Asics Megablast vs On Cloudmonster 3:
Which to Choose

October 1, 2026

Verdict

It depends on how fast you train. If your weekly mileage includes tempo work, fast long runs, or the odd race and you want one lively, lightweight shoe to do it all, the Megablast is the stronger buy. If you mostly log easy and steady miles and want a firm, planted, protective trainer that stays stable when you're tired, the Cloudmonster 3 is the smarter choice — just don't expect it to accelerate like the Asics.

Asics Megablast

225.00 USD

On Cloudmonster 3

133.00 USD

Pace

4 of 6

Cushioning

6 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

5 of 6

Drop

7 mm

Support

Stable Neutral

Plate

Composite

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

Asics MegablastOn Cloudmonster 3

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Asics Megablast

Choose the Megablast if you want one versatile shoe to cover easy miles, tempo sessions, and the occasional race without swapping between a trainer and a racer. It's the pick for experienced recreational runners who like a soft-but-bouncy ride, want the lightest shoe for fast long runs and half-marathon efforts, and will actually use its uptempo range. If your training skews toward quicker paces and you value pop over a planted feel, this is the one.

Choose

On Cloudmonster 3

Choose the Cloudmonster 3 if you want a tall, protective daily workhorse for easy days and long steady efforts, and you prize a planted, predictable ride over springy energy return. It's well suited to neutral or mildly pronating feet that want a wide, stable platform that stays composed late in a long run, and it's the more reassuring shoe at slow, relaxed paces. If you're not chasing tempo pop and would rather have structured cushioning that never feels tippy, this is the better fit.

Head-to-Head

The clearest gap is weight: the Megablast comes in around 218g in a men's US9 versus roughly 301g for the Cloudmonster 3 — an 83g difference you feel on every stride and especially when you try to turn the pace over. The Megablast also sits on more foam, a 45mm/35mm stack against the Cloudmonster's 39mm/32mm, yet it's the lighter shoe, which tells you a lot about the midsoles. Asics uses bouncy FF Turbo² A-TPU superfoam with no plate, so the energy return is lively and the shoe rewards acceleration; On uses firm Helion foam over a TPU Speedboard, a composite stiffener that adds structure rather than spring, producing a planted, predictable, slightly mechanical ride. Drops are close enough to be a wash (8mm vs 7mm), so this isn't a geometry decision. Where they diverge is character and pace: the Megablast's sweet spot is uptempo work, comfortable cruising in the 4:45–5:30 min/km range and still usable well below that for tempo and racing, whereas the Cloudmonster is happiest at relaxed 5:30–6:30 min/km efforts and stops giving back when you push faster. The trade-off runs the other direction on stability — the Cloudmonster's wide, firm stable-neutral platform stays composed and is the more reassuring ride at slow, tired paces, while the Megablast's tall, soft stack can feel a touch tippy when you're plodding. Both are neutral shoes best from 10K to the marathon, but they're solving different problems.