On Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof 'Black' (3MF30231043) — Hybrid Trail-Road All-Weather Running Shoe

What Is the On Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof ‘Black’?

The On Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof ‘Black’ (Style Code: 3MF30231043) is On Running’s answer to the runner whose route does not stay on pavement — and whose training does not stop when it rains. The Cloudsurfer Trail is On’s hybrid running platform: not a road shoe adapted for occasional trail use, not a trail shoe brought back to the road, but a shoe designed from the outset for the mixed-surface reality of most real-world running routes, where pavement connects to dirt path connects to wet grass connects back to pavement, and where the shoe that performs best is the one that handles every transition without asking the runner to manage it. The second generation refines the first with improved trail-specific outsole geometry and a more protective upper construction at the abrasion points that trail running exposes. The Waterproof designation adds the breathable membrane that makes the hybrid platform complete for all-weather use: the ability to cross the stream, run through the wet grass, and finish the route with dry feet without generating the heat buildup that non-breathable waterproofing creates. In Triple Black, the shoe arrives in the colorway that belongs equally to every surface and every weather condition — the total-tonal commitment that requires no color to communicate which environment it is for, because it is for all of them. At $135, the Cloudsurfer Trail 2 WP is the most technically complete shoe in today’s On Running range for runners who leave paved surfaces: all-weather capability, hybrid traction, and trail CloudTec® cushioning at the same entry price as the Cloudmonster 1. US M7–M11 / W8.5–W12.5 / EU 40–45.

Quick Facts

• Brand: On Running (Zurich, Switzerland — est. 2010)
• Model: Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof — second-generation hybrid trail-road platform with all-weather membrane
• Style Code: 3MF30231043
• Colorway: Triple Black — upper, midsole, and outsole unified in black
• Outsole: Hybrid trail-road rubber — directional trail lugs at forefoot and heel, road-smooth transitions between
• CloudTec®: Trail-hybrid configuration — debris-protected pods with road-level cushioning for mixed surfaces
• Waterproofing: Breathable waterproof membrane — blocks liquid water, passes moisture vapour; dry feet without heat buildup
• Upper: Reinforced waterproof trail mesh — Gen 2 abrasion reinforcement at toe and lateral forefoot
• Gender: Men’s / Unisex sizing
• Sizing: US M7–M11 / W8.5–W12.5 / EU 40–45
• Price: $135
• Category: Trail Running / Hybrid / All-Weather / Waterproof
• Fit: True to size; slightly roomier than road running On shoes to accommodate trail sock thickness

Specs & Technologies

The Hybrid Platform — Why ‘Trail-Road’ Is a Distinct Category

Most running shoes are designed for a primary surface and tolerate the others. Road shoes are optimised for pavement and merely functional on dirt. Trail shoes are optimised for off-road grip and merely acceptable on pavement. The Cloudsurfer Trail exists because most real-world running routes are neither purely road nor purely trail — they are the combination run: the urban-to-trail transition, the park loop that leaves the path, the morning run that covers three surfaces before returning to the starting point. Designing for this reality requires three simultaneous decisions that pure road and pure trail shoes do not have to reconcile: enough outsole lug depth for grip on soft and wet surfaces without enough lug height to make pavement running uncomfortable; enough CloudTec® pod protection from trail debris without sacrificing the cushioning depth that makes the road sections pleasant; enough upper reinforcement at trial abrasion points without adding the weight that would compromise road pace. The Cloudsurfer Trail 2 is built around all three of these reconciliations simultaneously — the shoe that does not ask the runner to choose a surface before leaving the door.

Gen 2 — What the Second Generation Improved

The Cloudsurfer Trail 2 advances the first generation in two specific areas that trail running experience identified as the points of highest improvement priority:

Outsole geometry: The second generation’s hybrid outsole uses a revised lug pattern with more directional specificity — the forefoot and heel lugs are shaped and angled for the specific directional forces of trail running (braking on descents, push-off on ascents, lateral grip on camber) rather than the more generalist lug geometry of the first generation. The road transition zones between the lug zones are also refined for a smoother heel-to-toe roll on pavement, reducing the ‘clunky’ sensation that first-generation trail lugs can produce on hard surfaces.

Upper reinforcement: Trail running exposes the shoe to abrasion forces that road running does not — specifically at the toe cap (where the foot strikes rocks and roots on technical terrain) and at the lateral forefoot (where the foot contacts the ground on side-slope surfaces). The Gen 2 upper adds targeted reinforcement at these two zones, extending the upper’s durability at its highest-wear points without applying uniform reinforcement that would add unnecessary weight across the rest of the upper.

