How To Identify Fake Air Jordans| 10 Easy And Practical Tips

How to identify fake Air Jordans? Check the shoe box with the authentic logo, style number, manufacturing sticker, etc., inspect the Jumpman logo to be in the right proportion, look for a high stitching quality including an embossed wings logo, and of course, the heel must have an hourglass shape. 

Due to the increasing popularity of Air Jordans, they are one of the most counterfeited shoes nowadays.

And the knock-offs are so well made that you cannot be so sure your kicks are original, not copied.

But as we all know, every problem has a solution. Similarly, there are some basic criteria to check if you ask how to spot fake Air Jordans.

So, follow the tips below to outsmart the scammers and invest your hard-earned money in an original Nike pair.

How to Identify Fake Air Jordans- 10 Easy Tips

After scouring the market for months, we finally got hold of some quick tips to identify the imitation of original Air Jordans. Let’s break them down in detail below. 

1. Look into the Box

The first and foremost thing to do is to check the shoe box. It’s one of the tell-tale signs to show if Jordans are fake.

The original shoe box is pretty sturdy with a snug-fitting lid just shown in the image above. There should be two Jumpman logos, one on the lid and another on the side. 

And there is a manufacturing sticker on the outside of the sneaker box with all the manufacturing details such as the style name, shoe size, color combination, manufacturing country, etc.

In the case of a fake pair, the sticker would be a bit sloppy and the text would be hard to read.

Most importantly, each and every word on the box should be spelled correctly. There will not be any spelling or grammatical mistakes. If there is, it’s a fake pair for sure.

Also, fake packaging boxes are often thinner and have a lesser visible print of manufacturing details. 

2. Confirm the Style Number

If the style number on the shoe box doesn’t match the number mentioned on the Nike website, it’s a huge red flag 

Usually, authentic Air Jordans have a nine-digit style number listed just below the country of manufacturing on the manufacturing sticker.

Moreover, the same style number is available on the small tag inside the sneakers.

If you ask, how to tell if Jordans are fake by the tag, any spelling error or wrong information on this interior tag that doesn’t match the box will notify you that the trainers are fake.

When you are buying a pair online, ask the seller for a clear picture of the shoes and the box as well. Then match the style number against the one on the Nike website. 

Point to be noted, Jordan serial number check is one of the trusted ways how to know if Jordans are fake online.

3. Check the Shoe Construction 

Now, it’s time to explore shoe construction to learn how to spot fake Jordan 1.

Though the same trick goes for all other Jordan models.

First, look for a label under the shoe tongue that must include “GREATEST PLAYER EVER” embroidered. 

Also, look for the shoelaces carefully. All the tabs will be of the same size and shape in an original pair having the same gap in between.

Fake or counterfeit Jordans often have shoelace tabs that are looser than others.

Another consideration between fake vs. real Air Jordan is the midsole construction. In the real one, the midsole point is in front of the bottom lace hole as shown below.

But in terms of a fake pair, it matches the bottom lace hole.

4. Check the Jumpman Logo

 

How can you tell if Jordans are fake? By identifying the fake Jumpman logo.

You will definitely see some inconsistencies in the fake logo.

For example, the original logo will have high-quality embroidery along with a crisp edge. 

On the other hand, fake Jumpman logos often have poor embroidery with unusual proportions.

As Mohammad Yusaf, a sneakerhead suggests, the Jordan Jumpman sign is a great way to spot fake shoes.

In the real one, the hands, basketball, and feet will be evenly proportioned. And nothing will look blurry for sure.

To be more specific, the real logo includes laces flying upward whereas the fake logo doesn’t have the laces in the shoes of the Jumpman.

5. Inspect the Stitching Quality

Always look for high-quality stitching while buying the original Nike Air Jordans.

Any sign of incomplete stitching, frayed threads, or uneven gaps between the stitching indicates unprofessional craftsmanship. That’s surely not an authentic pair. 

Please remember the fact that the quality of the heel strap stitching does matter.

Check the picture below and you will understand it better.

Here the gray one is real and the red one is a replica. You can clearly see the difference. The fake one has a single stitch on the back tab.

But the authentic one has a clear double stitch running through the tag.

6. Be Doubtful of Cheaper Price Tag

If you ask how to tell if Jordan 11 are fake, rest assured that they don’t come cheap.

Not a single model from Nike Air Jordan comes under $100. 

If any of the retailers offer a cheaper price point, either they are selling fake products or illegal B-grade replicas.

Therefore, you must be aware of the selling practices. Nike shoes are often in limited edition and sell out pretty fast.

There’s no reason the original seller will put them on sale. 

So, if the deal seems too good to be true, red flag it is!

