The On Cloudboom Strike LS is a marathon race shoe with a one-piece upper that is sprayed on during the manufacturing process. Priced at $330, it's an alternative to the $280 On Cloudboom Strike and competes with shoes like the Nike Alphafly 3 ($295) and Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo ($270). This version takes their pinnacle race shoe, the Cloudboom Strike, and levels it up with LightSpray technology. The upper is sprayed directly onto a last for a seamless, laceless, and featherweight design, while the drop-in midsole is gone in favor of a more classic midsole setup. We were under the impression that the only difference between the LS and the original version was the upper, but there were some notable differences. The midsole Helion HF foam is significantly firmer and less bouncy, yet this version has a slightly wider base and is more stable. The upper is difficult to get on, but once on, it fits like a glove and gave us no issues—unlike the previous version, which was baggy and had problematic laces. We’d categorize this as a Tier 2 marathon race shoe. It is still not as light, aggressive, and fast as the Tier 1 shoes (Fast-R 3, Adios Pro 4 or the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo), but it is more comfortable and easier to run in at all paces. It feels very workmanlike—the geometry is great, it’s not too aggressive so it feels good at slower paces, it’s comfortable, and there is no weirdness to it. It delivers a very reliable, cushioned, protective, and smooth ride. We wouldn’t take it for shorter, faster races because it doesn’t have the same bite, snap, and toe-off that some of the best race shoes have, but it is a great option for the marathon distance. If you typically have trouble with finicky uppers, want a stable, comfortable, flawless shoe, and you enjoy the innovative tech of the light spray upper, this shoe could be worth the $330 price tag.
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