Nike SB
Nike Skateboarding (commonly known as Nike SB) is Nike's skateboarding brand. This division of Nike produces and sells skate shoes, clothing and equipment.
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Brand History
Nike did not officially enter into the skateboarding market until March of 2002, but even before its official entrance Nike sneakers were popular with some skaters. The emergence of skateboarding in the 1980s led to the foundation of many smaller skateboard companies around the world. Airwalk was one such company, creating oversized sneakers with inflated tongues, thick soles, and suede exteriors for the rough use of skateboarders. While Nike did not cater or market to skateboarders, their basketball shoes shared many of the characteristics of the skate shoes being produced by companies such as Airwalk. Some skaters adopted Nike basketball shoes for their strong grips, strong ankle support, and comfort. However, the majority of the skate scene, which has traditionally flocked to smaller "underground" companies stayed away from Nike due to the stigma associated with the companies commercial image.
The 1990's ushered in many advancements in skate shoe technology, and DC Shoes stepped in as a major player in the Skateboarding market. Nike's Airforce Ones also gathered a following within the skate community. Toward the end of the '90s, Nike also began releasing older models that they felt would be popular among the growing skateboarding population.
In 2002, Nike made its entrance into the skateboarding market official by creating its Nike SB division. They released four pairs of Nike SB Dunks, which became known as the Artists Series Dunks. Since this first release, Nike SB has grown immensely and SBs have become incredibly collectible. The extensive colorways offered have even led some to collect solely Nike SB sneakers.
Today, Nike SB shoes are often released in very limited quantities, which can lead to high prices both in stores and on the aftermarket.
Nike SB Lines
Nike Dunk SB
The Nike SB brand was launched with the Nike Dunk SB. The basic design for this shoe was essentially the same as the Nike Dunk with a few modifications to gear the shoe toward skateboarders. Such modifications include an improved cushioning system, extra padding around the ankle and tongue, and improved quality in the materials and stitching used in the shoe's construction.
Nike P-Rod SB
The Nike P-Rod SB was Nike SB's first signature shoe. They chose Paul Rodriguez as the name behind the model because of his stature and dominance in the world of skateboarding. This choice helped Nike Skateboarding gain more respect and credibility. P-Rods tend to feature more subtle colorways than SB Dunks or other Nike SB sneaker lines.
Nike Zoom FC SB
The Nike Zoom FC SB is another addition to the Nike SB sneaker line. The Nike Zoom FC was originally an indoor soccer shoe, but Nike SB made a few modifications and adopted the shoe as its own, in the same way they turned the Nike Dunk into the Nike Dunk SB. Despite their origin as an indoor soccer shoe, Nike has actually produced more colorway variations of the Nike Zoom FC SB than the original Nike Zoom FC.
Nike Blazer SB
Like the Dunk SB and the Zoom FC SB, the Nike Blazer SB was adapted from a Nike shoe originally produced for another sport. The Nike Blazer was originally a basketball shoe, but Nike modified the shoe by adding a Zoom Air insole for much-needed cushioning and additional padding throughout the shoe. The first Blazer SB dropped in the spring of 2005.
Nike Delta Force SB
The Nike Delta Force SB was based off of the Nike Delta Force basketball shoe. This SB was released in the summer of 2004, and has since been released in six colorways. There have been rumors that the Delta Force SB has been discontinued by Nike due to poor sales.
Nike Zoom Tre SB
The Nike Zoom Tre SB was released by Nike SB in 2006. It is one of the most technologically advanced skate shoes put out by Nike as well as any other company. The shoe features the the Zoom Air outsole that is common to all Nike SB shoes, but it also has a 3D injected toe and other features that make it great for skateboarding.
Nike SB Zoom Team Edition
The Nike SB Zoom Team Edition was first released in June 2005. This model has traditional style skate shoe soles, suede/action leather uppers, ollie/kickflip protection panels, and lower lace shields.
Nike Air Classic SB
The Nike Air Classic SB was released by Nike in 2005. Like most other shoes in the SB line, it was converted from another shoe, the Nike Court Classic. To make it more suitable for skaters, Nike added extra padding to the tongue and a Zoom Air unit in the insole. However, the shoe is not as practical for skating as other Nike SB models.