What we like about the On Cloudsurfer Max
CHAD: I will die on this hill, but I think On has some of the best uppers in the running shoe world. Some people find them a bit big, baggy, or otherwise high-volume. However, I feel like the Cloudsurfer Max continues the trend, and this upper is even better than the one found on the Cloudeclipse. It is very breathable, which I have thoroughly appreciated as every run I’ve done in it outside has been on a hot and humid summer morning. I feel like On dialed back the volume slightly, as I didn’t have to cinch the laces as tightly as I did in the Cloudeclipse.
In addition to the upper changes that improved the shoe, removing the external speedboard was a much-needed change. That exposed piece of plastic on the Cloudeclipse was noisy as hell, causing a squeaking noise and a crunching/scraping every time I hit a loose piece of gravel. The midsole has been reshaped and redesigned to remove the one on the Cloudsurfer Max, which is noticeable.
On claims that the midsole foam on the Cloudsurfer Max is softer than the last iteration, and I believe it. Between removing the speedboard and the softer foam, the ride feels closer to a max cushion shoe that you would expect… more on that later.
I also really love the look of the colorway that I received. It’s the inverse of the Cloudeclipse I received, which was a creamsicle orange with white/silver accents.
