So, you know sh!t hit the fan when rumors of fake Air Jordans and fake sneakers start swirling around. BUT, that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is when these rumors are about THE largest sneaker reselling platform in the industry, StockX. Yep, you read that right!
Recently, StockX found themselves in the midst of a legal battle against none other than sneaker giant, Nike. AGAIN. And, it’s not just any kind of lawsuit, it’s an ongoing battle over AUTHENTICATION. That’s the worst thing you would want to hear as a sneakerhead. StockX had always claimed that all their sneakers are “Verified Authentic”. Nike claimed that StockX is selling fake sneakers and they’ve personally purchased some to prove it!
Therefore, the news of them removing their verified authentic tags just makes you wonder… Have you bought fake Air Jordans? Here’s how to find out if your Air Jordans are real or fake. In other words, you own a personal list of legit checks!
FAKE AIR JORDANS CHECKLIST
So, to make sure whether or not you have fake Air Jordans, there’s a long list of signs to see. Generally speaking, every specific model of Jordans will have key details to look out for. But, for the sake of this guide, we’re going to be talking about fake Air Jordan 1s.Â
The Air Jordan 1 is by far the most popular model of all the Air Jordans out there. Needless to say, this makes it a target for a lot of counterfeit sneaker replicas. Sellers LOVE creating these Jordan 1s and passing them off as legit. So, we’re going to give you the main signs to do a legit check on your own! And, you can also use these steps to legit check all your other models as well. But, they work best for the AJ1s!
NOTE: if you’re using eBay to buy your sneakers, make sure you use their sneaker authenticity guarantee service!
Fake Air Jordan 1 Checklist:
- The price – if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is
- Embossment – Air Jordan Wings logo
- Fonts – on the labels and tags
- Quality – the quality of the material
- Perforations – punctured all the way through and aligned
- Silhouette shape – hourglass profile at the heel
- Shoe size – check the Air Jordan size guide
- Colorway – it should be on the release calendar
- Shoebox – check out the Jordan shoeboxes
- Logo and branding – authenticate the Swoosh logo and branding
How to Tell If Your Air Jordan 1s are Fake?
#1 THE BOX
First thing you’re going to notice with fake Air Jordans is the box. This doesn’t only apply to the Jordan 1s, but generally to all the models. The shoe box of a fake J is noticeably smaller than the legit one. This could range anywhere from 2-3 cm in width and 3-5 cm in length! So, the Jordans just *barely* fit into the box and sit in snugly. Whereas for real Js, the box is much bigger!
#2 THE TAGS
Another thing you should notice about fake Air Jordans is the price and size tags on the box. The biggest red flag is the most obvious for people who buy Nike sneakers outside the U.S. When you buy your kicks outside the States, you wouldn’t expect a U.S. price tag on the box. But, most fakes focus on the U.S. tag which is the biggest sign you should check out for.
Also, while we’re on the topic of tags, if you have another Jordan shoe box, you’ll notice a key difference. The font is much thinner on the fake Air Jordans box than that on the OGs. You wouldn’t really tell if you haven’t seen a real box before. But, it’s definitely pretty obvious, especially on the print of the U.S. size tag.
PLUS, more on tags, something that is very eye-catching is the tongue tag! A lot of times the tongue tags on counterfeit Js are not centered. And, they usually come smaller than the real ones. So, you’ll notice that the text on the tag is very small and compact.
#3 THE FINISHING
So, upon opening the box, the first thing you should look at is the general finishing. Basically, what you’re looking for is going to be any type of mistake in the color scheme, the stitching, or even the glue. If you’ve been around for a long, you’d know what University Blues, Chicago Reds, or Royal Purples look like. If not, then a little Googling will definitely help you out.
And, another thing you could check is the sneaker glue and the cleanliness of the finish. If you’ve got glue coming out of the overlays and soles, it’s probably fake. However, given the history, that’s not very reliable.
We’ve had legit sneakers drop with glue stains on them like the Air Jordan 1 UNC. Or, even more, we’ve had mold issues like the Lost & Found. So, that is something that could happen with real pairs too!
However, we know for a fact that the Swoosh and the Jordan Brand do NOT mess up the stitching. Unless they’re doing it on purpose for the design! Otherwise, if the stitching on your Js looks a bit wonky or has a distinctly different color, you probs got fake Air Jordans! So, make sure you check all the release information for every Jordan on our blog.
#4 LOGO & BRANDING
Furthermore, if a fake producer can create your logo and branding 100% the same, Nike got issues! And so, a sign of fake Air Jordans naturally comes in the logo and general branding. For example, the embossment of the Air Jordan Wings logo on the ankle comes with a clear indent or debossing. You can actually feel it very prominently with your fingers.
Also, another thing you could check is the Swoosh. But, this does take a little ogling on your part and you could miss it altogether. So, don’t rely on this on its own. Sometimes the placement of the Swoosh on the sides of the Jordans is too high or too low. And, even the shape itself could be weird – the Swoosh should be clear and defined with a sharp point. A perfect Swoosh has a thin stem, a smooth curve, and a HELLA sharp tip!
How to Avoid FAKE Air Jordans?
What sounds better to you: receiving a shady-looking pair of Jordans and using the steps above to figure out if it’s fake or not? OR getting your Jordan in the mail with absolutely ZERO DOUBT that it could be fake?
No brainer here.
So, to avoid the fake Air Jordans scare, make sure you don’t run the risk of fakes. In other words, make sure you’re copping from a reliable source. Either cop straight from the source, or if you don’t mind paying resale; pick a good resale platform! Personally, we like copping right from the source, straight from Nike SNKRS and select retailers! If you’re interested in doing that too, click on the button below to learn how!
