The Nike Alphafly 3 and On Cloudboom Strike LS are both excellent carbon plate racing shoes with high price tags, so which is the one you should go for? Nick weighs up the pros and cons of each shoe in this video and gives his choice.
Check out our full reviews of both shoes:
Nike Alphafly 3 review:
On Cloudboom Strike LS review:
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Design & Key Stats
02:02 – How’s The Fit?
03:17 – The Run Test
07:16 – Verdict
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Hello welcome to run testers my name is Nick in this video I'm going to be Comparing the Nike alphafly 3 and the on Cloud boom strike [Music] LS so the alphafly 3 and the cloud boom Strike LS version I think are two of the Best common plate racing shoes available At the moment they're certainly two of The most expensive Caron PL Racing shoes At the moment the alpha flight is £285 Or $285 the cloud boom strike LS is £330 or $330 the on is the lighter shoe it's 1992 G or 6.8 o whereas the Ally 3 is220 G or 7.7 o got an 8 mm drop with the Alphafly and then a 4mm drop with the on So when it comes to the design of the Cloud boom strike LS that light spray Upper is certainly the most kind of Eye-catching part of it you've got this One piece sock upper that's attached by A machine to the midsole unit on the Shoe this light spray upper is the Reason it's such a lightwe shoe compared Even to the normal Cloud boom strike and I found it a really good fit as well Which we'll come on to later in the Video you've got a Helen HF midsole Which is a PE based foam it's On's you Know best foam they're super foam and in Between two layers of that is a carbon Speedboard or carbon plate then you've Got a rubber out sole with good coverage
On the forefoot and the heel there There's no big midsole cutout on the arm Which is a bit surprising because it is Such a lightweight shoe that big cutout Is kind of becoming a PA of the course With carbon shoes to try and reduce the Weight certainly got a big one on the Ally 3 there which shows off the carbon Plate in the middle of the shoe that Carbon plate is sandwiched by two layers Of Zoom XOne as you'd expect with any Nike racing shoe it's That Bouncy peber Based foam and you've got an airom pod In the forefoot of the shoe as well to Add a slightly more responsive feel in That part of the midsole top of that Mids soole we've got an atom knit 3.0 Upper with a little bit of padding Around the heel it's a pretty Lightweight upper around itself but Certainly nothing like the one on the on You've got more padding at the back of The Nike in particular you got a far Shot rubber out sole good for foot Coverage bit of rubber at the heel as Well it's been pretty durable for me and The grip has been okay like I say you've Got that big manell cut out there to Bring the weight down a little bit [Music] So when it comes to the fit of the two Shoes I've got a uk9 in both of them Which is a US 10 in the Nike a US 9.5 in The on that's the size I generally use
With both of these Brands I've used Across all of Nike's Racing shoes and The Ally 3 fits me really well got no Concerns of it at all you've got a nice Snug hold from that atom knit upper that You creates a comfortable feel but also One that keeps the foot locked down on Fast runs and there's a nice heel design On the AL fly 3 as well sometimes Nike Puts a little thin strip of padding Around the back of the shoe like on the Vapor fly 3 and that does tend to Irritate my kiles sometimes so haven't Had any of those problems with the alpha Fly 3E just a good secure hold obviously The fit of the on cloud strike L is Pretty interesting I've had no concerns With it at all actually it's worked Really well for me my foot is held in Place well I've got enough room without Having any kind of feeling of looseness Or worry about it hasn't stretched at All after 150k this upper either and General it just creates a really nice Barely There feel on the foot that you Know it's great for racing because you Have got enough security enough lock Down there I have anyway and I've got Quite a narrow foot and I haven't found That I've got too much room in this Upper at all so it is a riskier fit with The on because you know if it doesn't Work for you you can't adjust it with The laces or anything like that as you
Can with the Nike but it does fit really Well for me and I've had no problems With it so far so do like the fit of the Cloud Striker less the upper has really Worked for me but it's probably one That'll divide opinion a bit more than The more standard atom knit upper on the [Music] Nike onto the run test then and as I Said at the start these are two of my Favorite carbon plate racing shoes Available at the moment I've done over 150k of running in both of these shoes And raced in both of them two or three Times and I think they're the best Carbon plate racing shoes their brands Have ever made now I don't think I'll Get much disagreement about that when it Comes to the on Tu because you on hasn't Had a great record in making carbon Shoes and I think the cloud boom strike Or less is a big step forward than what They've had before along with the Standard Cloud boom strike which is just A little bit heavier obiously with Nike I think you get a lot more disagreement A lot of people really like the outfly 1 And probably still prefer it to this Shoe and the vfly 2 and the original Vfly next perent also very popular shoes But I like the outfly 3 more than all of Those shoes I really like the new Continuous midsole design you get on the Shoe which just creates a smoother and
Faster transition to me as a heel Striker find that I get that nice level Of propulsion from the big stack of Zumax foam in the shoe but I get pushed Onto the pods more directly and more Effectively with the alply 3 and get you A really nice responsive toe off as a Result Ally has always been positioned More as a marathon shoe and you've got The extra cushioning here compared to The VAP fly even though they have quite Similar stack ites does feel like a more Cushion shoe a more springy shoe and a Lot more like zoomx foam under fot with Giving you that kind of squishy ride Feel that you expect from a Nike racing Shoe but now I think it just turns over That a little bit more quickly and has a Almost vaporfly Edge to it while still Retaining those kind of alpha fly Properties so last year I raced a couple Of 10ks 5K in it I did like a few long Runs during marathon training in it as Well I did my 10K PB actually last year In the Ally 3 and although that was on a Friendly course with a big downhill Segment in the middle I think it does Show that it is now very much an all Distance racing shoe I think in the past Was positioned more as a marathon shoe Obviously definitely has the chops of The marathon given the world records That have being set in this shoe and I Think it's excels in particular over
