On Cloudflyer 5 Review (2024)

On Cloudflyer 5 Review
By Matthew Klein 

As a stability shoe person, I am always interested in what stable shoes are on the market or which ones get updates. The On Cloudflyer 4 was something I was excited about, but ended up being heavy and too firm for me to get a ton of running miles on. They were extremely comfortable for walking but less so for running. Regardless, my hope for On continued as I have seen improvements in design and comfort in their models over the years. It was immediately apparent as I tested the latest model that while On had updated the shoe and it is more runnable than the prior version, they had stuck to a degree of their firmer ways. 

On Cloudflyer 5

Price: $170 at On Running
Weight: 10.6 oz, 300 g (men's size 9), 8.8 oz, 250 g  (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 31mm / 21 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Moderate Stability Daily Training Shoe

Pros: Stable Heel, Smooth Forefoot Transition
Cons: Excessively Firm, Clunky Heel, Heavier Than It Should Be

RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY

The On Cloudflyer 5 is a stability daily trainer for those who want a firm, higher drop shoe. The upper provides a wider, comfortable fit, making this shoe excellent for walking and all day wear. A firm midsole paired with firmer Helion foam in the heel and under the medial arch add support for those who need it. Those who enjoy the classically firmer rides of On will enjoy this shoe as well as those who want a stable shoe for walking and running.

SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Structure 25, Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22
PAST MODEL: On Cloudflyer 4

FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)

Matt: The On Cloudflyer 5 fits me true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The upper is extremely comfortable and a little thicker. The overall fit is on the wider side with a normal to slightly lower volume that is offset by some stretch. The forefoot is wider without being sloppy. I have room for my toes but don't feel myself sliding around. This transitions into a wider but lower volume midfoot thanks to the thicker tongue. The tongue is strongly gusseted and is secure. The gusseting holds the foot down well and easily connects it to the upper. I did not have to tighten the laces that much despite the slightly wider fit. The heel is normal to slightly wider with a large amount of heel padding. The counter is fairly flexible, although still a little firm at the posterior-most part. I did not have any issues with the firmness thanks to the additional padding but those with extreme sensitivities should still approach with caution. The upper is fairly secure but I did have to tighten the laces around the heel. Those with more narrow feet may need to lace lock the heel. The inner aspect of the upper is quite comfortable and does well for going sockless while walking. While running the toe guard can create a little abrasion and socks also work better for me due to the wider fit. So you can go sockless but I still prefer using socks. 

Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5

Doctors of Running Checklist

Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Mildly
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Somewhat
Recommended for Haglunds: Yes (for the most part)
Recommended for Sockless: Yes (for the most part)
Durability Expectation: Average

PERFORMANCE

Matt: The On Cloudflyer 5 is a daily running and walking shoe. The midsole features two different densities of Helion foam with a firmer heel and a softer forefoot. The heel features a slight posterior flare and small/sharp bevel, which makes rearfoot landings clunky. This transitions into a smooth and more comfortable midfoot/forefoot. I found my footstrike drifting forward during runs, although as the sole has broken in this has changed slightly. The Cloudflyer 5 is stiff but rockered. There is no flexibility in the rearfoot but the forefoot breaks in slightly. Combined with a decent forefoot rocker despite the lower to moderate stack height up front, the forefoot transition is smooth.

There is a 10mm drop which thanks to the firmer heel is quite apparent and feels higher. Those who like a high drop feeling (which is rare right now) will enjoy this shoe while others may feel the heel is clunky. Due to the 10.6 oz/300 g weight, the On Cloudflyer 5 functions only at easier paces and short to moderate distances. Thanks to the firmer midsole, it does not feel overly heavy, but the heel transition and weight prevent it from doing anything fast. The outsole has patches of additional rubber on high wear areas. This provides good traction on both dry and wet road thanks to small lugs on the outsole patches. The Cloudflyer 5 can handle some mild trail but should not be used for anything beyond that. The durability is average, as I am already wearing down some of the outsole material in my normal spots after 25 miles. I have not worn through the outsole yet but have worn down the small lugs quickly.

STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)

Matt: The On Cloudflyer 5 is a mild-to-moderate stability shoe focusing mostly on guidance methods. There are two densities of foam in the midsole, a firmer one in the rearfoot and a softer one in the heel. The firmer heel combined with a low heel clip and sidewalls in the rearfoot and a wide, flared platform create a stable (but slightly uncomfortable) rearfoot landing. The midfoot features a longer medial piece of the firmer foam and a lateral fill in of the softer foam, which creates a mild post like design. It does not create a feeling of a medial post (ie excessive pressure), but does feel stable and laterally directed at the midfoot. The forefoot is more neutral, although the wider platform, rocker and frontal plane (side to side) stiffness make it easier to roll forward. Overall this creates a moderate stability rearfoot/midfoot and somewhat guided forefoot. 

Thoughts as a DPT: How Does Midsole Firmness Impact Stability?
By Matthew Klein

The On Cloudflyer 5 has some traditional stability elements (firmer medial piece of Helion under the arch) but mostly creates stability through a wider platform, sole flare, heel sidewalls and a firmer midsole. We have talked extensively about all of those things except firmness. "Firm" or "Soft" are the two ends of the spectrum of describing the quality of cushioning underfoot. Quantity of cushioning or material can focus on how much foam vertically sits underfoot. Firm or soft are adjectives that can be used to qualitatively describe how it feels. Typically, firm shoes are ones with less compliant foams underfoot that do not feel like they compress as much. Softer shoes are ones with more compliant foams underfoot that do compress, providing a "cushioned feel" underfoot. There are variations on this (shoes that are so soft that you go through the cushioning and reach a full compressed material quicker, creating a firmer feel) but we will stick with this dichotomy for simplicity sake.

