This one takes you straight to the streets of Thailand. Nike SB built the whole shoe around Som Tum — the spicy green papaya salad that hits you with sour, sweet, heat, and crunch all at once. It is a daily staple over there, and they packed that same energy into the Dunk.
The upper mixes a bunch of textures that nod right back to Thai culture. You have woven panels that look like the kratip baskets people use for rice everywhere in Thailand. Earthy beige and light brown suede overlays sit on top, while the toebox and sides have this knit-style texture that reminds you of shredded papaya and herbs. Blaze orange pops through on the stitching and laces like the chili heat in the salad. A metallic silver panel wraps the heel with traditional Thai patterns, and Nike is written in Thai script right there too.
Lift the tongue on each shoe and more details appear. One side shows a bowl of Som Tum with the mortar and pestle. The other has sticky rice in a bamboo steamer. The insoles carry rice bag graphics, and if you pull them out there is a hidden lotus flower on the Zoom Air unit underneath. It is a solid Thai food-inspired Dunk with a ton of small touches that ties it together.
Release Information
- Saturday, April 11
- In-store: 11AM ET
- Online: 2PM ET
- First come, first served
- MSRP $130
- Sizes 4M-15M
- One pair per customer
Matthew Kock
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