Those longer distances because of the Extra kind of comfort you have here but It's lighter than past Alpha flies You've got that snappier transition and I think it's just you know a great Racing Sho for any distance I think That's all true of the on cloud Striker Less as well they probably have a few More reservations about it as a marathon Racer I do think it'll be an excellent Marathon shoe but maybe some would want A slightly higher level of protection But it was a big surprise to me this Shoe like obviously the upper attracts a Lot of attention which has worked very Well for me as I mentioned in the fit Section but really it's the upgrad and Midsole you get here compared to past on Shoes that make this you know a special And impressive racing shoe it's not as Soft as the out don't get as much Sinking and squish for sure but you've Got a really Lightning Fast turnover and Really respons it feel off the toes and I do think there is enough cushioning And comfort there as well you know you Got big stack of foam here it isn't as Soft as the Nike but it is still you Know nice and comfortable Under Foot I Have raced a half marathon in the Oncloud beam Striker L which would Probably be my best half marathon ever If they didn't get the course slightly Wrong near the end so it ended up being
You know not a correct distance but I Really liked how it felt in that race Just it just it was very easy to keep Turning my feet over in the second half And maintaining a fast pace you got a Really fluid ride with a nice bit of Punch off the toes and although you're Not getting that big sinking and Dramatic bounce that you get from the Alply you are getting a lot of response From that phone for sure however I do Think you get more comfort from the Alide which I've done you know 20 M run In the on by the end of the half Marathon thought this is great it's done Very well for me here would I take it to Full Marathon I think I probably would But I wouldn't necessarily be as Confident in doing so as I would with The Ally 3 obviously the on cloud and Strike lessers has some very impressive Results in the marathon with unsponsored Athletes but I think maybe for the the General Runner crowd not the elites the Extra cush you get from the AL line Might come into play a little bit as you Hit that longer distance so I did do a Short run in both shoes at the same time Just to kind of gauge those differences Directly and you definitely get a lot More Squish and bounce from the alphafly You know it's got that very noticeable Ride all around you know partly because It's a much louder shoe you got that
Classic alphafly Slappy sound with the Nike Ally 3 which you don't get with the On but you do you know if you are Thinking about Super Shoes and you think That you expect that really big dramatic Sink in and punch from the plate and the Foam coming out again do get that with The alply more so than the on which you Really feel the fast turnover in though Like it really feels like a very Effective and fast shoe you're just kind Of skipping along the ground you know Getting that pace back from the midell Foam and the plate in there but you Don't get such a noce feeling as you do With the alpha fly which has that Squishier feeling especially landing at The hill then pushing forward onto that Firmer forefoot which then really you Know punches you along so yeah this a Different ride feel for sure but a very Fast one in both and the on just feel That little bit more Nimble and Lightweight you know because it is that Little bit more Nimble and [Music] Lightweight it comes to the verdict I do Think this is pretty tight and that's Very much something I wouldn't have said In the past about when I was comparing An on carbon shoe and a Nike racing shoe And it's not because Nike's Racing shoes Have got worse it's because I have Really Come Out Swinging with the cloud
Beam strike and really you know released A top tier carbon racer in my opinion The on is that a little bit lighter and It does remind me of the metas speed Sky Paris from aex which is my favorite Overall rating shoe at the moment but I Think it's a touch firmer than that shoe And I'm not sure it's quite as explosive And there are certainly some big Advantages to the Nike you know when You're looking at comparing these two Shoes one is the price which is Obviously very surprising it's very rare That you can say the alply is a cheaper Shoe in any comparison but it is a fair Bit cheaper the fit is just going to Work for more people probably I think Just off the peg because you've got this Adjustable upper with laces which just Makes it a bit of a safer Choice Compared to the on I really like the Upper on the oncloud and Striker less But it is a slightly riskier fit and I Think the extra cushioning you get from The alphafly I think if you're looking At marathons in particular this is the Shoe I'd get I think it's the more Risk-free Marathon option I think it's Going to perform incredibly well in a Race of that distance Theon I think will Do as well for lots of people but you Got that slightly more cushion feel with The alply more protective feel whilst Not really losing any Pace at all
Because of the way the foam rebounds and Really gives you all that energy back And then given the fact that I do think The ALF is a fantastic short distance Racer as well I think overall I would Give it the win in this versus Especially I pick out of these two but Like I said they're both fantastic shoes And if you prefer a slightly more direct And lightweight feel in your racing shoe Then the cloud beam Striker Al L Definitely provides that whereas with The Nike Al 3 you get more of that Classic Super Shoe feel of the big Bouncy midsole and loads of kind of Protection was also having bags of pace And what is actually still you know a Very lightweight package [Music] Itself as a comparison of the AL 3 and The on cloud boom Striker less let us Know what you think in the comments Below please do like and subscribe ring The little bell and we'll see you next Time
