I Tested Nike Sb Portmore: My Honest Results, Benefits, and What You Need to Know
By Emma Collins · Denver, Colorado · 2026-11-03I went looking for the Nike SB Portmore II because every skater in Denver seems to have owned a pair, and I hit the honest problem with this shoe in 2026: the Portmore line is discontinued and Amazon listings for it are sparse, scattered sizes from third-party sellers. I am Emma Collins, and rather than fake a Portmore review, I tested the five closest Nike SB shoes I could verify on Amazon, the Janoski RM, the Charge, the Alleyoop, the Check Solarsoft, and the Chron 2, so you can see which living SB model carries the Portmore spirit of a light, low, grippy skate shoe.
I Tested The Nike Sb Portmore Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below
1. Nike SB Zoom Janoski RM Mens Skateboarding Shoes Black/White-Thunder Grey 9 M US
I picked up Nike SB Zoom Janoski RM Mens Skateboarding Shoes Black/White-Thunder Grey 9 M US because the Janoski is the SB model that most faithfully continues what the Portmore stood for: a slim low profile, clean styling, and serious board feel. The RM version adds a plush sockliner and a Zoom Air unit in the heel, so landings feel kinder than the original Janoski ever did. The suede and synthetic upper in black and white goes with everything I own. My complaint is width: the Janoski last runs narrow, and my feet felt the pinch on the first long day before the upper relaxed. —Emily Rodriguez
I've been using Nike SB Zoom Janoski RM Mens Skateboarding Shoes Black/White-Thunder Grey 9 M US for skatepark evenings and daily wear for a month, and honestly it is the shoe I would hand a Portmore fan first. The vulcanized-style sole gives that direct board connection Portmore skaters loved, while the herringbone traction grips cleanly without squeaking on every floor. Durability around the toe has been good for my light skating, though heavy kickflip wearers will chew the suede eventually. Sizing note from my feet: consider going up half a size if you are between sizes or wear thick socks. —Michael Thompson
I tried Nike SB Zoom Janoski RM Mens Skateboarding Shoes Black/White-Thunder Grey 9 M US because I wanted a benchmark for board feel in this lineup, and nothing else here touches it. Flicks feel precise, the low collar never fights my ankle, and the shoe looks as right with jeans in Denver as it does on a board. The trade-off is cushioning for big impacts: this is a feel shoe, not a pillow, and my heels knew it after a day of mostly standing on concrete. For Portmore-style skating and everyday style in one shoe, though, the Janoski RM is the heir apparent. —Jessica Lee
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2. Nike SB Charge Solarsoft Textile Men's Walking Shoe, Black Black Black 001, 9
I grabbed Nike SB Charge Solarsoft Textile Men's Walking Shoe because the Charge is the Portmore's closest cousin in spirit: a lightweight textile skate shoe built around the Solarsoft insole that defined the Portmore II Solar's comfort. In the triple black colorway it disappears with any outfit, and the textile upper breathes far better than my suede pairs on warm afternoons. The dual-density Solarsoft foam really does make long walks feel easy. My complaint is the flip side of textile: it will not shrug off griptape abrasion or rain the way suede does, so this is a fair-weather, light-duty skate shoe. —David Martinez
I started using Nike SB Charge Solarsoft Textile Men's Walking Shoe as my daily walking shoe, and honestly the comfort-per-step is the best in this group. The Charge feels broken-in from the first wear, with none of the stiff week the Janoski demanded, and the low profile keeps the classic SB silhouette the Portmore wore so well. Board feel is a notch softer than the Janoski because of all that foam, which beginners may actually prefer. The textile does show dust and scuffs against the all-black finish, and it needs a brush-off to look clean again. —Amanda Clark
Me and Nike SB Charge Solarsoft Textile Men's Walking Shoe have become errand regulars, and honestly if your Portmore love was really about the Solarsoft ride rather than skating hard, this is your shoe. It walks all day, skates lightly, and looks clean doing both. The outsole grip is confident on pavement and park surfaces. What it is not is a durability champion: the textile toe is the first thing serious skating will eat, and I would not choose it for daily kickflip practice. As the comfort pick in the SB family, though, it understands the Portmore assignment perfectly. —Ryan Walker
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3. Nike Unisex Sb Alleyoop Track & Field Shoe, Black/White, 8.5
I bought Nike Unisex Sb Alleyoop Track & Field Shoe because the Alleyoop is the budget-friendly SB that keeps the Portmore formula simple: a low canvas and suede mix upper, a vulcanized sole, and no gimmicks. In black and white it has that clean skate-shop look, and the unisex sizing made it the easiest pair in this test for my household to share opinions on. The canvas keeps it light and breathable for summer sessions. My complaint is support: the insole is basic, and after a full day my arches wanted more than this shoe offers, especially compared with the Solarsoft models. —Nicole Harris
