Expert’s Advice: How To Legit Check Jordan 1s (2024)

Written by
Ch Daniel

Last Updated on septiembre 1, 2024 by Ch David

Straight to the point: We’ll teach you how to legit check your Jordan 1s with:

  • Jordan 1 real vs fake comparisons
  • Explanations, provided by professionals
  • A shortlist (simpler version of this guide)

An authentic pair of Nike shoes is always flawless when it comes down to athletic and casual footwear[1]. Fakes always have some kind of an issue.

How to Tell if Jordan 1s are FAKE

Contesta: Check the text on the label inside the top of the tongue. Fakes always have misaligned and unclear inscriptions.


1. Price check

Comparing listings of an authentic and a fake Jordan 1 Dior
  • Auténtico: Definitely a big price for an expensive pair of shoes.
  • Falso: VERY Low price for what the shoes are (with £4,000 under the used market’s average price).

Read further: Check our Jordan 1 Dior guide to see why that’s a FAKE.

2. Interior tongue

Fast answer: Fakes always have their tongue label’s text waving instead of straight.

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 interior tongue labels
This label says that the Swoosh[2] is an official Nike trademark

Auténtico:

  1. Clear and legible font on the Air Jordan 1 tag.
  2. “CHINA” text is clearly printed.
  3. “A” in the tag is entirely legible.
  4. Properly printed “H” letter in the tag.
  5. Consistent printing of French words like “VOTRE.”
  6. “E” in “GARANTIE” is clearly and entirely printed.

Falso:

  1. Thinner and sometimes illegible font on the Air Jordan 1 tag.
  2. “CHINA” text comparison can reveal discrepancies.
  3. “A” might not be entirely legible.
  4. “H” letter appears wider.
  5. Poorly-printed text can be a red flag; e.g., the “E” in “GARANTIE” might not be fully printed.
  6. While high-quality replicas might not have wavy text, they can still show the above-mentioned differences.

Find more information in our other Jordan legit check guide.

Below is another comparison:

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 interior tongue labels

Auténtico:

  1. Text is clear and consistent.
  2. “SWOOSH®” text has consistent and correct font.
  3. The “O” in “SWOOSH®” is round and consistent with the font.
  4. French translation reads “EN CHINE.”

Falso:

  1. Wavy text is a prominent flaw.
  2. Visible flaws in the “SWOOSH®” text.
  3. Different fonts used, especially noticeable in the ® character and the “O” letter.
  4. The “O” in “SWOOSH®” resembles a zero due to its taller shape.
  5. Incorrect French translation, displaying “CHINA” instead of “EN CHINE.”

Experto Legit Check - Deje que nuestro equipo examine sus Jordans:

3. Hourglass shape

A signature silhouette of the Air Jordan 1 is the hourglass shape ⌛.

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 from the back

Auténtico:

  • Curves in two places: above and below the medial line.
  • Below the medial line, the sneaker has an almost bell-shaped bottom.

Falso:

  • Appears almost straight when viewed from certain angles.
  • Lacks the distinctive curvature above and below the medial line.

Not clear enough? We’ve got you:

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 for the hourglass shape

Auténtico:

  • Displays dual curvature: both above and beneath the medial line.
  • The bottom section, below the medial line, exhibits a bell-like contour.

Falso:

  • From specific angles, it appears predominantly linear.
  • Misses the unique bends found above and under the medial line.

Top-tier replicas may get this thing right, so it’s not the most reliable tell.

Nonetheless, it might save you minutes when authenticating since the large majority of fakes are not from the top-tier category.

Second example:

Back comparison of the authentic vs fake Jordan 1
  • Auténtico: Curves perfectly + narrow in the middle.
  • Falso: Straight, looking like a tube instead of a hourglass.

Please note that this flaw is harder to spot when wearing the Jordans.

Above we’ve compared the real Jordan 1 Pine Green vs the fake Jordan 1 Chicago.

4. Bulkiness

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 from the side

Auténtico:

  • Subtle curve in the box.
  • Sole sits higher, especially noticeable in the lower left corner.

Falso:

  • Bulkier overall appearance.
  • Lacks the distinctive subtle curve seen in the genuine pair.

