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The last dunks I picked up were the classic green SB dunk lows, and now we’re moving away from SB to a regular Sportswear release. These Nike Dunk High First Use are part of a pack of several sneakers
The First Use pack includes other Dunk Highs, Air Force 1s, Blazers, Air Max 90s etc. The pack is a 50th anniversary tribute to Nike trademarking the Swoosh logo back in 1971.
The Swoosh was created by graphic design student Carolyn Davidson, who had met Phil Knight when he was still a teacher. He was preparing to found his own shoe brand and needed a logo. Apparently, she was paid $35 for the design at the time which is equivalent to around $200 in 2021 dollars. A decade later she would get some shares in Nike as well.
Why I Copped these Dunk High First Use
I was checking through aftermarket sites just kind of looking around at different pairs. I saw these and had remembered seeing them somewhere online, maybe social media or a sneaker news type site. Turns out they released recently overseas and while I’m writing this have an impending US drop date.
They caught my eye in a positive way and the price wasn’t too bad on these, so I pulled the trigger on a pair. I’m guessing based on the relatively low prices on these, there’s not a lot of hype for this particular colorway. Other colorways in the pack seem to be a bit more anticipated.
Personally I like white and red combos on sneakers. It’s one of the reasons I like the Big Gulp SBs. With the white laces in, they make a good red and white pair. These on the other hand are newer and a bit cleaner with that University Red tone.
I also like the double laced approach to how these arrived. I’ve since relaced them which was very time consuming – I don’t recommend it. They seem to be taking a page out of the Sacai Nike collab style with this element.
It’s cool they included the swoosh deubre and have all the nods to the origins of the swoosh. The mismatched swoosh types from the inside to the outside of the sneaker being a cool example of a couple of different swoosh iterations.
Overall one of the things about this shoe is the relatively clean and straightforward colorway packed with lots of details. This is a shoe with a lot going on in a deceptively simple palette, which I really like. When it comes to celebrating it’s own history, Nike definitely knows how to pay tribute via footwear. The swoosh itself is an iconic emblem so it seems fitting that Nike would release a pack of shoes featuring different swooshes and related details.
Details / Materials
Starting off we have the vintage script Nike logo in black and orange on a white nylon tongue tag. This all sits on a nylon tongue. On the back of the tongue tag we get the message “For the 50th anniversary of the Swoosh, we celebrate the detail and craft of its humble beginnings” in black.
Moving Down we have suede eyelets that lead to a leather toebox with a suede mudguard. Moving to the side we have another leather panel with a white embroidered swoosh outline. The text “First use June 29, 1971” is printed underneath in white. We get another suede panel on the wing flaps and more leather on the back with a suede lace lacetab. On the inward facing part of the shoe we have a solid white leather swoosh instead of the outline seen on the other side.
The insole is white with a graphic showing a timeline of iterations of the Nike swoosh logo. The graphic starts with the original trademark filing and ends with a swoosh from 1992. The outsole is all red with the Nike logo towards the middle.
These ship with sets of white and red flat laces. These seem to be the softer vintage laces as opposed to a basic or stretchy lace. The double lace is how they came and I wanted to keep that here, although technically one could choose one or the other or rock a mismatch. These also include swoosh deubres in a metallic looking plastic with a little gem in them. They came laced in higher up but I wanted to move them down closer to the toe similar to the Supreme SB dunk highs from back in the day. The box is a typical orange Nike Sportswear box.
So we get a couple laces and a deubre as well as special details and graphics around the shoe, which for a retail of $120 is pretty good from Nike! It’s not surprising though since they would want to go all out to celebrate their own success.
How is the Quality on the Nike Dunk High First Use?
Besides the nylon tongue, we basically get suede and leather here. While nothing on the shoe is terrible, I think the materials are where the shoe is a bit of a let down.
The leather here feels super basic. It’s better than the plastic leather we got on some of the earlier dunk releases this year, but still seems overall unremarkable. The texture reminds me of that rubbery leather that’s found on general release Air Force 1s sometimes.
The suede used is not buttery. It’s mostly rough to the touch and no backstroke. Not quite to the sandpaper level but still, we know they can do a lot better than this.
The craftsmanship seems ok on these. Nothing’s really jumping out to me although I predict those white laces are going to get some dye transfer from the red parts of the shoe eventually. These seem overall good though on the QC, nothing out of the ordinary.
The materials work so that you can wear the shoe. They feel very solidly constructed compared to some of the dunk low retro models we saw a few months ago. Still, the materials are not what is premium about the shoe – it’s the look, colorway and details that make these special.
How The First Use Dunks Fit
The First Use Dunk Highs fit true to size. Dunk Highs that are not SBs tend to have a nice, roomy fit.
I normally wear a 9.5 in most Nikes and consider that my true Nike size. I usually do my true size on dunks, and overall I recommend that whatever you normally get in Nike, stick with that same true to size.
With these materials, the area around the toebox is less stiff and less likely to give me pinky rub. That in addition to the overall roomier fit of non-SB dunk highs usually works out for me. I was correct on both parts. So I can confirm depending on your foot shape and fit preference, a half size down can work with these. True to size is always a safe bet though.
Comfort
The comfort here is basic. The Nike dunk is kind of a no-frills type of feeling underfoot, it’s just a basic midsole and insole combo. It’s not uncomfortable, but not really noteworthy either. Just a basic bit of support to keep your feet off the ground.
The upper here is somewhat pliable which aids in the fit and also is decently comfy. I’ve definitely felt more comfy uppers, especially coming off buying some Ultraboost and Flyknit pairs recently. Still, as long as the uppers can move with my foot instead of being like a stiff cast, I’m ok with the fit and feel of the dunk.
Are there more comfy shoes out there? Sure. Are these still wearable for a few hours at a time? Of course!
Final Thoughts
This red and white colorway is really sharp in my opinion. That combined with the history and thematic elements jammed into the shoe make this a nice pickup. I also kind of like the sail and orange looking version of these as well.
It’s kind of annoying that my chances of a retail cop on a pair of dunks like this are pretty low, but at least certain dunks get slept on a bit now. Meaning at least some colorways are attainable at prices that don’t seem that outrageous.
The materials and comfort here are standard general release dunk fare, nothing really notable or spectacular in those departments. When it comes to dunks though, one of the most important things for me is that they are gonna look great on feet, which these do!
Where To Buy the Nike Dunk High First Use
You can find the red pair on eBay and you can also find the green pair on eBay
Nike Dunk High First Use University Red
Colorway: University Red – Sail
Style Code: DH0960 600
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $120
Buy: eBay
Nike Dunk High First Use Green Noise
Colorway: Light Bone / Green Noise
Style Code: DH0960 001
Year of Release: 2021
MSRP: $120
Buy: eBay