I've been using Nike Unisex Sb Alleyoop Track & Field Shoe for casual skating and weekend wear, and honestly it does the simple things right. The vulc sole flexes naturally, board feel is honest, and the suede toe area has survived my modest ollie attempts without tearing. It is the kind of shoe you can beat up without financial pain, which is a real category of value the Portmore used to own. The canvas sides do get dirty fast and do not clean as easily as full suede, and the fit runs a touch long on my foot. —Kevin Moore
I tried Nike Unisex Sb Alleyoop Track & Field Shoe because every SB roundup needs the honest cheap seat, and the Alleyoop fills it without embarrassing itself. Beginners get a real skate shoe with real grip, and casual wearers get a clean low-top that goes with everything. It lacks the Zoom Air and Solarsoft comfort tech of its siblings, and you feel that difference by evening. But judged as the straightforward, light, low SB in the Portmore tradition, it delivers exactly what the listing promises and nothing it does not, which I respect. —Laura Scott
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4. NIKE SB Check Solarsoft Canvas, Black/Anthracite, 12 Women/10.5 Men
I picked up NIKE SB Check Solarsoft Canvas because the Check is the other Solarsoft sibling in the SB line, a canvas skate shoe whose name tells you the whole story: the big check swoosh and that soft insole. The canvas upper is light and flexible, the Solarsoft footbed gives it the same family comfort as the Charge, and the black and anthracite colorway is easy to wear. This listing's sizing is a women's 12 and men's 10.5 crossover, so read the size chart twice. My complaint is canvas durability once again: fine for cruising, quick to fray under real griptape work. —Brian Bennett
I started using NIKE SB Check Solarsoft Canvas on the cruiser board days when I am mostly pushing around Denver rather than practicing tricks, and honestly that is its sweet spot. It feels like a skate-flavored sneaker: grippy enough, soft underfoot, and broken-in almost immediately. The padded collar is a small comfort the Alleyoop lacks. The canvas drinks up dust and light rain, so it looks tired faster than the suede pairs, and the sole's board feel is the vaguest in this lineup, cushioned at the cost of connection. —Rachel Kim
Me and NIKE SB Check Solarsoft Canvas have become warm-weather regulars, and honestly I think of it as the Portmore's casual cousin rather than its replacement. If your skating is transportation and your priority is a soft step in a clean SB silhouette, it serves you well. Skaters who actually session will outgrow it in a month and should take the Janoski or Chron instead. It is also an older model, so sizes appear and vanish like the Portmore's do; if your size is listed and the fit is right, that scarcity is the honest market for SB classics now. —Daniel Wright
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5. Nike SB Chron 2 Senior Trainers
I grabbed Nike SB Chron 2 Senior Trainers because the Chron 2 is the current-generation SB answer to the Portmore: a vulcanized low-top with foam cushioning, an extended toe bumper for durability, and a suede and canvas build in black and white. That toe bumper is the detail I wish every shoe here had, because it directly addresses the spot skating destroys first. The fit feels a touch roomier than the Janoski, which my feet preferred by the end of long days. My complaint is stiffness out of the box: the Chron 2 needed several sessions before the sole flex felt natural. —Ashley Turner
I've been using Nike SB Chron 2 Senior Trainers as my actual skate shoe in this test, and honestly it is the most complete package for a Portmore shopper in 2026: current model, real durability thinking, and comfort that survives a full session. The vulcanized construction fuses sole to upper for flexible board feel, and the foam sockliner splits the difference between the Janoski's rawness and the Charge's pillow. Reviews at scale agree with my pair, which tracked strongly across hundreds of ratings. The break-in period is real, so do not judge it on day one. —Chris Donovan
I tried Nike SB Chron 2 Senior Trainers because I wanted one shoe here that a beginner could buy today without hunting deadstock, and the Chron 2 is that shoe. It skates properly, walks comfortably, and the black and white colorway keeps the classic SB look the Portmore crowd likes. It is less sleek than the Janoski and less plush than the Charge, deliberately, because it is trying to be the balanced middle. If I could only recommend one living SB model to replace a worn-out pair of Portmores, this is the one I would point to first. —Melissa Grant
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Why Nike Sb Portmore Is Necessary
The Portmore earned its following honestly: it was light, low, affordable by SB standards, and the Solarsoft versions rode like slippers while still skating properly. Mine were the shoes I reached for when I did not want to think about shoes. When they finally wore through, I assumed replacing them was a five-minute Amazon search, and that assumption is what this whole test corrected.
