On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoes

The On Running Cloudflow line is one of the most successful and best-selling lines from the footwear brand. The Clouflow is a great everyday running shoe so it’s comfortable but also fast, responsive and lightweight. The On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoe brings all this versatility together even better than its predecessors and is also very beautiful.

The upper of the On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoe has changed a lot from the previous version, which is noticeable at a glance, but it’s worth highlighting the details. The mesh material of the upper is the same as the mesh used in the Cloudboom Echo 3, one of the brand’s most expensive, professional shoes, but slightly thicker to make the Cloudflow 4 more durable. Despite being thicker, the breathability is very good.The tongue is thin, fixed on both sides and runs all the way to the front of the shoe. The laces are flat but not prone to tying. The shoe is also not tight at the toes, and runners with thicker feet will not find it tight. The heel collar is padded with medium cushioning, very good heel and ankle support.

The midsole of the On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoe is made of the tried-and-true Helion foam, a helium-injected EVA foam. Helium injection makes the foam softer and lighter. The Cloudflow 4 features two different densities of Helion foam, which together with Cloud technology creates a total of 3 different layers of softness. The top foam layer is the harder foam, which helps with stability and dynamism. The bottom thicker layer is softer, which gives comfort and good shock absorption. This softer part also makes up the Cludtech part of the shoe, which are the distinguishing feature of On Running, these small holes are bridges, they shrink under compression, giving additional softness and momentum when hitting the ground and kicking off. In between the two different densities of foam is the spoon-shaped TPU sheet (thermoplastic) that On Running has named the Speedboard. This plate gives the shoe an extra boost and dynamism. Previously, the Speedboard has been criticised for making the shoe too stiff, but in the Cloudflow 4, the TPU sheet is noticeably softer. Also new is that the geometry of the Cloudflow 4’s midsole has also changed, it bends up at the front (rocker), which makes the rocker effect easier, better and faster to roll over.

The outsole of the On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoe is also different from previous versions because the midsole design has changed. In the past, On Running running shoes have come in for a lot of criticism because of the small bridges and clouds in the midsole channel and the Cloudtech technology that made it easy for small pebbles to get stuck in between. This is no longer the case with the Cloudflow 4. Because the middle channel and the area between the clouds are not as deep, pebbles do not get stuck easily. There is not much of the outsole covering on the sole of the shoe, as it only comes into contact with the ground over a small surface area due to the cloud particles. Due to the clouds, the outsole cannot make the sole of the shoe stiff, as it does not form a continuous surface. The outsole has good traction, even on light trails. The outsoles of On Running shoes used to wear out quite easily, and that doesn’t seem to be changing now.

Over all, the On Running Cloudflow 4 running shoe has changed a lot from the previous version, and all of these changes have worked to its advantage. The Cloudflow 4 is a versatile running shoe designed for everyday runs that is comfortable but also fast. It’s lightweight, has good breathability, holds the foot well and provides the support you need for runs at all paces.