There is no denying Virgil Abloh’s influence in the world of fashion. The Chicago native has experienced a rapid level of growth over the past 10 years. His collaborations with Nike have made him one of the most influential people in sneakers. “The Ten”, Abloh’s reinterpretation of ten Nike silhouettes, is still viewed as one of the best sneaker collaborations of all time.
One of those sneakers, the Vapormax, has released in three unique colourways. The white Off-White™ Vapormax is one of the most popular in the Off-White™ x Nike line. Using a white Flyknit upper, the shoe is the ideal summer sneaker. Featuring all of Abloh’s signature details, the sneaker dropped back in April 2018 and quickly sold out. Of course, with this level of popularity has come a number of fake Off-White™ Vapormax.
For this week’s episode of Real vs Fake, we’ve taken a look at the Off-White™ Vapormax White. We’ll be showing you what to look out for when it comes to spotting real vs fake Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers. Our handy little real vs fake Off-White™ Vapormax guide is designed to help you cover the main areas fakes get wrong. Check out the video below to see what Dr KLEKT thought of the shoe. Without further ado, let’s take a look at how to spot fake Off-White™ Vapormax.
The Test
Below, one of the Nike Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers is real and one is fake. We’re going to put your knowledge to the test and ask you to pick which you think is the authentic Vapormax Off-White™ sneaker.
The Price
As with any real vs fake sneaker comparison, one of the biggest giveaways when determining a sneakers authenticity is the price. Given that this is an Off-White™ x Nike sneaker, the resell value is always fairly high. When the white Off-White™ Vapormax dropped back in April 2018, it had a retail price of £230/€250. However, the shoe quickly hit the resell market for around double that.
Whilst fake sellers may try and lower the price to below market value to entice buyers, you should be suspicious if the price is too low to be true. Of course, this applies to all sneakers, not just Off-White™ Nikes. As we always say, if it’s too good to be true then that usually means that it is!
The Reveal
If you guessed that the shoe on the top was the real pair congratulations…you were right! This was a slightly easier one to get than previous comparisons that we have done. If you got it wrong, don’t worry. The reason for these Real vs Fake guides is to educate you so that you don’t get caught out by fakes. Your fake education starts now.
The Packaging
Before we even get into these fake Off-White™ Vapormax white shoes, let’s take a closer look at the packaging. Now, the packaging on all fake sneakers can often show you some key signs to take note of. On these particular fake Off-White™ Vapormax, the packaging has some major discrepancies when compared to the real pair.
The Font
Whilst this may only be a small detail, it is massive when it comes to checking the authenticity. One area in particular that we have highlighted is the “NIKE.COM” on the bottom of the label which we have circled. You can see that on the real Off-White™ x Nike Vapormax shoes, this font is printed crisply and has a thin font. There is even spacing between each letter and that the full stop is easily visible.
However, when looking at the fake Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers, the “NIKE.COM” is much bolder. You can also see that the letters are merged together and in particular, the full stop is touching the “E”, making it hard to read.
The Tissue Paper
Another area that the packaging on these fake Vapormax Off-White™ sneakers has failed to get right is the tissue paper. You can see that on the real tissue paper, there is a nice balance of light green, black and white. This light green is the key focus of this point. The green itself is not too overbearing and works well against the other colours.
If you take a look at the fake Off-White™ Vapormax white, you can see that the tissue paper is a dark green colour. It does not match the real, nor does it even come close to it. This was one of the easiest signs we found when comparing the fake vs real Off-White™ Vapormax shoes and it’s an easy spot to look for.
The Zip Tie
In the world of sneakers, wearing your tags is not a new thing. It has dated back to the 1980s when Michael Jordan’s sneakers had a hang tag that sneakerheads would leave on. Reinterpreting that idea, Abloh includes these zip tags in all of his Off-White™ designs. They can also be a key part in checking whether a shoe is real or fake.
On this particular fake OW Vapormax pair, the zip tie has a number of differences from the real. You can see in the image below that the trademark symbol is much thicker on the fake pair. The tag itself is also a much darker red which was easier to spot in person. In comparison, the authentic Vapormax Off-White™ is a glossier and lighter red. The small trademark symbol is also much easier to see and is a lot less thick.
Whilst these may be small details, they make all the difference.
The Medial Side
Now it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of this shoe. Off-White™ Nikes have some key details that can give us a much better way to determine their authenticity. On almost all fake Off-White™ sneakers, there are a few areas that show up more than others. Here, we’ll break down just what those areas are.
