How to Choose Hiking Boots

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Agile, lightweight and versatile, the men's On Cloudwander Waterproof low hiking shoes offer cushion and comfort—whether you're planning a weekend hike or heading out to walk your dog.
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View all On Men's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Hiking |
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Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Waterproof | Yes |
Type of Waterproofing | Waterproof membrane |
Upper | Nylon vamp mesh/TPU overlays/95% recycled textiles |
Midsole | EVA foam |
Outsole | Missiongrip rubber |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 11.6 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 |
UK | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13.5 |
EU | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 47.5 | 48 | 49 |
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Extremely comfortable under foot, more springy and supportive than squishy. The sole and heel are laterally stiff enough to feel confident on roots and uneven terrain without being too clompy to stalk up on wildlife for photos. Not much arch support, but I didn't notice that it was lacking for me. Traction has been great on dirt/sand, downed trees, rocks, pavement and good in mud. Waterproofing works well (the gusseted tongue keeps out water and debris admirably). I walked about two miles in wet grass (light rain) to test waterproofing and (with pant legs over the tops) had dry socks when I got home. The very large sole lugs clear dirt and mud better than most lugged soles I have had, however, the tunnels at the heel can carry more sticky mud than I care for. The laces stay put and can be easily tensioned. There is a single speed hook on the outside of each shoe which seems odd but quickly feels natural and makes getting in and out even easier. We've had an abrupt shift from summer to fall here and these have been comfortable and breathable with light wool socks from 85 to 40 degrees in rain and in shine. I've only got about 25-30 miles of light hiking on them (local trails with a day pack) but they are a clear improvement over my Solomon's in the same category in terms of comfort, fit, and support. For hiking a few miles after work or a good weekend hike I look forward to wearing these. For heavy packs or really rough terrain I'll still opt for something with ankle protection and a stiffer sole. I don't yet know if hiking a distance in clay mud or other sticky stuff would be any worse in these than in my Solomon's, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how little crud follows me out of the woods under "normal" conditions. In summary, this is a great shoe for most conditions. If the tunnels in the sole were sealed to mud, this would be an unequivocally excellent shoe. I'm surprised how much I like them and find myself wearing them as a first choice for everyday tasks and for general farting around. Most of the time I forget I have them on until I take them off, I'm only in a hurry to get them off if they are muddy and I need to traverse carpeted floors urgently. That may be the highest praise I've given recreational footwear.
The shoes look great out of the box. I am tough to fit and these fit well immediately, flexible with enough to adapt to my foot but firm enough to provide good support. I have hiked a dozen or more times with these in 3 to 9 mile hikes in the Cascades of Washington and deserts of Southern Utah. Grip was good on all surfaces. Water resistance was adequate in shallow quick water crossings. I have had plantar fasciitis problems in the past and these shoes with my regular insole inserts were friendly to my feet. The included insoles seem good - but I use thicker cushy insoles now days. I would get these again.
These are my go to shoes when I do not know what the day is going to bring me. The slight padding (they call it cloud wander) in the shoe makes long walks on pavement or working all day on my concrete shop floor much easier on my knees without sacrificing performance. There are reinforcements in all the common wear spots so I don’t have to worry about my big toe prematurely ripping a hole in the shoe or the the seam by the sole coming undone. The tongue stays centered. I haven’t tested the waterproofing to its limits (no stream crossings yet) but I have taken them on a few hikes through wet prairie and my feet have stayed dry. They do run a bit hotter then fully vented running shoes, but it is really impressive how much ventilation there is for a waterproof shoe. The laces stay tied and come undone with no issues. The designers really knocked it out of the park with this shoe.
The On Cloudwander is a comfortable shoe for hiking on the trail. It provides good traction, and flexes easy enough. No break in is needed. It is also comfortable for daily use on the pavement. For a waterproof shoe, it does not feel hot and sweaty. Smooth side panel is water resistant, and the mesh part does not let water in. It has a removable sole with good padding. Shoe is true to size, but if I had to choose if it is slightly larger or smaller, I would say very slightly larger, but it laces in well and the feet does not move around.
