In the past all of us were faced with a choice: chic albeit uncomfortable shoes, shoes built for style and aesthetics but not built to last or to support actual exercising, or the kind of ugly workout trainer your PE teacher wore during hockey. Luckily, the future is now, and the Cloud X 3 Shift from On is ushering in a new era of athletic footwear that’s very much: get yourself a girl who can do both.
Made sustainably with mesh from totally recycled polyester, the Cloud X 3 Shift is a lifestyle twist on a core fitness shoe. It comes at a perfect time, when more of us than ever are rethinking our lifestyles and how we delineate our time. As the world reopens we’re back to running between Monday morning HIIT classes and in-person work meetings, between outdoor runs and outdoor brunches. And the shoe to take you from each is the Cloud X 3 Shift, perfect for both hybrid indoor training and everyday wear.
Launching 29 September this year (2022) the X 3 Shift is a modern fitness shoe in that it recognises staying active comes in different forms for different people. Sure, the star lacing provides the kind of lateral stability and flexibility you would expect from your average gym trainer, and the CloudTec® sole, made from Helion™ superfoam, is meant to protect your feet by providing soft-landings. And, yes, the semi-transparent mesh upper is reinforced for extra comfort and durability. But these aren’t shoes meant to be solely seen trying and failing to lift weights for your gym floor TikTok video.
Made as much for dancing and running as for training, On’s Cloud X 3 Shift represents a new more sustainable focus in the fitness industry, where more and more frequently people are turning their backs on the expectation that you need to buy different shoes for different occasions. Athleisure has gone from being a niche aesthetic, reserved for gym influencers and Kardashians to becoming part of our day to day wear. But until now, that’s remained the realm of spandex leggings and supportive crop tops. Now, it’s for your feet too. It’s a sad day for heeled booties.