REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Fashionable
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks stability
Not versatile as a daily trainer
ON Cloudsurfer 7 - Women's Review
This shoe combines stylish design with enhanced functionality, featuring a lightweight build, making it a comfortable choice for daily runners seeking a blend of fashion and performance
This is a stylish shoe to check out for mellow miles in comfort.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
RELATED: Best Running Shoes for Women of 2024
Our Verdict
ON is known for making stylish shoes, but until recently, they haven't always been super functional as actual gear. The Cloudsurfer 7 has entered the chat and opened up a whole new world - one with function and fashion woven throughout. The updated Cloudsurfer is the most running shoe-like running shoe we've tested from ON. It weighs in at a moderate 6.46 ounces for a women's size 6.5, has an 8mm drop, a cushy 40mm total stack, and the potential to keep you comfortable on the daily. While not a superstar shoe when placed head-to-head with some of the best shoes on the market, runners looking for a plush, lightweight running shoe will enjoy surfing the roads in this new, improved runner.
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 This Product
ON Cloudsurfer 7 - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $139.87 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $120 List $89.95 at Amazon | $139.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This shoe merges a chic look with improved practicality, offering a light bouncy ride construction for everyday runs | This running shoe offers the performance technology and comfort needed to be your go-to shoe, no matter your running goals | For epic versatility in a single shoe, we recommend this lightweight superstar | While not a race-focused shoe, this affordable and bouncy option will keep your legs turning over quickly and easily | The structure and comfort of this shoe make it a highly recommended option for long distance runners who want a reliable road running steed |
| Rating Categories | ON Cloudsurfer 7 -... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Saucony Kinvara 14... | Brooks Adrenaline G... |
| Cushioning and Landing Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (25%) | |||||
| Stability (20%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Specs | ON Cloudsurfer 7 -... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Saucony Kinvara 14... | Brooks Adrenaline G... |
| Sizes Available | 5 - 11 US, regular | 5 - 12 US, regular | 5 - 11 US, regular & wide | 5 - 12 US, regular & wide | 5 - 13 US, narrow, medium, wide & extra wide |
| Style | Daily/cushioned | Neutral | Daily | Neutral | Supportive |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 40 mm | 40 mm | 34 mm | 30 mm | 34 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 8 mm | 9 mm | 2 mm | 5 mm | 12 mm |
| Plate Type | None | None | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 21 deg | 22.0 deg | 24.5 deg | 26.0 deg | 26.5 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 66.02% | 69.48% | 65.38% | 68.15% | 71.43% |
| Measured Weight | 6.46 oz | 7.36 oz | 6.27 oz | 5.55 oz | 8.21 oz |
| Upper | Engineered knit | Engineered knit mesh | Creel jaqquard | Mesh | Engineered air mesh |
| Midsole | Helion | FF Blast Plus Eco | Supercritical EVA | PWRRUN, PWRRUN+ | DNA Loft v2 |
| Outsole | Rubber/Exposed foam | AHAR outsole | Rubber | XT-900 rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | None | Finger loop | Extended heel pull | Finger loop | None |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
With a noticeable heel stack, a loaded Helion undercarriage, and CloudTec cushioning, this 8mm drop shoe is a comfortable enough choice for daily runs.
The Cloudsurfer 7 is not a standout shoe overall, but it does a great job combining function and fashion, making it a worthwhile shoe to consider.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Landing Comfort/Cushioning
The CloudTec midsole of the ON Cloudsurfer 7 is soft and cushy, creating a perfect landing pad for runners seeking a maximal-adjacent running shoe. With a 40mm heel stack and dramatic-feeling 8mm differential, the Helion foam keeps you up, up, and away from the pavement. The cushioning rebounds nicely, allowing you to comfortably roll through your strides. It is worth noting that our last pair of ON running shoes packed out incredibly quickly and were swiftly relegated to “wear around town” shoes. Even after 50-ish miles in the Cloudsurfer, they are as comfortable and soft underfoot as they were in the beginning. Heel strikers will love how stacked the rearfoot is, as it is comprised largely of shock-absorbing foam.
