Honestly, if you saw someone walking down the street in 2020 wearing bright orange shoes covered in literal faux fur, you probably would’ve thought they’d lost it. But in the world of Nike SB, that was just another Tuesday. The Grateful Dead Bear Dunks didn't just drop; they exploded into a culture that was already reaching a fever pitch.
Most people see a fuzzy sneaker and think "hype," but there is a weird, deep history here that goes way beyond a StockX price tag. These shoes are a literal tribute to a 1973 live album, a legendary audio engineer with a penchant for chemistry, and a band that redefined what it meant to have a "brand" before that was even a corporate buzzword.
Why the Grateful Dead Bear Dunks Still Matter
It has been a few years since the initial chaos of the "Striped Box" era, and yet, these things still command a presence. Why? Because they’re ridiculous. They’re loud. They have a zippered stash pocket in the tongue—which, let’s be real, we all know what that’s for in the context of a Deadhead.
The design is a direct nod to the "Dancing Bears." These characters first showed up on the back cover of the 1973 album History of the Grateful Dead, Volume 1 (Bear’s Choice). Interestingly, the bears weren't actually "dancing." According to the artist, Bob Thomas, they were doing a high-step march. But fans called them the dancing bears, the name stuck, and forty-seven years later, Nike turned them into footwear.
The Man Behind the Bear
You can't talk about these shoes without mentioning Owsley "Bear" Stanley. He wasn't just some mascot. He was the band’s sound engineer and the guy who basically bankrolled them in the early days. He was also a legendary underground chemist. The bears were a tribute to him, and the Nike SB collaboration took that fuzzy, psychedelic aesthetic and turned it into a tactile reality.
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Breaking Down the Colorways (And the Rarity)
Nike didn't just release one pair and call it a day. They went for a multi-color assault. Originally, there were three main colors that hit the public, though rumors of a full "five bear" pack (matching all the bears on the album cover) persisted for months.
- The Orange Bear: This is the "unicorn" of the group. Released exclusively at FTC San Francisco on July 18, 2020. Because it was a localized drop in the band’s hometown, the supply was incredibly tight. If you see these in the wild today, you're looking at a serious collector or someone with very deep pockets.
- The Yellow Bear: These were the most "accessible," if you can call a SNKRS drop accessible. They dropped on July 24, 2020. The "Opti Yellow" and "Blue Fury" contrast is probably the most iconic look of the trio.
- The Green Bear: Released the same day as the yellows, but mostly through elite skate shops. The "Green Spark" fur paired with the jagged blue Swoosh is a vibe that is hard to ignore.
The materials are what really set these apart. We aren't talking about standard leather or even the "hairy suede" seen on the Chunky Dunky. This is full-on, long-strand faux fur. It feels like a stuffed animal. It’s impractical. It gets dirty if you look at it wrong. And that is exactly why people love it.
The Design Quirk Nobody Noticed
Look closely at the Swoosh. It isn’t smooth. It has a jagged, frayed edge. Most people think it’s just to look "edgy," but it’s actually a direct imitation of the jester-style collars the bears wear on the album artwork.
Then there’s the "Steal Your Face" skull. While the bears are the main event on the outside, if you flip the insole or look inside the stash pocket, you’ll find the iconic "Stealie" logo. It’s a nice "if you know, you know" detail for actual fans of the music.
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Are They Actually Skateable?
Look, Nike SB stands for Skateboarding. Technically, you can skate in Grateful Dead Bear Dunks. They have the Zoom Air unit in the heel. They have the padded tongue. They have the grippy circle-pattern outsole.
But have you ever tried to flick a kickflip with faux fur? It’s a nightmare. The fur offers zero of the "grip" you get from traditional suede, and it shreds instantly against griptape. Most skaters who got these either put them on a shelf or wore them to the bar. They are "skate shoes" in the same way a Ferrari is a "commuter car." Sure, it does the job, but that’s not really why you bought it.
The Fake Market is a Minefield
Because these shoes reached such astronomical prices—frequently hitting $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the color—the "rep" market went into overdrive. If you're buying a pair today, you have to be paranoid.
Authentic pairs have fur that is remarkably soft and "flowy." Fakes often have fur that feels like a cheap carnival prize—stiff and synthetic. Also, check the zipper on the tongue. On real pairs, the zipper is tucked neatly; on fakes, the stitching around that hidden pocket is usually a mess.
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How to Authenticate at a Glance
- The Swoosh Shape: The "teeth" on the jagged Swoosh should be consistent but not perfectly symmetrical.
- The Fur Length: It should be long enough to "move" when you run your finger across it.
- The Tongue Label: The bear on the tongue should have a specific, slightly "fuzzy" embroidery texture, not a flat heat-press.
The Legacy of the Fuzzy Dunk
The Grateful Dead Bear Dunks represented a specific moment in sneaker history where Nike felt comfortable being completely "out there." It was the peak of the 2020 Dunk revival. It proved that a sneaker didn't have to be "wearable" in a traditional sense to be a masterpiece.
Today, the market has cooled off a bit from the 2020-2021 highs, but these remain a "grail" for many. They represent a crossover of two of the most dedicated fanbases on the planet: Deadheads and Sneakerheads. Both groups are known for obsessively tracking "tours" (or release dates) and holding onto "memorabilia" (or deadstock pairs) for decades.
If you’re lucky enough to own a pair, wear them. Don't let them rot in a box. Yes, the fur will get matted. Yes, people will stare. But that’s the whole point. The Grateful Dead was never about being subtle.
Practical Steps for Collectors
If you are looking to pick up a pair now, your best bet is verified marketplaces like eBay (with their authenticity guarantee) or GOAT. Avoid "too good to be true" deals on social media. If you're planning on wearing them, invest in a brass-bristle suede brush. It sounds crazy, but gently brushing the faux fur can help keep it from looking like a matted rug after a few wears.
Keep them out of the rain. Seriously. Wet faux fur on a sneaker is a recipe for a permanent bad hair day.
Next Step for You: If you're serious about the history of these designs, look up the original "Bear's Choice" album art and compare the blue jester collars to the Swoosh on your favorite colorway. It’ll give you a whole new appreciation for the detail Nike actually put into these.