On Cloudeclipse vs On Cloudsurfer Max:
Which to Choose

September 28, 2026

Verdict

This is less a clear upgrade than a change of personality, so it depends on what you liked about the Cloudeclipse. If you were drawn to its soft, cushioned plushness, the Cloudsurfer Max will feel like a firmer, slightly heavier step sideways — and there's no urgent reason to replace a Cloudeclipse you still enjoy. But if you want more stability and control for genuine marathon-distance long runs, the plateless, firmer Max is the better tool and the model On is backing going forward. Neither is the shoe to reach for on speed days.

On Cloudeclipse

107.00 USD

On Cloudsurfer Max

135.00 USD

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

6 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

Composite

Distances

10KHalf

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

On CloudeclipseOn Cloudsurfer Max

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

On Cloudeclipse

Choose the Cloudeclipse if plush, well-damped softness is what you want underfoot and your longest efforts are easy 10Ks and half marathons rather than full marathons. It's also the pick if you slightly prefer a taller, marginally lighter shoe and don't mind — or actively like — the guided feel of the Speedboard plate rolling you through each stride. Current Cloudeclipse owners who love exactly how their shoe feels have little reason to switch, since the successor is firmer, not softer.

Choose

On Cloudsurfer Max

Choose the Cloudsurfer Max if you want a firmer, more grounded and planted daily trainer and you're regularly banking long runs up to and including the marathon, which is where its stable platform is happiest. It suits runners who found the Eclipse's soft midsole a little too vague or unstable at distance and would trade some pillow-softness and about 20g of extra weight for a more controlled, predictable ride. It's also the more sensible buy for someone new to this slot in On's line, since it's the model On is carrying forward.

Head-to-Head

The biggest change between predecessor and successor is what On took out: the Cloudeclipse runs a composite Speedboard guidance plate through its midsole, while the Cloudsurfer Max is completely plateless. That single decision reshapes the ride. The Cloudeclipse pairs its plate with a dual-layer Helion superfoam that feels tall, soft, and well-damped — it soaks up impact and rolls through transitions in a staged collapse, though rebound stays muted. The Cloudsurfer Max swaps to a Helion EVA/OBC foam blend that reads firmer and more grounded; you feel planted and supported rather than sink-in soft, and without the plate to snap transitions along, it can feel a touch flat when you push the pace. So the headline difference is character: the Eclipse is the plusher, softer of the two, the Max the firmer, more stable-feeling. On the numbers, the Cloudeclipse is actually the taller and lighter shoe — roughly 39.9mm heel and 30.5mm forefoot at about 272g, versus the Max's 37mm heel, 29mm forefoot and 292g, so the successor adds about 20g and sits marginally lower underfoot. Both are marketed at a 6mm drop and ride with a similar moderate heel-to-toe ramp, with the Eclipse measuring a hair steeper in practice. Where the Max earns its keep is range: On extends its best-distance envelope to the full marathon, and the firm, grounded platform genuinely holds together better over long time on feet, whereas the Eclipse tops out comfortably around the half. Both share the same easy-day sweet spot (5:30–6:30 min/km) and both go vague past roughly 5:00–5:30 min/km, so neither is a tempo or interval shoe.