SCORE: 7.8
Weight: 9.1 oz Size 8
Heel Drop: 7mm
Shoe Type: Neutral
Surface: Road, concrete and trail
Pros
- Highly breathable
- Responsive
- Premium appearance
- Stable
- Versatile
- Durable
Cons
The pricing is competitive. It can fetch other elite neutral running shoes in the market.
Take Away
Cloudswift has an outstanding upper. The design is incredibly done, making Cloudswift one of the coolest neutral trainer shoes in the market. The shoe is designed to meet a runner’s needs. It is lightweight, well-cushioned, responsive, stable, highly breathable, and has a secure fit. It rides not soft but not too firm. It feels easy, consistent with excellent energy return. However, it faces a lot of competition from elite neutral trainer shoes like the Nike Pegasus 37 and Saucony Triumph, which are incredibly cushioned and responsive.
Overall, Cloudswift performs way above average despite being a minimalist neutral shoe. It is a very versatile shoe that gets the job done. It suits a runner who intends to rack up long miles of up to a 10k fast and comfortably. It can also work as a casual shoe.
Cloudswift First Impression
I was very attracted to the shoe’s design. The design of Cloudswift has been done with a lot of ingenuity and carefulness. The upper mesh is the X factor in this shoe. It makes the shoe stand out. The single mesh upper is highly breathable and is held together by a cage rubber that also acts as a lacing box.
The upper sits on a Helion cushioning material, and I could feel softness underneath the foot. My foot sank deep into the shoe, and I felt the upper mesh wrapping around my foot to provide a snug fit. The lacing system worked perfectly. Though thin and flexible, they were not compressive. I noticed a lack of the last eyelet and wondered what would happen if someone else needed that extra snug fit.
When I took it out for a run, I felt the rubber cage putting pressure on my arch, but that feeling disappeared after a short while.
Running in Cloudswift felt easy and fast. It has a very responsive midsole. I felt confident with every stride. I could feel the freshness in the foot as air permeated through the thin mesh. I even clocked a 6k without feeling tiredness in the foot.
With 9.3oz, the shoe felt lightweight but not super light. Its performance was impressive and beyond my expectation. I felt that Cloudswift out-deed itself. It was very responsive, well-cushioned, stable, accommodative, and could work in short, long-distance running or pretty fast runs. It is not a picky shoe because it possesses a good ground clearance. I tried it on the sidewalk, road, and trail, and the experience was the same; just superb!
Cloudswift Midsole Component
Cloudswift used the CloudTech system and the Helion cushioning material in the midsole.
The CloudTech gives the midsole the needed flexibility and lightweight, while the Helion cushioning plays the role of providing the bounce effect.
The Cloudswift did not feel as soft as the Saucony Triumph 17 or the New Balance 1080v and other cushioning neutral shoes, but it performed almost to their level. It felt right because the energy return was excellent and helped maintain the running momentum. It made running very easy. The transitioning from the heel-to-toe was seamless.
The Cloudswift rides neither soft nor firm but there in the middle.
It makes racking up miles easy and comfortable. It is a great shoe if you are into long-distance running. Besides, the midfoot and forefoot cushioning is enough to absorb the landing impact.
I have done short runs, and Cloudswift has always demonstrated its versatility. It is not as responsive as the Cloudboom, Metaracer, or other elite speed shoes, but this shoe outperforms itself. It picks the pace quickly and performs better than most premium neutral shoes.
Like in many ON running shoes, In Cloudswift, the outsole comes with blown Techcloud rubber protected by abrasion pads. The abrasion pads protect the CloudTech foam from abrasion and guarantee it more life. It does not break in easily. You will hardly notice any wear after five miles. The abrasive rubber also increases stability and traction. It held firmly onto the ground, and I did not experience slippage even when I ran on a wet surface and made turns. The shoe performed well both on-road and trail.
Practically, the outsole can withstand consistent running pressures. The design of the outsole is quite impressive. The flex grooves are profound to allow the forefoot to imitate a runner’s gait. The guideline running through the middle of the outsole cuts deep into the midsole and combines well with the flex grooves to make the outsole very flexible and quite responsive. The outsole is also broad to increase stability.
I have done a 20k with the Cloudswift. Though it is not the best neutral trainer running shoe, it gets the job done. The ride was easy, quick, and comfortable. I use it when I want to cover a long distance within a short time.
Cloudswift Upper Component
The upper part of the Cloudswift is well put together. The mesh is not only flexible but also highly breathable. Once you put it on, you are guaranteed a secure fit. It fits true to size, and the lacing box is well designed to give a proper lacing system. Cloudswift comes with more than just snug fit and breathability. This shoe has a premium appearance. The foot cage in the midfoot, which forms part of the lacing system, creates a screaming plush. It is made of elastic rubber material. It is not restrictive. It also helps enhance support by ensuring a snug fit, particularly around the midfoot. The toe box is roomy to allow the toes to splay out naturally.
ON did a lot of support-related work on the upper. Apart from the elastic rubber in the midfoot, ON added a toe bumper to protect the toe, give the upper mesh structure, and ensure that the floor stays in its neutral position. At the same time, the elastic rubber forms part of the lacing system, ON extended the lacing system into the mesh to enhance the snug fit. The laces are thin but do not cause pressure on the foot.
I also like the cushioning of the tongue and the ankle. ON was not too generous with cushioning; for this reason, the tongue and the collars are not thickly cushioned. The structure of the heel counter is also something to marvel at. It is solid yet accommodative. It holds down the foot right to its neutral position. The heel collar also extends upwards; it is well-cushioned and does not irritate the Achilles. The heel cup has an ON sign encrypted on it to give it a cool appearance.
The upper layer is the most exciting part of Cloudswift. The design is carefully done, and everything works perfectly. There is no major fault I can think of.
Conclusion
Cloudswift has a unique and ‘cool’ appearance that stands out. It has a premium look making it a go-to shoe for someone who loves luxury. Gauging by its performance, it is evident that Cloudswift does too much. It performs well on both short quick runs, long and short marathons. It has an excellent energy return, enough to maintain the running momentum. However, it does not ride soft but moderately firm. It only outclasses many premium neutral shoes on responsiveness.
ON Cloudswift faces a lot of competition from the New Balance 1080v11, Brooks Ghost 13, Saucony Triumph 17, Nike Pegasus 37, and Brooks Glycerin 19, especially when a runner is looking for more cushioning. Still, if you have never tried out any ON shoe, Cloudswift is an easy pick. It rides well and has no major fault. Besides, you can use it for casual wear. Overall, Cloudswift is a shoe for runners who are not looking for stability. Instead, all they want to do is rack up miles easily and comfortably. It is very comfortable and can be a day-to-day running shoe.
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