The research progress of laser cladding for piston rods of hydraulic jacks, including material system, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, hardness, fatigue property and cladding efficiency, was reviewed. Evaluation methods, performance parameters and influencing factors of corrosion resistance of common cladding layer on piston rods were discussed. Various tests indicated that dilution and surface defect of cladding layer had adverse effect on corrosion resistance. Surface defects should be controlled through cladding processing and detection means should be improved. Wear mechanism and evaluations methods were analyzed, and the emphasis was laid on the wear resistance of common cladding layer under three-body and two-body abrasive wear, respectively. It was found that requirements for coating hardness were different under different wear condition; the coating hardness should not be increased deliberately to guarantee wear resistance in second phase strengthening method since second phase hardening might reduce corrosion resistance. Abrasive wear should be prevented through structural design and maintenance. Under this premise, proper coating hardness should be 450HV. Fatigue life reduction after laser cladding was caused by residual tension stress and surface defect. Due to beneficial effects of work-hardening on stress status and coating hardness, study on fatigue life should be enhanced to accelerate application. It was a new research orientation to improve cladding efficiency by reducing thickness of cladding layer at low dilution rate.