The Swoosh
On this particular Off-White™ sneaker, the Swoosh has a big role. In the image below, you can see that the Swoosh on the fake is very low. This, in turn, means that the iconic medial text on the shoe has not been covered. You can see this on the “2017” has not been covered at all. If you look at the real OW Vapormax sneakers, the Swoosh covers the “2017” up.
The Suede
Another key area to check for is the suede found on the lace section. On the authentic Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers, you can see that the suede has sharp edges. However, when looking at the fake Off-White™ White Vapormax, the edges are too rounded. This is a simple detail that you can check quickly.
The Stitching
As with all fake Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers, the stitching is a massive part to look out for. The Off-White™ Vapormax have a stitched Swoosh on the medial side which runs throughout. On the real Off-White™ Vapormax shoes, the stitching does not overlap towards the tip. However, the fake pair has stitching that overlaps and runs across both sides.
The Lateral Side
We have already discussed the key areas that you can check for when comparing fake vs real Off-White™ Vapormax shoes. Now, we are going to take a closer look at the lateral side of the shoe and explain the areas to check for here.
The Flyknit
Nike’s Flyknit material is without a doubt one of the best advancements in sneaker technology. Virgil Abloh used it on his Off-White™ Vapormax and then used a plastic coating to ensure it was protected. On the real pair of Off-White™ Vapormax, you can still see this Flyknit fabric underneath the plastic. Yet, the fake Off-White™ White Vapormax sneaker makes it harder to view the Flyknit. You can also see this on the heel too.
The Suede Quality
As with all replica sneakers, the quality of materials never really matches up to the real thing. These Off-White™ Vapormax are no different. When taking a look at the suede the differences are clear. On the real Off-White™ shoes, you can see that the suede is soft and a light beige colour. However, the fake pair has a much darker colour and looks a lot rougher.
The Heel
When looking at the rear of the shoe, there are also some more big discrepancies. Although these are small details, they all add up when it comes down to checking whether or not a shoe is real or not. Take a look below to see how these real vs fake Vapormax sneakers compare.
The Pull Tab
This is a big difference. You can see that on the fake Nike shoe, the pull tab is much higher up and there is a much bigger distance from the top of the heel tab to the plastic cage. However, the real heel tab is much lower down and has better proportions.
The Text
When it comes down to the text, the “Vapormax” font is a key area. On the real pair, this font is printed in light grey and has a 3M reflective effect to it. However, when taking a look at the fake, the print is too dark and looks different altogether.
The Sole
Nike’s Vapormax technology is one of the most important additions to footwear since it unveiled its visible air on Air Max 1 in 1987. The sole has a number of big areas that you can check for if you want to compare real vs fake Off-White™ shoes.
The Colour
As you would expect, the real Nike x Off-White™ Vapormax sneakers have a much better quality Air Unit. The Air Unit on the real Off-White™ Vapormax has a slight blue tint to it, an effect that is used throughout the sole. However, on the fake, the Air Unit is crystal clear. This was a simple thing to check for.
The Air Max Logo
You can see in the image below that the Air Max logo on the sole of each shoe is completely different. On the real pair, there is a slightly blurred effect to it. However, on the fake Off-White™ Vapormax shoe, the logo has been printed perfectly.
The Gaps
This is a very big difference and also one that is not easily visible when the shoes are being worn. On the fake pair of Off-White™ Vapormax, you can clearly see that the gap between each Air Unit is very small, almost non-existent. However, there is a larger gap on the real Off-White™ Vapormax sole.
Recap
If you’re looking to spot a fake pair of the Off-White™ Vapormax sneaker, take a look at the list below to help you:
- The Price – if it’s too good to be true then it usually is!
- The Packaging – take a look at the font on the packaging and the green colour of the tissue paper on the inside
- The Tag – check the thickness of the trademark symbol and the colour of the zip tie, it shouldn’t be too much
- The Medial Side – look at the positioning of the Swoosh and the stitching towards the tip, also take a look at the suede patch and whether the edges are sharp
- The Lateral Side – check whether the Flyknit is visible through the plastic cage and the quality of the suede
- The Heel – make sure that the pull tab is not too far from the plastic cage and that the Vapormax logo is grey with a 3M reflective hit
- The Sole – check that the Air Unit has a slight blue tint and that the Air Max logo is slightly blurry. Also, make sure that the gaps between the Air Units are not too small
Final Thoughts
That’s a wrap for these week’s Real vs Fake! If you ever need to check the authenticity of the Off-White™ Vapormax sneaker then you know where to come. Keep your eyes peeled for our next episode of Real vs Fake!
