On Cloudmonster 2

 I am a fairly elite high school runner with prs that are 9:50 2 mile and 4;35 1600 as a freshman in high school.   In season I urusally run around 50 miles a week with three workouts and a longrun. I have been using this shoes as a easy and long run shoes. I warmup and cooldown with them on.   This shoes is advertised as a soft and max cusoning shoe.  It might just be me being a lighter guy but this shoe is not soft and very firm.   It is although a elite long run shoe but just not something I like on cooldown or recovery runs.  It tightens and puts a lot of force on your calfs and achilles this has injurded me for small parts of the season.  Overall I think this shoe might be better for heavier runners but great for long runs.  

I bought these shoes about a month ago and they have served me relatively well. I think I was expecting a little bit more cushion (which is the reason I bought them), as I came from the Infinity React Flyknits, which don't have much cushion but are extremely durable and stable. I also usually run about a 10.5-11 for most running shoes, but these one's seem to run very big, as even a 10 leaves too much room in the toe box. I am relatively injury prone and these have made my legs feel pretty good after easy runs, but the impact during any type of tempo/speedwork isn't what I'm looking for. If you were to buy these shoes, I would suggest that you use them primarily for anything from light recovery miles to up-tempo easy runs. 

Everything about this shoe blows every other shoe out of the water. My one tiny issue with it is that the bottom-most lacing can get very tight over the top of my foot, and sometimes causes pain. This can be averted by not tying the shoes too tight, though. I would also advise against wearing this shoe on any technical trails due to the stack height and design.

I loved these shoes but, they are finally starting to lose cushioning after about 500 miles. They are super cute and nice shoes. They have been through it all. Great pair of shoes. Has a wider toe box. 

Full disclosure, I work for a run specialty store. I received these shoes for free. I also received the original Cloudmonster for free and ran the '23 MCM in them with great results. When the new version came out I was excited but soon found that the fit was off. The original was snug but not too tight. I have a C width foot for a woman. The 2 is sloppy in throughout the length of the shoe, especially in the heel. I have run in the shoe but have to use the "runner's loop" to make sure they're secure. When I work in the store, I often choose the Cloudmonster 2 for legit wide feet. It works for wide feet, but standard width it's too sloppy. The laces and eyelets are an improvement and the shoe is still comfortable but the fit is a no-go for me.

The other problem that On has not just with this shoe but more with the CloudTec Phase in the Surfer and Eclipse, is squeaking. The shoe reps know this and claim that it's been fixed. Cloudmonster 2 squeaks in the heel. We have had several returns with this complaint and my own pair squeak as well. 

I'm afraid that On is making some significant mistakes but if they pivot and fix them they can continue to enjoy the popularity they've gained with the public. For some reason people think they're good looking and cool. They're definitely different but I'm not convinced they're the best looking shoe.

pretty good for easy runs, and goes with me when I push pace.