Second comparison:

Real vs fake Air Jordan 1 comparison from the exterior side

Here we’re looking at the real vs fake Jordan 1 Shattered Backboard.

  • Auténtico: Thicker, heavier toe box.
  • Falso: Smaller toe box.

See how the top-rear issue applies here as well.

5. Jordan 1 logo

There are some shortcomings on the Air Jordan logo — almost every pair of this model has the classic Air Jordan 1 logo with wings[3].

5.1. Best fake

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 for the Air Jordan TM logo

Auténtico:

  1. Jordan Wings logo has thinner letters, with the exception of the ™ character.
  2. “A” character is noticeably thinner.
  3. Clear and distinct spacing between the “J” and “O” characters.
  4. Adequate spacing between the “wings” elements in the logo.
  5. Sharper and more defined elements in the logo.

Falso:

  1. Lower quality print for the Jordan Wings logo.
  2. Fuzzier outlines for the “A” character.
  3. “J” and “O” characters touch or are too close, lacking clear separation.
  4. The same spacing flaw is evident between the “D” and “A” characters.
  5. The “R” character is imprecisely printed.
  6. The ™ character is both too small and thinner.
  7. Less spacing between the “wings” elements in the logo, with fuzzier lines making the elements less distinct.

5.2. Good fake

Here is an example of the fake vs real Jordan 1 Bred Banned.

Authentic vs fake Jordan 1 comparison for the classic Jordan logo

Auténtico:

  1. Bold, precise letters.
  2. Correct font weight.
  3. Proportional “J” character.
  4. Correct ™ character thickness.
  5. Wings spaced appropriately.

Falso:

  1. Inaccurate font boldness.
  2. Thin and sometimes illegible letters.
  3. Taller “J” character.
  4. Thicker ™ character.
  5. Wings are too close, even overlapping.

5.3. Bad fake

Let’s take a look at one of the worst flaws on Jordan 1s.

“Are the R and D supposed to touch on Jordans?”

Answer: Yes, the “R” and “D” are always supposed to touch on Jordans. If not, that is an instant callout for a fake.

See the image below for a better explanation:

Example of a bad Air Jordan 1 fake where the "R" and "D" are touching in the AIR JORDAN logo

This used to be a very common flaw in the past but it’s been majorly fixed.

  • Falso:
    • The R and D in “JORDAN” are not connected.
    • They should always be connected.

Nowadays, you’ll only see this flaw on very bad replicas.

Una mención rápida:

  • Los pasos que hemos escrito hasta ahora son los siguientes MEJOR formas de autentificar este artículo
  • Los siguientes pasos siguen siendo métodos fiables...
  • ... pero se aplican a las versiones no superiores de las réplicas disponibles para este artículo

En caso de duda, le recomendamos que vuelva a comprobar los pasos que hemos explicado sobre estas líneas.

6. Swoosh

The “Swoosh” is Nike‘s logo on the side of your Jordan 1s.

Comparing authentic and fake Jordan 1 for the Swoosh (Nike logo)
  • Auténtico: Swoosh is distinctly pointy.
  • Falso: End of the Nike swoosh is bulkier.

7. Perforations

Find these on the toe box of your 1s.

Top-down comparison of the real vs fake Jordan 1 Orange

Auténtico:

  1. Holes are consistent and of the right size.
  2. Perforations are uniform in shape and size.
  3. Each hole is fully and cleanly perforated, indicating high-quality manufacturing.

Falso:

  1. Holes are oversized.
  2. Perforations vary in shapes and sizes.
  3. Some holes might not be fully perforated, indicating subpar manufacturing equipment.

Here’s something else we want to point out:

Example of bad Jordan 1 replicas with asymmetrical perforations

Auténtico:

  • Toe box holes are uniformly positioned.
  • Consistent spacing between the formation and the colored suede panel.

Falso:

  • Toe box holes may have irregular positioning.
  • Noticeable difference in spacing between the formation and the colored suede panel.

