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Nike SB Chron Shoes
Nike, Inc. is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet, but it originally started as an underdog sneaker company in Oregon. Nike's brand spirit was born from the niche, obsessive of runners — an independent sport at the time. On a somewhat parallel yet different track, skateboarding began as an underground, solo sport that evolved into its own subculture, which many outsiders initially saw as peculiar and risky. Today, skateboarding is a globally recognized sport, hobby and lifestyle. Its mainstream appeal owes thanks to the sport's inclusion in the Olympics, X-Games and athletes like Tony Hawk and Paul Rodriguez, who easily cross over from skate to pop culture.
Nike and Skateboarding: Original Underdogs Unite
In the mid-90s, Nike failed miserably in its attempt to enter the skateboarding category with Bam Margera and dated silhouettes like the Nike Air Choad. The line came off as inauthentic and quickly disappeared. When Nike skateboarding, better known as Nike SB, launched in 2002, some within the skate culture saw it as another impending corporate cash grab. Properly competing within the skate world required an essential combination of strategy, positioning, marketing, and most importantly, authenticity.
Sandy Bodecker, often hailed the Godfather of Nike SB, was the right person for the job. Bodecker, who started with the Swoosh back in 1979, understood the power of narrative and connection when it comes to product marketing. If Nike SB were to succeed in selling to actual skateboarders, it had to connect with the shops they frequented and sponsor the athletes they emulated.
Nike SB Chron Choices: Premium or SLR?
The Nike SB Chron comes in a few variations, one of which is the Premium, often shortened to PRM. The Nike SB Chron Premium is a sneaker that typically uses a fresh textile print, like the Off Noir/Off Noir/White/Iron Grey (CK0980-005). The Chron Premium Jade Horizon/White colorway (CK0980-300) features an artistic geometric canvas print in black and white offsetting a jade green suede overlay on the upper.
SLR is often an additional descriptor found on shoes like the Nike SB Chron SLR in Golden Beige/White (CD6278-200). SLR refers to Nike's Solarsoft technology insoles, which typically come standard in current Nike SB Chron models.
The Nike SB Chron remains a classic, everyday skate shoe or casual sneaker. Its versatility, value and modern styling make it a cool collectible.
The First Four and the SB Expansion
The original skate team of Richard Mulder, Danny Supa, Reese Forbes, and Gino Iannucci gave the Nike SB brand instant credibility. However, it took years of grassroots efforts and collaborations with brands like Supreme and artists like Futura to truly position Nike SB as a category built for skaters, not posers.
After the success of the Nike SB Dunk low and high, the SB category expanded to other silhouettes that appealed to the needs of skaters looking for styles that weren't stylistically closer to basketball shoes. That's when the Nike SB Chron hit the scene.
The SB Chron is a low-top skate shoe with a suede and canvas upper for lightweight comfort and needed support. Like other sneakers in the SB product line, the Chron SB features a vulcanized outsole that gives the skater a better board feel and grip without midsole bulk. The outsole's classic herringbone pattern offers superior traction, and the extended toe bumper protects the sneaker on impact and from wear and tear. The padded tongue is lined in mesh for extra comfort and breathability, while the removable Solarsoft dual-density insole offers a customizable fit. An embroidered Swoosh logo on the lateral side of the sneaker adds a stylish finishing touch.
With a $70 box price, the Nike SB Chron is an affordable skate shoe and comes in men's sizes 4 to 14. This extended size range accommodates women and smaller-footed male skaters. The most popular colorways of the SB Chron are classic, neutral styles often with gum soles, such as the White/Obsidian (CD6278-100), Navy/Gum (CD6278-400), and Black/Black/Black/White (CD6278-006).