When the Sacai LDWaffle debuted at Paris Fashion Week in October 2018, the sneaker community was instantly drawn to a collaboration with Nike. The Sacai x Nike LDWaffle is a blend of two classic Nike silhouettes; the Waffle Runner and Daybreak. The shoe is a merge of both sneakers, using stacked layering to create the illusion of two sneakers in one. The same idea was copied to the Nike Sacai Blazer and has been a big success.
The Nike Sacai retail price was around £139 a pair, with pairs now reselling up to three or four times the price depending on the colourway. As Sacai x Nike collaborations go, it’s safe to say that these are the strongest in the long history of the two. A Nike Sacai drop can cause just as much hype as Off-White or Travis Scott, which is a good and bad thing when it comes to fake Nikes.
After the recent success of the Sacai x Nike LDVWaffles in September, the sneaker has only grown in hype and demand, leading to a slurry of replica pairs beginning to hit the market. Knowing how to spot fake sneakers is a vital tool for any sneakerhead. With more Sacai Nike Waffles beginning to crop up, we thought we would help with a comprehensive guide on how to spot fake Nike Sacais.
The Test
Below is an image of a real and fake pair of Nike x Sacai Waffle “Summit White”. Which do you think is real pair and why?
The Price
As with all of our fake education guides, we like to talk about the price being able to determine the authenticity of a shoe. Most sneakerheads will know that the Sacai x Nike LDWaffle “Summit White” had a retail price of £139/€160. However, the resell price on the “Summit White” starts at €439; almost three times the retail price.
If a reseller has a pair of these up for sale at below the retail then its a clear sign that they are fake. Whilst many fake sneaker sellers may try and be clever by putting the price at just under average resell, there are a few ways that you can spot them. If it’s too good to be true then that usually means that it is!
The Reveal
If you said the pair on the bottom was the real shoe then congratulations! This is the authentic of Sacai Nike LDV Waffle in the classic “Summit White” colourway. If you said the pair on the top then we’ll teach you the differences and explain what to look out for going forward. Let’s take a look at how to spot fake Nike Sacai Waffles.
The Upper
One of the biggest giveaways on pretty much all fake Nike shoes is the quality of the upper. on this particular shoe, there are a number of key factors to look out for. We’ll outline just what they are below so you know just what to look for if you want to know how to spot fake Sacai Waffles.
The Lacing
Whilst it may seem like a minor detail, the lacing on the Sacai x Nike Waffle plays a very big role. This particular sneaker comes with double laces, a unique detail in itself. On the real shoe, you can see that the laces go all the way to the top, something that all DS pairs of the Sacai Waffle will have.
However, when taking a look at the fake pair, you can see that they are laced until the penultimate lace eyelet. This is a big giveaway and one that our authenticators spotted straight away. It is a lazy detail that the replicators have missed.
Another key area to check on the lacing is the material itself. As you can see from the image below, the grey lace area on the real shoe uses leather. The fake, however, use a suede-like material. It is the small differences that add up.
The Colour
Without a doubt, one of the easiest things to spot when comparing real and fake Nike Sacais is the overall quality of the colouring. Fake Nike Sacai Waffle replicators tend to make the colours slightly too dark compared to the authentic pairs. It’s one of the easiest things to look out for if you want to know how to spot fake Sacais.
The Mesh
This is a tougher one to notice but you will be able to tell the difference when compared to the real thing. The mesh used on fake pairs has a completely different feel to the mesh on genuine Sacais. The quality of the holes is also one to look out for, with the fake Sacais having slightly bigger individual holes.
The Quality
When it comes to all Real vs Fake comparisons, the devil really is in the detail. The fake Sacai’s have a number of differences from the real pair which we have highlighted in the image below.
The biggest difference between the two is the ratio of grey and white suede. You can see that the fake pair does not use as much as the real. Furthermore, the cut of the suede on the fake pair is much worse. Whilst Nike may not have the best quality control at times, you can see that the overall lack of quality is shown on the fake pair.
The Heel
We’ll go into a more detailed explanation from the points made above here, explaining each along the way.
The Swoosh
If you want to know how to tell fake Sacais then start with the Swoosh. The Swoosh on the authentic pair is similar to that of the previous Sacai releases in that it has more of a gloss finish compared to that of the matte on the replica. Replicas are unable to match the quality of genuine pairs. You will also notice that the Swoosh finishes a lot earlier on the fake pairs in comparison to the real Nike Sacai Waffles, but we’ll get to that later.