8. Sole logo

In the middle of the sole, you will be able to spot the NIKE logo — the written “NIKE” one[4], since Nike’s logos come in a few combinations:

  • NIKE text
  • Swoosh
  • Both at a time

On the sole, we find both at a time: “NIKE” + the Swoosh symbol.

Comparing the fake vs real Jordan 1 sneakers for their sole's logos
  • Auténtico: “R” in the ® character is consistent and of standard design.
  • Falso: “R” in the ® character has a larger loop.

9. Box label

Since this is a universal guide for any Air Jordan 1, we won’t analyse the text of the label per se, since it ranges based on what edition you’ve got (or looking to get).

Comparing the labels on the boxes of a real and fake Jordan 1 pair

Auténtico:

  1. The “8” in the font is of standard design.
  2. Numbers have a regular font weight.
  3. Inside the holes of the “8” are of standard size.
  4. The text like BLACK/STARFISH-SAIL and BLACK/VARSITY RED-STARFISH has letters that are closely spaced, almost touching each other.
  5. Font used is consistent and fully printed.

Falso:

  1. The bottom end of the “8” is wider.
  2. Numbers in the font are bolder.
  3. As a result, the space inside the holes of the “8” is smaller.
  4. The mentioned texts show noticeable spacing between letters.
  5. The font appears different from the authentic version.
  6. Portions of the text might not be completely printed.

10. Lengüeta exterior

Comparison of the exterior side of the tongue on a real and a fake Jordan 1 pair

Auténtico:

  1. Swoosh has a distinct and consistent shape.
  2. Curvature of the swoosh is precise.
  3. Lines of the swoosh are clear and sharp, especially on the exterior edge (right side of the AIR text).

Falso:

  1. Swoosh shape deviates from the original.
  2. Curvature appears slightly altered.
  3. The swoosh has fuzzy lines, especially noticeable on its exterior edge.

11. Sole stars

Comparison of the sole's stars on a real and a fake Jordan 1 pair
  • Auténtico: Star/asterisk pattern on the sole is uniformly dense.
  • Falso: Density of the star/asterisk pattern varies, indicating inconsistency in the pattern.

12. Rear leather patch

Comparison of a real and fake Jordan 1 from the back
  • Auténtico:
    • Leather patch at the intersection of the two swooshes has a specific shape and size.
    • Shoe has a distinct hourglass shape.
  • Falso:
    • Leather patch’s shape and size deviate from the original.
    • The shoe displays a straight silhouette, missing the characteristic hourglass shape.

Preselección: How to authenticate Jordan 1s

In a rush? Here’s a quick summary of the steps we’ve shared today: 

  1. Check the tongue of the shoe for inconsistencies: The text on the shoe should be straight and clear instead of wavy.
  2. Check the shape of the shoe: Fakes will often have a rounder, more hourglass-like shape.
  3. Check the bulkiness of the shoe: Authentic Air Jordan 1s will usually have less bulk and a slimmer curvature around the shoe.
  4. Check the Logo for any inconsistencies: Generally, the logo on real Jordan 1s will be thinner and fuzzier.
  5. Inspect the Nike Swoosh: The Swoosh will be thicker on any inauthentic Jordan 1s.
  6. Check the Toe Box: Ensure that the holes are both the right size and fully perforated and that the toe box isn’t too bulky.
  7. Take a Look at the Nike Logo on the Sole: Ensure that the ® symbol looks correct and isn’t too big.
  8. Ensure the Box Label is Correct: Often, fake box labels will have incorrect fonts and look different to a standard box label.
  9. Check the Nike Air Logo on the Tongue Tag: The swoosh will usually be fuzzier on fake Jordan 1s.
  10. Look at the Sole: The star pattern on the sole will look different on a fake, as there will be a difference in the density and size of the stars.
  11. Look out for the leather patch on the rear of the shoe: Fake trainers may have the ‘hourglass shape’ flaw.

If you have any doubts about the authenticity of your Air Jordan 1s, get in touch with our experts at Comprobación legal today.

We can easily help you work out the authenticity of your Jordans.

