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On Finally Gave Its Purpose-Built Hiking Sneaker a Classic Outdoor Look

A new colorway transforms On’s trail-ready waterproof shoe into something that looks less like a streetwear flex and more like an outdoor style throwback.

Close-up of a beige and taupe sneaker with textured fabric and beige laces on a green background.On
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By Ben Bowers

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Most technical hiking shoes today look like they were designed for pro athletes or robots.

But On’s latest take on the Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof in Soba Eclipse – a warm earthy brown paired with black — changes that conversation entirely, making the shoe read less like a tech artifact and more like something you’d find in a 1990s REI catalog.

Back to basics in a category that forgot them

Pair of tan and black waterproof athletic shoes with thick, ventilated black soles on a white background.
Built for the person moving between a trailhead and a coffee shop without changing footwear, the Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof pairs CloudTec cushioning with a waterproof membrane — all wrapped in a warm earthy brown and deep navy palette that reads closer to a 1990s REI catalog than a gaming peripheral ad.
On

On deserves real credit — and some responsibility — for accelerating the futuristic sneaker aesthetic that has quietly taken over the hiking category.

Its CloudTec Phase outsole, with those hollow pods arranged in rows, looks unlike anything that came before it.

That visual language proved enormously influential. Scroll through today’s top trail and hiking shoes and the pattern is hard to miss: aggressive lug geometries rendered in neon, reflective overlays, and colorways that prioritize visibility over subtlety.

Pair of black shoe soles with textured, arrow-shaped treads and a central groove.On

Look at the Salomon X Ultra 5 Gore-Tex, the Hoka Challenger 8 GTX or the La Sportiva Spire GTX — technically excellent shoes, each of them, but none of them would look out of place in a gaming peripheral ad.

The KEEN Hightrail Waterproof stands as something of a holdout in this regard, offering a few quieter alternatives to the category’s prevailing loud looks and aggressive cuts. Now On appears to be making a similar bet with the Soba / Eclipse update.

Pair of tan and black waterproof Cloudhorizon sneakers with laces viewed from above.
At $200, the Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof undercuts the futuristic-sneaker aesthetic with a Soba / Eclipse colorway that reads like a 1990s REI catalog find — something rivals like the Salomon X Ultra 5 Gore-Tex and La Sportiva Spire GTX have largely abandoned.
On

It’s a meaningful shift.

The Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof sits in On’s outdoor-focused lineup as a light hiking and trail lifestyle shoe — built for the person who moves between a trailhead and a coffee shop without changing footwear. It carries On’s CloudTec Phase cushioning underfoot and a waterproof membrane overhead, making it genuinely capable on wet terrain.

The Soba / Eclipse colorway transforms the Cloudhorizon 2 into something that looks purposeful more than performative.

Availability and pricing

Tan and black athletic shoe with mesh upper and ventilated sole, side view.
At $200, the Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof makes a case that restraint in hiking footwear doesn’t require a premium penalty.
On

The Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof in Soba/Eclipse is available now directly from On’s website for $200.

That puts it above the highly regarded Salomon X Ultra 5 Gore-Tex ($175) and Hoka Challenger 8 GTX ($165), both of which cost less — while delivering official Gore-Tex waterproof protection and trail capability.

Pair of brown and black athletic shoes shown from the back with cushioned collars and thick black soles.On

As such, the Cloudhorizon 2 Waterproof in Soba / Eclipse demands a clear premium that may not be justifiable for those who prioritize function over form.

But in a category sprinting toward maximum visual complexity, if you’ve been searching for a modern, lightweight waterproof hiker that doesn’t announce itself across a parking lot, this is one of the surprisingly few options out there right now.

About the Author: Ben Bowers is the Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Gear Patrol. Throughout his tenure in media, Ben has written and reported on everything from consumer tech to whiskey, watches, cars, camping, and personal style. These days, he gets to write less than he’d like to.

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