On Cloudswift 4 vs Puma Deviate Pure Nitro:
Which to Choose
Verdict
It depends on distance and ride feel. If your longest efforts are half marathons or shorter and you want a firm, controlled, connected trainer for city pavement, the Cloudswift 4 is the pick. If you want a lighter, bouncier shoe that handles everything from tempo work up to the full marathon, the Deviate Pure Nitro is the more versatile and race-adjacent choice — and the one most runners choosing between the two today will get more range out of.
Pace
4 of 6
Cushioning
4 of 6
Responsiveness
4 of 6
Stability
3 of 6
Drop
7 mm
Support
Neutral
Plate
Composite
Distances
5K10KHalf
Pace
4 of 6
Cushioning
4 of 6
Responsiveness
5 of 6
Stability
3 of 6
Drop
9 mm
Support
Neutral
Plate
Composite
Distances
10KHalfMarathon
At a Glance
On Cloudswift 4Puma Deviate Pure Nitro
Who Should Choose Each Shoe
Choose
On Cloudswift 4
Choose the Cloudswift 4 if you're a neutral recreational runner logging city miles up to the half marathon and you like a firm, controlled, ground-connected ride over a soft or bouncy one. Its lower 7mm drop, durable urban-focused mesh, and rubberized pods suit steady pavement training and the occasional pickup, and it's an accessible pick for beginners building consistent mileage. Just know it's the heavier of the two and tops out around the half — it isn't the shoe for marathon-day range or plush recovery days.
Choose
Puma Deviate Pure Nitro
Choose the Deviate Pure Nitro if you want a lighter, springier all-rounder that comes alive at tempo and can carry you all the way to the marathon. It's the better fit for improvers and intermediates doing uptempo work and longer steady efforts who want energy return from the PEBA foam and a shoe that prefers to be moving. At roughly 215g it's noticeably lighter than the Cloudswift, with a slightly higher 9mm drop and a touch more cushioning for going long — though at very slow jogging paces it can feel firm and eager rather than cosseting.
Head-to-Head
The clearest gap is weight and ride feel. The Deviate Pure Nitro comes in around 215g, while the Cloudswift 4 sits closer to 278g — a substantial ~60g difference you feel with every stride, and it shapes each shoe's personality. Puma's PEBA-based NITROFOAM is genuinely lively and springy, with real rebound that rewards a quicker cadence; On's Helion foam is firm and controlled, energetic when you push but flat if you plod, with CloudTec pods that give a distinctly urban, connected feel and a bit less foam underfoot. Both rely on a composite shank rather than a propulsion plate, but the Puma's higher responsiveness (5/6 vs 4/6) comes purely from that bouncier foam, whereas the On leans on its Speedboard shank to smooth heel-to-toe transitions. Drop differs too: the Cloudswift runs a lower 7mm offset for a flatter, more ground-connected feel, while the Deviate sits at a moderate 9mm (Puma lists 8mm). Their fast zones nearly overlap — both work best around 4:15–4:45 min/km when you press — but their range doesn't: the Cloudswift 4 is built for 5K through the half, with 10K as its sweet spot, while the Deviate Pure Nitro genuinely stretches to the marathon, with the half as its home for tempo and long efforts. Both are neutral with a stable-enough base and no medial posting, so neither is a support shoe.
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