Expert Jordan 1 Authentication

With this guide, checking your Air Jordan 1s for basic signs of counterfeiting is simple. However, the best way to ensure that your collectible sneakers are real is with Comprobación legal:

  1. Upload pictures of your Jordan 1s
  2. Wait from 30 mins to 48 hrs (usually take less than 24 hrs)
  3. Get a detailed report: Authentic or Fake, with reasons

Plus, we offer top-tier services such as the Certificado de autenticidad and the Legit Check Club, where you can subscribe monthly to save throughout our site.

Preguntas frecuentes

What are Air Jordan 1s?

Air Jordan 1s are basketball sneakers produced by Nike, in collaboration with legendary basketball star Michael Jordan, under the Air Jordan brand.

The Air Jordan 1s were the first line of sneakers launched for the Air Jordan brand. They were created in 1985 for use in Jordan’s basketball career, during his Chicago Bulls era. Because of this, they’ve become one of the most iconic sneakers in the world.

Many different types of Air Jordan 1s have been made over the years. A lot of these have become collectible due to the iconic nature of the shoe, and the rarity of some of the more valuable variants of the Jordan 1. 

For example, the Jordan 1 Retro High Travis Scott has an asking price of +$1,400 on StockX. While appearing retro in style, these shoes were created in late 2019. However, the unique design and low supply has led to these sneakers becoming incredibly collectible since their release.

With StockX listings commanding +$30k for original 1985 Air Jordan 1s, these shoes are easily one of the most collectible ever. Whether you’re a collector or just love wearing them, ensuring to legit check Air Jordan 1s is important when purchasing them.

Why legit check Air Jordan 1s?

As with any other high-value collectibles, Air Jordan 1s are incredibly susceptible to counterfeiting and fakes. This is why it’s important to legit check them, and to make sure you’re knowledgeable about the differences between real vs fake Air Jordan 1s.

Checking straight away to ensure that your newly bought sneakers are real Jordan 1s is crucial., Realising too late means that you can’t potentially file a dispute with the marketplace or payment processor you bought them from.

Buying sneakers from reputable sellers and official stores is the best way to ensure that you’re not going to be scammed beforehand. Still, making sure to legit check Air Jordan 1s wherever you’ve bought them from is incredibly important, as a reseller may have missed a fake.

Unsure about how to legit check Air Jordan 1s? Want to make sure that they’re real with a full Certificado de autenticidad? Comprobación legal is the best and easiest way to make sure you don’t get scammed by fake Air Jordan 1s and other fake sneakers and collectibles.

What do fake Jordan 1s smell like?

Fake Jordan 1s have a strong smell of glue, suggesting it was made in a replica factory. You’ll see fake Jordan smelling like chemicals (gasoline) and lots of cardboard, for instance.

An authentic pair doesn’t necessarily have a smell.

Though, you’ll instantly notice a fake pair if it smells a lot like chemicals.

Referencias

  1. Notaro, Anna. “Swoosh time: Nike’s Art of Speed advertizing campaign and the Blogosphere.” Nebula 5.4 (2008): 64-83.
    Acceso en: academia.edu/download/38463831/SwooshTime.pdf
  2. Donaghu, Michael T., and Richard Barff. “Nike just did it: International subcontracting and flexibility in athletic footwear production.” Regional studies 24.6 (1990): 537-552.
    Acceso en: tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00343409012331346204
  3. LaFeber, Walter. Michael Jordan and the new global capitalism (new edition). WW Norton & Company, 2002.
    Acceso en: google.com/books/edition/_/ZHb0AgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
  4. Oswal, Sonam, Roohshad Mistry, and Bhagyesh Deshmukh. “Effective Logo Design.” ICoRD’13: Global Product Development. Springer India, 2013.
    Acceso en: springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-81-322-1050-4_22
Conozca nuestra opinión

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Gracias por leer esto,

Ch Daniel y Ch David

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About the Author

Ch Daniel es cofundador y codirector general de Legit Check By Ch, una de las empresas líderes mundiales en autenticación de productos. La experiencia de Daniel: Más de 8 años en el sector del lujo, más de 7 años en el sector de la autenticación y más de 10 años en desarrollo empresarial. Actualmente, Daniel supervisa el desarrollo de nuevos productos de Legit Check By Ch.
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