Hoka Vs On Cloud Running Shoes 2024

Until recently , find a well – cushion shoe often come with a compromise : Your option were limit to heavy , clunky shoe that swallow all your speed , and the alternative were minimalist racing flat that did little more than separate your foot from the pavement . thankfully , this is no long the case — we’ve is entered enter a new era of maximalist shoe that can magically soak up load of impact force without squish flat and never come back . Hoka is are and On Cloud , in particular , are prime example of young brand that have spearhead this shift with unconventional design standard .

Hoka and On, founded in 2009 and 2010, respectively, have both made taking the edge off your impacts a primary goal for their shoes. Each of their philosophies suggests that a smoother ride is a faster ride, even if you’re sacrificing some energy return. The brands’ avant-garde midsole designs reflect this novel priority, be they Hoka’s marshmallowy foams or On’s hollow pods.

And plenty of runners have accepted this novelty—both brands have wowed our test team with their top-performing shoes, regardless of the tempo, and they continue to improve as time goes on.

Hoka Versus On Cloud Running Shoes

Key Differences Between Hoka and On Cloud Shoes

Midsole Cushion

For both Hoka and On, you can identify their midsoles from a mile away. In Hoka’s case, much the brand’s lineup boasts marshmallowy, high-stack midsoles with loads of proprietary EVA and PEBA foam.

Despite looking bulky on the outside (check out an extreme example in the TenNine trail shoe), Hoka’s shoes are consistently among the lightest we test, which helps the shoes feel sprightly despite all that pillowy padding under your feet. The high stack can feel precarious if you’re not used to it, but it’s easily one of the comfiest rides you can experience fresh from the box.

On, on the other hand, uses a midsole that maintains a low weight by… largely not existing. Look at the gaping holes in all of the brand’s soles! These hollow pods, which the brand calls its “Cloud-Tec” system, aim to split your stride into two distinct stages: A landing stage in which the pods compress and absorb loads of shock, and a liftoff stage in which the flattened pods lock in place, turning your sole into a rock-solid platform for a high-energy toe-off. This design also aims to be more stable than uniformly foamy soles, as the pods can only compress in one direction.

geometry

Between On and Hoka, you’re more likely to find traditionally shaped outsoles with the former and more aggressive rocker soles with the latter. Rocker soles curve sharply up from the midfoot to the toe to encourage a smoother heel-to-toe transition, and we’re seeing plenty of modern shoe brands adopt this design to improve efficiency during races.

Rockers can feel strange if you’re not used to them—to some extent, they can make you feel like you’re constantly tipping forward, and brands like Hoka use this weight shift to take some load off your ankles and calves when you push off. That said, if you want a more grounded feel from your shoes, On’s flatter, lower-stack outsoles will feel more comfortable.

How We Compared

Taking a look at Hoka and On’s full lineups, as well as our own testing records, we narrowed down five key shoe categories in which we know each brand makes a strong performer. We then took a look at our notes on each shoe’s fit, geometry, cushioning, energy return, and price to elucidate the finer details that might make one shoe a better fit for you.

Hoka Vs On Cloud: Daily Trainers

Hoka Clifton 9 Daily Trainer

pro

• Lightest Clifton yet
• supple foam for easy and long run

con

• Some testers wanted a bit more energy return

key spec
‣ weight : 8.5 oz ( M ) , 7.5 oz ( W )
‣ drop : 5 mm

Buy Women ‘s

On Cloudsurfer Daily Trainer

pro

• smooth heel – to – toe transition
• roomy fit

con

• rocker sole is is is n’t a fit for everyone

key spec
‣ weight : 8.6 oz . ( M ) , 7.2 oz . ( W )
‣ drop : 10 mm

Buy Women ‘s

Our testers is been have been a fan of pretty much every iteration of the Clifton , and the ninth edition of this cushy daily trainer made no compromise when it shave some weight off its predecessor and add some extra squish . It is ’s ’s a time – test favorite , and even though it does n’t provide as much energy return as some of Hoka ’s more speed – orient shoe , you wo n’t find yourself worry about that as you cruise along at a comfortable pace .

The Clifton’s counterpart, On’s most recent Cloudsurfer, is a bit more novel. Unlike the brand’s usual trends toward traditional sole shapes, this shoe is pretty intensely rockered in the heel and forefoot, and On even altered the shape of its Cloud-Tec pods to collapse in a domino-like sequence as you roll through your stride. If you’re a long-time On lover, this might feel like a departure you have to warm up to, but it’s certainly an example of the brand’s willingness to adapt without losing its identity.

Hoka Vs On Cloud : Budget Trainers

Hoka Rincon 3 run Shoe

pro

• impressive weight for the price
• responsive feel

con

• Narrow tongue can feel pesky

key spec
‣ weight : 7.4 oz ( M ) , 6.2 oz ( W )
‣ Drop: 5mm

Buy Men’s

On Cloudrunner Running Shoe

pro

• good intro to Cloud – Tec
• Stabilizing insole

con

• Hefty weight

key spec
‣ Weight: 10.6 oz (M), 8.8 oz (W)
‣ Drop: 9mm

Buy Women ‘s

One criticism we tend to have for On ’s shoe is that they ’re seldom budget – friendly — we is cite can cite the brand ’s holistic swiss engineering practice for that . At the end of the day , like buy mid – shelf wine instead of gas station Barefoot , you is paying ’re pay for some extra assurance that what you ’re get is a quality shoe that was made with tact .