There should be a small gap from the bottom of the Swoosh to the midsole unit. The gap on the Swoosh on fake pairs is much larger. Depending on the factory this is usually two or three times the size. This is one of the biggest things to look for when you want to know how to tell fake Nike Sacais.
The Materials
The leather used on the swoosh on the replica pair has a matt finish. You can see on the authentic pair it is has a glossy/shiny finish. This is one detail that should show whether the Nike Sacai Waffles you are looking to cop are fake or not. It is also the same for Sacai x Nike Blazers.
Knowing how to tell fake Sacai Nikes is easy if you know what to look for. When it comes to the suede materials, this is another big giveaway for fake Nike Sacais. Nike will use a premium suede which replicators cannot compete with. The colouring of this suede on fakes is worse and has no real hints of a light grey coming through.
Fake sneakers tend to have an excess of materials too, whether it is stitching, suede or leather. As you can see from the image above, there is an excess of leather and stitching around the curve of the Swoosh.
The Heel
Another element that fake Sacai Nike Waffles have not yet managed to grasp is the heel area of the shoe. There are a number of giveaways to look out for and we’ll explain what they are here.
The Cut
The image above shows a big difference between the cut of the heel tab, as well as where the material has been joined at the top. You can see the quality that Nike puts into every pair quite easily when compared to replicas.
The Font
Another pointer to look at is the quality of the font on the Nike x Sacai logo, as well as the colour. The real pair has a much lighter shade of grey with a gloss finish whereas the replicas are darker with a matte finish.
The Suede
We’ve already mentioned the quality of the materials used on Nike x Sacai Waffles but it’s important to revisit them when it comes to the heel. Suede material is used on the rear panel of the shoe and its quality is miles apart in comparison to fake pairs. This will change as the replicas get better, but for now, the fake Sacai’s are using a synthetic leather panel.
The UV Test
If you’ve been following us for a while then you know what’s coming next. As with all of our Real vs Fake guides, we’re finishing things off with the infamous UV test. UV light is a great way to determine the authenticity of any pair of sneakers. It picks up things that the human eye would struggle to see. Here at KLEKT, we could not recommend getting a UV light more!
You can see that under UV light a number of differences show up. Firstly, the Nike Swoosh on the tongue lights up on the real but does not on the fake. Secondly, stitching marks are also visible on the tongue of the fake shoe but not on the real. Finally, the grey Swoosh edge lights up white on the fake but does not on the real shoe.
Recap
If you’ve been wondering how to spot fake Nike Sacai’s, then all you need to do is remember the points below:
- The Upper – check for the colours and the overall look of the shoe. Most fakes tend to be too dark and not much of a distinction is used between each panel.
- The Swoosh – look for a gloss finish as well as the quality of the leather. Fakes are matte and tend to have excess material, a big giveaway. Be aware of the spacing too! The Swoosh should finish just above the sole not before or after.
- The Materials – it’s easy to tell a good pair of shoes from a bad one. Nike will use premium leather and suede throughout when constructing Sacai’s. Also, check out the stitching and make sure that no excess has been left.
- The Heel – look at the cut as well as the material used. Most fakes use synthetic leather which has been poorly cut and stitched. Check out for the logos on the heel too, they should have a gloss finish and not too matte.
- The Inside – on the insole of the shoe, you should see a perfectly pressed logo with no ink bleeding. This will show up very easily and will be a good sign to legit check your Sacais.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this guide on how to spot fake Sacai Nike Waffles. If you are wondering how so many fake Sacais pop up, or even people are looking at where to buy fake Nike Sacais, then hopefully this guide has helped. Nike x Sacai collaborations will be one of the most hyped relationships in sneakers for years to come. People often wonder where to buy fake Nikes or where to buy fake Sacais, and there’s really no need to. With Sacai Nike Blazers also beginning to pop up, avoid all the hassle and buy direct from KLEKT!
KLEKT guarantees authenticity on every purchase. Our dedicated team of authenticators will ensure that you get a legit product whatever it is. If you are looking to buy some new Nike Sacais then head over to the store now. We have every pair of Sacai x Nike LDWaffle available at a great price.
