With the Cloudeclipse, On Takes the Fight to New Balance

A few years ago, Nike and Adidas were the only sneakers you’d see on the feet of the urban commuter. These shoppers weren’t looking for the fastest performance, the coolest style, or the most advanced tech; they just wanted a comfortable, non-confronting pair of sneakers to walk to work in before slipping into a loafer or heel.Travel on the London tube today, and that clique has a new favorite: the unsearchably named Swiss shoe company, On. You likely know it as “On Running,” and the London flagship store, where I picked up a new pair of their ultra-cushioned Cloudeclipse running shoes on a wet Wednesday afternoon, was completely swarmed with customers.On Cloudeclipse in orange. Courtesy of OnOn was founded in 2010 by the Nike athlete Olivier Bernhard, who was experimenting with a garden hose and thinking of how using flexing hollow shapes could provide new performance cushioning. He took a prototype to Nike, which rejected it, and so started his own company built around this new signature cushioning, CloudTec.The idea is as simple as it is visually distinct: a thick foam midsole with “cloud” holes cut completely through it in oval, curved, square, or hexagonal shapes. On the way down, these holes bend in, providing cushioning for your feet, and when they’re completely flattened out at the bottom of your step, they provide a stable, firm foundation for pushing off. At first, these soles and holes were relatively slim in shoes designed explicitly for performance use, but as their sales have exploded, the brand has embraced their new walking consumer. With the Cloudmonster and Cloudeclipse, you have some of the thickest soles you can find on the market, visually signaling their focus on comfort, and from my testing, they are as advertised.On Cloudeclipse in grey. Courtesy of OnThough the Cloudeclipse is intended to be a road-running shoe and quite good for this purpose, the benefits work excellently for the commuter too. Their extremely plush cushioning makes for a smooth, supportive walking experience, as does their slight forward roll. Their extreme lightness underfoot makes them easy to wear for your longest days at only 0.6 pounds for the pair, and the breathability of this upper makes them great for hot summers. They’re also very well priced for the comfort they provide. Their popularity isn’t surprising.On Cloudeclipse in orange. Courtesy of OnIs it the best choice for this commuter? I don’t quite think so. They are very comfortable, and at $180, fairly priced for the quality. But the New Balance 990v6 is only $20 more and more than worth the price increase. It’s better in almost every single way.New Balance 990v6. Courtesy of New BalanceThe On’s upper is made with a lightweight, dense synthetic weave, which is great for performance but makes it less durable for long-term wear. The New Balance uses a plush mesh reinforced with pigskin leather and suede panels. The On uses thin performance laces, whereas the New Balance uses thick cotton options, which look and feel better. It also has a more thickly padded tongue and ankle liner, sacrificing some weight for added comfort. Additionally, the v6 has the most comfortable foam midsole of any sneaker on the market, in a perfect balance of support and cushioning. The On comes in dusty orange or light grey, whereas New Balance continues to release sophisticated, stylish new colorways of the v6. The 990v6 is also made in America; and because they’re less hyped up, you can often find them on sale.For me, the choice is obvious. But competition is great for consumers, and On has made a lot of progress in relatively little time. I’m excited to see what they introduce to this segment next.

With the Cloudeclipse, On Takes the Fight to New Balance

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