As a daily trainer, or so-called super trainer, the On Cloudmonster Hyper didn’t really live up to the price tag or the expectations. But how would do it up against one of the world’s most iconic road ultras – the Comrades Marathon. Run Tester Kieran was back in South Africa for the Comrades Up Run, chasing another Bill Rowan and a Back to Back medal. The perfect chance to see if On’s super cushioned shoe could handle the hills, the tarmac and the time one feet. Hit play for our Comrades Marthon 2024 race test of the On Cloudmonster Hyper.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 – Intro
1:01 – Comrades Marathon review
3:09 – The shoe test
5:19 – The Verdict
NOW WATCH THIS…
Best road ultra running shoes for the Comrades Up Run 2024.
https://youtu.be/SRYp29FMk8M
Best road ultra running shoes for the Comrades Down Run in 2023.
Most of them are still strong ultra contenders now:
https://youtu.be/Mzr8bYQhc3Y
Hey people welcome to the Run testers Now I am not long back from a little Plot in South Africa at the comrades Marathon now after Conquering the down Run last year got one of these I went Back to tackle the uun to bag myself a Little backto back medal now this 55M Alra starts with a 45 km Hill but Despite that it's also a race you should All definitely do it's one of if not the Best running event I think I've ever Experienced in 55 plus marathons and Ultras now the shoe I chose for the Run May have come as a bit of a surprise for Some people I went for the oncloud Monster hyper this is a shoe that didn't Really live up to expectations potential Or the price tag when we did our review That was a daily trainer but I had a Hunch it could be a good long steady Road Ultra Shoe and in this video I'm Going to dig into whether that hunch was Right is the cloud Monster hyper really Secretly a road Ultra racer more so than A daily super trainer let's get into it In my cloud Monster hyper and comrades Marathon Race t Now before we get into the shoe I wanted To give you a quick word on the comrades Marathon if you've never heard of this Race before you are missing out it's the Biggest and one of the oldest and most Iconic Ultra races on the planet around 25,000 Runners each year tackle this run
Sometimes we run up sometimes they run Down it's got a wonderful mix of Ages Abilities ethnicities genders and Nationalities the start is incredibly Special with the South African National Anthem followed by shal Loa and the Chariots of Fire follows that it's a Race steeped in Traditions with stories At every turn the community around the Event is the warmest most supportive and Welcoming I've ever encountered in a Running event if you like running and People and that feeling of community This is the race it's also very well Organized you got well stocked Aid Stations every 3 km or so this is an Ultra where you don't need to carry Water you can get away with fueling from The aid stations too with loads of Salted potatoes oranges bananas there Are people holding out tubs of taable s Through that Way Incline there's all Sorts available consistently along the Course outside of the official feed Stations there are also hundreds of Supporters and organizations who've got Their own tents they plug the gaps you Basically can have water pretty much the Whole way and the support along the Route is simply incredible even though We start very early the noise coming out Of Duran was intense basically if you Need something anything people will get It for you I stopped at one point trying
To find Sparkling Water because I have a Thing about that at the moment and a Chap went off and found me some and Basically saved my race with about 15 KMS to go it's a brutally tough race That requires intelligent pacing it's Got all the joy and pain that you'd want From an epic Ultra challenge it had me In tears at the start in the middle and At the end now I could rattle on about How good this race is all day but I Better get on with the shoe review However if you've ever considered going Longer than a marathon you're thinking About an Ultra but you're not sure about The trails this road Ultra should be Firmly on your bucket list you will not Regret Going onto the shoe then and the cloud Monster hyper might have seemed like a Odd choice for this race it's a shoe I've criticized for being expensive and Not delivering The Punchy performance That you'd generally expect from a super Trainer it basically failed to wow us Here when we did the review you can find That on the channel but after 8 hours And 50 minutes moving mostly a Pace 9 to 10 minute mile Pace on Relentless tacx Some of that on unforgiving freeway Asphalt big climbs some steep descents I Think I might have found what the Oncloud Monster hyper is actually best At moving at an even slower end Pace
With consistency and comfort why well The first thing that worked was that the Hyper served up bucket loads of Cushioned comfort and Road protection Without feeling too heavy this is a Comparatively light shoe for its General Heft and that was noticeable throughout But particularly into the final hours of This race I never felt way down when I Landed with good form this peber wedge Offered some energy but in a controlled Way that I don't always get with some of The other kind of really Max cushion Shoes hoker Skyward X is one of those When I got tired and ragged and landed Further back on my heels there was Enough cushion here from these regular Cloudtech elements to ensure that I felt Protected there's a balance to the Cushioning that tames the road but Doesn't feel soft and sinky at those Slower Paces now perhaps surprising ly My final four miles in this race were my Fastest and I found some gears to move Up to I hit 8 Minute miles or so and When I need that little bit of extra the Hyper offered just enough the other Aspect of the hyper design that really Worked in this race was the spacious High volume toe box now even though when We ran down some steep Downs that length Clearance in the hyper toe box and Across the top meant I had absolutely no Toe bashing that's a big problem you can
Get with Ultras and not a single sign of Black toenails post race that is often Not the case when you're running with Shoes that are a bit more compact a bit Tighter where inevitably you get bashing Now there are other shoes that have some Of these attributes that the cloud Monster hyper has absolutely there are Out there plenty of people run the NOA Blast 4 the super blast the sock Endorphin speed 4 these are all shoes That I think can cater nicely for this Kind of distance and they're a bit Cheaper Generally race test verdict then I still Wouldn't pay the cloud Monster hyper Price to use this shoe as a daily Trainer but for a day long Ultra on the Road this shoe gave me everything that I Needed when I asked for it I always Think the best shoe is the one that you Forget you're wearing and that's is Exactly what happened during this phace I was able to tick over with the right Balance of comfort energy and protection And just get on with grinding out those Miles without worrying about how my feet Were feeling it wasn't labored on the UPS it wasn't toe bashing on the downs And at the end when I needed to find Something extra to get under the 9 hours And bag a second Bill row and medal it Had just enough spring An energy to push me on I think the
Biggest compliment that I can give the Cloud Monster hyper is that I'm now Seriously considering it for my next Race which is the 100 mile Berling wall Ultra in August this shoe wasn't on my Radar for that a way back it certainly Is Now so there you have it that's my ultra Race test of the oncloud Monster hyper I Hope you found it enlightening hit me up In the comments with the shoes that you Chose for comrades I met so many of you Out there on the road it was wonderful To see you all but let me know how your Shoes got on or any other Road Ultras That you've run what shoes work for you Tell us how they performed don't forget To hit like subscribe and ring that Bell And if you're interested in other shoes That made my ultra Road shoe short list I'm going to pop that video up on the Channel now otherwise thank you very Much for watching we hope to see you Again soon on the Run testers and in the Meantime happy running people
