formulation may differ from shoe to shoe, Helion is comprised of EVA and Olefin Block Copolymers (OBC), making it one of On's most responsive midsole materials (second only to the Pebax-based Helion HF found in its top marathon racers).
As for the upper, On and Loewe settled on a mix of breathable mesh and translucent TPU overlays, available in seven colorways that vary between monochromatic Gunmetal gray and baby blue (the latter is exclusive to men's sizing, with a pink variant on the women's side).
Underfoot, the Cloudventure Loewe 2 hides one of its most eye-catching details: a marbled outsole, reminiscent of acetate frames, that's easiest to spot on the yellow colorway thanks to its high-contrast hues.
Of course, fashion has long blurred the line between city and mountain, with Salomon's infamous XT-6 model representing the peak of the gorpcore trend. If any shoe is destined to knock it off its perch, it will likely look a lot like the Cloudventure Loewe 2.
The On Cloudventure Loewe 2 will be available from May 14, as part of a broader collection that also includes performance apparel and accessories.
As with the Cloudtilt 2.0, the retail price is set at $550 — a steep increase from On's mainline Cloudventure models but one unlikely to deter sneakerheads who raced to score previous releases from the two powerhouse brands.
$550 at On
Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.
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