A firm, rockered daily trainer that divides testers: some praise its stable, poppy ride and improved upper for easy miles and recovery, while others find the CloudTec cushioning dated and heavy against modern foam rivals.
Returns to what made the original Cloudmonster great: a stable, comfortable, poppy daily trainer — the reviewer's pick of the two over the Hyper 3.
Best for: Stable daily-training miles, easy runs, and long runs — especially useful when coming back from a niggle.
A firmer, more rockered run-walk shoe that excels for easy jogging and all-day walking but is not suited for fast running; the upper is much improved over v2.
Best for: Easy daily miles, long days on feet, and walking/run-walk use rather than fast running.
Dave positions the Cloudmonster 3 as a structured, firm, rockered daily trainer best suited to easy shuffling paces and lifestyle crossover, noting meaningful upper improvements over the v2.
Best for: Daily easy miles and lifestyle crossover use for runners who want a structured, firm, cushioned On experience.
A refined, characterful daily trainer that leans responsive and stable rather than plush, working best at steady to tempo paces.
Best for: Daily to steady-pace running for runners who prefer responsive over squashy cushioning
A dated, overpriced max-stack daily trainer whose EVA CloudTec tech no longer competes with modern foam rivals; one to avoid.
Best for: Easy aerobic miles or casual wear
A high-cushion performance trainer that outperforms expectations — the reviewer's favorite shoe so far this year thanks to its stiff, snappy feel with genuine long-run protection.
Best for: Runners who want a stiffer, high-cushion performance trainer that handles long easy days and track work alike; especially good for returning from minor injuries thanks to the stable ride.
Not a hit for this reviewer — the CloudTec cushioning feels dated and weighty versus modern foams, delivering little energy return or protection at a price that has climbed to make the value proposition worse against cheaper, livelier alternatives.
Best for: Fans of classic On CloudTec cushioning and anyone who loved the Cloudmonster 2; otherwise hard to recommend given the competition.
Compared to other road daily trainer in the same lane.
