Price: $135 [Mostly Sold Out; Check eBay for Current Prices]
Why Buy?
The Nike SB P-Rod 1, especially in this Dodger’s colorway, offers a great classic skate sneaker design.
Why Avoid?
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 doesn’t feature the best tech or the best comfort you can find in a skate sneaker.
Specs
| Model | P-Rod 1 |
| Height | Low |
| Materials | Suede / Nubuck / Rubber |
| Size | 13 |
| Weight | 560 g / 19.8 oz |
| Construction | Cemented & Sewn |
| Country of Origin | Vietnam |
History
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of skateboarding shoes. From Nike to Vans to New Balance, this website has covered everything from lifestyle sneakers borrowing skate style to some of the most technically advanced skate shoes ever made. One area Nike has typically avoided, though, is retros. Not older styles still in production, but going back into the vault and finding sneakers that had gone out of production – old tech and all.
In 2025, Nike did just that with the Paul Rodriguez signature – mostly known as the “P-Rod 1s.”
Unfortunately, like other retros, depending on your size these might be a bit hard to get your hands on. Nike continues to limit releases to SB skate shops, which helps independent retailers but also means inventory is extremely limited – especially if you wear a larger size. Still, there is a bigger question. Is a 21 year old sneaker design worth the hassle of picking up? Or is this just a Dunk SB in a fancy suit? Let’s dive in and find out.
Looks
Upper
This particular pair of Nike SB P-Rod 1s come in the so-called Dodgers colorway. As a baseball fan, it’s hard to cheer on the evil empire of the 21st century, but there is no doubt that this particular colorway looks great. Made of various greys with splashes of royal blue, the upper of this P-Rod 1 is interesting without being overpowering.
The dark grey on the upper is made of a short haired suede, and the lighter greys are a nubuck. These are offset by a pop of texture on the blue swoosh that is both longer haired suede and perforated. The blue is further accented by the heel cap panel which features the P-Rod “PR” logo embossed and painted.
Up close, the embossed heel logo risks looking a little overdone, and on some colorways it probably is. On the Dodgers pair, though, the colors are restrained enough that it blends into the overall design.
The lining of the sneaker, covering thick padding along the collar, shares that same royal blue, as does the Nike SB accent on the tongue.
Mid- and Outsole
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 features a sewn-on cup sole, though in a bit more interesting design than most. Typically coming in a two-tone color – white sidewalls with a grey accent on this pair – the real stand out is the faux windows.
Near the back of the cup sole, the Nike SB P-Rod 1 features what look like windows similar to an Air Max. While other SBs have since integrated actual windows, back when this came out that wasn’t really possible with zoom air. Instead, this features harder plastic pieces that look like windows.
Underneath, the sneaker features a nice herringbone pattern in blue rubber and a grey outline. A PR pivot point shares that grey.
Summary
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 Dodgers might just be my favorite iteration of this sneaker. While some people might be excited for the very 2000’s black and gum pair, for 2026 this colorway offers a crisp and more modern feeling design on what is a very old-school pattern.
As for versatility, I’m not sure this is quite up there with something like a Dunk SB. The PR logos and chunkier toe box make it clear these are not from a decade recent enough to be modern or old enough to be truly retro. However, if you’re old enough to have worn these originally, this is a great way to feel that nostalgia hit.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 fits like most Nike-branded SBs from the 2000s. That is, ever so slightly tight. Most people will probably not want to size up, the idea is that the extra padding is supposed to hold your foot in place. However, if you’re in between sizes I would suggest going up for these.
I got these in a size 13, which is what I get 99% of my sneakers in. I could probably have taken a 14 if need be, but they don’t appear to have made any in that size.
Comfort
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 is a mid-2000’s skateboard shoe and, even though they added some tech to make it feel different, it feels every bit of a mid-2000’s skate shoe. Inside, the foam midsole faces the same problem it does in the Jordan 1 – there isn’t anywhere for it to expand into when it’s compressed.
To be fair to the sneaker – this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This sneaker was never designed to be the sneaker you wear when you’re walking 20k steps in a day. Instead, it was designed to offer stability and board feel. Still, you probably wouldn’t want to take this pair on that big vacation.
Materials
The upper of the Nike SB P-Rod 1 Dodgers is made of suede and nubuck. Or, at least that’s what Nike says. The quality of the suede and nubuck on this sneaker leaves a lot to be desired and if you told me, it was synthetic I would absolutely have believed you. This probably won’t age as well as some other pairs.
Around the shoe is the typical Nike SB foam, though that isn’t a bad thing. It’s thick and plush and feels great. It should also do a lot to help keep your foot protected if you are actually using these to skate.
Under foot things get a lot more interesting. A closed cell insole isn’t just high quality, but hollowed out in areas to help it compress to your particular foot. This insole sits on top of a wedge of EVA foam, and embedded in the heel is an Air Zoom unit.
One thing that’s pretty unique to the P-Rod 1 is the inclusion of a carbon fiber shank. That is probably why the sneaker feels so stiff, but does give a very stable platform for actual skating.
Finishing everything off, the sneaker comes with a rubber cup sole. The rubber itself is on the harder side for an SB, but that is likely a trade off for extra durability in a retro model.
Pricing
The Nike SB P-Rod 1 Dodgers comes in at an MSRP of $125-135, depending on which shop you’re buying from. However, at least in this colorway, most of the bigger and smaller sizes are sold out. In my size 13, they are currently hovering around $170 at time of writing.
The MSRP on these sneakers is right where it should be. It comes in right around other collaboration skate shoes such as the New Balance 933 or Dunk SBs.
Wrap Up
Who is this sneaker for? The Nike SB P-Rod 1 is made for people who can accept what mid-2000’s skate shoes were, warts and all. They were not comfortable, and they were not particularly well made. In fact, if they were, we probably would have seen them as inauthentic.
Who should avoid this sneaker? The Nike SB P-Rod 1 isn’t a perfect shoe for casual wear, and it isn’t as good as a skate shoe as more modern options. If you’re not looking for a chance to relive the past, these might not be the one for you.
