On LightSpray Cloudmonster Hyper 3 Review

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The On LightSpray Cloudmonster Hyper 3 is one of the most interesting running shoes I’ve looked at in a long time. This isn’t really a traditional review because, honestly, at £270, I can’t realistically recommend it to most runners. Instead, this is more of a deep dive into the technology and innovation behind the shoe, because that’s where things get genuinely exciting.

At its core, this is a super trainer rather than a full-blown race shoe. Interestingly, there’s no carbon plate inside, which immediately separates it from many modern “super shoes.” Instead, it sits more in the same category as something like the ASICS Superblast, focused on high-stack comfort and performance training rather than outright race-day aggression.

The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 comes with a massive 45mm heel stack and a 39mm forefoot stack, giving it a 6mm drop. On has increased the stack height slightly compared to the regular Hyper model because they’ve removed the traditional insole entirely. The shoe uses a dual-foam setup, with Helion HF hyper foam on top — a PEBA-based foam designed for responsiveness — while the lower chassis uses a firmer EVA-based Helion foam for added stability.

The CloudTec cushioning remains a major part of the design, with the signature hollow pods underneath the shoe compressing and rebounding as you run. Some of those cavities run all the way through the midsole, while others are partially filled by the PEBA foam sitting inside the EVA framework. Combined with the aggressive rocker geometry, the setup is designed to create a smooth, rolling transition through the stride.

Despite the enormous stack height, the shoe actually feels impressively stable thanks to its wide platform and the guidance channels running through the midsole. My UK 9.5 weighed 220 grams, which is remarkably light considering the amount of material underfoot.

The real headline feature, though, is the upper.

The LightSpray upper is unlike almost anything else on the market right now. It’s a seamless, glueless, laceless TPU construction that’s literally sprayed onto a mould by a robotic manufacturing process. Layers are built up around the shape of the foot before the upper is attached to the chassis below and heat-treated into its final form. Even the graphics are sprayed directly onto the material.

The result is an incredibly lightweight one-piece upper that feels more like a futuristic concept shoe than something you’d actually run in.

What surprised me most is how well it works in practice. Looking at it, I expected all sorts of problems — rubbing, pressure points, difficulty getting the shoe on, and poor lockdown due to the lack of structure. But On has engineered the upper incredibly cleverly. The way the reinforcement lines and structural seams are integrated into the material gives it shape and support without traditional overlays, padding, or laces.

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Once your foot is inside, the shoe actually locks down very well. It’s surprisingly easy to put on despite looking restrictive, and the upper moulds around the foot more naturally than I expected. Breathability is also much better than it has any right to be considering you’re essentially wearing a thin plastic shell over your foot.

That said, this definitely won’t suit everyone. If you have wider feet, you may struggle because there isn’t much give in the material. I experienced a bit of rubbing during the first couple of runs, although that improved over time as the shoe broke in slightly.

Performance-wise, I do have one notable issue. I found myself feeling slightly tilted outward in the shoe, particularly at slower paces. I naturally roll outward a little anyway, but in this shoe the sensation felt more exaggerated than usual. I’m not entirely sure whether that comes from the geometry, the platform shape, or the way the upper positions the foot, but it’s something worth mentioning if you’re sensitive to stability.

That said, the ride itself is actually pretty enjoyable. The PEBA foam brings far more life and energy compared to On’s more traditional EVA-based shoes. It’s still on the firmer side overall, but it feels noticeably more modern and responsive than standard On trainers like the regular Cloudmonster models.

Ultimately, though, this shoe is less about outright performance and more about innovation.

I genuinely think the LightSpray technology is fascinating. It feels like a glimpse into where running shoes could go in the future. The engineering behind creating structure, lockdown, and comfort from such a minimal upper is incredibly smart, and the whole package feels genuinely cutting-edge.

Do I think it’s a shoe for the masses? No.

Do I think it’s incredibly cool? Absolutely.

If you’re an On fan and simply want the best performance value, you’re probably better off buying the standard Cloudmonster Hyper. But if you’re someone who loves running shoe innovation, enjoys seeing brands push boundaries, and appreciates clever design and manufacturing, then the LightSpray Cloudmonster Hyper 3 is genuinely exciting.

I’ll definitely keep using them through the summer because, despite the price, I really enjoy wearing them.

But at £270, recommending them is another story entirely.

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