Slip on these sleek, wafer-thin kicks and you’ll feel the propulsion from the very first step. At only 186g (per shoe, UK size 5.5), the Cloudboom Echo really is ‘shaped for speed’.
These shoes feel extremely light, with an almost translucent 100% recycled polyester mesh upper and light foam midsole. Simply by shifting your weight to your forefeet from standing, you’ll feel the extreme rocker thrusting you forwards and into motion.
The carbon Speedboard sole adds to this propulsion for huge energy retention from footstrike to toe-off. The brand’s typical CloudTec lugs along the bottom of the shoe give that classic, bouncy On feel, aiming to propel the runner as quickly as possible onto their forefoot and away.
We’re unsure on the ‘enhanced forefoot cushioning’ though, as these feel pretty minimalist, and we’d question the durability of the ultralight upper.
While we wouldn’t wear these to log super long training miles, the Echo was made to compete and requires less energy to run fast than your typical sub-£100 road shoe.
The Echo was tested in collaboration with some of the world’s fastest athletes, including Tim Don and Javier Gomez.
And this is a shoe for fast runners, for those with good form and technique who don’t need much support or cushioning in a shoe, and are ultimately just looking for the lightest and most responsive ride.
If this is you, you can’t do much better than investing in a pair of these marathon speed machines.
Verdict: Incredibly high-tech and fast marathon runners, but pricey.
Score: 94%
For a more bank-friendly marathon shoe, try…
On Cloudflow
- £130
For a more affordable pair of kicks from On, consider the On Cloudflow at £80 cheaper than the elite-focussed Cloudboom Echo. The Cloudflow still has the bouncy On lugs along the sole to help absorb impact as you run, as well as cushioning around the heel collar.
The midsole is made from ‘Helion superfoam’ to help absorb impact from running on particularly hard surfaces like tarmac and packed trails.
Now into its third generation of improvements, the Cloudflow has a ‘Speedboard’ which aims to improve propulsion and responsiveness from distances of five kilometres up to marathon racing.
With super-light mesh upper and slick colourways, you should find a model to suit your tastes.