7. Check the Authenticity of the Outsole Logo

Now, let’s look forward to the outsole logo.

In terms of the fake pair (red one), the width of the letters is too narrow compared to the original one.

Moreover, the K on NIKE doesn’t touch the tail of the Swoosh. This is a major indication to spot fake shoes.

On the contrary, the original Air Jordan (gray) has NIKE written wider. Also, the K here touches the Swoosh.

Another obvious difference is in the tread patterns. 

For the fake one, there are glossy spaces in between which is not the case for the gray one.

8. Examine the Wings Logo

Similar to the outsole logo, the wings logo is equally important to find an authentic Air Jordan shoe.

In the real shoes, the logo will be embossed deeper. So, if you run your fingers over the kicks, you can surely feel them.

Although the copycats did a great job imitating the iconic wings, there are some differences. But you must pay close attention to figure it out.

The original Air Jordans don’t include any stitching guides on the panel whereas the fake one is full of these little assembly guides.

Also, the spacing between the details is bigger on the authentic logo. Naturally, it looks a bit wider.

However, the AIR JORDAN writing on the genuine shoes has slightly thicker and bigger letters.

Moving on to the double stitch seam around the logo, the inauthentic pair has bigger stitches than the original pair.

9. Authenticate the Colorways

To recognize real Nike Air Jordan sneakers from fake, you must be aware of the authentic colorways.

If a seller offers a colorway that’s not listed on Nike’s website, chances are high that it’s an inauthentic pair. 

So, research the readily available genuine colorways thoroughly before you buy a pair. 

Usually, the real colorways are updated every time a new pair of shoes are launched.

Sometimes, there are special editions in some exclusive color combinations though.

Nevertheless, you must find them on any direct Nike supplier’s site to be sure of their authenticity. 

The following image shows some popular and common colorways used to produce Nike Air Jordan trainers.

10. Look for the Hourglass Shape

Well, one of the most asked questions about this crowd-favorite shoe is how to spot fake Jordan 1 mid. And the answer is to look for the classic hourglass shape at the heel.

Honestly speaking, some sneaker details are hard to replicate and the hourglass curve of the Air Jordan heel is one of them.

In most cases, the real one has a thicker hourglass shape at the top and bottom whereas slim in the middle.

However, the inauthentic shoes have no distinct curves at the heels. Rather the heels somewhat slope straight downward. 

Moreover, the heels on the replica are often slightly bulkier.

However, you can check this video out to know further details on identifying knock-off Air Jordan immediately. 

FAQs

Can you check Jordan serial number?

Yes, absolutely. There’s a nine-digit serial/style number on the small tag inside the shoe. You should match this number to Nike’s website description of the shoes. Also, the manufacturing label of the shoes should have the same serial number.

Is it easy to tell the difference between real vs. fake Jordans?

Not really. If it’s a high-quality counterfeit, the Air Jordan legit check could be quite challenging. You must be careful enough to feel the material quality, check the Jumpman logo thoroughly, inspect tie stitching quality, and verify the box and style number to distinguish the fake Air Jordans. 

Where are real Jordans made?

Genuine Nike Air Jordans are mostly made in Asia. To be more particular, in China or Vietnam. So, when you see a “Made in China” hallmark on your Jordan trainers, don’t assume they are fake. They are indeed, made by Nike itself in China.

How can you tell if Jordan 1 lows are fake?

To answer your query on how to spot fake Jordan 1 low, we have a straightforward trick. Check the box label carefully and you will get the answer.

Usually, fake labels are printed bolder compared to real ones. Besides, the fake Jumpman logo is more bronze in color whereas the authentic one is golden. 

How long do Jordans last?

It depends on how frequently you use them. Generally, an authentic pair of Air Jordan lasts around 7-10 years in storage. It lasts even more if you wear them occasionally.

However, wearing them regularly will surely decrease the lifespan to anywhere between 1-5 years.

Where is the safest place to buy authentic Nike Air Jordans?

If you are looking for an original Nike Air Jordan, try purchasing from Nike directly, be it in-store or online purchase. Or try buying them from other authentic retailers like Foot Locker, Champ Sports, East Bay, StockX, etc.

Final Words

The rampant rise of fake Air Jordans has surely affected the worldwide Nike market. 

That’s why it’s been very crucial to know how to identify fake Air Jordans. Why waste money on a counterfeit pair when you can get the original one?

But that surely is challenging to spot the replica ones as there are more than 30 pairs of Air Jordans. Each of them has distinctive features.

On that note, we prepared a general guideline to distinguish the fake pairs based on their stitches, logos, packaging, insoles, outsoles, etc.

Hopefully, you can easily recognize the fake pair now and invest wisely in original Air Jordan sneakers.

All the best!