In production · trail · Trail / Race day / Tempo · $170
Light trail racer for fast, technical mountain days.
Built for trail, race day, tempo, at a target pace of 7:30–10:30 /mi on trail.
On tuned this midsole firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 28 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as snappy at 4/5 responsiveness.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A low 4 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is narrow and performance-oriented; wide-footed runners should try before buying. It runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 300 miles from the outsole, about $0.57 per mile at $170.
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
240 g / 8.5 oz
35 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
28 mm
8 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$170
10 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~300 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the On line it is lighter than the brand's median (270 g / 9.5 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (34 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Nike Kiger 10
263 g / 9.3 oz · 29 mm · 5 mm drop · Rock · $160
Nike Kiger 10: 29 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 261 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Hoka Torrent 3
247 g / 8.7 oz · 23 mm · 5 mm drop · Rock · $150
Hoka Torrent 3: 30 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 258 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Salomon Ultra Flow
244 g / 8.6 oz · 32 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $130
Salomon Ultra Flow: 32 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 258 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx
250 g / 8.8 oz · 28 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $200
Mountain race shoe for single-track and long sky-race days.