You can't talk about spooky-themed footwear without mentioning Nike's "Freddy Krueger" SB Dunk, which is arguably the holy grail of them all.
The sneaker was supposed to release in 2006, but after a cease-and-desist letter from New Line Cinema (the studio behind A Nightmare on Elm Street), Nike had to halt production of the shoe designed to honor the nightmare-inducing character. Samples of these bloody sneakers now sell for over $30,000.
Fast forward to 2020, and Nike is getting ready to launch a new (hopefully approved) take on a "Freddy Krueger" sneaker.
This time it's not in a Nike SB Dunk Low, though, but rather another iconic silhouette: The Air Max 95, which features a color scheme intended to remind you of Freddy's legendary striped sweater, pants, and hat combo, complete with blood drop graphics for good measure.
While Nike may have just revealed a collection of "Dia de Muertos" sneakers for this year, none of them compare to its "Day of the Dead" Nike SB sneakers from 2006.
This pair was exclusive to Mexico (and Canada) when it launched, and it became an instant hit due to a design that celebrated a holiday that honors loved ones who have passed away.
There were skeletons, Aztec hieroglyphics, and orange, black, and purple hues that were, well, to die for. At the time, the Day of the Dead Nike SBs cost less than $100, but now you can find a pair on the resell market starting at $3,500. Scary stuff.
These "Jason Voorhees" Nike SB Dunk Highs came out in 2007, as a nod to everyone's favorite hockey mask-wearing serial killer from Friday the 13th.
The idea here from Nike was simple: Let's make them a rugged red and make people think of blood, the one thing Jason is always after in his comic books and movies.
Last, but most definitely not least, you can't have a Halloween sneaker without a jack-o'-lantern flavor. And there may be no better embodiment of that theme on a shoe than Nike SB's Dunk Low "Night of Mischief."
Unlike many of the pairs we talked about here, this one only dropped in 2019 — and every sneakerhead should own it.
Not only does the shoe feature a glow-in-the-dark midsole and outsole, but its bright orange Nike Swoosh and purple spiderweb details make it hard to ignore.
Nike also replaced its traditional lettering on the heel of the right and left shoes with the slimy words"Trick" and "Treat." Oh, and there's a ghost on the inside of the sneaker's tongue. What more could you want?