Friday, January 16, 2009

Nike goes retro with Nike Dunk

By Jay Wayne

Nike has long been one of the great innovators and trends setters in the sneaker market. They started by turning the hottest player in the country into a sneaker line that just destroyed the competition and never looked back. The Nike swoosh has been synonymous with quality and 'must have' items from just about the first day they came into the sneaker business. Their slogan, 'just do it' often translated to the youth of America as 'got to have it'.

20 years ago Nike took the world by storm with the Nike Dunk. It was a revolutionary leather sneaker that quickly became the must-have item of the 80s. It is being re-released in six different models: The Dunk Vintage, Dunk Premium, Dunk Supreme, Dunkesto, High and Low. Each of these uses the classic as its base and then five of them add a twist of modern technology.

You don't need a time machine to go back 20 years, simply slip on a pair of Nike Dunk Vintage sneakers and you are transported back to the 80s when he dominated the courts. The sneakers are treated to look like they just walked off the court instead of coming straight out of a box. All the original materials of the period are used in their construction including a retro outer and uppersole.

If you want a great classic with a touch of modern technology, the Nike Dunk Premium is exactly the sneaker for you. Incorporating Zoom air padding, and eco-leather tongue and breathable mesh, Nike has brought this great sneaker into the modern day. While the original is still a very good shoe, this makes it a great one.

The Nike Dunk Supreme is seems to be the culmination of just about every great aspect of shoe that this company has provided for the last 20 years. The shoe features a lowered Zoom Air unit, black leather upper and raised leather label on the tongue that will make you drift back to the day when your buddy has the first pair of Jordan's and you ran right out and got a pair yourself. If there was a Mona Lisa of sneakers, this would be it.

If you are looking for shoe that is meant to dominate the courts, look no further as the Dunkesto is exactly what you have been praying for. Not to say you can't walk around on the street with his sneaker, but you should be arrested for doing so. This baby is meant to grace the courts and should be attached to anyone flying as Michael Jordan did when he wore his Nikes. A lining of Kuma mesh, clean lines a flexible Zoom air unit and adjustable Velcro not only modernize a classic sneaker, but take it into the future. This is a sneaker any serious ballplayer would be proud to wear.

A simpler model of the vintage is the Nike Dunk High (also features a low model) that features a cool mesh tongue, padded sole and handcrafted upper. The Nike Dunk Core is still featured on the outsole, but has been redesigned to make the sneaker absolutely incredible. It is arguably one of the hottest in the stores today.

With all of these models to choose from, you can clearly see that Nike is bringing back a secret weapon to do battle with. Whether you choose to buy the classic or take advantage of modern technology, you're getting a sneaker of the highest quality. This is proof that Nike has not only produced great shoes for 20 years, but that they will do the same for many years to come. - 16463

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