About
In brief:

On Cloudsurfer 3 review

By Thibaud Saint Bernard Translated from French · Read the original

On Cloudsurfer 3 on feet

Despite what its name suggests, the On Cloudsurfer 3 is not at all suited to surfing. No. In fact, it's a running shoe. And more precisely what they call a « daily trainer » across the pond. In other words, an easy run shoe. Third generation of the model, it comes with a brand-new foam and a clear mission: to make us forget a disappointing V2 and finally nail it after an encouraging V1.

Tester: Thibaud Bernard
Test duration: 80 km
Use context: easy runs, recovery runs

Style: the On Cloudsurfer 3 looks the business. Starting with the choice of a monochrome yellow/green colour, like one of Jolie Foulée's favourite cocktails, the delicious Or Vert (5 cl of Ricard + 2 cl of mint syrup). And as always with the Swiss brand, the design seems straight out of a sci-fi film, with this sculpted sole and its visible CloudTec Phase™ on the side.

Comfort: with a 38 mm stack, the On Cloudsurfer 3 is built for comfort. What's less common is that it manages, despite this sole thickness, to remain pleasantly stable. A shoe that does your knees good without making your ankles pay the price. The crux of the matter is the new in-house foam, the Surreal™ superfoam. The Cloudsurfer 3 is the first shoe from the brand to be fitted with it, and it aims to be lighter, softer and more responsive than the Helion™ foam used in its training shoes until now. Above, the upper in reworked Warp Knit mesh offers a breathable fit that hugs the foot while keeping it firmly in place. And then there's this detail that makes all the difference: the previous version had gained a bad reputation due to an unfortunate tendency to squeak with every impact. If you hear squeaking with version 3, it can only come from you and your lack of fitness. Because the new Surreal foam doesn't squeak.

Performance: combined with the CloudTec Phase™ tech, the Surreal foam aims to make your easy runs even softer. The Cloud elements have been reoriented to compress one after the other, like dominoes, as your foot rolls forward, resulting in a smooth transition from landing to propulsion. According to the brand's simulations, this geometry would absorb 15.5% more impact than the foam alone, and reduce braking forces by 9.9% with each stride. Beyond the numbers, it's the balance that convinces: lots of comfort, but not at the expense of dynamism. The shoe doesn't collapse underfoot and retains that little bounce that makes you want to pick up the pace. Perfect for relaxed easy runs and recovery sessions, it can also hold up over longer activities.

Verdict: what we loved about the On Cloudsurfer 3: a new foam that delivers on its promises, generous comfort that doesn't sacrifice stability or dynamism, no more squeaking and a look that's still as futuristic. After a promising V1 and a disappointing V2, this third version is clearly the most accomplished. A seriously good easy-run and recovery shoe that earns its place among our favourite On shoes. Nice work from the Swiss brand.

Specs of the On Cloudsurfer 3

  • Weight: 285 g (size EU 42)
  • Sizes: EU 36-49
  • Drop: 8 mm
  • Stack: 45 mm at the heel and 37 mm at the forefoot.
  • Price: €170
  • Technology: Surreal™ superfoam, CloudTec Phase™ geometry, Warp Knit upper
  • Availability: available first at specialist running retailers since 1 October 2026, then via on.com and On stores from early 2027

As with most of the reviews we do, the product was provided free of charge by the brand for this review.

On Cloudsurfer 3 tech specs