Popular Mechanics - USA (2019-12)

December 2019 85

MOST COMFORTABLE

ON CLOUDROCK

$230

$110

The Cloudrock is the first hiking boot from On, a Swiss running
shoe brand, and it didn’t disappoint. Though the ankle was
a bit stiff at first, the boot delivers unmatched comfort. It’s
lightweight, breathable, and cushions your feet exceptionally
well without sacrificing support. Our tester actually said it felt
like she was walking on clouds the first time she wore the
boot. (In a way, she was; On calls its trademark odd-looking
pods on the outsole, which are meant to squish as you step
to absorb impact, “clouds.”) Surprisingly, no rocks or twigs
got stuck in them—a problem with other On shoes. And the
proprietary outsole rubber kept us sure-footed regardless
of the conditions on the trail. Unfortunately, all that comfort
comes at a steep price.

HEIGHT
Mid

WEIGHT

15.7 oz.

UPPER

Mesh

UPPER

Leather

the fleece-lined upper. That,

combined with the EVA mid-

sole, made for a comfortable fit,

though our tester found there

w a s more room around the calf

than with other boots. We also

discovered the laces are too

thick to slide easily under and

around the low-lying hooks at

the top of the lacing system.

(If you don’t want to fuss with

lacing, The North Face sells a

slip-on version of the Chilkat.)

Still, we liked the boot’s flexibil-

ity, and the winterized rubber

soles promise good traction in

slippery conditions. Be wary

of wet weather, though: The

seam connecting the rubber

to the leather upper let in the

most water of any boot in the

test—12 ounces, to be precise.