A softer sole is inherently more unstable. A foam that compresses a great deal, or increases compliance has less inherent structure (not chemically but physically) and will resist motion far less. That means that if you move a certain way, it will likely allow you to do that. Additionally, this unstable surface often causes a stiffening reaction from the body. The softer and less stable a foam is, the less the body worries about shock absorption and moving through greater ranges of motion. Instead, the lower extremity tends to stiffen in response to softer shoes, which actually can increase internal joint loading despite the perception of the shoe being softer and more protective (Kulmala et al., 2018). This can be a good thin for some people who want their joints to go through less range of motion and a challenge for others who do not have the ability to create that stiffness. Firm soles are inherently more stable because they compress less. They do not deform as much and therefore provide more resistance to motion. The body worries less about the stiffness mentioned above and there is more muscular work required to absorb shock. This also sometimes, depending on other elements in the shoe, means less of a challenge for the smaller stabilizers as a firmer sole also provides more input into the nervous system (proprioception) and the body is able to stabilize/react better to motions underfoot. 

There is a balance to the above as a shoe too soft will feel like running through sand and a shoe to firm will be uncomfortable. However, firmness is another factor that influences a shoe's overall stability. This is why making really soft stability shoes is challenging but on the other end why many people describe some stability shoes as clunky or uncomfortable because they tend to be firmer. Finding the optimal balance for you as an individual is key. 

References:

Kulmala, J. P., Kosonen, J., Nurminen, J., & Avela, J. (2018). Running in highly cushioned shoes increases leg stiffness and amplifies impact loading. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-7.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Matt: The On Cloudflyer 5 is an improvement over version 4. The upper is comfortable with a wider but secure fit. The midsole is more apparently stable and the forefoot transitions better. However, the heel is clunky due to a combination of being a bit too firm, the heel bevel being too sharp and the posterior flare. My suggestions for On are to reduce the posterior flare and/or increase the size or length of the bevel. I would also suggest softening the heel just slightly but not enough to offset the inherent stability that provides. This will likely require softening the forefoot foam even more to continue the contrast at the midfoot. Helion foam and the clouds often advertised as soft but rarely are during running. While this has improved after several miles of break in, the heel is still a bit uncomfortable. On is taking small steps forward on the midsole game, but that firmness is still a bit much for me. 

WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?

Matt: The On Cloudflyer 5 is a daily training shoe for those who want a firmer, stable shoe for walking and running. The upper will work best for those who want a wider and comfortable fit. The stability will work best for those that do well with firmness and more guidance-based methods, especially in the heel and who want lateral bias in the midfoot. The ride will work best for those who want a firmer heel, a moderate stack height and a smooth forefoot transition. The heel is clunky, so those who land farther forward or those who are willing to break in the shoe and be patient will do best. The ride is still classically On as it is firm and not "cloud-like". However, this does add to the stability, which is far more apparent than version 4. The upper is quite comfortable and does great for walking. I still think On needs to work on making softer shoes if they are going to continue to use some of their marketing. However, their firmness is unique to the market. The price is a bit expensive for a more moderate stack height shoe with a fairly clunky rearfoot, but the upper is really good. While this shoe will not continue as part of my rotation, it is still a different option for those who want a firmer ride in today's softer high-stack market.

GRADES

Matt
Fit: A- (Wider fit with comfortable thicker upper. Heel may require additional lockdown for some people)
Performance: C+ (Best for slower running and walking. No pace versatility. Clunky heel, firm but decent forefoot transition)
Stability: A- [Mild to Moderate Stability] (Stable centered heel thanks to sole flare, firmer midsole and heel clip. Lateral bias/medial stability in midfoot from dual density foam)
Value: B- (Expensive for a moderate stack height, firmer ride. Upper is nice though)
Personal: C (Firmness of heel makes this shoe better for walking. Clunkiness of heel and lack of versatility will prevent me from keeping this in my running rotation)
Overall Design: B- 

SHOP | SUPPORT DOR

On Cloudflyer 5

Price: $170 at On Running

Shop Men | Shop Women

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FURTHER READING

Saucony Hurricane 24 | Review
A revamped stability classic returns anew.

New Balance 860v14 | Review
A new modern stability design brings a new ride for this premium stability trainer.













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Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Danbury and Stevens Point areas, we am currently taking clients for running evaluations.

***Disclaimer: These shoes were provided free of charge in exchange for a review.  We thank the people at On Running for sending us pairs.  This in no way affected the honesty of this review. We systematically put each type of shoe through certain runs prior to review. For trainers and performance trainers, we take them on daily runs, workouts, recovery runs and a long run prior to review (often accumulating anywhere from 20-50 miles in the process). For racing flats we ensure that we have completed intervals, a tempo or steady state run as well as a warm-up and cool down in each pair prior to review. This systematic process is to ensure that we have experience with each shoe in a large variety of conditions to provide expansive and thorough reviews for the public and for companies. Our views are based on our extensive history in the footwear industry and years testing and developing footwear. If you are a footwear rep looking for footwear reviews or consultations on development, we are currently looking to partner with companies to assist, discuss and promote footwear models. Partnership will not affect the honesty of our reviews.

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