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10.4 oz. (295 g) for a US M9 / 9.1 oz. (258 g) for a US W8
35 mm in heel, 29 mm in forefoot (6 mm drop)
Max-cushion miles with a touch of firmness
Revamped engineered mesh upper, Triple-layer Cloudtec midsole, Integrated Speedboard
Available now for $190
CHAD: I’ll be frank, my most recent experience with On left a pretty poor taste in my mouth. After several positive experiences with the Cloudeclipse, the Cloudmonster Hyper, and the Cloudsurfer Max (technically the Cloudeclipse 2), the Cloudboom Max left me scratching my head (and soaking my feet in Epsom salts). If there’s anyone who should have loved that shoe, it was me — I mean, come on, a marathon race day shoe for 4-plus hour marathoners? Right in my wheelhouse!
But the shoe was way too stiff, the sizing was way off, and it was just downright uncomfortable on foot. Not a shoe I wanted to lace up again after my review miles, despite having an absolutely killer aesthetic. But what should show up at my door early in 2026? The new Cloudmonster 3, On’s premium daily trainer. On touts the newest Cloudmonster as sort of an amalgam of the original Cloudmonster and Cloudmonster 2: the stacked cushioning from the second version and the responsiveness from the first. The OG earned praise from the team for being a vast departure from On’s previous offerings, whereas the CM 2 was labeled as a bit average.
This one sees a triple layer of Cloudtec with Helion foam, because apparently a double isn’t enough. That should make it a bit softer, right?
Let’s move… On… to find out.
CHAD: If you listen to The Drop (which, if you don’t… umm, why not?), you may have recently heard Wide Foot Jarrett fill in for an absent Thomas and Karl, who were in South Korea visiting On’s new Lightspray factory. As a Flintstone-footed reviewer, Jarrett is well-versed in the receipt of a grey colorway of many shoes, but he poignantly noted that as a soon-to-be father of two, all of a sudden, grey colorways actually don’t look that shabby.
As a father of three, I could only nod my head in agreement during my long run, because I’m starting to feel like grey is in (and not just in my hair and beard). I actually dig the aesthetics of the Cloudmonster 3 in grey, with the periwinkle blue accents and speckled laces. I don’t think On has ever missed with me when it comes to design.
The upper, which, according to On, is redesigned for this version, is about as comfortable as you’ll find in the market. Just like nearly every On shoe, it both looks and feels premium on the foot, resulting in a very comfortable, breathable experience.
The Cloudmonster 3 features three layers of its everlasting CloudTec (i.e. the cloud pods), featuring its Helion midsole foam. On notes that the three layers and use of Helion provide a structured ride, and I think that’s a pretty spot-on description. The ride is very stable for a non-stability shoe, but I think it gets that feel from the underfoot firmness. This is not a soft, squishy shoe or a bouncy, responsive shoe. I would say the Cloudmonster 3 falls into the firm and resilient category, which I tend to enjoy in my daily trainers, so long as it comes with a generous enough rocker to aid transitions and not feel slappy. On definitely achieved that here.
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CHAD: On, I have just one question: what is with the sizing?
It’s so inconsistent from model to model that I never know what size to get for review. The Cloudeclipse and Cloudsurfer Max fit me great with a US M11.5, but the Cloudboom Max was painfully small in a US M11.5 and mangled my feet. Then, I had the Cloudmonster Hyper in a US M12, and I can honestly say that it fit me best. But the US M12 in the Cloudmonster 3? Call me Michael Phelps because I am swimming around in that thing. Not only is it long, but it’s a bit too accommodating width-wise. I was very thankful that the ride was so stable because if it hadn’t been, I would have had some serious ankle issues.
Also, the price point on this shoe seems a bit high, even as prices across the board see increases. At $190, you’re paying a super-trainer price for just a daily trainer, albeit with a moderately premium feel. There are many shoes in the $160-$180 range that I think perform just as well, if not better, than the Cloudmonster 3. But if you have the $190 to spend on it and are comfortable with that price point, then I won’t judge.
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CHAD: If you like a firmer-feeling daily trainer with a premium feel that On consistently delivers, and the $190 price tag doesn’t make you cringe, then the Cloudmonster 3 might be right for you. If you’re in the market for a soft and squishy or bouncy trainer for your easy miles, or $190 for a daily trainer makes you throw up in your mouth a bit, you’re going to want to look elsewhere. Or, alternatively, if you want something from On that is a bit more fun and overall a better shoe, pony up the extra $30 for the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper.
You can pick up the On Cloudmonster 3 for $190 from On by using the buttons below.
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An attorney by day, Chad lives in Central Pennsylvania with his wife and three kids. Never much for running growing up, Chad began running as a way to improve his physical health. He went from his first 5k in 2015 to running the Paris Marathon in 2016. Given his larger physical build, Chad is the resident Clydesdale runner, providing shoe and gear insights for those with a bigger build and taller stature.
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