Nike SB Dunks are GREAT for skating. It is one of the most influential and demanded skating shoes in the skating industry. These are iconic shoes that skater loves to wear and keep in their collection.
In 2002, Nike was amongst the first who recognize the growing number of skate lovers and attempt to make shoes, especially for them. After many failed attempts, they finally redesigned their original basketball shoes into Skate shoes.
They soon established the legendary Nike SB Dunk with upgraded shoes and a smart marketing strategy. Famous skaters, renowned artists, and brand collaborations became popular among skaters, even non-skaters. The striking colorways and great elements needed for skating made SB Dunks the most desired skating shoes ever.
Are Nike SB Dunks Good for Skating?
If anyone wants a good skating experience, they should consider getting Nike SB Dunks. The following features make Nike SB Dunks preferred and perfect shoes for your skating practice:
Fitting:
A good skating experience starts with the right fitting shoes. Roomy and correctly fitted shoes improve the board feel and comfort. The rule of thumb: there should be an inch of space left on the front area from the big toe. It will provide you with enough room without squeezing your feet. Well-fitted shoes help you with doing tricks like kickflips or ollies.
Nike SB Dunks run true to size and fit perfectly in your actual shoe size. SB Dunks are best suited for wide feet, so they will offer broad space to relax your feet and protect them from injuries. You can choose your desired fitting and shape depending on the materials and models of each release. Nike SB Dunks comes in sizes for everyone men, women, kids, and unisex.
| US Men’s | US Women’s | UK | EU | Japan | Heel to Toe (IN) |
| 6 | 7 | 5.5 | 38.5 | 24 | 9 3/8 |
| 6.5 | 7.5 | 6 | 39 | 24.5 | 9.5 |
| 7 | 8 | 6 | 40 | 25 | 9 5/8 |
| 7.5 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 40.5 | 25.5 | 9 7/8 |
| 8 | 9 | 7 | 41 | 26 | 10 |
| 8.5 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 42 | 26.5 | 10 1/8 |
| 9 | 10 | 8 | 42.5 | 27 | 10 3/8 |
| 9.5 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 43 | 27.5 | 10.5 |
| 10 | 11 | 9 | 44 | 28 | 10 5/8 |
| 10.5 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 44.5 | 28.5 | 10 7/8 |
| 11 | 12 | 10 | 45 | 29 | 11 |
| 11.5 | – | 10.5 | 45.5 | 29.5 | 11 1/8 |
| 12 | – | 11 | 46 | 30 | 11 3/8 |
| 12.5 | – | 11.5 | 47 | 30.5 | 11.5 |
| 13 | – | 12 | 47.5 | 31 | 11 5/8 |
Upper Profile (High-Mid-Low):
Nike typically has three upper/topper profiles: High, Mid, and Low. People have their preferences with these models, and they do come with their particularity:
Highs: High tops are best for ankle support. Nike SB Dunk highs are fashionable and provide the comfiest ankle support. It gives a cozy warm feel. From highs, you can get utmost protection alongside stability.
Mids: Mids have both Lows, and Highs features combined. Some Mid tops of Nike have a strap with lacing, which helps with secure fitting. Mids offer good ankle protection as well as decent ankle mobility.
Lows: Lows allow maximum ankle mobility. Newer editions of Nike SB Dunks Lows are to be said the most suitable for skating as it offers the most ankle mobility and flexibility. It’s best for breathability.
Board Feel & Grip:
Generally, a cupsole is good for the impact defense, and vulcanized soles are suitable for board feel. Nike SB Dunks has both flexible vulcanized sole and sturdy cupsole shoes.
Nike SB Vulcanized shoes are flexible and lightweight, thus giving an excellent board feeling. Again SBs cupsole delivers durability and impact protection. Its phylon, or EVA foam midsole and Zoom air unit insole, is great for shock absorption.
You can get a top-notch broad feel and support depending on the soles. In terms of gripping, the SB’s sole materials are grooved specially for skating yet not sticky, so it’s easy to do all the flicks and tricks wearing them.
If interested, you can go through our article, are Jordan 1s good for skating?
I hope you are enjoying our guide, are Nike SB Dunks good for skating. Let’s move to the next point.
Comfort:
A skater knows how vital cushioning is for a skate shoe. The stress you feel on your feet, ankle, and joints while doing tricks demands heavy protection and padding. Most protection and comfort come from suede or leather material upper and foamy inside padding.
Nike SB Dunks has protective leather-made or flexible suede-made shoes.
Besides, the memory foam padded collar provides ankle protection. Iconic fat padded tongue with the forefront hidden lacing system can also add to the protection from injuries and comfort.
Foamy midsole and zoom air unit insole give rich and responsive cushioning to protect your feet from injuries. SB Dunks are breathable and provide a healthy weight balance.
