On Cloudsurfer 'All Black' (3MD10420485) — Road Running Lifestyle Sneaker

What Is the On Cloudsurfer ‘All Black’?

The On Cloudsurfer ‘All Black’ (Style Code: 3MD10420485) is On Running’s most refined daily road running shoe in its most versatile colorway. The Cloudsurfer sits at the top of On’s road running hierarchy: more cushioned and technically advanced than the Cloud 5, more precision-tuned than the Cloudmonster’s maximal stack, the daily trainer for runners who want a high-performance ride in a silhouette that transitions directly from road to street. The All Black colorway is a total tonal commitment — upper, midsole, and outsole in a unified monochromatic black that removes all color distraction from the Cloudsurfer’s technical construction, letting the CloudTec® Phase system’s geometry read as pure form rather than as color-accented engineering. At $145, the Cloudsurfer ‘All Black’ delivers On’s full Swiss-engineered road running technology stack at a price that places it alongside the premium lifestyle offerings in today’s full lineup — with the significant distinction that the Cloudsurfer’s technology is built for actual running performance rather than trail-to-street lifestyle positioning. US M7–M11 / W8.5–W12.5 / EU 40–45.

Quick Facts

• Brand: On Running (Zurich, Switzerland — est. 2010)
• Model: Cloudsurfer — On’s flagship daily road running shoe
• Style Code: 3MD10420485
• Colorway: All Black — full tonal monochrome; upper, midsole, and outsole unified in black
• Cushioning: CloudTec® Phase — sequential-compression cloud elements for soft landing + energetic toe-off
• Foam: Helion™ Superfoam — lightweight, temperature-stable responsive foam
• Propulsion plate: Speedboard® — On’s integrated propulsion plate for stride efficiency
• Upper: Engineered mesh — lightweight, breathable, targeted support zones
• Outsole: Rubber with cloud elements — road-optimized traction
• Gender: Men’s / Unisex sizing
• Sizing: US M7–M11 / W8.5–W12.5 / EU 40–45
• Price: $145
• Category: Road Running / Daily Trainer / Performance Lifestyle
• Fit: True to size for most runners; half-size up if between sizes or for wider feet

Specs & Technologies

On Running — The Swiss Engineering Identity

On Running was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2010 by Olivier Bernhard (former professional triathlete and Ironman World Champion), David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti. The brand’s founding proposition was a specific engineering observation: that existing running shoes forced a choice between cushioned and dead (soft foam that absorbs energy) or firm and jarring (minimal or thin-soled shoes that return energy but with impact). On’s CloudTec® technology was designed to deliver a third option: a shoe that is cushioned on landing (cloud elements compress and absorb impact) but firm and responsive on toe-off (compressed elements snap back and return energy). This is the Swiss engineering position: not a compromise between cushion and response, but a sequential design that delivers both at different phases of the footstrike cycle. In 15 years, On has grown from a Swiss running niche brand to one of the fastest-growing performance footwear companies globally, with a design language that is consistently minimal, engineered-aesthetic, and Alpine in its visual vocabulary — clean, functional, and without decorative excess.

CloudTec® Phase — How the Technology Works

The CloudTec® Phase system is On’s most advanced expression of the CloudTec® concept. Standard CloudTec® uses individual hollow cloud elements that compress independently on impact. CloudTec® Phase introduces a sequential compression architecture: the cloud elements are engineered to compress in a specific forward-traveling wave rather than simultaneously, creating a landing that starts soft at the heel and progressively firms toward the forefoot — matching the natural progression of a running footstrike. The “Phase” in the name refers to this phase difference in compression timing across the sole’s length. The practical result: a landing that feels cushioned without feeling dead, and a toe-off that feels explosive without feeling jarring. The cloud elements are also visually distinctive — the Cloudsurfer’s sole geometry is immediately recognizable as On’s design language, and in the ‘All Black’ colorway, the cloud element geometry reads as architectural form rather than color-accented performance feature: shape without the distraction of contrast.

Helion™ Superfoam — The Material Science Behind the Ride

Helion™ Superfoam is On’s proprietary midsole foam compound, developed to address a specific limitation of conventional EVA: standard EVA foam softens in warm temperatures (reducing cushioning efficiency) and firms in cold temperatures (reducing cushioning compliance). Helion™ is engineered to maintain consistent cushioning properties across a wider temperature range than conventional foam — delivering the same ride character in summer heat as in winter cold. It is also lighter than comparable EVA compounds, contributing to the Cloudsurfer’s overall weight efficiency. In combination with CloudTec® Phase, Helion™ provides the foam matrix within which the cloud elements operate, with the foam’s lightweight responsiveness amplifying the cloud elements’ sequential compression returns.

