I ran 40 miles in the On Cloudsurfer Max — here are its pros and cons

Tom's Guide

08-08-2025

Despite the fact that all of On's running shoes have cloud in the name, it has never been a brand that makes particularly soft sneakers.
That remains the case with the On Cloudsurfer Max, which is firmer than your average max-cushioned shoe. That's not a bad thing per se, but a little unexpected given the marketing around the Cloudsurfer Max, which suggests it will be the last word in comfort.
Once you reconfigure what you expect from the Cloudsurfer Max, however, it's a good daily trainer with a smooth, rockered ride, and I enjoyed running in it during marathon training.
It doesn't match the performance of the best running shoes for me, though, and the high price will only be worth paying if you love the look of the Cloudsurfer Max for casual use as well.
The On Cloudsurfer Max launched in July 2025 and costs $180 in the U.S. and £170 in the U.K., which is more expensive than most cushioned running shoes of its type. It sits above the On Cloudsurfer 2 in the brand's range, offering more cushioning at a higher price, and replaces the On Cloudeclipse within the line-up.
The On Cloudsurfer Max is currently available in five colors, including the Ivory | Salmon shoe I tested. It fit me well in my normal running shoe size, and it isn't especially narrow.
While more cushioned than other On running shoes, the Cloudsurfer Max is not as maxed out as other brands. It has a stack height of 37mm at the heel and 31mm at the forefoot for a 6mm drop, yet many brands go above 40mm in their cushioned shoes.
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Despite not being the most cushioned shoe out there, the Cloudsurfer Max is quite heavy at 10.8oz in a US men's size 9.5. For comparison, the Asics Novablast 5 is 9.6oz and has a higher and wider stack of foam in the midsole.
I'm yet to come across an On running shoe upper I don't like, and that's still true after testing the Cloudsurfer Max. The material is comfortable and has some stretch, but holds the foot securely without being overly padded.
As ever with On shoes, the Cloudsurfer Max is good-looking enough for casual use alongside your runs, as long as you don't run in the rain and immediately get the white upper mucky, like I did.
The midsole of the Cloudsurfer Max contains a double layer of the brand's CloudTec Phase cushioning, which has distinctive holes in the midsole that collapse into each other like dominoes when you land to create a rockered ride.
This rocker is the most notable feature of the midsole, because the materials used — there's On's Helion foam as well as CloudTec Phase — are not the most exciting or lively foams.
The On Cloudsurfer Max has extensive outsole coverage, with rubber covering most of the bottom of the shoe, and the main impact areas at the heel and forefoot being well protected.
I found the grip reliable too, even in wet conditions, and there are no signs of any wear on the rubber after 40 miles.
I used the On Cloudsurfer Max for a mix of training runs, including some easy runs, a hilly 10-miler and a progression run where I moved from an easy to a tempo pace over 10 miles.
Given its billing as a cushioned cruiser, I expected the easy runs to be the most enjoyable in the shoe, but I found that the opposite was true.
At an easy pace, it felt quite firm, the rocker didn't work that well for me and I felt the weight of the shoe. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it also wasn't as plushly comfortable as shoes like the Saucony Hurricane 25 or Asics Gel-Nimbus 27.
When I ran a little faster, however, I did find I got into a nice rhythm with the rocker on the shoe, and it felt a lot smoother, which surprised me by being enjoyable at tempo pace.
It's still not a shoe that truly excels for fast running, though; it thrives at in-between paces, where you're making a bit of effort without pushing too hard.
As a result, if you're a runner following a structured training plan with a lot of either easy or hard runs, the Cloudsurfer Max might not fit any of them that well.
If you're running for fitness and heading out for hard(ish) runs a few times a week, it will work better. Though I would say you can get shoes that match the performance of the Cloudsurfer Max for this job for a lot less than $180.
The On Cloudsurfer Max is a good running shoe, but unless you're in love with its looks, I'd be looking elsewhere for daily trainers that offer more versatility and value.
Top of my list to check out would be the Asics Novablast 5 and Hoka Clifton 10, both of which are lighter, more cushioned and cheaper.
The Puma Velocity Nitro 4 would be another great shoe to look at, which has less foam underfoot but feels comfortable and sprightly at faster paces.
Within the On range, the Cloudsurfer 2 offers a lighter and cheaper option as a rockered daily trainer, but doesn't have as much cushioning as the Cloudsurfer Max.
Finally, if you do actually want a very soft and cushioned shoe, then I'd look at the Nike Vomero 18 and Saucony Hurricane 25, which aren't great for faster runs, but are highly comfortable and supportive.