Shoes similar to the On Cloudsurfer
Ranked by ride similarity. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The closest current match to the On Cloudsurfer is the Nike Pegasus 42. The most direct cross-shop, and the pair get compared head to head. Both are mid-stack neutral dailies rather than max-cushion shoes, within 1 mm of each other on drop. The Pegasus 42 is firmer with Zoom Air pop, 5 mm more heel stack and $15 cheaper; the Cloudsurfer is the smoother, more directed ride and about an ounce lighter.
- Nike Pegasus 42Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Jul 28, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
The On Cloudsurfer is a soft, rockered, plateless daily trainer with a 9 mm drop that trades pop for smoothness. Everything below is measured against the current Cloudsurfer 2 (9.2 oz, 9 mm drop, 32 mm heel). No shoe matches it exactly, so each pick lists what carries over and what does not.
- 10.1 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The most direct cross-shop, and the pair get compared head to head. Both are mid-stack neutral dailies rather than max-cushion shoes, within 1 mm of each other on drop. The Pegasus 42 is firmer with Zoom Air pop, 5 mm more heel stack and $15 cheaper; the Cloudsurfer is the smoother, more directed ride and about an ounce lighter.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: 0.9 oz heavier, 5 mm more heel stack, 1 mm more drop, $15 less at list.
- 10.2 oz
- 10 mm drop
- 36 mm heel
- $150 list
Fleet Feet's own Cloudsurfer review reaches straight for the Ghost, and the two cover the same job at a similar drop. The Ghost 18 is an ounce heavier with 4 mm more heel stack, and Brooks sells it in four widths against the Cloudsurfer's one. It is also the more predictable rebuy, since Brooks changes the Ghost slowly.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: 1 oz heavier, 4 mm more heel stack, 1 mm more drop, $10 less at list.
- 9.2 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 42 mm heel
- $155 list
Identical weight to the tenth of an ounce, and the same soft, rockered idea for $5 less. The Clifton 11 carries 10 mm more heel stack and handles long runs better, which matters here: almost every Cloudsurfer reviewer caps the shoe well below marathon distance.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: the same weight, 10 mm more heel stack, 1 mm less drop, $5 less at list.
- 8.8 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 41.5 mm heel
- $155 list
Named directly by Believe in the Run as the better buy at the same money when it reviewed the Cloudsurfer 2. The Novablast 6 is 0.4 oz lighter with 9.5 mm more heel stack and a lot more bounce, for $5 less. The Cloudsurfer is the lower, calmer, more stable shoe of the two.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: 0.4 oz lighter, 9.5 mm more heel stack, 1 mm less drop, $5 less at list.
- 10.4 oz
- 6 mm drop
- 35 mm heel
- $190 list
The bigger On, and the comparison runs against the names. The Cloudmonster is 1.2 oz heavier with 3 mm more heel stack and a Speedboard the Cloudsurfer does without, and reviewers rate it the more energetic shoe over distance. The Cloudsurfer is the lighter, softer one for easy days.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: 1.2 oz heavier, 3 mm more heel stack, 3 mm less drop, $30 more at list.
- 10.6 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 38 mm heel
- $175 list
Believe in the Run named the Glycerin as one of the shoes that beats the Cloudsurfer 2 at the same price or less. It is 1.4 oz heavier with 6 mm more heel stack and $15 more at list, so it is a step up in shoe rather than a like-for-like swap. Cross-shop it if the Cloudsurfer's firmness put you off without changing what you want from the ride.
Against your On Cloudsurfer 2: 1.4 oz heavier, 6 mm more heel stack, 1 mm less drop, $15 more at list.
Chasing a specific older version?
If it is a particular Cloudsurfer you miss, start from that version's page: what replaced it, and where old stock still exists.
Questions runners ask
- What is the most similar shoe to the On Cloudsurfer?
- The Nike Pegasus 42. The most direct cross-shop, and the pair get compared head to head. Both are mid-stack neutral dailies rather than max-cushion shoes, within 1 mm of each other on drop. The Pegasus 42 is firmer with Zoom Air pop, 5 mm more heel stack and $15 cheaper; the Cloudsurfer is the smoother, more directed ride and about an ounce lighter.
- Do any of these match the On Cloudsurfer's 9 mm drop?
- No. The closest matches all sit at a different drop than the On Cloudsurfer's 9 mm, so give any switch a couple of adaptation weeks.
- Why switch away from the On Cloudsurfer at all?
- The usual reasons: a version you loved got discontinued, an update changed the ride, or the fit moved away from your foot. The list above is ranked by how closely each shoe matches the current Cloudsurfer 2, with the differences called out honestly.