ActiveRunningOn Cloudboom Echo 3 review: pretty flySporting the new Helion HF ‘hyperfoam’, the latest Echo iteration is yet another winning shoe from OnWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aestheticsReasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charmWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveRunningOn Cloudboom Echo 3 review: pretty flySporting the new Helion HF ‘hyperfoam’, the latest Echo iteration is yet another winning shoe from OnWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aestheticsReasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charmWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Sporting the new Helion HF ‘hyperfoam’, the latest Echo iteration is yet another winning shoe from On
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aestheticsReasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charm
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
T3 VerdictThe On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aestheticsReasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charm
T3 VerdictThe On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.
T3 Verdict
The On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe with a fully recyclable, peppy and responsive midsole foam, a comfortable and secure upper, and a handsome design. The sparsely applied rubber outsole might compromise durability, but overall, this is one of the best, most beautiful super shoes these days.
Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aestheticsReasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charm
Reasons to buy+Accommodating toebox+Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown+Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam+Understated but cool aesthetics
Accommodating toebox
Just the right amount of midfoot lockdown
Responsive, lightweight and sustainable foam
Understated but cool aesthetics
Reasons to avoid-Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business-Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charm
Strategically applied rubber outsole is a risky business
Refined aesthetics lost some of the On charm
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
On Cloudboom Echo 3 deals
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On Cloudboom Echo 3, review in a sentence: On’s latest running shoes come with a recyclable midsole and a comfortable upper, making them one of the best super shoes out there.
On’s first super shoe,the original Cloudboom, released in July 2020, was okay at best. I remember trying them and thinking; these shoes aren’t a match for theNike Vaporfly Next%. The upper was too tight, and the foam was as rigid as most other On shoes those days – the shoes weren’t fit for the purpose. Then, in 2021, On released the Cloudboom Echo, and it was everything I hoped the original Cloudboom would be, and then some.
Since then, On released a bunch of exciting shoes, such as the fan-favouriteOn Cloudmonster, which features a double serving of On signature groovy foam. The success of these softer, taller shoes helped On realising that’s the right way forward. And surprise-surprise, the On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe because it’s soft, because it’s accommodating, and because it’s just pure awesomeness.
(Furst reviewed July 2023)
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: price and availability
The On Cloudboom Echo was launched in June 2023 and is available to buy now atOn UK,On USandOn AUfor a recommended retail price of £260/ $290/ AU$ 390. I could go on about saying how not cheap this is, but I won’t because I hope, at this point, no one expects top-tier racing shoes to be much more affordable than the Cloudboom Echo 3. The original retail price of theNike Alphafly 2was $275/ £270/ AU$ 370, and theSaucony Endorphin Eliteis $275/ £280/ AU$ 380.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: specifications
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: design and technology
The On Cloudboom Echo 3 follows its predecessor’s footsteps while taking cues from other super shoes. The most significant update is the Helion HF hyperfoam midsole foam. Derived from castor beans, it’s made out of 46% bio-based materials and is fully recyclable. If that sounds familiar, you’re not wrong: the fully recyclableOn Cloudneoalso uses foam made castor beans.
Sitting in the middle of the foam is the spoon-shaped full-length Carbon Speedboard. Technically, the plate sits closer to the outsole at the front, and sort of in the middle under the heel, and sections of this Carbon Speedboard are visible from the side. Interestingly, On didn’t remove any foam from underneath the plate, which is what most running shoe companies do to reduce weight.
The outsole has very little rubber placed only in a few areas. There is plenty of it under the forefoot but only little blocks under the heel and hardly any under the midsection of the foot. This is a bold choice because if your running form deviates from optimal to any degree, you’ll wear away that midsole pretty quickly.
Finally, the upper is composed of a single cohesive woven structure, which to me, looks like a synthetic mesh upper. There is very little information available about it; On only says it offers “deliberate zones for high breathability.”
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: running performance
I’m not the fastest runner, so I’m always a bit cautious when I have to write about super shoes. One advantage I have over fast runners is that I have tried most of the fastest running footwear in recent years, so although I won’t run 2-hour marathons in the shoes, I can at least compare them more accurately.
First thing you’ll notice when putting on the On Cloudboom Echo 3 is how thin and lightweight the upper is. Padding around the ankles is only applied to where it’s essential; otherwise, the rest of the upper is paper thin. Nevertheless, step-in comfort is superb, and the toebox feels spacious without being too baggy. Midfoot lockdown also seems on point, and my heels weren’t slipping, either.
(To be safe, I used the runner’s knot lacing technique.)
The On Cloudboom Echo 3 isn’t slow, though. I felt peppy and energetic running while doing my initial 10k test run. I appreciated the airiness of the upper, keeping my feet cool as time passed. I focused hard on detecting any areas of discomfort anywhere, yet, I found none.
The grip felt firm on dry tarmac – I’m yet to run in the shoes on wet surfaces – which reminded me of theASICS Metaspeed Edge Plus, one of my favourite shoes from last year. I don’t think the running dynamics of the Cloudboom Echo 3 is quite as fine-tuned as the Alphafly 2 or theAdidas Adios Pro 3, but it’s certainly good enough to be considered one of the best on the market today.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: verdict
The On Cloudboom Echo 3 is an excellent running shoe. The new Helion HF foam not only contains 46% bio-based materials and is fully recyclable but also peppy and responsive. Not sure how On managed to marry sustainability to performance so eloquently, but I’d like to see more of it, please.
The upper feels accommodating, with a spacious toebox, optimal midfoot lockdown and a secure heel counter. Airflow in the shoes is superb, with the thin upper allowing the feet to cool down adequately. My only grief, really, is that the shoes don’t look quite as On-y as its predecessor, which had those nice sharp lines and geometric design, but that might just be the On superfan talking.
Overall, the On Cloudboom Echo 3 deserves to be considered one of the fastest, most beautiful super shoes these days. It’s notthebest running shoe, but it’s not far from it. I’m sure the price will come down eventually, so if that’s your main concern, wait a few months. Otherwise, order the shoes as fast as you can.
On Cloudboom Echo 3 review: also consider
On Cloudboom Echo 3: Price Comparison
$289.99$259.99View$289.99$259.99View$289.99$259.99View$290ViewNo price informationCheck Amazon
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99
$259.99
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99
$259.99
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99View
$289.99$259.99
$259.99
$290View
$290View
$290View
$290
$290
No price informationCheck Amazon
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