On Running vs ASICS: Which Is Better?
The short answer: ASICS is the better choice if you overpronate and need genuine stability support; On Running is the better choice if you're a neutral runner who wants a lighter, more modern-feeling ride. These two brands solve the running-shoe problem from opposite directions — ASICS from decades of biomechanical research, On from a single patented cushioning idea — and the right one depends on your feet, not the marketing. We're an authorised On Running stockist and don't sell ASICS, so where ASICS wins, we say so plainly.
The Two Brands in One Minute
ASICS — Anima Sana In Corpore Sano — has been building running shoes since Japan in 1949, and its Institute of Sport Science has spent decades studying gait, pronation and injury prevention. It is the traditional "serious runner's brand," and its GEL cushioning is among the most proven technologies in the sport. On Running arrived in Zurich in 2010 with a different question: not how to study the foot, but how to redirect impact energy. Its patented CloudTec system — soft landing, firm take-off — made it one of the world's fastest-growing sports brands in sixteen years. Heritage and biomechanics versus modern Swiss engineering.
Technology: CloudTec vs GEL and FF Blast
ASICS cushions with GEL and foam. Silicone-based GEL units sit at high-impact zones — traditionally the heel — to absorb shock, while the FF Blast foam family provides the midsole ride: FF Blast+ for soft daily cushioning, FF Blast Max for max-stack comfort, and FF Turbo, a PEBA superfoam, for race models. It's a proven, refined system that prioritises protection and smoothness.
On cushions with structure. CloudTec's hollow pods compress in multiple directions on landing — adapting to your individual strike — then lock at toe-off so no push-off energy is lost to soft foam. With Helion superfoam and the Speedboard plate, the ride is noticeably more responsive and "modern"-feeling than GEL: less sink, more roll-forward. Full breakdown in our On Running technology guide.
The character difference is real and consistent: ASICS feels protective and cushioned; On feels responsive and propulsive. Runners who prioritise plushness and joint protection often prefer GEL; runners who want to feel the road give something back prefer CloudTec.
Stability: Where ASICS Wins Outright
This is the most important section of this guide, and it's the one where we recommend the other brand. If you overpronate — your foot rolls excessively inward on landing — ASICS makes true stability shoes with structured support systems (the GT-2000 and Kayano lines, using guidance frames engineered specifically for pronation control). On Running does not. The closest On offers is the Cloudrunner, a supportive daily trainer with extra structure and guidance, but it is not a corrective stability shoe. If a gait analysis has put you in stability shoes, ASICS is the better-engineered answer, and no amount of CloudTec changes that. Neutral runners can disregard this section entirely — which is most runners.
Model Matchups: Like for Like
Max cushion — ASICS Gel-Nimbus vs On Cloudmonster. The Gel-Nimbus 27 (£180 RRP) is ASICS's flagship comfort trainer: deep, plush, protective. The Cloudmonster (£160 at OD's) counters with On's biggest CloudTec pods, Helion foam and a rockered Speedboard — cushioned but energetic, with a rolling character the Nimbus doesn't attempt. Nimbus for plushness, Cloudmonster for cushioned propulsion, and On takes the price advantage.
Daily trainer — ASICS Gel-Cumulus / Novablast vs On Cloudsurfer. The Cumulus is the dependable neutral workhorse; the Novablast is ASICS's bouncier, higher-energy daily option. The Cloudsurfer answers both with sequential CloudTec compression for a smooth, fast-feeling everyday ride. This tier is genuinely close and comes down to ride preference.
Structured support — ASICS GT-2000 vs On Cloudrunner. As above: the GT-2000 is a true stability shoe; the Cloudrunner is a supportive neutral trainer. Overpronators should take the ASICS. Runners who just want a bit more structure underfoot are well served by the Cloudrunner.
Race day — ASICS Metaspeed vs On Cloudboom. Both brands field serious carbon-plated racers with elite wins. ASICS's Metaspeed line has become a genuine podium presence; On's Cloudboom Strike LS, with its robot-sprayed LightSpray upper, won the 2024 Boston Marathon. Call it a draw decided by fit and feel.
Fit and Sizing
ASICS generally fits true to size with a slightly roomier forefoot than On, and — critically — offers wide (2E) and extra-wide (4E) options in key models. On builds every model on a single standard D-width last: a precise, locked-in fit that transfers reliably between models, but no wide fits at all. Wide-footed runners should lean ASICS or try On in-store before buying. Full tables in our On Running sizing & fit guide.
Durability and Price
Both brands deliver 600–800km from road models — ASICS's outsole rubber is famously durable, and On's Helion resists packing out. On price, the core training bands overlap, though On runs keener at OD's: the Cloudsurfer/Cloudmonster tier sits at £160 against ASICS's Cumulus/Novablast, and ASICS's flagship Gel-Nimbus 27 is £180 against the Cloudmonster's £160. ASICS offers a deeper budget range beneath £120; On's line at OD's starts from around £130, with the full CloudTec stack from the Cloud 6 (£139).
Which Should You Buy?
Buy ASICS if: you overpronate and need genuine stability control, you want wide-fit options, you prefer a plush, protective, traditional ride, or decades of biomechanical pedigree matters to you.
Buy On Running if: you're a neutral runner who wants a lighter, more responsive, modern-feeling shoe; you value patented engineering you can actually feel; and you want a shoe whose Swiss-minimal design works off the run as well as on it — somewhere no ASICS has ever followed.
The shop-floor verdict: ASICS is the sensible prescription; On is the shoe people fall for. If your feet don't need correcting, the choice usually gets made in the first hundred metres of a test run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is On Running better than ASICS for beginners?
For neutral-footed beginners, On's Cloud 6 (£139) is an outstanding first running shoe — comfortable, versatile and forgiving. Beginners who overpronate or have been advised to wear stability shoes are better served by ASICS's GT-2000 line. If unsure, get a gait check first.
Does On Running make stability shoes like ASICS?
No. On offers the Cloudrunner as a supportive daily trainer with extra structure, but it is not a corrective stability shoe. ASICS's GT-2000 and Kayano remain the engineered choice for overpronation control.
Are On Running shoes more comfortable than ASICS?
They're differently comfortable. ASICS GEL delivers plush, protective softness; On CloudTec delivers adaptive cushioning with a firmer, more propulsive toe-off. Runners who want to sink in prefer ASICS; runners who want energy back prefer On.
Do ASICS and On Running size the same?
Both fit broadly true to size, but ASICS offers wide and extra-wide fits while On is standard D-width only across its entire range. Wide-footed runners should try On in-store before buying.
Does OD's sell ASICS?
No. OD's Designer Clothing is an authorised UK stockist of On Running and does not stock ASICS — which is why this comparison is honest about where ASICS wins. Every On pair we sell is 100% authentic, sourced directly from On's official UK distribution.
Try On Running at OD's
OD's Designer Clothing has been an authorised UK On Running stockist since 1992 (Reviews.io 4.6 / 2,388). Sourced by Mike and Jo, quality-checked by Les and Helen. Visit 44 Barrow Street, St Helens, WA10 1RY (Mon–Sat 9am–5pm), call 01744 730985 for fitting advice, or browse the full On Running collection. Compare further: On vs Nike, On vs Hoka, On vs New Balance, or read Which On Running Shoe Should I Buy?