The Speedboard® — Propulsion Geometry

The Speedboard® is On’s integrated propulsion plate — a rigid to semi-rigid component positioned within the Cloudsurfer’s midsole that manages the shoe’s longitudinal flex profile and toe-off geometry. Where carbon fiber plates in performance racing shoes generate propulsive force through plate deformation and energy return, the Speedboard®’s function in the Cloudsurfer is primarily geometric: it shapes the shoe’s rocker profile to guide the foot through a smooth, efficient toe-off transition rather than a flat-sole push-off, reducing the energy expenditure of the stride’s terminal phase and making each step’s toe-off more consistent and less variable. For daily training use, the Speedboard®’s contribution is to running economy and consistency rather than to peak propulsive output.

The ‘All Black’ Colorway — Tonal Monochrome as Design Statement

The Cloudsurfer’s ‘All Black’ is a total tonal commitment: upper, midsole cloud elements, and outsole unified in a single black that removes all color variation from the shoe’s surface. On Running’s standard colorways typically use contrast between the upper, midsole, and cloud element colors to visually highlight the CloudTec® geometry — a design strategy that emphasizes the cloud elements’ distinctive shape through color differentiation. The ‘All Black’ inverts this strategy: by unifying all surfaces in one tone, it removes the color-differentiation emphasis and shifts the visual weight from “here is the technology” to “here is the form.” The cloud element geometry becomes architectural shadow and texture rather than highlighted feature. The result is a Cloudsurfer that reads as a sophisticated monochromatic object first and a performance running shoe second — a design statement that requires no color to communicate its intelligence. Practically, the ‘All Black’ tonal palette also produces the Cloudsurfer’s most versatile colorway: it transitions from running use to daily wear without the color context that running-specific palettes (bright accent tones, high-visibility colorways) create. All Black works with everything, requires no styling management, and reads as premium in both athletic and lifestyle contexts.

Sizing — Men’s / Women’s / EU Conversion Table

The On Cloudsurfer is sold in men’s / unisex sizing. Women typically size up approximately 1.5 sizes from their women’s US size (e.g., women’s US 7 → men’s US 8.5 / EU 42). This is different from the Salomon unisex sizing convention (women down 1 size) — confirm sizing before ordering.

Who Is the On Cloudsurfer ‘All Black’ For?

Three profiles: the daily road runner who wants On’s full Swiss-engineered technology stack — CloudTec® Phase sequential cushioning, Helion™ Superfoam temperature stability, Speedboard® propulsion geometry — in the brand’s most refined daily trainer, at $145; the performance-to-lifestyle buyer who wants a road running shoe that transitions directly from training use to daily wear without the color context that makes typical running shoes look out of place in non-running environments — the ‘All Black’ tonal palette is the Cloudsurfer’s most versatile and lifestyle-compatible expression; and the On brand buyer who engages with On’s Swiss minimalist design language and wants the Cloudsurfer’s tonal monochrome — the colorway that removes all decorative color from On’s most technically sophisticated daily trainer, leaving only the engineering’s form to speak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the style code?
A: 3MD10420485.

Q: What is CloudTec® Phase and how is it different from standard CloudTec®?
A: CloudTec® Phase introduces sequential compression: cloud elements compress in a forward-traveling wave from heel to forefoot rather than simultaneously, matching the natural progression of a running footstrike. Standard CloudTec® uses independent simultaneous cloud element compression. The Phase system delivers a more nuanced landing-to-toe-off transition and is On’s most advanced cloud cushioning architecture.

Q: What is Helion™ Superfoam?
A: On’s proprietary midsole foam compound, engineered to maintain consistent cushioning properties across a wider temperature range than conventional EVA. Lighter than comparable EVA, and paired with CloudTec® Phase to provide the foam matrix for the cloud elements’ compression cycle.

Q: How does the Cloudsurfer compare to other On models?
A: The Cloudsurfer is On’s most refined daily road running shoe: more cushioned and technically advanced than the Cloud 5 (lifestyle-primary), more precision-tuned than the Cloudmonster (maximal stack), and positioned as the daily training shoe for runners who want high performance and lifestyle versatility in the same shoe.

Q: How does women’s sizing work on the Cloudsurfer?
A: The Cloudsurfer uses men’s / unisex sizing. Women typically size up approximately 1.5 sizes from their women’s US size (e.g., women’s US 7 → men’s US 8.5 / EU 42). Note: this is different from the Salomon unisex sizing convention used on other shoes in this lineup — women size up on On Running, not down.

Q: Is this true to size?
A: True to size for most runners. Half-size up if you are between sizes or have a wider foot. Confirm the men’s/women’s size conversion above before ordering.