You can read our article, are Nike Blazers good for skating?
Durability:
The durability of a skate shoe depends on some important parts of skate shoes like double/triple stitching, high-quality materials, flexible soles, lace protection, reinforced toe cap, and proper cushioning.
The extra durable and grippy thick rubber vulcanized cupsole is the staple feature of Nike SBs. Usually, suedes can be more durable and flexible than leather. Double or triple stitching and toe cap protection of Nike SBs and protection of Nike prevent tearing up while doing ollies and kickflips. Protected Lace loops take significant impact from the coarseness of the grip tape. Extra pairs of laces can easily prolong the use period. From many pro skaters’ experiences, with heavy skating, Nike SB Dunks can last 2-3 months, and on average, skating 3-6 months and more.
But of course, the durability depends on usage, grip tape quality, caring of the shoes, and the tricks ones do. To skate in your shoes longer, you can put shoe goo or hot glue on the ollie and kickflip area before you get any holes.
You can also check our article, are Air Force 1s good for skating?
Price & Limited Issue:
Nike SB Dunk always has been the most popular shoe for skating. High-profile collaborations made the SBs, the most picked shoes for styling and skating.
Moreover, the Limited Edition issue, compared with a vast demand, made SBs highly expensive shoes. Limited places to buy and the hype issue added to the price value. SB Dunks usually cost around $100 a pair or a bit more at retail, depending on the models. But for reselling, the price may vary.
Places to Buy:
Due to the popularity and demand, sometimes it gets hard to find a pair of Nike SB Dunks. You can typically find Nike SB Dunks at NIKE STORE or Nike retailer shops. People mostly buy from local skateboard shops or any aftermarket site on resell.
So are Nike SB Dunks really good for Skating? Yes, they are! Now let’s see if there is any limitation of SB Dunks as skate shoes.
Limitations of Nike SB Dunks:
Despite being the most hyped and admired skating shoes, Nike SB Dunks have some limitations.
The stiff shoe materials can be irritating initially and a big no-no for some. Some may have issues with the impact-taking capability of its thin sole. Several even prefer a thin tongue over a padded one. Not to mention people find it overhyped and thus overprized. Limited Edition issues leave people angsty.
Best Skating Shoes of Nike SB Dunks:
Nike SB Dunks line has many types of designer models. As Nike collaborates with many skaters and artists, every edition has its unique appearance and features. Some famous and great shoes are:
Nike SB Shane:
The Nike SB team collaborated with the Tech Pro Shane O’Neill and made this amazingly functional skate shoe. Any narrow feet sneaker lover would love this.
It’s simple but stylish, made of leather and suede. SB Shane is lightweight yet amply cushioned, extremely grippy, and durable.
It is also shock-absorbent and incredibly ventilated. Shane also provides a unique sock liner with no break-in issues. It gives full ankle mobility and support.
Nike SB Blazer Mid:
It’s the top choice for many skaters or non-skaters for its highly stylish look and comfort. Blazer Mid has a flexible and grippy vulcanized rubber sole that works excellent for board feel and stability.
The best thing is that it provides good ankle support and arch support. This suede-made shoe offers great ankle mobility like Lows. This desired shoe will give you the best performance for skating and long walks.
Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski Shoes:
The pro skateboarder and artist Stefan Janoski merged with Nike’s SB and then created this famous line of shoes. Janoski’s shoe has an extraordinary board feel and responsiveness.
The thick vulcanized rubber sole delivers good grips and response. The zoom air unit helps with the cushioning and support. This super stylish shoe comes with a broken-in feel. It gives reliable comfort with durability.
Are Nike SB Dunks Good For Skating? Final Opinion
Nike SB Dunks are wonderful shoes for skating. From Pro skaters to daily sneaker users love to wear them. SB Dunks are super versatile and go with every style. Sneaker admirers love to wear them or even collect them. Sb dunks offer limitless possibilities for skating.
Regardless of having all the great features, some issues like stiffness need more improvement. After saying everything, Nike SB Dunks are a superior choice. They are admired in the skating community.
Now let’s look at some frequently asked questions related to Nike SB Dunks and Skating?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Nike SB Dunks meant for skating?
Answer: Yes, Nike SB Dunks are meant for skating. SB Dunks happens to be a skater, one of the most-liked pairs for skating.
2. Are Dunks skate shoes?
Answer: Not really. To have a better experience wear Nike SB Dunks, which are made especially for Skating.
3. What’s the difference between SB Dunk and regular Dunks?
Answer: The main difference between the SB Dunks and regular Dunks is: Both have different designs; SB has vibrant colorways and a padded tongue. SBs are for skating, and regular Dunks are for everyday wear.