The Forgotten Nike SB Dunks of Yesteryear
Via @_nate_w
We’re only at the halfway point, but it’s probably already safe to declare the as the unofficial silhouette of 2020. The court-turned-skate classic has experienced a never-before-seen in the sneaker circles, spurred on mainly by collaborative powerhouses, as well as well-curated rollout roster.
We know the SB Dunk is sneaker royalty, with a colossal compendium of releasing since the early 2000s. Yet still, there’s also a swag of lesser-known gems among the ranks. To call these underrated would be a gross understatement! Here’s a look back at some of the forgotten SB Dunks of yesteryear.
Nike SB Dunk High ‘Papa Bear’ (2006)
Inspired by Medicom BE@RBRICKs from the same year, this grizzly Grail was part of 2006’s ‘Three Little Bears’ Pack. Releasing alongside the ‘Mama Bear’ Mid and ‘Baby Bear’ Low, the ‘Papa Bear’ High was definitely the daddy of the bunch, coming through with the most wearable red and blue colourway, and the healthiest dose of synthetic orange bear hair. These actually sat on shelves after release, but eventually became one of most sought-after throwback colourways after Travis Scott was spotted rocking ‘em back in 2018.
Considering Nike SB’s recent hyped Dunk releases, these actually don’t seem too outlandish. Undoubtedly, there’d be countless hypefiends trying to get their paws on ‘em if they were released today.
Stones Throw x Nike SB Dunk High ‘Quasimoto’ (2006-2007)
Lord Quas! Nike SB put together these Dunk Highs for the 10th anniversary of indie music label Stones Throw Records. They feature a mature combo of blue herringbone twill, pale suede and brown textile. Stones Throw golden child Quasimoto (Madlib’s alter-ego) was embroidered on the heel counters, and the pair read ‘LORD QUAS’ when put together.
They were only ever made for the Stones Throw crew, and never saw a retail release, so don’t expect to find a pair easily. However, if you look hard enough, there's a handful of bad fakes that can be bought for some pesos.
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Trail Brown’ (2007)
Back in 2007, you could not have gotten more GR than these brown and white Dunk Lows with a black Swoosh. Granted, they had a bit of snake texture to add some depth but, anecdotally, these hit clearance racks at skate shops everywhere.
Old heads see loose hints of Nike Escape, while Hypebeasts and Travis Scott fans will probably see Air Jordan 1. With some third-party pink laces thrown into the mix, this former bargain-bin fodder suddenly commanded four-digit prices. The perfect example of the today’s revived old-SB Dunk resale bubble. Please, don’t retro them.
Nike SB Dunk High ‘Wet Floor’ (2009)
The ‘Wet Floor’ Dunk High is arguably the 'everyman’s SB'. Did you know it was designed by a janitor? Ian Williams started from the bottom – almost literally – as a custodian at Nike WHQ, and his persistence eventually led to him to design this very underrated SB Dunk High colourway.
Yellow leather, perforated white, a patent toebox, and red hints tie the theme down flawlessly. It’s reported that there were only 5000 pairs made of the ‘Wet Floor’, which puts its at comparable rarity to the ‘Tiffany’ (AKA ‘Diamond') Dunks! Today, Williams runs the sneaker-themed Deadstock Coffee in nearby Portland!
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Concord’ (2013)
Nike SB have never been shy in dabbling with the storied palettes of the Jumpman, famously taking the ‘Space Jam’ scheme to the Dunk Low in 2011. Two years later, they revisited the Air Jordan 11 theme, borrowing the iconic ‘Concord’ colourway for another shiny Dunk Low rendition. Considering the AJ11 'Concord' is one of most beloved sneakers of all time, its Dunk Low cousin is criminally forgotten.
Releasing on 4/20, these weren’t exactly green ‘n mean. That said, they were certainly classy AF. With a black patent leather upper and white Cordura nylon on the upper, the sneaker polished off the AJ11 look via a translucent outsole. The perfect Dunks to rock with your tux? We think so.
For more in-depth features on the Dunk and other iconic silhouettes, be sure to check out our section.