The Waterproof Membrane — How Breathable Waterproofing Works

The Cloudsurfer Trail 2’s waterproof membrane works on the principle of pore-size differential: the membrane’s micropores are small enough to block liquid water molecules (which are large, in clusters, and under surface tension) but large enough to pass water vapour molecules (which are small, individual, and under vapour pressure from the foot’s heat). The result is a one-way barrier that keeps external liquid water out while allowing the moisture generated by the foot’s perspiration to escape outward. This is the fundamental difference between breathable waterproofing and non-breathable waterproofing (such as a rubber boot): a rubber boot keeps water out completely but also keeps all moisture vapour in, creating the heat and dampness buildup that makes extended wet-weather running in non-breathable waterproofing uncomfortable. The Cloudsurfer Trail 2’s breathable membrane allows extended wet-weather running without this tradeoff — the foot stays dry from external water, and the moisture generated by running effort escapes rather than accumulating. The practical limit: at very high running intensities, perspiration rate can exceed the membrane’s vapour transmission rate, and the interior can become damp from inside rather than from outside. At moderate training intensities (which the Cloudsurfer Trail 2’s daily training positioning targets), the membrane’s transmission rate is sufficient for comfortable all-weather use.

Triple Black — The Colorway That Belongs to All Surfaces

Most trail running shoes use colorways that signal their surface orientation — earthy tones that read as trail, bright technical palettes that read as performance outdoors. Triple Black on the Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof is the refusal of that convention: a total tonal commitment that makes no surface claim because it claims all surfaces equally. Upper, midsole, and outsole in the same depth of black, the shoe’s architecture visible only in the variation of texture and material rather than color — the trail lugs legible as shadow against shadow, the waterproof upper’s texture readable as depth within depth. Triple Black is the colorway for the runner who wants the shoe to disappear into the route rather than announce which part of the route it is designed for — a shoe that is as at home on the pavement as on the path, and whose palette does not pretend otherwise.

Cloudsurfer Trail 2 WP vs. On Cloudsurfer — Two ‘Cloudsurfers’, Different Purposes

Decision rule: if your route leaves pavement or if you run in wet conditions — Cloudsurfer Trail 2 WP. If your running is road-only and you want maximum lifestyle versatility — Cloudsurfer.

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

The On Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof 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). The trail fit is slightly roomier than On’s road running shoes to accommodate thicker trail socks — true to size for most trail runners.

Who Is the On Cloudsurfer Trail 2 Waterproof ‘Black’ For?

Three profiles: the mixed-surface daily runner whose route regularly transitions between pavement, dirt path, park grass, and back — the runner for whom neither a pure road shoe nor a pure trail shoe provides the full solution, and for whom the Cloudsurfer Trail 2’s hybrid outsole, debris-protected trail CloudTec®, and road-compatible cushioning deliver the one-shoe answer for every surface in the rotation; the all-weather runner who trains regardless of weather conditions and wants a waterproof shoe that does not sacrifice breathability for protection — the Cloudsurfer Trail 2 WP’s breathable membrane keeps feet dry from outside moisture while allowing perspiration to escape, making wet-weather running comfortable at daily training intensities without the heat buildup of non-breathable waterproofing; and the Triple Black buyer who wants On’s hybrid all-weather platform in the total-tonal colorway that claims no surface preference — a shoe that is as at home on the pavement as on the trail, in a black that belongs to both equally without distinguishing between them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the style code?
A: 3MF30231043.

Q: What is the difference between the Cloudsurfer Trail 2 and the standard Cloudsurfer?
A: Different platforms entirely despite sharing the ‘Cloudsurfer’ name. Cloudsurfer Trail 2 WP: hybrid trail-road outsole with directional lugs, debris-protected trail CloudTec® pods, breathable waterproof membrane, reinforced abrasion-resistant upper — for mixed surfaces and wet conditions ($135). Standard Cloudsurfer: road-only platform with CloudTec® Phase sequential cushioning, Speedboard® propulsion plate, lightweight performance mesh — for pavement running and lifestyle versatility ($145). The Trail 2 is $10 less and technically more specialised for off-road; the Cloudsurfer is $10 more and better for road-only + lifestyle transition.

Q: What makes the Gen 2 better than the Gen 1?
A: Two specific improvements: (1) revised outsole lug geometry with more directional specificity for trail forces (braking, push-off, lateral grip) and smoother road transition zones; (2) targeted upper reinforcement at the highest trail abrasion points — toe cap and lateral forefoot — without adding weight across the full upper.

Q: How does breathable waterproofing work?
A: The membrane’s micropores are sized to block liquid water molecules (large, clustered, under surface tension) while passing water vapour molecules (small, individual, under vapour pressure). Liquid water from outside cannot enter; moisture vapour from perspiration escapes outward. At moderate training intensities, this keeps feet dry from both directions. At very high intensities, perspiration rate can exceed vapour transmission rate — the interior may become slightly damp from perspiration rather than from external water.

Q: Can I use this as a pure road running shoe?
A: Yes — the hybrid outsole is designed to perform on pavement as well as trail. The trail lugs are not aggressive enough to produce the uncomfortable ‘clunky’ sensation of pure trail shoes on hard surfaces. However, for road-only running, the standard Cloudsurfer ($145) with its Speedboard® propulsion plate and CloudTec® Phase system will provide a more road-optimised performance ride.

Q: How does women’s sizing work?
A: Women size up approximately 1.5 sizes from their women’s US size (e.g., women’s US 7 → men’s US 8.5). Same On Running convention as all other On shoes in today’s lineup — opposite direction from the Salomon unisex sizing.

Q: Is this true to size?
A: True to size for most trail runners. The fit is slightly roomier than On’s road shoes to accommodate trail sock thickness. No need to size up unless you prefer significant extra room.