All sneaker enthusiasts get ready: 5 tips on how to distinguish genuine sneakers from fakes

The adventures of sneakers are legendary. They queue for days for a new pair, name their sneakers, organize photo shoots, and don’t spare any money. However, like any other subculture, sneaker enthusiasts have their own rules, and the most important of these is not to buy fakes. Even if they look very similar to the original. Otherwise, why all this?

We are far from true sneakers and their impressive collections, but we also love sneakers. And not any original. Therefore, after the official stores left the Russian market, the question of how not to encounter a fake became an advantage.

Indeed, sometimes it is not easy to distinguish a fake from the original, even for a seasoned sneaker enthusiast, let alone us.

That’s why we decided to dot the i’s today and figure out what you should consider before buying. For advice, we turned to a person who is absolutely “incompetent” at this. We give the floor to Sasha Bespalov, founder of Kickstown sneaker store.

Sasha Bespalov, sneaker blogger and founder of Kickstown

It’s not just a box

Each original pair of shoes in the box should have a printed barcode and item number that can be checked by swiping into a special area on the official website, then the search engine should return the result with the same sneaker model. Box. If there is no text and barcode on the box or if it does not give correct results when checked, it means fake.

present the QR code

In addition to the special code printed on the box, the original pair of sneakers must also contain a barcode. There are many apps and services that can scan this code and check if the shoes are authentic. Also, this barcode must match what is printed on the box. The only exception to this situation may be a very rare limited collection of original shoes.

comparative analysis

Before buying sneakers on online trading platforms, compare their appearance with the image on the official website of the manufacturer. Be sure to pay attention to the matching colors and the shape of the overhead lines. Often counterfeit products only roughly repeat the contours of the original. The same applies to color: there are cases when scammers confuse colors and their order in small details.

All eyes on the logo

To avoid the responsibility of imitating original brands, scammers slightly change the original logo; for example, they can skip a letter or add an extra symbol. That is why you should pay attention to the logo, it was made as accurately as possible on the original pair of shoes and exactly matches what is shown on the official website.

The city under the floor

If you turn the original sneaker over, you will notice that the sole will be matte as it is made of natural materials. Unlike the fake, where the rubber sole will definitely shine.