My fascination with Nike SB Dunks has always been strong. However, by the time I had the funds to purchase them, the reseller market exploded, making it nearly impossible to acquire a pair at retail price. As someone who is often forgetful, keeping track of release dates and quickly inputting credit card information felt like a losing battle. This led me down a path many have wondered about, but few have explored: the Dark Web.
The Dark Web is a hidden part of the internet, separate from the surface web we typically use. It’s not indexed by search engines like Google and requires a special browser, Tor, to access. While it’s infamous for illicit activities such as drug sales, it also serves as a platform for communication in oppressed regions, allowing for the sharing of information outside of government surveillance. The rumor that you can buy practically anything there got me thinking: could the Dark Web be my secret source for future SB Dunk releases?
Setting Up My Dark Web Operation
My journey began with a burner laptop from eBay. Security on the Dark Web is minimal, and I didn’t want to risk my primary computer and stored credentials. The laptop arrived smelling of smoke and covered in cat hair, but it was functional. This was a good call because, after a week of Dark Web tutorials, the mouse and keyboard stopped working after a phishing link compromised the system.
After getting replacement peripherals, I immersed myself in the Dark Net Bible, a 140-page guide filled with dense computer jargon I was unfamiliar with. Though I found it on Reddit, accessing it required digging through archives as the r/DarkNetNoobs subreddit was banned in 2018. The guide was invaluable, but the whole process was far from intuitive. I was hesitant to trust online advice, making progress slow. Before I could even look for my desired product, I had to grasp the necessary precautions to maintain anonymity. The risks of purchasing illegal items and shipping them to my address were too high to ignore. Stories of online stalking and identity theft made me immediately cover my webcam, regardless of their validity.
Diving into the Deep End
First, I had to replace Windows 8 with an operating system called Tails, installed onto a USB drive. This allowed me to boot the system independently. After several hours and three failed attempts, I finally got it working. This was just the beginning. Tails proved to be slow and prone to crashing, adding another layer of difficulty. It was at this point I realized just how deep I had gotten myself into. My only strategy was to Google every problem and hope someone else had an answer.
After a few drinks with a friend, I decided to set up encryption keys and Bitcoin accounts. This turned out to be a bad idea as I forgot all the details the next day. I needed to create a public PGP key to encrypt messages with potential sellers. If the PGP key was lost, the messages would be inaccessible. Needless to say, I lost it on my first attempt.
Window Shopping on the Dark Web
Before browsing, I needed a Bitcoin account, the primary currency for Dark Web transactions, due to its untraceable and decentralized nature. To maximize anonymity, I set up three accounts. A normal account on my phone, and two encrypted accounts on my burner laptop. I transferred Bitcoin from my phone, to the second account, encrypted it, then sent it to the final account, thereby fully detaching myself from my bank information and identity.
The Dark Web hosts a variety of marketplaces, mainly for drugs, stolen credit cards, and counterfeit money. The goods were listed in no particular order, with items like MDMA pills next to DIY books. Finding Nike SBs required a search in the clothing sections of multiple sites. Each Dark Web site has a random, lengthy URL, typically ending in “.onion”, making the discovery of markets difficult. To find a Dark Web market, one must scour online forums, while navigating the risk of phishing links. I had learned this lesson early on when I had to replace my mouse and keyboard.
In addition, clothing was a niche category. Only a tiny percentage of each site was dedicated to clothing or jewelry, and finding Nike, especially SB Dunks, was a challenge. Interestingly, I found several “replica” Dunk sellers on the clear web (the normal internet). While they had every pair imaginable, the quality looked poor, and the prices were doubled. I found one seller offering them at half the price I saw on the regular internet, about $75, compared to the usual $150 for fake Dunks from China.
Securing My Dark Web Purchases
After weeks of searching, I finally found a pair of Civilist color-changing Dunks alongside an eBook about cooking meth. The store had other Dunks: Grateful Dead, Chicagos, Lobsters, and more. Though the vendor had only a few reviews, I proceeded with the order. I was curious how they’d skate. Would they be durable? Would the insoles fall apart?
I also impulse bought five fake $20 bills. I expected to be scammed but, two weeks later, packages arrived from China and the Netherlands. The vendors had delivered, which was a pleasant surprise.
Unboxing My Dark Web Haul
Opening the packages was underwhelming. The counterfeit bills felt obviously fake with their smooth paper. However, the vendor sent a few extra fake bills, which was a nice gesture. The Dunks also turned out to be a disappointment. Instead of the Civilist color-changing collab, I received the Staple Pigeon V2s. Their quality was reminiscent of Airwalks from Walmart. The insoles were hard, and the shoe had an awkward boxy shape. While the visual aspects were nearly accurate, the overall quality was not great. At the end of the day, I guess I got what I paid for.
Final Thoughts on the Dark Web
In conclusion, the Dark Web is a labyrinth of low-quality goods and scams. While you can find a variety of drugs and related items, it’s far from perfect. It offers shortcuts to things that usually require effort, but the quality of the products shows this. It felt like a punishment for trying to cheat the system.
Setting a reminder on your iPhone for new Dunk releases is much more reliable, and you’re far more likely to get the actual product. Also, earning money through hard work has value, because handling fake money just felt pathetic and unsatisfying. If you are as curious about the Dark Web as I was or enjoy the world of scams, it may be worth a visit. It was entertaining for a few weeks, but I wouldn’t expect much more.
