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On Cloudsurfer 4

Discontinued · road · Daily / Tempo · $140

Earlier generation of the On Cloudsurfer line, kept for replacement lookups.

Built for daily, tempo, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is On Cloudsurfer 2.

The spec sheet

Weight
266 g / 9.4 oz
Heel stack
35 mm
Drop
10 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
3 / 5
Flexibility
2 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~400 mi
Price
$140

How it rides

The foam

On tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 35 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.

The plate

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.

The geometry

A tall 10 mm drop tips weight forward off the heel, which usually suits heel strikers and calves that dislike low-drop shoes. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.35 per mile at $140.

For the foams and plates On uses across its line, read the On brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

266 g / 9.4 oz

9 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

35 mm

1 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

10 mm

4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$140

20 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

4 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~400 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the On line it is lighter than the brand's median (270 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (34 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Brooks Ghost 18

289 g / 10.2 oz · 36 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $150

The default neutral trainer, now in a softer knit upper on DNA Loft v3.

Adidas Supernova Rise 2(2025)

266 g / 9.4 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $140

Dreamstrike+ daily miles — soft, simple, unremarkable in a good way.

Adidas Supernova Rise 3

264 g / 9.3 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150

Comfortable neutral daily with Dreamstrike+ foam and a stable base.

Nike Journey Run

305 g / 10.8 oz · 34 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $90

Extra-plush entry trainer built for comfortable first miles.

On Cloudrunner 2

277 g / 9.8 oz · 39 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $150

Supportive, wide-based daily trainer for steady mileage.

Lineage & siblings