About

Nike SB Blazer: the same shape, a completely different sole

The Blazer is a 1973 basketball shoe with a hard, glued sole. The SB version looks identical from above, but stands on something quite different: a vulcanized sole, where the rubber is bonded to the upper with heat instead of being glued underneath. That produces a shoe that flexes smoothly and in which you feel the shape of your foot. For skating that is the difference between having control and just standing on the board.

The rest of the adjustments follow the same logic. The upper is made of suede, which withstands griptape abrasion better than smooth leather. The collar and tongue have extra padding. The insole contains a Zoom unit that absorbs the impact of a landing. And the band between midsole and upper runs higher than on the regular Blazer, exactly where a shoe first wears out while sliding.

On this page you often see GT in the title. Those are the initials of Grant Taylor, the skater whose input this version was rebuilt around. It’s the most common variant in the selection, and the designation is rarely explained.

The large Swoosh remains and still covers almost the entire side, from the sole edge past the midfoot. That is why the model stayed so recognizable in the skate world: there is no other silhouette where that logo sits so large.

Note the naming when searching. Nike also sells this model as the Zoom Blazer, where the Zoom unit is included in the name, and both variants appear mixed in the listings. For the regular versions look under the Blazer Low and the Blazer Mid; for the other major SB silhouette see the SB Dunk.

On this page you can see which versions of the Nike SB Blazer are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, from which price they can be found, and in how many shops they are in stock.