The On Cloudboom Strike 2 finally, finally gets it right (For real this time)

Introduction to the On Cloudboom Strike 2

MEAGHAN: Earlier this year, I got the chance to visit On’s headquarters and see some of their behind-the-scenes work firsthand, the testing labs, the foam competency center, and the LightSpray factory built right on campus. We walked through the entire shoe-building process from start to finish, watching robots take small beaded pellets and weave them into Lightspray uppers, while teams nearby transformed raw TPU and PEBA into full midsoles. It was a genuinely cool experience, and it gave us a much clearer picture of where On is headed.

Which brings us to the shoe at hand: the On Cloudboom Strike 2. I actually received the LightSpray version while I was in Zurich, but had to leave that pair behind with the On team — my guess is it was closer to a pre-production sample, and they wanted us to test the final production model instead.

Both versions of the shoe share the same foundation: On’s new Cloudtec Sphere geometry, an updated Helion HF (PEBA) midsole, and a carbon Speedboard that’s both lighter and stiffer than before. The stack stays at 40mm in the heel with a 5mm drop, and the outsole has full rubber coverage. My W7.5 pair weighed in at 6oz  (171 g).

Where the two versions diverge is the upper: the traditional Cloudboom Strike 2 uses a Lenoweave upper with standard flat laces, while the LightSpray version has that seamless, glueless, one-piece upper that’s robotically sprayed on. For this review, we’re focusing on the traditional version, so let’s get into it.

THOMAS: Every On race day shoe has looked nothing like the one before it. On one hand, that’s commitment to innovation. On the other hand, it reads like a company still searching for its racing identity. The “back to the drawing board” approach, over and over. I’m usually the guy complaining that brands sit on a formula too long without touching it, so maybe On deserves some credit here instead of side-eye. Because this time, the swinging and missing might have finally landed. On’s latest super shoe might be the formula it finally sticks with.

The LightSpray version drops soon, and I’m hoping history repeats itself. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 taught me that On’s LightSpray upper isn’t just a marketing bullet point — it fundamentally changes how a shoe fits and feels on foot. If that holds true here, this could be the shoe that finally gives On’s race day lineup some consistency.

What we like about the On Cloudboom Strike 2

MEAGHAN: The Cloudboom Strike 2 LightSpray is beautiful, nearly all-white with that seamless upper. It’s hard to top. The green/purple colorway I received of the traditional upper is a different story, which we’ll get to in the next section.

Step-in feel is a strong point here. The Lenoweave upper is light and breathable, almost net-like in its construction, with built-in support systems for a genuinely secure lockdown. Padding is minimal, just enough around the heel and tongue to keep things comfortable without any rubbing or hot spots. The upper feels stripped down in all the ways you’d want in a race-day shoe.

But the real story is what’s happening underfoot. The new midsole design, Cloudtec Sphere, as On calls it, is built to get more out of the foam itself. They’ve carved channels into the midsole so the foam can expand and rebound more freely, which pays off especially late in a race when form starts to break down. I’ll admit it feels reminiscent of another race-day shoe that put some air under the forefoot…

Beyond the geometry, the foam is still Helion HF, but it’s a new PEBA formulation that feels noticeably softer and bouncier than what I’m used to from On. Rounding it out is a new carbon Speedboard sitting just beneath the removable Peba insole. It’s lighter, stiffer, and good for some real pop. I put this shoe through a few easy runs and a couple of workouts, and it held up well throughout. It really comes alive when you pick up the pace, but overall, it’s a comfortable, versatile race-day shoe that I think would work well for a lot of paces.

THOMAS: The Helion HF midsole is the star of the show; it’s what gives the Cloudboom Strike 2 its whole personality. Of the race-day shoes on our bench right now, only the Asics Metaspeed Ray and Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 out-soft it, with the Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 landing in roughly the same neighborhood. But none of those shoes match the Strike’s stability. The wide forefoot platform does a lot of the heavy lifting there.

Flip the shoe over, and you’ll notice the cutout behind the toes. On’s calling it Cloudtec Sphere. It segments the forefoot foam so it can expand independently while adding a bit of give through toe-off. The outsole is covered in rubber nearly edge to edge, so traction is a non-issue. The open-weave upper breathes well and locks the foot down without a fight. I felt that the heel counter had just enough padding to add real structure, which isn’t something you typically get in a race shoe. I’m a true US M10 in On’s lineup, and this one fit like it was supposed to.

What we don’t like about the On Cloudboom Strike 2

MEAGHAN: I’ve already hinted at this, but the green/purple colorway just isn’t it. Not helping matters is the fact that CEP (yes, the compression sock brand) released a race-day shoe in a strikingly similar colorway, and (I think this goes without saying) it was not good.

All that said, I really like this shoe. The LightSpray version, in particular, I really, really like. But I do think it’s missing just a little something. It doesn’t feel quite as aggressive as some other race-day shoes on the market, which honestly could be a plus for some runners, but I found myself wishing the foam had just a touch more bounce.

THOMAS: That wide midsole buys you stability, but it costs you the “fast” feeling — this shoe doesn’t beg you to push the pace the way some of its competitors do. The Cloudtec Sphere cutout is a clever idea, but I wanted more bite at toe-off, not less. Call it deja vu, but I’m banking on the LightSpray upper to be the fix, the same way it transformed the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 from good to great.

Final thoughts on the On Cloudboom Strike 2

MEAGHAN: Overall, the On Cloudboom Strike 2 is a really solid race-day option. I’m partial to the original LightSpray version I first got my hands on, but for runners who prefer a traditional upper and lacing system, this shoe delivers. At $250, it lands on the more affordable end of race-day shoe pricing. It may not be the most aggressive shoe in the category, but it’s a versatile, dependable option across a range of paces.

More than anything, I’m excited about where On is headed. The Cloudboom Strike 2 is a huge step up from its predecessor, and it’s got me looking forward to what’s next.

THOMAS: If soft, responsive, and stable is your race day formula, the Cloudboom Strike 2 deserves a spot on your shortlist. Personally, I want more aggression in my stride, and I’m holding out hope the LightSpray upper delivers it, yes, an upper, not the midsole. Sounds like a stretch, I know. But the gap between the two Cloudmonster versions was night and day, worth every extra dollar of that up-charge. If LightSpray does for the Strike what it did for the Monster, this shoe goes from “solid” to “let’s go!”

You can pick up the On Cloudboom Strike 2 for $250 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.