In production · road · Recovery / Long run · $180
On's double-layer max cushion shoe for long, easy, protected miles.
Built for recovery, long run, at a target pace of 9:00–12:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is Helion, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 37 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.40 per mile at $180.
For the foams and plates On uses across its line, read the On brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
275 g / 9.7 oz
Level with the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
37 mm
1 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the On line it is heavier than the brand's median (270 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (34 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Hoka Gaviota 6
283 g / 10.0 oz · 39 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $175
Maximal stability: wide J-Frame base with plush, slow cushioning.
Hoka Gaviota 5
310 g / 10.9 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $175
Hoka's maximal stability shoe: heavy, plush and firmly guided.
On Cloudsurfer Max
292 g / 10.3 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $170
The plushest Cloudsurfer yet — big stack, silky transitions.
Brooks Glycerin Flex
277 g / 9.8 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Soft, flexible take on the Glycerin for relaxed, unstructured miles.