Nike Dunk Size and Fit Guide

The Nike Dunk was designed by Peter Moore and released in 1985 as part of 'Be True to Your School,' a campaign encouraging college basketball teams to color-coordinate their shoes to match their uniforms. Taking design cues from the Air Jordan 1 and Nike Terminator, the silhouette paired an all-leather upper with contrasting overlays and a grippy rubber outsole.

The Dunk soon eclipsed its court heritage to impact other areas of culture, from skateboarding to luxury fashion. To this day, the silhouette is synonymous with Sandy Bodecker, the late designer who revived Nike’s languishing SB division by honing in on the shoe in the early 2000s and spawned a cultural phenomenon. The sneaker returned to wider cultural consciousness again in the late 2010s, embraced by artists such as Travis Scott and buoyed by the ‘Black/White’ (Panda) colorway.

Nearly 40 years since its debut, the Dunk’s legacy of reinvention is rivaled by few silhouettes, making up the bedrock of Nike’s sneaker program alongside the Air Jordan 1, Air Force 1 and a handful of others. Below, discover which Nike Dunk is right for you with our dedicated size and fit guide.

How Do Nike Dunks Fit? 

High vs Low vs Mid

The Nike Dunk is optioned in three iterations: high-top, mid-top and low-top. The low and high-top versions are the most popular styles and account for most Dunk collaborations. The high-top silhouette is heavier and offers additional ankle support, while the low-top is more flexible. 

The standard Nike Dunk bears some minor differences from the SB iteration. The SB Dunk’s tongue is reinforced with additional cushioning, while a Zoom Air pod in the heel and Poron foam forefoot insole are incorporated to help soften ground contact. Additional SB design modifications include an optimized outsole with additional rings for grip and puffy, abrasion-resistant laces.

Dunk sizes for kids are marked as GS (Grade School).

Narrow vs Wide Feet

All iterations of the Nike Dunk and Nike SB Dunk fit true to size. In general, the toe box has a broader fit (especially the SB versions) than silhouettes like the Air Jordan 1, although this will be hard to discern for the average wearer. It is advisable to take your normal size for the Dunk.

People with wide feet may opt for a half size up for a roomier fit. Similarly, people with narrow feet may opt for a half size down for a tighter fit.

Women’s Nike Dunks Fit 

The Nike Dunk for women fits true to size. As outlined above, those with wider or narrower feet may go up or down a half size for additional comfort.

How Comfortable Are Nike Dunks?

The Nike Dunk is a comfortable shoe suitable for daily wear. Despite its performance heritage, however, the Dunk is not an ideal shoe for sports above recreational level. For basketball, a specialist silhouette designed for today’s game should be sought out instead. Similarly, SB models optimized for durability, movement and boardfeel should be considered for skateboarding.

Sizing Similar to Nike Dunks

The Nike Dunk’s toe box is wider than the Air Jordan 1 and narrower than the Air Force 1. In terms of silhouettes with a similar size profile, the Dunk is often compared to the adidas Superstar.

Size Conversions

It is advised that men go one and a half sizes up from a pair of women’s Dunks (for example, a man that generally wears a size 10 should opt for a size 11.5 in women’s Dunks). Men with wider feet can go a full two sizes up in women’s Dunks (a size 12 in women’s Dunks using the previous example). 

The opposite sizing should be applied for women buying men’s Dunks (for example, a woman that generally wears a size 8 should opt for a size 6.5 in men’s Dunks).

Nike Dunks Size and Fit FAQ

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