Air Jordans account for the majority of Jordan Brand’s annual $6.6 billion business. Since its launch in 1984, this iconic sneaker line has been a fashion staple and continues to surge in popularity, even though Michael Jordan played his last NBA game over 20 years ago.
However, with substantial financial success comes the inevitable pursuit of imitators looking to capitalize. Manufacturers of fake Air Jordans are diligently working, and alarmingly, their products are becoming increasingly similar in appearance to real sneakers. Consequently, more individuals are investing their hard-earned money in sneakers that may look the part but lack the same level of quality as real products.
This article provides a breakdown of several methods to spot fake pairs of some of the most frequently faked Air Jordans. If you find yourself hesitant about making a purchase, utilize these tips to ensure that you’re buying a real pair.
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Air Jordan 1
Pair Checked: Air Jordan 1 “Shattered Backboard”
- The collar on the real pair sits higher and flatter than the angled collar of the fake pair.
- The side panel leather on the real pair is more off-white than pure white, like the fake pair.
- The Forefoot eyestay panel leans forward more on the real pair.
- The toe angles upward more on the real pair.
Check the Wings Logo
Fortunately, fake manufacturers continue to struggle with the intricate details of the iconic Air Jordan 1 Wings logo. The lines appear more pronounced, the basketball stripes are more prominent, and the debossing is more profound on the fake version.
The fake pair displays a stitch pattern that is shorter and less discernible, along with an increased amount of black collar space resulting from a misaligned eyestay tab.
Check the Leather
Air Jordan 1s made with black leather frequently develop a glittery appearance, especially as they age. Conversely, fake Air Jordan 1s typically feature matte black leather.
Check the Toebox
Fake Air Jordan 1s commonly feature perforations on the toebox that are excessively large, with a distinct pattern differing from that found on real pairs.
The leather on the toebox of a real pair is typically more tumbled.
Check the Heel Shape
When viewing a deadstock real Air Jordan 1 from behind, the heel should present an hourglass shape. In contrast, fake pairs typically showcase a vertical silhouette.
Additionally, real pairs typically have more spacing between the double-stitching below the heel tab.
Air Jordan 3
Pair Checked: Air Jordan 3 “White Cement Reimagined”
Check the Side-by-Side
The real Air Jordan 3 boasts a sleek and aerodynamic shape, with a silhouette that leans forward. In contrast, the fake pair often features a more vertical silhouette.
Check the Elephant Print
The elephant print lines on fake pairs are noticeably thicker compared to real ones.
On fake pairs, the gray toe panel tends to be taller, while the heel panel is shorter than the standard height.
Check the Tongue Tag
The border of the tongue tag appears slightly cleaner on the real pair, and the text is also slightly bolder.
Check the Heel
- On the real pair, the ‘AIR’ lettering sits lower and appears thinner compared to the fake counterpart.
- There are larger gaps between the ridges on the heel tab of the fake pair.
Box Check
- The fake Air Jordan 3 “White Cement Reimagined” box is larger than a real box for the same size shoe.
- The Jumpman on the top of the fake box exhibits a pinkish hue, while on the real box, it’s more red in color.
- Spacing between numbers and letters is closer together on the box tag of fake boxes, whereas it’s more spaced out on real ones.
- Jumpman logo is smaller on the fake box compared to the real box.
Air Jordan 4
Pair Checked: Air Jordan 4 “Bred Reimagined”
Check the Side-by-Side
- The real Air Jordan 4 is chunkier compared to the fake version, yet it maintains a sleek profile that still leans forward.
- While the fakes may exhibit a slight curve to the heel, the real pair features a proper curve.
- The leather is slightly less glossy and tumbled on the real pair.
Check the Strap Stitch
On real pairs, the strap stitching should almost perfectly align with the tabs. On fake pairs, they often extend longer than they should.
Check the Overlays
- On the real pair, the lateral overlay appears wider, and the double-stitch is more visible compared to the fake pair.
- The medial overlay features a more pronounced curve with a steeper dip, along with a wider stitch pattern.
Midsole Check
- The Air unit is taller on real pairs, with columns that are noticeably whiter.
- There is more texture to the gray part of the midsole on real pairs.
Heel Check
- On the fake pair, the “Nike Air” appears in a slightly darker shade of gray.
- The edge of the leather is black, while on the fakes, it tends to be lighter and more frayed.
- The stitching is slightly smaller and tighter on the real pair.
Air Jordan 5
Pair Checked: Air Jordan 5 “Olive”
Side-by-Side Check
- The orange on the real pair is brighter than the orange on the fake pair.
- There’s more texture to the upper of the real pair than the fake pair.
- More space between the heel overlay and ankle padding on the real pair.
- Air bubble windows are shaped differently.
Toe Check
- The toe bumper on real Air Jordan 5s is shorter compared to the bumper on fake pairs.
- Stitches on the real pairs are shorter and more visible.
Tongue Check
- The Jumpman logo on fake pairs appears thicker, while the embroidery grade is higher on real pairs. There is also more space between the Jumpman and the outline of the Jumpman logo on real pairs.
- The top of the tongue tends to be too crooked and the mesh is blue-tinted on fake pairs.