The thick slab of exposed foam combines with the midsole to provide a comfortable crashpad.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Responsiveness
As is often the case with soft, plush running shoes, the Cloudsurfer is nothing to write home about when it comes to responsiveness. You can easily execute your standard tempo runs in this shoe, but its energy return is not very profound. The steep differential provides a forward rolling sensation, which propels you forward, but in a way that is dissimilar to a truly responsive shoe. If you are seeking a moderately responsive shoe that places comfort and underfoot cushion at its core, you'll love the Cloudsurfer. If you want to hear the iconic pop pop pop of a racing shoe that forces you forward, this is not going to be a match for you.
The Cloudsurfer's rocker shape seems speed-friendly, but the softness of its foam steals some of its energy return.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Stability
While not unsafe by any means, the Cloudsurfer 7 falls a bit short in terms of stability. Its ultra-high stack holds your body away from the ground, and the heel lift is significant. The shoe's lateral architecture is extremely soft, which impedes its ability to hold you steady as you maneuver around turns and uneven roads. Its exposed foam and rubber outsole performs poorly on wet and gravelly roads, which is disappointing since this is a feature the manufacturer claims to have upgraded. When looking for a new daily trainer, we often consider stability as a crucial factor since many people will wear their running shoes into their HIIT workouts. While the Cloudsurfer is a decent enough daily trainer, it is not one we recommend for workout use because of its high stack and heel lift and the instability of this combo.
The thick stack of underfoot cushioning takes away from stability, but creates a very comfortable ride.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Upper Comfort
We'll start with the negative here since the positive attributes outweigh them. The toe box of the Cloudsurfer is a bit short, both vertically and horizontally. This isn't a dealbreaker on this otherwise very comfortable shoe, but it is something to be aware of. Aside from the slightly snug toebox space, the engineered mesh is comfortable and breathable. The chunky heel collar stays snug and comfortable while the thickly padded tongue gently cradles your upper foot. We struggled to get the lace system as locked down as we like it for speedier efforts, but this shoe has it all when viewed solely through the lens of comfort.
The stark downslope at the forefoot feels a bit short. Otherwise, the Cloudsurfer is an incredibly comfortable shoe.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
For a plush running shoe, the Cloudsurfer 7 is impeccably lightweight. Weighing 6.46 ounces, it feels incredibly lightweight when worn. It's not the lightest shoe in our lineup, but it boasts one of the best comfort-to-weight ratios. The choice to leave the outsole foam exposed feels like a risk by ON, but this small attribute helps keep the weight low and proved to be surprisingly durably throughout our testing.
For a comfortable shoe, the Cloudsurfer is notably lightweight, making it a nice option for chill runs on mellow training days.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Should You Buy the ON Cloudsurfer 7?
We often have a quick yes-or-no answer here, but it is not so simple when it comes to the Cloudsurfer. It is not a versatile daily trainer in that we do not recommend it for gym use or agility training. We have other shoes in our lineup that hold up to those types of demands with ease. The Cloudsurfer is plenty comfortable with its foam-loaded features, making it a good choice for slower daily runs. Ultimately, you'll likely be satisfied on the basis of comfort alone if you choose to buy the Cloudsurfer, but there are more versatile shoes that we would recommend above this one.
We picked apart every bit of this shoe and still come away saying that it's comfortable but doesn't have as much running technology as we have grown to expect.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
What Other Road Running Shoes Should You Consider?
For comfortable underfoot cushion in a more technical-feeling package, we joyfully recommend the Asics Novablast 4. The Novablast is silky, comfortable, and ready for action, making it an all-around better choice for your versatile running needs. The Hoka Clifton 9 is less cushy but equally protective. The Clifton offers significantly more stability, and since it is slightly firmer, it feels a bit more capable. Lastly, the Asics Gel Kayano 30 has a truly loaded underfoot stack (37mm) and scored better in every metric except weight.
—
Ally Arcuri
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