We see a lot of Nike Dunks and Nike SB Dunks lately! Many people already called it ‘The year of Dunk’. So many different colorways and collabs released last year and also this year. But we still get a lot of questions about the difference between a Nike Dunk and a Nike SB Dunk. So let’s find out!
Nike Dunk
You may not know this, but let’s start with this. Nike Dunks have been around since 1985. They released as a high-top basketball sneaker. “Be true to your school’’ was Nike’s first marketing campaign for the Nike Dunks. It offered college basketball teams a way to wear their own colorway of Dunks. Last year Nike released these “Be true to your school” Dunks again. You might know them as the Nike Dunk Syracuse, Nike Dunk Kentucky, Nike Dunk Michigan, and so on.
Nike SB Dunk
By the early 1990’s Dunks were being sold at many discount stores. Skateboarders started to love the Nike Dunk because they were cheap and also good for skating. But it all really started in the early 2000’s, when Sandy Bodecker became general manager of Nike SB. Nike SB means Nike Skateboarding. Nike updated the Nike Dunk silhouette together with the entire skate culture, so it was especially created for skaters. The Nike Dunk SB was crafted with more comfort and extra safety in mind.
The difference between Nike Dunk and Nike SB Dunk
Not only the history of the Nike Dunk and Nike SB Dunk is different, but also the design is not the same. The biggest difference between these two is probably the tongue. The Nike SB Dunk has a thicker tongue than the Nike Dunk. You can recognize a Nike SB Dunk also on the logo from Nike SB on the tongue as well. Then the laces. The laces of a Nike SB Dunk are thicker than the laces on a Nike Dunk.
And did you know that there was a difference between the outsoles? The outsole from a Nike SB Dunk has more finer rings for more grip and flexibility while skating. And let’s not forget about the insoles. The Nike SB Dunk insoles are more comfortable, with a Zoom Air pod on the heel. The Nike Dunks have a more simple foam insole.
The Nike Dunk and Nike SB Dunk are both beautiful in their own way! Which one do you like more, the Nike Dunk or the Nike SB Dunk?
