By: Carissa Jenkins
The Cloudstratus is just one of the latest innovations coming from On. The Cloudstratus, or Stratus for short, lands itself in the support category. This is not to be confused with the traditional stability found in shoes like the New Balance 860 or Asics Kayano. The Stratus will provide support through the combination of Helion foam, CloudTec cushion and a speedboard. On states in their philosophy to, “Focus on cushion, not correction,” (On, 2010). Traditional stability shoes, like the ones previously mentioned, focus on the position of your foot in a shoe using a denser foam close to the arch and heel. The Stratus though will allow you to naturally run the way you want. The double layer of Helion foam will become firm when the shoe hits the ground, stabilizing the foot, and propel you forward with the help of the speed board. I found the Stratus to be firm when just walking around and a little wide in the toe box, which can be great for a runner dealing with bunions. After a quick adjustment to the laces, the Stratus fit like a perfect glove. I started out with a 5K recovery run and fell in love with the light-weight and responsiveness. Every stride I took the CloudTec cushion felt soft. May I dare say it felt like I was running on clouds.
Shoes similar: Mizuno Wave Inspire, Hoka Arahi, On CloudFlyer
Shoe Specs:
Weight: Men: 11.1oz/Women: 9.7oz
Heel to toe drop: Men: 8mm/Women: 8mm
Wider Toe Box
Length fits true to size
Reviewer Specs:
Size: 8.5
Medium Width (B)
High Arch
Bunions on both feet
