Nike SB Through the Years

Nike SB celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, completing twenty years of great success. Twenty years that included high and low moments, but the brand has always found ways to re-emerge in the culture and in the hearts of sneaker collectors and Nike SB lovers alike. The hype behind the skate brand has experienced its lulls, but strategic creative design moves and collaborations have kept the flame burning for these past two decades, a feat to be celebrated. In 2022, Nike acknowledged its own success with Nike SB commemorative parties and events which included a historic collaborative event with eBay in Portland, Oregon, to give back to the skateboard community by releasing old Nike SBs for the original $65 retail price with the condition that a person must skate the purchased sneaker out of the store. This event with eBay revolved around the release of the Nike SB eBay dunk, a sneaker with historical significance, which was released late last year.

In recent memory, starting in 2018 and into 2019, Nike SB had once again reached the pinnacle of sneaker hype. Beginning with the Canary Yellow Diamond dunk released at Complexcon in 2018, continuing with the Travis Scott collab, and peaking with the Chunky Dunky which reached the mass community outside of the sneaker space we live in, this era has been marked with memorable, historic moments. But how does this era stack up against the pink or silver Nike SB box eras? Is this era filled with hype and not quality? Will this era be remembered as the Renaissance of Nike SB? Well I’m not here to debate one way or another, but instead I want to list some of the most iconic SBs from each box era as an ode to the twenty years of Nike SB success.

You may not agree with the SBs chosen to represent each era. However, this list isn’t a greatest Nike SBs list, but it’s instead a list of great SBs that had significance during each box era.

Orange Box Era (Mar '02 - Dec '02)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Supa', 'Gino', 'Mulder', 'Reese'

The four skaters that started it all. The first wave of the Nike SB lineage.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Supreme White Cement'

Supreme New York began it's momentous line with Nike by putting the elephant print on a Nike SB. The result was a SB grail.

Silver Box Era (Jan '03 - Sep '04)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Paris'

Extremely limited and rare, a piece of art that collectors spend a fortune on.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Heineken'

Legal ramifications ensued for Nike after releasing this classic without an official collaboration with Heineken. Now, we might see a 2.0 in 2023.

Pink Box Era (Sep '04 - Dec '05)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Pigeon'

Hype. Hype. Hype. The front page of newspapers, this one started the hysteria that we have seen throughout the years.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Diamond'

Nicky Diamonds and Nike SB put together a extraordinarily coveted pair of sneakers. To this day, this pair holds up as one of the best in the Nike SB line.

Black Box Era (Feb 06 - Sep 07)

Nike Dunk High Pro SB 'MF Doom'

R.I.P. MF Doom. The second rapper to have a Nike SB collaboration. A sneaker that has seen a boost in hype after being worn by Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Dia De Los Muertos'

Celebrating Mexican heritage and the Day of the Dead, this decorative sneaker only released in Canada and Mexico. Extremely difficult to find.

Gold Box Era (Oct '07 - Mar '09)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'What The Dunk'

Take the first five golden years of Nike SB and put it in one sneaker. That's what this is.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Concepts Red Lobster'

The sequels rarely ever stack up to the original. Lobsters are usually red.

Blue Box Era (Apr '09 - Jun '12)

Nike Dunk High Pro SB 'Skunk Dunk'

A smoker's dream on a perfectly executed Nike SB. You get high just looking at it.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk High Pro SB 'Statue of Liberty'

Wear and skate this shoe til the copper colored layer shows. Nike SB knows how to throw bullseyes at the concept wall.

Taped Box Era (Jul '12 - Nov '13)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Supreme Red Cement'

Not as good as the originals, but we'll take it. It's Supreme. How could you not?

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Pushead II'

Nike SB has a good few ones here and there during this era, but they started making sequels that just do not compare to the OGs.

Teal Box Era (Dec '13 - Dec '19)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Canary Diamond'

Nike SB once again struck gold...or maybe diamond. The hype re-emerges.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB ' Concepts Green/Purple Lobster'

An ongoing thing of beauty. Not sure when it'll end, but is anyone complaining?

Striped Box Era (Jan '20 - Present)

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Chunky Dunky'

Ice cream and Nike SB doesn't make much sense to me, but the mass hype behind this one will never be forgotten. Who would've thought.

Honorable Mention: Nike Dunk Low Pro SB 'Travis Scott'

It's Travis Scott and on a Nike SB. Enough said.