I’ll be honest, I bought this pair purely off aesthetics, and what a good looking shoe it is. Having attended UTMB this year and seeing all the pros rocking this shoe I just HAD to give them a go and rock them. For me, On has been a brand that is far more into lifestyle and fashion than high-end performance. I had a rather underwhelming experience with the cloud X3 in the past. Despite this, I was extremely pleasantly surprised with the CloudUltra 3.
A complete revamp from the v2, featuring increased stack (32mm vs 27mm), new outsole, new midsole (Helion HF vs Helion) and improvements in the upper. On has hit a home run with the newest iteration of the CloudUltra. While I may not be the most avid or frequent trail runner whilst living in the middle of a big, bustling city, I find my chance 1-2 times a week to hit a long trail run on the weekend. This is predominantly when these bad boys came out to play. So without further ado, let’s dig in and explore why my feelings are so overwhelmingly positive of this shoe.
Upper and Fit of the On CloudUltra 3
What works for me
The On CloudUltra 3 has a gauze upper, which is extremely breathable. This is something I found out in the worst way possible whilst running/hiking in the Austrian alps in ankle deep snow, needless to say, my feet were freezing. The gauze upper is very nice and spacious, not irritating at all and the heel collar similarly has a really comfortable foam insert in it. The lockdown of the heel counter is great, with a rather stiff, but not overly aggressive lockdown in the heel. My feelings for breathability, upper constriction and overall material use is very positive for this shoe, being one of the better on the market for my personal preference. It feels premium, breathable and actually quite durable.
In terms of fit, the shoe was a definite true to size feeling for me. As someone with a wider foot I felt that there was ample room in the toe box and overall the shoe was quite forgiving. When comparing with the trail market, Salomon in particular, I found that the CloudUltra was much more natural to the shape of my foot, with a wide construction on the upper and general adjustability in the lacing + tongue construction. It also felt like the lockdown of the tongue was very secure and morphing around my foot, which is a great sensation.
What doesn’t work for me
Very hard to say much bad about the upper of the CloudUltra 3, particularly as it suited my shoe preferences so well. Perhaps the only irritant I felt was that the walls of the shoe are quite rigid and come up rather high. This meant that on some instances, particularly in hiking/walking on uneven terrain, I had some rubbing on my ankle hinge joint against the bone.
Another bummer for me is the laces coming undone quite frequently, especially when wet. Perhaps I am spoiled by the anti-slip laces that most racing models seem to rock nowadays, however, it is a repeating issue with On for me that laces come undone very easily unless double knotted.
Midsole and Ride of the On CloudUltra 3
What works for me
What a ride and what a shoe! Like mentioned earlier in my review, my expectations going in were not extremely high as I was predominantly pulled in by aesthetics. To my pleasant surprise, the shoes perform phenomenally. They feel very supportive, but also provide a pleasant forward propulsive ride. At just 235 grams (vs 265g before) the shoe definitely feels light, especially when considering the package of 32 mm of Helion HF foam.
Having tested some other trail models this year, none quite gave me the same snappy and fast sensation that the Couldultra 3 did. I really enjoyed the midsole compound, paired with the xx rock plate. While not giving that super shoe propulsive or unstable feeling, it provides just the right amount of cushioning to take it for longer runs and trail crits, while still feeling fast and dynamic.
As the step down model of the CloudUltra Pro, which I did not have a chance to try unfortunately, I can not imagine how much better the sensation can get.
What doesn’t work for me
Again not much negative to report as my sensation was, on the most part, extremely positive. The only time I felt that the ride of this shoe did not compliment the use case was when running in extremely unstable or uneven terrain, particularly with large rocks.
My feeling was that, in these cases, as the shoe had a rather high stack with a rather wide foot bed, the shoe felt a bit risky to run in, almost unstable. I don’t want to use this word to describe the overall sensation of the shoe. However, on extremely technical terrain, I did not feel fully comfortable or at ease, especially when picking up the pace. That said, I think this is due to the rigidity of the shoe construction, particularly in the upper and rock plate.
Outsole of the On CloudUltra 3
Grip and Traction
I need to disclose that predominantly my testing of these shoes was on relatively compact and not-too-technical terrain. For this reason my overall sensation of the outsole was fantastic, feeling grippy even in wet and muddy conditions. I can not really speak for super technical terrain, other than to refer to the words of Raoul for his review of the CloudUltra Pro, as both shoes share the same outsole. What I can share is that the outsole durability seems extremely solid, and the lug grip on all terrain that I tested was very good.
Durability
Where I was previously disappointed in the durability of On shoes, particularly upper construction, I do feel that the materials used and support given in this shoe make it a very durable option. I saw little wear in my shoes having run about 60k in them so far.
My pair have made it all the way from the Austrian Alps to the city streets of Brussels, so I can say that, within the versatile environment of testing, so far the prove to be quite durable. Perhaps I will circle back after another 100-200km and be able to give a better picture of long term durability. So far zero concerns.
Conclusion
Value for Money
Coming in at €200/$190/£180 I actually think the shoes have great value for money. When you consider the technology you get in this model at 70 euro cheaper than the CloudUltra pro, then you have an extremely competitive price point for a high end trail shoe.
For me this shoe is a sensational ride, which is barely even a step down from the CloudUltra pro. While the price point lies on the relatively high end, this is totally justified give the technology used and durability/comfort of the package.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
Other than technical trails, I think you can use this shoe pretty much for any trail expedition. It’s perfect use case for me would be for your slightly faster trail runs, when you want a bit more of a speed feeling. Honestly, I would not even hesitate to take these to race day if that day ever comes for me.
Final Verdict
The CloudUltra 3 delivers an unreal package at a very reasonable price considering the technologies used. For what can sometimes be seen as more of a lifestyle brand, especially in their road lineup, the CloudUltra 3 stands well clear of any trail shoe I have tested and provides a very snappy, smooth, but comfortable ride.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
On CloudUltra 3 vs. adidas Terrex Agravic Speed
Both released around the same time in UTMB week, as trail shoes do. The Agravic speed is nowhere near as comfortable or dampening whilst running. Despite the Agravic being “aggressive” in its constriction, I actually felt faster in the On shoes.
On CloudUltra 3 vs. Salomon Pulsar Pro 2
Despite having the same lug depth and the Pulsar Pro having more stack, the CloudUltra 3 feels like a grippier, more comfortable, softer, bouncier ride than the Pulsar Pro. Again similar to the Agravic above, the Pulsar Pro has a far more aggressive feeling construction, but the CloudUltra just feels far snappier, faster, more nimble.
