What replaced the On Cloudsurfer 1?
Updated August 5, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Cloudsurfer 2 replaced it on February 13, 2025 at the same $160. It is 0.6 oz heavier, adds 1 mm under the forefoot (which takes the drop from 10 mm to 9 mm), firms up the Helion foam and puts real rubber coverage on the outsole. Those changes were aimed at the three things owners complained about: foam that packed out early, an upper that did not breathe, and pods that squeaked. Reviewers who liked the original for its softness were not pleased. Owners, going by Reddit scores, were.
- On Cloudsurfer 1Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- On Cloudsurfer 2Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Aug 5, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- The Cloudsurfer 2 is 0.6 oz heavier
- Drop moved from 10 mm to 9 mm
- New midsole foam
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Cloudsurfer 1 vs 2.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Changed characterThe soft one got firm. The 2 fixed nearly everything owners of the original complained about, and in doing so swapped a pillowy shoe for a durable one. Reviewers split hard. Believe in the Run put it in D tier under the headline Firm Wins This Round, with one tester calling it extremely mid for $160 and another naming the Brooks Glycerin 22, Asics Novablast 5 and Nike Vomero 18 as better buys at the same money or less. RunRepeat dropped it from 83 to 80 and measured energy return in the low 50s. Doctors of Running went the other way with a B plus and a personal A minus. Runners were kinder than testers, which is the thing to know before you read the reviews.
Stick with the Cloudsurfer 1 if
- You bought the original for the soft, pillowy feel, which is exactly what the 2 trades away
- You are a lighter runner keeping it under 10 miles, where the original foam packing out matters least
Move to the Cloudsurfer 2 if
- Your first pair went dead early; the firmer foam and the added outsole rubber are the fix
- Yours squeaked, which the 2 eliminated
- You run in the heat and found the original upper stifling
What loyalists said about the update
The unusual part is that owners like the 2 more than reviewers do, and more than owners liked the original. Reddit sits at 60 percent positive across 24 reviews for the 2, against 50 percent across 19 for the first one. That makes sense once you read what the original complaints were: foam that packed out and pods that squeaked, which are the things that turn an owner against a shoe a few hundred miles in. What owners of the 2 report instead is comfort at high mileage, including one runner at about 70 miles a week and several on repeat pairs. The live complaint is fit, specifically blisters on the second toe on longer runs, which points at a narrow toebox in a shoe sold in one width.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Cloudsurfer 1 stock
Sizes running outDiscontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.
Availability last checked Aug 5, 2026.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Cloudsurfer 2, these come closest to what the Cloudsurfer 1 did.
- 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 1: 1.5 oz heavier, 5 mm more heel stack, the same 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 1: 1.6 oz heavier, 4 mm more heel stack, the same 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 1: 0.6 oz heavier, 10 mm more heel stack, 2 mm less drop, $5 less at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the On Cloudsurfer 1 still available?
- For now. Amazon still lists the On Cloudsurfer 1, but the size run is thinning and prices swing with remaining stock. If your size is there, this is the late window, not the early one.
- Is the Cloudsurfer 2 a downgrade from the On Cloudsurfer 1?
- Not a downgrade, but a different shoe. The Cloudsurfer 2 scores well with new buyers while changing the ride that On Cloudsurfer 1 loyalists bought it for. Read the spec changes before assuming it will feel familiar.
- How much heavier is the Cloudsurfer 2?
- 0.6 oz heavier in a men's US 9: 9.2 oz against the On Cloudsurfer 1's 8.6 oz.
- Did the drop change from the On Cloudsurfer 1 to the Cloudsurfer 2?
- Yes, from 10 mm to 9 mm. A drop change this size affects where your foot loads at landing, so plan a few easy runs to adapt.
- What is the closest current alternative to the On Cloudsurfer 1?
- 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.