On Cloudeclipse Review: More Than Just Another Cushy Number

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

The On Cloudeclipse stack puts a sizable wedge of Helion foam underfoot in On’s new formula CloudTec Phase design. With 37mm in the heel and 31mm in the forefoot, for a 6mm drop, it’s On’s biggest stack shoe.

When it comes to weight, the On Cloudeclipse is among the heavier daily trainers. It weighs in at 10.5oz or 292g. That’s weightier than the Cloudsurfer 7 and up there with the heft of the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25 and Brooks Ghost Max.

At launch the On Cloudeclipse price was marked at $179.99. That’s a top-tier price for a daily trainer. There aren’t many non-carbon shoes with a price that punchy. The Saucony Triumph 21, the Nike Invincible 3 and the On Cloudstratus are a few though.

Design

The On Cloudeclipse features a max-stacked Helion foam midsole with a CloudTec Phase structure that’s similar to what you’ll find underfoot on the On Cloudsurfer 7. These double CloudTec Phase elements are designed to collapse in sequence, in a sort of domino effect, that helps soften landings, create smooth transitions from heel to toe and then propel your push offs.

Up top, there’s a dual-layered style engineered mesh upper with what On calls “functional embroidery zones”, essentially two strips of embroidered ‘taping’ on the medial and lateral side to the rear of the toe box to provide extra forefoot support.

There’s also a Speedboard, somewhat unusually placed right at the bottom of the midsole underneath those cloud elements. That’s presumably there to provide some guiding stiffness to the foam and enhance stability.

You get medium padded heel collars in a pretty traditional style, along with a thin built-in, gusseted tongue that creates a roomy, booty-style wrap around the foot. There’s quite a pliable heel counter with an external reinforcement clip to further boost the hold and support.

Flip them over, and rubber pads on the outsole provide the grip in wet conditions plus added protection for the Helion midsole foam.

Fit

I ran in my regular running shoe size, a UK 8.5 and I found the On Cloudeclispe fit very roomy overall. There’s ample volume in the toe box and the spacious forefoot. Perhaps even veering slightly on the loose side. I had to pay attention to lacing down tight and had some slipping in the heel, nothing crazy but a bit more than usual.

I felt these might verge on being a bit long in the toe box but not enough to make me want to half a size down. Unless you’ve got short feet or you like a snug fit, I’d recommend going true to size.

Performance

In my run tests I’ve covered 35 miles in the On Cloudeclipse. I mixed up the speed from slow and easy, to marathon pace, half marathon pace and 5km pace. Mostly on road, some on compact off-road river paths. I also put in one 2-hour run to see how they felt on tired legs. 

On the whole I’ve been impressed by the On Cloudeclipse. It offers good step-in comfort. It’s definitely roomy but it feels light on the foot with a nicely disappearing feel. I found it cushioned and comfortable from the off and the domino-effect Helion foam clouds work nicely to provide a ride that’s protective but doesn’t sink too much.

In my tests I found the midsole bites back at the right time. It’s firmer and more responsive than the likes of the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25 or Brooks Ghost Max. It’s softer than a Cloudmonster but firmer than the Cloudsurfer 7. Though I found it more protective than the Surfer due to the higher stack.

There’s good roll through from the rocker, though at times I felt like there was a disconnect in transition between the different areas of the shoe. The forefoot and the mid-to-rear foot somehow didn’t always feel 100% in sync. Occasionally I noticed a hollowness to the Clouds that didn’t feel quite right.

Despite that, since my first few miles straight out of the box this has potentially been the best On shoes I’ve run in. At least for a while. It’s very nicely balanced between cushioned and comfortable and feels light, nippy and responsive.

I’m surprised it’s heavier than the Cloudmonster because it runs lighter on the foot. Some max stack shoes feel cumbersome to me, I find myself working to overcome the soft sink but I didn’t get that here. At least not until I was on tired legs close to the half marathon mark. It still gave good protection from foot fatigue later into my 2-hour run but felt best when I was fresh.

I did some miles at 5km pace and when you’re up on your toes moving with intent, I think the Cloudeclipse copes well. There’s clearly not as much spring as you’ll get from carbon plated super shoes but you can use the Eclipse for faster miles.

Speaking of plates, I don’t entirely know if the plate adds much. I can’t say I feel it, though maybe the shoe would run differently without it, it’s hard to tell. Maybe that’s a good thing.

One regular gripe that we always bring up with On shoes is still a problem. The midsole cutouts catch stones.

Oh and though it’s a good looking shoe, that dual layer mesh is going to be impossible to get clean once dirty, particularly in the white.

My Verdict

For me the Cloudeclipse gets a big thumbs up. I really like this shoe. I honestly didn’t think On was going to be able to produce a shoe that could match the new crop of big, lively superfoam shoes without ditching the Clouds. But they’re onto something with this domino design.

Fans of super soft shoes like the ASICS Gel Nimbus might want more pillowy landings than you get here but fans of firmer, more responsive shoes will find a lot to like in the balance of cushioning and response.

That’s not to say the Cloudecelipse is a firm shoe, far from it. But it responds better than some other big stack shoes and I think that gives it some added faster-effort versatility.

For a max stack cushion shoe it’s surprisingly nippy and versatile. It’s almost got that easy rolling, rockered ride of the Monster but with some of the compact, precision and agility of the Surfer.

Overall for me, the Cloudeclipe ride is smooth, energetic and a lot of fun and it’s definitely an easy shoe to log miles in.

It’s one of those shoes that I find myself reaching for for a wide range of efforts. And certainly when I’m not sure how I’m going to run that day. Simply because it has the necessary to cope across a range of paces.

The only thing I don’t really like is the price. At $180, it’s right up there and there’s an argument that the cheaper Cloudsurfer 7 or the Cloudmonster can cover the same runs. If you’re ok with the firmer ride, the Monster probably does the same job for less.