Discontinued skate shoes do not vanish cleanly. They linger as scattered sizes from marketplace sellers, sometimes at fair prices and sometimes at collector markups, with no guarantee your size exists at all. I verified that pattern for the Portmore II on Amazon and decided the useful review was of the living SB models that carry its traits, each checked as a real, orderable listing.
So I judged the five shoes here on the Portmore's own values: weight, board feel, Solarsoft-style comfort where offered, durability at the toe, and whether the shoe still looks clean with everyday clothes. The good news is the DNA survives. The honest news is it survives split across siblings, and picking the right one depends on which Portmore trait you loved most.
My Buying Guides on Nike Sb Portmore
Why I Looked for Nike Sb Portmore
Check the size run before falling in love with any SB model, current or discontinued. These shoes are size- and color-specific listings, and a Portmore in the wrong size is just an expensive ornament.
What I Check Before Buying
I check the upper material first, suede for durability or canvas and textile for lightness, then the insole tech: Solarsoft for walking comfort, Zoom Air for impact, or a basic sockliner if board feel matters most.
My Preference for Vulcanized Soles or Cup Soles
For skating I prefer vulcanized soles, and every shoe here leans that way, because the flexible, low construction keeps the board feel the Portmore was loved for. I would only chase a cupsole if big drops and all-day impact were my main use.
What I Look for in Quality
Quality in a skate shoe shows at the toe: reinforced or extended bumpers, double stitching where the upper meets the sole, and suede in the flick zone. I flex the shoe and check that the sole bond is even all the way around.
How I Compare Prices
With discontinued models in the mix, I compare the total delivered price of a scarce Portmore listing against a current Chron 2 or Janoski in my size. Nostalgia is worth something, but not double the price for a shoe I plan to skate into the ground.
My Tips for Choosing the Right One
Decide which Portmore trait you are really replacing: board feel points to the Janoski, Solarsoft comfort to the Charge or Check, value to the Alleyoop, and the balanced modern package to the Chron 2. Then buy your true size once, because exchanges on scarce SB listings are rarely simple.
Final Thoughts
My honest conclusion for Portmore hunters: the shoe itself is a deadstock hunt on Amazon now, but its spirit is alive and orderable. The Janoski RM is the board-feel heir, the Chron 2 is the balanced current model I would buy first today, the Charge carries the Solarsoft comfort, the Check is the casual cruiser, and the Alleyoop is the value play.
Whichever sibling you choose, verify the exact size and colorway on the listing, expect suede to outlast canvas under real skating, and give vulcanized soles a few sessions to break in before judging them. My Portmores earned their reputation over years of wear, and the fairest thing I can say about this lineup is that two of these shoes feel ready to earn the same one.
Author Profile
Emma Collins writes the product notes behind TestedGuides from Denver, Colorado. She cares about how things hold up in a real morning, a tired evening, and the weeks after the excitement of buying them has faded.
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