When Nike’s Vote Forward campaign launched, there were a few standout sneakers. Sean Wotherspoon eventually went on to win the votes, with combination of the Nike Air Max 97 with a Nike Air Max 1 sole. The combination of colourful corduroy and two classic Nike silhouettes was an instant hit with the community, leading to one of the most popular drops of 2018. In the Air Max lineage, this is one of those sneakers that will be talked about for years to come.
Due to its insane popularity, the SW 97/1 has seen a tremendous amount of replicas flood into the market. Here at KLEKT HQ, we’ve seen just about every fake version of the Sean Wotherspoon. Fake SW 97/1s have a few distinct signs that when comparing against the authentic Air Max are extremely obvious.
For our fake education latest guide, we’ll be showing you how to spot fake Sean Wotherspoon 97/1s. These corduroy Air Max are getting more and more popular as time goes on so knowing how to legit check a Sean Wotherspoon Air Max is one of those important sneaker life lessons. Without further delay, let’s show you how to tell fake Sean Wotherspoon’s.
The Test
In the image below, one of these Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max sneakers is real and one is fake. We want you to take a closer look at both of these shoes and decide for yourself which one you think it is.
The Price
As with all our real vs fake guides, we’ll explain just why the price will play such an important part in determining the authenticity of a shoe. If you are into sneakers then you will know exactly what these are. The Wotherspoon 97/1 is one of the most hyped and sought after sneakers, even today. The Round Two founder created a shoe that people are willing to spend upwards of €1,000 for.
If the price on what some claims to be an authentic Sean Wotherspoon Air Max is suspiciously low then we would suggest just leaving it. Replica Sean Wotherspoon’s are getting better and better as the factories continue to perfect the designs, however, the price is the one thing that will always give them away.
The Reveal
Those of you who said that the shoe on the bottom was the real one…congratulations, you were wrong! This was definitely one of the better fake Sean Wotherspoon Nikes that we have seen but there are still some big giveaways that we will teach you how to spot. Let’s take a look.
The Packaging
When it comes to fake Sean Wotherspoon 1/97s, there are a number of signs that you can look at without even examining the shoes. The packaging is one area that you should examine. We’ll explain just what the signs of fake Wotherspoon’s are.
The Nike Logo
One of Sean Wotherspoon’s greatest additions to his Air Max collaboration was the corduroy effect Swoosh he placed on top of the box. This corduroy design uses the same colours that are found on the shoe itself. On the real box, you can see that these colours are very bright and the details are re very prominent. However, on the fake, the colours are bleak and muted. This is an easy sign to look out for without even looking at the shoe.
The Barcode
As you would expect, there are a number of differences between the barcode on the real and the fake pair. Nike will also ensure that the barcode matches throughout. However, the last six digits will always change depending on the size of the shoe. On this fake, the barcode is completely wrong and is different from the real pair.
The Colour
This is an easy one to spot from afar and doesn’t really need much explanation. The fake pair uses a much darker red label compared to the real pair.
The Upper
Designing a sneaker that uses corduroy as the main material you would think would deter replicators from even attempting to copy. Unfortunately, you would be oh so wrong. These Air Max 97 fakes have tried to get as close to the retail production pair with some pretty interesting results.
The Colours
Most fakes Sean Wotherspoon’s struggle to get the balance of colours right. Due to the fact that there are seven different colours of suede on this sneaker, replicators can often slip up on one or, more often than not, all of the upper.
All of the colours used on the Nike Air Max 1/97 VF SW are rich. They are perfectly balanced and are not too bright or too dark. However, what you will find on most replica pairs is that these colours are extremely vibrant. The corduroy used on fake SW 97/1s will often be too bright.
The Swoosh Patch
The brown Swoosh patch will tend to be the wrong shape on the fakes. It is easy to spot because the patch runs lower than on the authentic pairs. Also, pay attention to the placement of the golden swoosh and the stitching that’s outlining the patch.
The Stitching
If you want to know how to tell if Nikes are fake then this is one of the biggest giveaways. Pretty much every fake Nike or fake Jordan will get the stitching wrong. It is one of the finer details that replicators often ignore.
You will be able to spot poor stitching from a mile away on the Sean Wotherspoon’s but in particular, you should pay attention to the toe box. The stitching is one of the biggest parts of 97/1s that can easily determine if it is real or fake.
The Texture
As you would expect from corduroy Air Max, the texture will play an important part. The corduroy on these sneakers does not feel smooth, it is slightly coarse. If you have a pair in hand then you will see what this feels like. The replicas will tend to make the corduroy completely soft which is an easy giveaway.
