Dunks vs SB: Difference and Comparison

Dunk is a type of shoe manufactured by a brand known as Nike. Nike is a well-known brand and serves worldwide.

The products produced and released by Nike are considered to be fashionable among the youth. Nike gives a specific category of dunk shoes and term dunks, and SB falls into that category.

Key Takeaways

1. Nike Dunk is a versatile shoe designed for basketball and casual wear, whereas Nike SB is a specialized skateboarding shoe.
2. Nike SB shoes feature additional padding and cushioning for better support and impact protection, while Dunks have a simpler, more streamlined design.
3. The SB line includes a variety of signature models endorsed by professional skateboarders, while Dunks are known for their iconic colorways and collaborations.

Dunks vs SB

“Dunks” refers to the Nike Dunk shoe, which was first released in 1985 as a basketball shoe and has become a popular casual sneaker used for skateboarding. “SB” stands for “Skateboarding” and refers to Nike’s line of skateboarding shoes, which includes the Dunk SB.

Dunk is a specific shoe sold by the Nike brand worldwide. Dunks were introduced to the market almost three decades ago and are still as trendy among people as they were at the time of their launch.

Dunks are the prime rival of another brand known as Jordan. In today’s time, Dunks has adopted a new form apart from the original one.

Nike uses the term SB for its shoe models focused on skateboarding. SB is the short-term for skateboarding.

SB is another type of dunk but not for regular use. SB dunks are loved by skaters worldwide because of their unique shape and style.

SB dunks come in various varieties.

Comparison Table

Parameters Of Comparison	Dunks	SB
Released	The Nike dunk was released almost thirty-five years ago in 1995.	Nike SB dunk was released in 2002 but their production started in 1997.
Criteria	Dunk shoes got trendy among basketball players when they were launched for the first time.	Nike manufactured SB dunk solely for skateboard riders.
Padding	Dunk shoes have less padding compared to SB shoes.	SB dunk shoes were focused on skateboarding and to provide comfort for riders they have enough padding.
Laces	The laces that come with our standard laces.	SB Dunks come with thicker laces that are oval-shaped. These laces last longer.
Stitching line	The classic dunk has a stitching line over the logo attached to the shoe on the side.	In SB dunk, the stitching line over the logo has been removed which gives it a perfect look.

What is Dunks?

People like to wear sneakers daily, and Nike dunks can be the best option for such people. Dunks were released for the first time in 1985. It was drawn and designed by Peter Moore.

It was released under the title “ College Colour High “. Since its debut till now, the design of the model has changed dramatically.

Nike Dunk was a mash-up of different designs inspired by multiple shoe models. At first, it was considered to be very similar to Jordan, another brand that also makes designer shoes.

It was a modified version of the previous Nike shoe, the Nike Terminator. Peter Moore designed three types of shoes, and Dunk was the third.

When it was released, basketball players also liked it due to its fitting.

In the summer of 1985, footwear was being delivered to the schools by Nike. Nike used this technique to get basketball fans to support their favourite team along with the brand.

This process resulted in the whole collage color program of Nike. Nike made an advertisement tagline which was “be true to your school”, and featured it in 12 targeted schools.

The teams which were included in this program were Arizona, Kentucky, Georgia, Syracuse, etc.

What is SB?

Nike is an American brand that has been providing its services for a very long period. SB shoes are also made by Nike that come under the title Dunks.

The Nike SB was inspired by people who like skating. The production of SB dunk shoes began in 1997, but the product was launched or marketed in 2002.

It’s been 19 years since its launch, but the craze of SB dunk shoes never faded.

In the early stage, Nike faced many troubles in selling these shoes to the customer since the market was overflowed with other brands such as Emerica, Vans, Globe, DC, etc.

It was very tough to give competition to these already established brands and to receive enough support from the skateboarding community.

The low model of SB Dunk was released in 2000 that featured a collar and padded tongue within the shoes.

The style, which was used to design these shoes was similar to skate shoes. In the year 2004, Lewis Marnell and Paul Rodriguez were signed by Nike SB, respectively, as brand figureheads and team riders for Australia.

In 2007 a premier was held by Nike in New York City after releasing their first video, ‘Nothing but the Truth’.

Main Differences Between Dunks and SB

1. Regular Nike dunks, when launched, got adequate attention from the basketball players, while skateboard riders loved SB dunks.
2. Nike Dunk is the main brand that was released by the company, while the series known as SB is a type of regular dunk shoe.
3. The material used for padding in Nike Dunk was average, like other shoes, but the padding section took a lot of care when it comes to SB Dunk.
4. The material and shape of laces in dunk shoes were normal since they were not focused on sports, and laces are fatter in SB dunk since it’s sturdy and last longer.
5. Stitching lines in dunk shoes aren’t specific and overlap the adjacent design, which stitching lines are more fine and detailed to give a nicer look.

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0193723501252001
2. https://www.padovauniversitypress.it/publications/9788869381614

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023