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It started with the CloudAce.
Grey/Black. Clean. 2021.
I wasn't looking to become an ON guy. I just needed a solid running shoe and someone whose opinion I trusted pointed me there.
That was about five years ago.
Last summer I added two more pairs. The CloudSwift - grey and black with a green accent, my go-to for actual runs. And the one that surprised me most.
The Cloud 5 Waterproof.
Here's the thing about the Cloud 5 Waterproof.
I bought it as a hiking shoe. It became something else entirely.
Green. Slip-on. All weather. And genuinely one of the most comfortable shoes I've put on my feet.
It's what I reach for when I'm walking the dog. Running errands. Any day where I need to move comfortably and look like I made an effort without actually making one. It handles rain, cold, and whatever else the morning throws at it without a second thought.
The style helps. The green colorway is distinctive without being loud. It doesn't look like a running shoe when you're not running - which is most of the time.
I've quietly retired my loafers for anything casual. The Cloud 5 Waterproof does that job better.
The three pair breakdown
CloudAce — the one that started it. grey/black, versatile, a proper running shoe that doesn't look like one. Still in rotation after five years.
CloudSwift — grey/black with green accent. Faster, more responsive. The one I lace up when I mean business.
Cloud 5 Waterproof — green, slip-on, all weather. The unexpected favorite. The one I'd buy first if I was starting over.
ON released the Cloud 6 Waterproof - updated version, same DNA.
