Legit Or Nah?: 5 Steps For Spotting Fake Sneakers

Buying sneakers in this day and age can use a lot of caution and trust, because duplicates are plaguing the market. Looking at an offer that doesn’t really sit right with you? Want to avoid fakes in the future? Learn how to spot fake sneakers with our article today!

If the Price ain’t right, leave it.

Trust your gut. Sometimes you encounter offers that are too good to be true, and they are almost always not worth the hassle.

When it comes to limited editions or dead stock, newcomers tend to factor out their resale value. Bear in mind that very sought-after sneakers have a lot of room to go up in price.

Take the Nike Dunk SB Low “What the Dunk” as example, its price tag has skyrocketed from $120 during its original release to a whooping $8,999 today.

But of course, by saying this, our intention is not to make you come to terms with being overcharged. When in doubt, always compare and research prices on trusted and legit exchange sites.

You got all Sizes in stock?

This one is kind of tricky. Surely it’s nice to have all size options available, but sometimes the full size list can be a dead giveaway.

Rare sneakers go really fast. Especially when you’re shopping for average shoes sizes. It doesn’t hurt to pay attention to the (lack of) size options before checking out.

Don’t overlook the Packaging.

Let’s say your kicks check the first two boxes on this list. They’re now on your living room floor.

Before you even unbox them, many little details on the shoe box can tell you if things are iffy. Here are some things you can look out for:

• Font: Sometimes you can notice issues with the font or spacing from miles away.
• Misspelling: Check for mistakes with the product name or product code, as they are the most obvious indicator for dupes.
• Label Placement: Labels can be placed on the wrong side of the shoe box, giving away the fact that they’re far from being legit.

Compare and Contrast.

You physically get your hands on your new kicks. The best and fastest way to authenticate them is to have a side-by-side view with legit pairs.

Concentrate on small details such as shape, stitching, and touch of materials. It’s a very straightforward process and there’s no guesswork involved.

What’s that Smell?

New sneakers have a distinct smell. And you can tell if your kicks smell more than that.

If they reek of chemicals and just give you a headache, they’re almost guaranteed fakes. Spare yourself any further suffering by getting rid of them, better luck next time.