Midsole Check
- The “shark teeth” along the midsole of the fake pair are shorter and rounded off, whereas, on real pairs, they should extend further upwards and come to a sharp point.
- The splatter print on the teeth is slightly bolder on fake Air Jordan 5s compared to real pairs.
Heel Check
- On the real pair, the stitching is more consistently executed and visible.
- The Jumpman embroidery is more centered on the real pair, whereas on the fake pair, it’s positioned closer to the midsole.
- The midsole of the real pair has a less textured appearance than the fake pair.
Outsole Check
- A general rule of thumb for any Air Jordan with a clear sole is that if it’s not completely brand new, expect some yellowed spots of oxidation on the outsole.
- The solid-colored rubber tends to be less textured and shiny on real pairs.
Air Jordan 11
Pairs Checked: Air Jordan 11 “Concord”
Check the Side-by-Side
- The patent leather overlay is cut slightly higher on the fake pair. There’s a little more space between the Jumpman and the patent leather on the real pair.
- The ball in the Jumpman’s hand will align with the bottom of the top fabric loop on a real pair. Here, the ball is closer to the middle of the loop.
Toe Check
On most Air Jordan 11s, the outsole rubber on the toe curves up higher compared to fake pairs.
Heel Check
- Fabric beneath the numbering features a more rounded bottom on the real pair.
- Midsole comes to a more rounded point on real Air Jordan 11s.
Check the Outsole
- Purple traction on the outsole of the fake “Concord” Air Jordan 11s is slightly darker compared to the real pair.
- The white circles visible through the outsole are more rounded and poorly positioned on fake Air Jordan 11s than on real pairs.
- Carbon fiber may have more of a gloss to it on fake pairs.
Box Check
- The real Air Jordan 11 “Concord” box is slightly smaller than the boxes for fakes.
- The Jumpman on the lid of the real box is lighter in color compared to the darker Jumpman on the fake box.
- The tag on the fake box typically features a wider, blockier font.
Air Jordan 13
Pairs Checked: Air Jordan 13 “Playoffs”
Side-by-Side Check
- Leather is more tumbled on the fake pair.
- There’s a deeper curve on the bottom side of the leather overlay on the fake pair.
- Toe on the real Air Jordan 13 should curve up a little, while the fake toe is flatter to the ground.
Check the Side Panels
- The dimples along the sides of the Air Jordan 13 appear deep and pronounced on the real pair, whereas they do not leave as much of an indentation on the fake pair.
- Additionally, on the real pair, the side panel comes to a sharp, clean point near the collar, whereas the point on the fake pair is less defined.
- Noticeably, the stitches on the real pair are tighter and consistently parallel, whereas on the fake pair, they may widen in some areas, lacking uniformity.
Tongue Check
- On a real pair, there’s more space between the Jumpman and the surrounding circle compared to the fake pair.
- The Jumpman and circle may also appear thicker on the fake pair.
- The shape of the tongue is cleaner along the top on real pairs, while it appears more jagged on fake pairs.
- Middle lace loop is often wider on fake pairs compared to real ones.
- Mesh underlayer is more visible beneath the perforations on the real pair.
Outsole Check
- Sections of gray on the outsole are darker on the fake pair compared to the lighter hue featured on the real pair.
- White paint is visible around the traction of the real pair, while the border of the traction on the fake pair appears clean.
- Dots along the shank plate are slightly bolder on the fake pair compared to the real pair.
- The circle around the Jumpman logo on the fake pair is noticeably thicker compared to the real pair.
Heel Check
- The heel of a fake pair of Air Jordan 13s is typically wider compared to the heel of a real pair.
- Edge of the leather on the fake Air Jordan 13 “Playoffs” exhibits a bluish tint.
- A small yet consistent giveaway is the suede along the black part of the midsole, which comes into contact with the sole on real pairs, whereas on fake pairs, there is almost always a small gap of space.
Check the Box
- The boxes for real Air Jordan 13s are larger compared to the boxes for fake pairs.
- Real boxes also appear more silver, whereas the fake boxes tend to be more gray.
- Circular Jumpman logo on the lid is more pronounced on the real box.
- Font used for the box tag on the fake box is larger compared to the real font.
- Red used for the Jumpman logo and Jordan.com lettering is darker on the fake box.
Additional Tips to Ensure That You’re Not Scammed When Buying Air Jordans Online
If the price seems too good to be true, you’re likely dealing with fake Air Jordans.
Exercise caution with alternative terms used for fake sneakers, such as Factory Variant, Replica, Reps, UA (Unauthorized real), and Unauthorized. Regardless of the labels these sellers use, they all refer to fake products.
Verify the legitimacy of the seller by checking their rating or searching for them online. Often, entering a seller’s name in a search engine will yield feedback, good or bad, from individuals who have previously purchased products from them.
Reach out to the seller and request additional photos of the Air Jordans. A reputable seller should have no issue with transparency and will readily comply with your request when approached respectfully. Having photos may also be helpful in the event that you need to file a claim if the seller sends sneakers that are different from the supplied pictures.
Use secure payment methods such as PayPal or credit cards that offer buyer protection. Avoid wire transfers or payment methods that offer no recourse for fraud.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off or if the seller is pressuring you to make a quick decision, it’s best to walk away and find another seller.
