Swiss brand On has launched a new shoe, the Cloudaway, which is aimed at “travellers”. They can be worn on the trails or urban streets.
On states: “The Cloudaway fuses traditional footwear techniques with high-performance engineering.
“Intricate stitching locks its mesh upper to a vegan suede mudguard to merge adventure-ready durability and street-ready style.
“Wherever the Cloudaway may roam, it will always be connected to its source, the Engadin Valley, which is On’s home and inspiration, embossed as a 3D map on its sole.”
Features include:
- All-day comfort with a tailored Speedboard for a smooth rolling motion
- Soft step-in thanks to On’s signature CloudTec sole
- Vegan suede leather
- Lightweight mesh upper engineered from 85% recycled content
- Re-engineered slip-on design
- Single toggle elastic laces
- Closed midsole for stone-catching prevention.
- Male and female fit
- Three colours in each gender
- Weight: Male: 280g (average) per shoe: Female: 233g (average) per shoe
- 8mm drop
- Price: £139. Buy from On Running. (Note, I receive a small commission for each sale.)
My thoughts: On Cloudaway hybrid adventure shoe
On shoes are very comfortable and I often wear my On running shoes for walking and generally going out and about. The Cloudaway is more of a walking shoe and so I can see it being a popular choice for people who want a comfortable everyday shoe. It would suit people who:
- Walk to the office
- Walk a lot on holiday
- Walk the dog
- Want a comfortable shoe for casual wear
- Walk on trails and tarmac.
I think you will either love the look of this shoe, or you will not. I wasn’t sure about the look to start with but it has grown on me. I think they are funky-ish but also a bit clumpy.
I was sent the white colourway to try and this makes me very nervous! The white will quickly end up dirty and dusty. Indeed, after just one walk, the white is already marked. Hmmmm. I am not sure why anyone makes white footwear, unless it is aimed at countries where it is always dry and no-one walks on trails.
I would recommend people buy the black colourway for the best protection against dust and dirt, or else the almond colour for women. The men’s Cloudaway comes in a choice of black, ink blue and bronze.
The fit is a little short in the length. I would advise you go up half a size. On do a wide range of sizes and including half sizes. The fit is a little wide for me, but I have narrow feet. I expect other people will find them to be a medium width.
The heel cup area is also roomy. This will be fine for most people but not great for those with narrow ankles. Note the the heel cup rises up the heel so it won’t suit those with Achilles issues.
Walking in the Cloudaway shoe is lovely. They feel cushioned and comfortable. They are easy to put on and lace up thanks to the elastic lacing and toggle adjustor.
I have walked on trails and road and they are comfortable on both. The soles have not yet collected any stones (this is my usual gripe with On cloud soles). The soles on other On shoes pick up driveway chuckies all too easily but so far the soles of the Cloudaways are stone free!
I really like the recycled content – so many more companies are now using recycled materials, which is a good thing for the climate – and the vegan leather is an extra bonus. It’s good that outdoor brands are thinking more and more about the environment and people’s lifestyle choices.
The price of £130 seems fairly standard for outdoor shoes these days. Of course, I’d rather pay less but it is not unusual to see this price tag. Other brands sell their footwear at much higher prices, so I’d rate On as average.
I have found On shoes to be long-lasting and durable. Apart from my concerns about how long my shoes will stay white, I think the Cloudaways look to be good quality and therefore they should stand the test of many miles of walking.