In 2024, On introduced a groundbreaking new innovation called LightSpray, following its own CloudTec as its next “big pillar.” Essentially, it sprays filament onto a foot-shaped mold to create the upper material. However, the tech was only available on limited-edition releases and small-batch drops… that is, until now.
The Robot in the Room
If you’ve been following On’s trajectory since its founding in 2010, you already know the brand doesn’t do things conventionally. It started with a Swiss triathlete gluing garden hose segments to shoe soles and grew into one of the most technically ambitious brands in performance footwear. LightSpray is the latest expression of that ethos. Rather than cutting and stitching panels of fabric, On’s robotic system lays down a single continuous filament directly onto a foot-shaped last. The whole upper takes about three minutes. The result is a seamless, lace-free structure that bonds directly to the midsole through thermal fusing rather than adhesive. There are no seams, no overlays, and no glue.
What once required 32 robots and a newly opened factory in South Korea (up from a single prototype unit built specifically for Hellen Obiri’s winning run at the 2024 Boston Marathon) has now scaled to production capacity 30 times that original output.
Monster Meets Minimalism
The Cloudmonster line launched in 2022 as On’s first maximalist road trainer, an intentional pivot toward the kind of high-stack, rocker-geometry shoes that Hoka had been winning over runners with. The Cloudmonster 2 refined that formula with a softer Helion foam and a wider base, and it turned into one of On’s best sellers.
The Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, in its LightSpray form, is a different animal. It’s built for longer runs, so combining that kind of mileage-focused platform with a sprayed upper might not sound too obvious of a pairing. In practice though, it trims weight dramatically to about 7.23oz for a men’s US 8.5, which is roughly 3oz lighter than the standard Cloudmonster 3 dropping alongside it. That’s not a marginal difference.
Underneath that gossamer upper sits a two-piece midsole setup: Helion HF hyper foam for maximum energy return on top, with a base layer of standard Helion for durability. Notably, On chose to skip a plate here, a deliberate call to keep the ride less strenuous and preserve leg freshness over longer periods. Pair that with the enhanced rocker geometry for smooth push-offs and you have a shoe that’s clearly built for sustained output. The LightSpray upper itself is porous by nature, so temperature regulation should be strong, and On includes an Elite Run Sock High Hyper with each pair to work in conjunction with the open upper structure.
Eight Pieces, One Statement
Currently just available in Limelight/Bloom colorway (a white upper with black branding on yellow CloudTec tooling), the whole shoe comes together from just eight components: one LightSpray upper, two midsole elements, and five small rubber pieces for the outsole. It’s the reason On can claim up to 75% lower CO₂ emissions for the upper versus its other racing shoes, plus significant reductions in manufacturing waste. The construction also lends itself to circularity at end of life in a way that multi-material, glue-heavy builds simply can’t. On’s co-founder Caspar Coppetti has described the shoe as what a shoe from Apple would look like, and looking at the white upper with black branding sitting atop that yellow CloudTec tooling, it’s hard to argue with the visual analogy.
Where we’d push for improvement is fit retention over longer distances. LightSpray’s lace-free, form-fitting design is a technical achievement, but laceless shoes ask a lot from the sock system and upper structure to keep things locked down during dynamic movement, especially on descents. The included sock is a smart step, but runners with wider feet or high arches might want to try them on before committing.
Spec Sheet
Model: On LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
Upper: LightSpray™ robotic spray-filament construction, seamless and laceless
Midsole: Helion™ HF hyper foam (energy return) + Helion™ base layer (durability), CloudTec® cushioning system
Outsole: Five rubber components (no plate)
Lacing System: Laceless
Heel-to-Toe Drop: 5mm
Weight: 7.23oz (men’s US 8.5)
Cushioning: Max
Colorway: Limelight / Bloom
Includes: Elite Run Sock High Hyper
Price: $280
Pricing & Availability
The On LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper drops March 5 in North America exclusively through On’s website and retail stores in limited quantities, priced at $280. A global release follows on April 16 via On and select retailers.
Recap
On Lightspray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
On’s LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper is the brand’s most ambitious daily trainer yet, bringing its robot-sprayed, seamless upper technology to a wider audience for the first time at $280.