Where to begin. I’ll start with the unboxing and appearance. Absolutely love the colorway of the shoes. Midnight Olive. The aggressive design of the sole’s trend gave me appreciation at first glance. In my experience with day hikers the more aggressive the sole the stiffer the mid sole can be which in turn relates to foot pain. That’s just my own experience and I tend to choose less aggressive tread for light hikes and casual wear outdoors. The shoe’s toe box seems very protective with a thick layer of what appears to be durable rubber covering the toes. The “mission grip” trend feels sticky giving it good grip on terrain that is wet or dry. The interior of the shoe has some nice thick padding. The overall look is on brand with the rest the On Cloud shoe line. On initial fitting and lacing of the shoe I noticed one hooked eyelet on outer side of each shoe. Not sure what the purpose is and why the shoe didn’t come with two hooked eyelets or two threaded eyelets. When wearing the shoe around the house for a few days the one hooked eyelet didn’t seem to hinder the shoes lacing ability or function. Initial hike. The first hike I did while wearing the shoe was in the greenway behind our house in our neighborhood. The terrain is flat and mostly grass. The hike was only 1 mile as the intent was to get my dog to expel some energy. During the walk my left heel began to ache. I thought this might just be from over tightening of the shoe or the shoes just needing more break in time. I loosen the shoe but the aches continued. I have I narrow foot with a less than prominent arch but haven’t experienced a pinching on my heel in my other hiking shoes. Second and Third hikes. My second and third hikes were around 3 miles each. The terrain was dry dusty multi use trail with packet gravel, occasional large rocks, and climbing boulders. I usually mountain bike on these trails but wanted to test the shoes breathability in warmer conditions since it’s September in Oklahoma. Around the 2.5 mile mark my feet began to feel clammy. This isn’t uncommon in my experience with waterproof hiking shoes. I generally wear those types through the fall to early spring when temperatures are lower than 50°. Unfortunately the heel/foot pain persisted through the hikes and I had to cut them short. Waterproofing. Unfortunately I have not tried the waterproofing of the shoe due to the lack of rain we’ve experienced in the Midwest. This will be something I will do once fall and winter comes in the next few months. Overall opinions. The look is wildly on trend with the On Cloud brand and I love the colors. The feel of the initial fit is light and comfortable. It isn’t until I begin hiking do I experience a pinching sensation around my heel. The quality of the materials appear to be similar to hiking shoes in the same price range. I will give the shoes more time before I decide to put some serious miles on them.
This is my first pair of On footwear--I usually hike in Merrells and run in Altras. I've been wearing these almost daily for the past three weeks, both for hikes (about 10 miles logged so far) as well as for active daily use. And I have to say, I'm pleased with how the shoes have performed so far. I was worried about the waterproof designation, since I've had waterproof shoes in the past that made my feet sweat and retain moisture. That hasn't been my experience with these: my feet haven't gotten hot or wet in them at all. I haven't really tested their waterproof capabilities--only tiny streams or puddles so far. The sole and tread is notably solid--I felt like I had a firm platform when I was walking. They're pretty inflexible compared to my Altras or Merrells, but that tradeoff means the protection from sharp rocks is really good. I didn't slip in these, and only had one near-miss-almost-rolled-ankle on a steep downhill that I recovered without any trouble. I didn't even have much toe soreness after some steep downhill hikes, which leads me to my next point: the fit on these is awesome. My foot doesn't slide around at all. My ankle stays in place without rubbing, my toes have some room to wiggle, and I feel the shoe "platform" underneath providing support without being uncomfortable on my notably flat feet. These aren't minimalist shoes by any stretch, but they also aren't squishy. In daily use, I've done entire days walking and standing in these without pain or discomfort. Haven't found a single hot spot yet--nothing even close to a blister or jammed toenail. One small nit to pick: the top outside eyelet for the laces is a little metal hook that is open on one side. Means I have to pay attention every time I lace or adjust them, or I'm guaranteed to have the lace hop off that hook. Minor annoyance--just takes a little extra time to make sure the laces stayed in place. I don't see these as taking the place of my trail runners. I prefer a more minimal, flexible, light trail shoe for that. But overall, the On Cloudwander shoes seem like a solid addition to my hiking/walking shoe closet and will probably take the place of my Merrell hikers (which are at the point of retirement anyway).
Not a bad looking shoe, very lightweight, true to size snd comfortable right out of the box. Now just because a shoe is comfortable right out of the box doesn’t meant shoe will remain comfortable throughout the day, this shoe did remain comfortable after wearing for six consecutive hours wearing Smartwool lightweight hiking Sox, From walking the dog, hiking the Appalachian Trail near my house, did not test waterproof capability yet but that time will eventually come. I thought having only one speed lace on one side of shoe was a little odd at first but this actually made taking shoes on and off easier. The lug soles are spaced apart for good grip in most terrain snd should make cleaning out mud easier than a Vibram type lug. Shoes came well packed in a eco friendly box with fitted cardboard inserts in each shoe to help maintain shape. Only time will tell if these should will hold up compared to other quality hikers I have. I’ll have to update after a couple weeks of continuous use in all kinds of terrain. Would I use these to hike up the John Muir trail to Hslf Dome in Yosemite ? Prob not, I pretty much destroyed a similar type of hiker doing exactly that a few years ago, If you want a rugged comfortable day hiking and walking shoe this is a good choice.
So for me this shoe gets a mixed review. My foot has a fairly low arch and the footbed does not have much of an arch support. The cushioning is in the toe box which is not my personal preference for around town, but on the trail the shoe is much more comfortable. So maybe these would be more comfortable after break in. The look is good and the lacing system is easy and secure with good adjustability. Sole has good grip on the trail, but has a tendency to get small rocks stuck in them. I also did not find the heel cup to be extremely comfortable. But with a thicker hiking sock that would go away. Overall if this shoe fits your foot I think you will like it, but for me there are other shoes I would gravitate towards first.
These were great up until I decided to trust the waterproofing! Just some rain was enough to soak through these shoes and they were still wet for my hike the next day. So, if the waterproof feature is your reason for getting these, I would advise against.
This my third pair of ON shoes and they are all amazing. This is my first pair of hiking shoes from the brand and they are amazing. I thought my Hoka's were comfortable, these are better. Great arch support, I would highly recommend.