New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4 vs On Cloudboom Strike:
Which to Choose

Start with the specs, because they underline how similar these are. The SuperComp Elite v4 stacks 40mm heel / 36mm forefoot; the Cloudboom Strike sits at 39.5mm / 35.5mm — a half-millimeter apart, both effectively at the World Athletics 40mm limit. Both run a 4mm drop, both are neutral with no pronation structure, and both weigh in the same featherweight class (roughly 7.6–7.8 oz in a men's sample), so weight isn't a real tiebreaker. Where they diverge is foam character and intent. The New Balance leans softer and taller-feeling: a thick, plush FuelCell PEBA stack with a pronounced forward roll that almost throws you into the next stride, lively but noticeably more cushioned — fitting its full-tilt 2:55–3:15 min/km sweet spot. On's Helion HF foam is tuned firmer and more resilient; it snaps back crisply under load and the aggressive rocker produces sharp, quick transitions rather than a deep rolling sink, which is why the Cloudboom feels at home a touch broader in pace (3:00–3:20 min/km) and genuinely works down to the 10K, not just the half and full. Both share the same race-shoe quirk — tall and tippy at jogging speeds, settling only once you're on pace — and both share the same caveat: thin racing outsoles and soft stacks mean limited mileage, so these are key-session and race-day tools, not rotation workhorses. In short, the Elite v4 is the softer, more max-cushioned long-haul roller; the Cloudboom Strike is the firmer, snappier, slightly more versatile racer.