Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes vs On Men's Running Cloudultra Pro: which is safer?
New Balance Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
New Balance
Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and color-based toxins
PossibleAntimony in polyester
On Running
On Men's Running Cloudultra Pro
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry
PossiblePolyurethane foam off-gassing (CloudTec sole)
PossibleMicroplastic shedding from sole and upper wear
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and color-based toxins and Antimony in polyester on the New Balance and not on the On Running.
- We flag DWR (durable water-repellent) coating chemistry, Polyurethane foam off-gassing (CloudTec sole) and Microplastic shedding from sole and upper wear on the On Running and not on the New Balance.
- The New Balance is Mesh upper, Fresh Foam midsole, rubber outsole where the On Running is Textile upper with DWR treatment, CloudTec sole, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the New Balance is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the On Running grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More running & athletic shoes: see the full ranking