Running shoe company On is sued over footwear’s allegedly “loud, embarrassing” squeak
Trendy running shoe company On is being sued by some customers over what they claim is a defect in the shoes, which they say emits “a loud, embarrassing, hard-to-stop squeaking noise…with every step.”
The class action lawsuit, filed Oct. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, claims customers would not have purchased the shoes if they had known about the noise. The complaint alleges that the squeaking is caused by the design of the company’s CloudTec shoes, which relies on “hexagonal, octangular and ovular-shaped holes that form the external landing surface of the shoes.”
U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon 
When wearers take a step, the CloudTec design’s rubber rubs, resulting in a “loud and embarrassing squeaking sound,” according to the lawsuit.
On, a Swiss company with U.S. offices in Portland, Oregon, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other customers have complained about the noise on online forums such as Reddit, and posted hacks to try to stop the shoes from squeaking. The two consumers who filed the lawsuit say they stopped wearing their On running shoes shortly after purchasing them because of the noise they both described as embarrassing.
The lawsuit also points out that On running shoes cost more, with CloudTec shoes selling for between $140 and $180 per pair, which is higher than the average running shoe price of $132.90.
The complaint names 11 types of On shoes made with CloudTec that could squeak:
- Cloud 5
- Cloud 6
- Cloud Monsters
- Cloud tilt
- Cloud Surfers
- Cloud eclipse
- Cloud Jump
- CloudSky
- Quick-cloud
- Cloudy area
- Cloud Runner
The lawsuit claims consumers were unable to return the shoes due to the squeaking because On’s warranty “does not extend to defects due to poor fit, normal wear and tear,” with the company allegedly describing the squeaking as “normal wear and tear.”
The complaint seeks compensatory, statutory and punitive damages for what it estimates are likely “thousands of people” who purchased On shoes bearing the CloudTec design.
