On brings a new Cloudmonster Hyper which is perhaps one of the more exciting shoes to hit the market this year. As a huge fan of the CloudUltra 3 and some of the brand’s recent shoes, my expectations were high for the Hyper.
Coming in with a dual layer of Helion HF and the typical Helion EVA foam with Cloudtec geometry, the Hyper sits in the On lineup as a maximally cushioned super trainer, proving much more versatile and snappy than the base model – the Cloudmonster 3. The Helion HF foam now runs along the full length of the footbed as opposed to just the forefoot in the previous iteration.
While an exciting model, the shoe did not quite hit a home-run on all fronts, let’s dig into the specific elements to understand why.
Upper and Fit of the On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
What works for me
The upper of the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper is a mesh and gauze upper that feels very premium with high potential durability. I really enjoyed the lockdown and feel, with generous padding across the upper. It definitely feels premium, like On actually spent more on materials for a more durable and breathable upper. This is opposed to a generic mesh upper that they sometimes default to, like the one in the Cloudmonster 3 base model.
In terms of fit the Hyper fits true to size, if not a little bit long. The toe box is roomy, spacious even for my wide foot. I had ample room to splay my toes, while still limiting movement within the shoe. Furthermore, I did not experience any hot spots, or issues with breathability, which perhaps is as a result of this far more premium upper.
What doesn’t work for me
While the upper is premium in materials and durability, the actual inner layer is rather thin and rough. I found that due to the extra space in the toe box (perhaps half a size down was good for me) I had some rubbing of my toes. As the upper is rather rough even from the inside, I had a bit of a sandpaper sensation during my longer faster intervals, which led to some discomfort while running.
This could be a fit issue, where I could have gone half a size down. However, this is not the sensation I had in other On shoes with traditional mesh uppers in the same size. Perhaps if you are between sizes the best option is to go on the smaller end, as the Hyper is a rather roomy/long shoe. I would not go as far as to recommend sizing down, but useful for those who would normally go half a size up for width related reasons.
Midsole and Ride of the On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
What works for me
My initial sensation of this shoe was actually not positive at all. I expected a very bouncy, propulsive ride, but rather what I got was a firm and heavy feeling shoe. As I have worn them more and used them across a variety of paces and places, the sensation has significantly improved.
As a lighter runner with not a huge amount of midsole compression during my regular miles, I found that the shoe very much gives back what you put in. It’s not a soft cushioned marshmallow ride like you might have in a Vomero Plus, but as you pick up the pace a little bit, you do feel quite a springy propulsive ride.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Cloudtec midsoles, especially when the foam is a rock hard EVA layer. That said, I definitely enjoyed the dual compound where the Helion HF PEBAX based foam complimented a firmer Cloudtec layer to provide a balance between stability and versatility.
What doesn’t work for me
While I did enjoy the ride overall, I do think the shoe feels a bit heavy or clunky for what I had imagined. Given the positioning of it as a super trainer style shoe, I expected a more lightweight package. When I ran on softer surfaces, like the treadmill, the shoe just did not feel like it worked well with the soft ground and did not feel propulsive.
Like mentioned above the sensation definitely improved when I took it to the road and harder surface. However, the feeling of clunkiness did not ever go away really. I know that ON also has the LightSpray model in the pipeline which shaves off another 80g, but I had expected a more nimble ride.
If you are someone who likes a soft sensation and sinking into the shoe on easy miles, I don’t think this is quite the model for you. There are plenty of easy versatile trainers on the market which have a far bouncier and softer sensation. I do have to acknowledge that I am a lighter build and I definitely think this shoe would provide that more for heavier runners.
Outsole of the On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
Grip and Traction
I have very little to say about the outsole as it is quite a generic rubber compound used. The grip is adequate, not outstanding but does the job on most runs. I tested it in the rain, dry, gravel, road, etc. I don’t really recall any slippage during runs or feelings of discomfort from the grip. There are a few bits of exposed foam, but as it is such a firm EVA compound, I don’t expect great signs of wear or issues with this. Having done about 60k in them, the outsoles remain pretty much spotless, my future self will report back on if it stays like this.
Durability
On the topic of durability, I believe the materials used, both in the upper and outsole are quite premium and thus I believe it will last a long time. There is reinforced material in the toe, rubber coverage across most of the outsole and generally the build quality is really high. I only see this shoe improve with time as you break in the foam a bit more, only time will tell. Due to this, I foresee the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper outlasting most of my other max-cushioned trainers which have a softer foam compound. I imagine them easily taking me to 500km and beyond without losing pop.
Conclusion
Value for Money
Coming in at $220, the shoe sits at the premium price point, which is to be expected from On. I do think it delivers a premium performance and durability, like I mentioned above, the materials used in the upper don’t seem cheap. They provide you with a huge chunk of Helion HF which makes it a versatile shoe.
So is it worth the high price point?
It really depends on your use case and the type of runner you are. For me, I would never buy this at the full price as I cannot justify its use case over many other cheaper models on the market. At a discount I would definitely snag a pair without hesitation, just as they do feel quite dynamic, quite snappy and very durable.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
For me this shoe fits in my rotation as a dynamic companion leaning rather towards faster miles than easy recovery runs. I enjoyed using it for some uptempo work, longer intervals, but also for my faster-easy days. I don’t think it’s quite soft enough or forgiving enough to use as a pure recovery day shoe, nor is it fast enough to take to short intervals.
For those who want just one shoe and are getting into running, I would actually recommend this shoe as it will last a long time, will make you feel snappy on race/session days but also give you support on easy days. But for someone who wants a few shoes in a rotation, I don’t think the hyper sits enough in one category to justify its higher price point versus a Vomero Plus.
Final Verdict
The Cloudmonster 3 Hyper lands in an interesting spot. It’s not the soft easy day shoe I hoped for, nor the lightweight speedster the name suggests. Instead, it sits somewhere in the middle: a durable, responsive trainer that rewards effort but never quite disappears underfoot.
For the right runner – someone who wants one shoe to handle a bit of everything and last through it – it makes sense. For me, it’s a rotational piece I’d grab at a discount, not full price. It does a lot of things well, just not quite enough to justify the premium tag.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper vs. Nike Vomero Plus
Very different vibe, the Vomero Plus is much softer and bouncier, but the durability I foresee being much worse. While the Hyper gets better with time and the foam breaks in, the Vomero Plus for me would get worse after big volume. I would also say that the Hyper handles faster paces better.
On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper vs. On Cloudmonster 3
So much more enjoyable than the Cloudmonster 3. The Cloudmonster 3 geometry does feel like it utilises the Cloudtec more, but the foam is much more dead. Nowhere near as versatile as the Hyper, but both do have this “break-in” sensation which means they get better with time.