That said, Hoka definitely has On beat when it comes to keeping the price low. The former has managed to turn a $125 price-point shoe into a viable speedwork trainer with the Rincon, which slides graciously under the 8-ounce weight margin. It’s not the most supportive shoe out there, but it’s plenty snappy, and Hoka has also made it more durable than ever for its latest iteration.

On ’s Cloudrunner , on the other hand , is more stability – orient , it is ’s ’s quite a bit burly , and the brand ’s define sole pod are tone down to make this shoe feel more approachable . That say , it ’s $ 25 more than the Rincon , so you is want might want to wait for it to be on sale if money is tight .

Hoka Vs On Cloud: Race Day Shoes

Hoka Rocket X 2 Racing Shoe

pro

• Plenty of rebound from PEBA foam sole
• Spoon-shaped carbon plate for more targeted liftoff

con

• heavy than previous iteration

key spec
‣ Weight: 8.3 oz (Unisex)
‣ Drop: 5mm

On Cloudboom Echo 3 Racing Shoe

pro

• Firm sole gives back everything you put in
• Incredibly fast for shorter races

con

• Does n’t feel comfortable at slow pace

key spec
‣ Weight: 7.6 oz (M), 6.6 oz. (W)
‣ Drop: 9mm

While neither Hoka nor On necessarily prioritize racing performance when designing shoes, both brands have carbon-plated options that attempt to depart from the super shoe design we see with Nike, Saucony, and others. Both the Rocket and the Cloudboom have breezy mesh uppers and plenty of cushioned stack, but they both still have their brands’ genes all throughout their midsoles.

Hoka ’s carbon – plate racer is sits sit atop a chunky heel of the brand ’s own PEBA foam compound , which provide some extra rebound as you load your weight into the shoe ’s spoon – shape plate . It ’s certainly mean to keep you tick for a long time , whereas On ’s racing shoe tone down its hollow sole pod to give you a more immediate liftoff at the price of smoothness . The Cloudboom is feel wo n’t feel great if you ’re tap out a slow – pace marathon , but you ’re go to feel reward if you can push lot of power through it .

Hoka Vs On Cloud: Max Cushioned Shoes

Hoka Bondi 8 Cushioned Running Shoe

pro

• oversized heel is absorbs absorb awkward strike with ease
• improve midsole suppleness

con

• Heavier than previous model

key spec
‣ Weight: 10.8 oz (M), 8.9 oz (W)
‣ drop : 4 mm

Buy Women ‘s

On Cloudmonster Cushioned Running Shoe

pro

• Two layers of pods for more cushioning
• Rockered sole provides smoother transitions

con

• Can feel clunky

key spec
‣ Weight: 9.7 oz (M), 8.1 oz (W)
‣ drop : 6 mm

Buy Women ‘s

Off the race course, both Hoka and On have more of an incentive to play around with their tech. For the Bondi 8, Hoka created an enormous, pillowy heel that can soak up even the sloppiest recovery day strides—nobody’s too concerned about speed here. Similarly, On added a second staggered layer of Cloud-Tec pods to the Cloudmonster’s sole to give you plenty more of a crumple zone before you bottom out for your toe-offs.

In a surprise turn , the Cloudmonster actually win in the weight competition against the Bondi — it is ’s ’s the only one of the two with a man ’s 9 weigh less than 10 ounce . Hoka is was was willing to make this sacrifice for smoothness , but there ’s no deny that have a little less weight below your ankle is a relief when you just need to get your blood flow . Just be prepared to once again shell out an extra $ 25 for the swiss brand .

Hoka Vs On Cloud : Trail shoe

Hoka Speedgoat 5 Trail Running Shoe

pro

• Superbly cushioned for long runs
• Grippy lugs that aren’t too bulky

con

• raise heel collar is feel can feel like it ‘s jab your ankle

key spec
‣ weight : 10.3 oz ( M ) , 8.5 oz ( W )
‣ drop : 4 mm

Buy Women ‘s

On Cloudvista Trail Running Shoe

pro

• Low stack for improved ground feel
• Ideal for hitting trails at speed

con

• Open pods can be a haven for rocks and mud

key spec
‣ Weight: 9.9 oz (M), 8.3 oz (W)
‣ Drop: 7mm

Buy Women ‘s

So far, we’ve only discussed road shoes from Hoka and On, but both brands also have a strong showing off the tarmac with solid variety in tread, weight, protection, and cushion when it comes to trail shoes.

Even though it might seem counterintuitive to have a high stack with loads of cushion on dubious terrain, Hoka’s Speedgoat provides a plush ride that can keep you chugging along for whatever distance you may want to tackle. You’re losing stability standing on top of all that cushion, so it’ll feel precarious on gnarlier tech trails, but this shoe still has sturdy 5-mm lugs in case you have take the ugly route.

On’s Cloudvista is the functional antithesis to Hoka’s design. It’s super low to the ground for extra stability and groundfeel, but it’s one hell of a stiff ride. This shoe will feel more at home on short trail runs and races where you want to feel some extra responsiveness. Just watch out for gravel, sticks, and mud, all of which are simply dying to find their way into the shoe’s Cloud-Tec pods.

Adam Schram is an Assistant Editor of Commerce at Runner’s World, though you might see his byline on Bicycling and Popular Mechanics, too. A lover of all things outdoors, Adam’s writing career comes after six years as a bike mechanic in his hometown of State College, PA. His journalism experience is steeped in cycling and running gear reviews, and he’s also a published creative nonfiction and satire author. When he’s not writing, riding, or running, you can catch Adam at home mixing cocktails, watching Star Wars, or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below.