On

When three-time duathlon world champion and multiple Ironman winner Olivier Bernhard retired from professional sport, he was looking for a new challenge. A decisive factor in his career was the realization that the damping of a running shoe had to work more intelligently. Back then, there were only vertically cushioning soles, which was never quite right - after all, when you run, you don't just jump up in height, you hit the ground as you move forward. In his search for a damping system that would also work horizontally and disappear completely for the kick, he met a Swiss ETH engineer who was working on the new sole technology. The first prototype was made from a cut-up garden hose, the tubes of which were glued to the soles with superglue. The current running shoes no longer have anything in common with garden hoses, but the basic idea of a soft landing and direct push-off has remained. After various prototypes, the idea of a new type of running shoe was so mature that the company On was founded in Zurich in January 2010.

The result is unique comfort and more running fun, which On Running running shoes promise the customer. In 2011, the Cloudrunner with On's patented CloudTec® damping was launched on the market. The CloudTec® damping absorbs the impact on the ground and then lets you roll naturally onto the forefoot. There, the Cloud elements become firm, giving you a secure footing and allowing a powerful push-off. On shoes don't have stiff soles that passively control your running movement. Instead, a whole team of cloud elements on the sole reacts to your individual running movement. These 'clouds' can react in unison or individually to cushion your landing where you need it. They do not have a predefined rolling line, but allow each runner to run in their own natural way. This means freedom for your feet, which delays fatigue and supports your natural running style, giving you control while running. Runners recognize the On in the blind test because it opens the door to a completely new running experience. Today, On Running is known around the world for running shoes with the world-famous Cloud technology.