The Heel
On the heel of this Air Max, there are a number of parts that you should check out to determine the authenticity of the sneaker.
The Heel Shape
This is one of the most important parts to check out. You will see on the authentic pairs that there is a large bump that overhangs on the heel of the Wotherspoon Air Max. Fakes will not have this bump and the shoe will fall straight down with no bump.
The Tab Text
A number of different producers make these sneakers. One of the most important parts to check out, however, is the tab text. On the authentic pair, the text is clearly defined and reads “VA→LA”. Fakes will not get the definition right and the text will simply be placed on without real effort.
The Height
Most of the pull tabs will tend to be too tall on fakes, with an overhang of material that can reach up quite some way. You will see on the real pair that there is a perfect loop that lines up with the tongue tab.
The Tongue
There are a number of different areas that you should look at when carrying out a legit check of Sean Wotherspoon Air Max. Here we will explain just what those areas are and the specific things to check out.
The Sole
Colours on this part play a vital role, as well as the texture. The grey section of the midsole has two slight teeth that curve up and create a slight lip. On the fakes, the shoes miss this out completely and there is no curve at all. This creates the wrong texture on the sneaker making it much easier to spot when you see the shoe up close.
The Height
Straight away you will notice that the height of the tongue on authentic pairs lines up with the back heel tab. Fakes will tend to make the tongue puffier and it will stick up more than the authentic pair. This is an easy thing to check out for and it will most certainly be easier to spot when you are looking at the shoe side on.
The Lace Holder
You will see on the fake pair that it has a different shape, texture and is of a much poorer quality when you compare it to the real. It is also not positioned properly and the bottom of the lace holder comes down too far.
The UV Test
If you’ve been following the KLEKT Real vs Fake guides for a while, you’ll know how important the UV test is. As we always mention, UV light can help you to spot fake sneakers much easier. This is because it helps to pick up flaws that replicators leave behind. If you haven’t got a UV light, we could not recommend getting one enough. They are relatively inexpensive and will help you to spot fake shoes!
The Upper
When you get into the upper of this shoe under UV light, there are some very big differences. You can see on the tongue tab, velcro wave patch and laces light up on the real pair, but the lace loops do not. However, when taking a look at the fake pair, nothing really lights up except the lace loops, and even they barely glow.
The Stitching
When we take a closer look at the stitching on this shoe, a few more discrepancies also arise. The stitching on two different corduroy materials lights up, with the stitching on the purple part glowing a slight red on the real pair. This same stitching does not glow on the fake, however. The stitching on the light blue part lights up under UV on the fake pair but doesn’t on the real.
The Insole
One of the most unique parts of this Nike Air Max is the insole. It uses a velour lining and has an orange smiley face Swoosh. This is one of the key areas that you should check out for a number of reasons.
First of all the shape should be sooth and have a slight outline of the material underneath. However, you will see on the fake pair that the insole is chunky and not aligned properly.
The colouring on the insole is also important. It is a teal colour that reflects the light slightly due to its shininess. Most fakes tend to make the sole too dark and when placed against the orange smiley face this shows.
Recap
- The Price – if it’s too good to be true it is!
- The Packaging – take a look at the colours of the corduroy print, the colour of the red label and the last six digits of the barcode
- The Upper – check the colours, brown Swoosh patch, stitching and the overall the texture of the corduroy
- The Heel – look at the shape, is there a bump? Also, make sure the tab text is clear to read and that the tab is not too tall
- The Tongue – the tongue should line up with the heel tab and not be too puffy, also look at the lace holder
- The Insole – check out the colour of the insole, the overall shape and the Swoosh smiley face
- The Sole – does the grey section have a texture on the side and how do the colours look?
- The UV Test – check that the laces, velcro patch, and wave patch light up. Also, make sure that the stitching on the purple glows red and the blue stitching lights up.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed this fake guide on how to tell fake Sean Wotherspoon 97/1s. If you ever need any help, make sure you check back to the KLEKT Blog and we’ll be happy to help. If you are looking to cop a brand new pair of Sean Wotherspoon’s then head to KLEKT!
If you want to make sure that you are guaranteed 100% authenticity on your Sean Wotherspoon sneakers, make sure you cop at KLEKT! Our team of authenticators make sure that your Sean Wotherspoon shoes are legit before sending them out. We see a lot of Nike Air Max 97/1s come through our HQ and know exactly what to look at. Cop your new Wotherspoon’s at KLEKT now!
