You can tell if Jordan 13 is fake through the size tag. Fakes always have thicker inscriptions compared to those on the original pairs.
1. Size tag
The fake style code is too thick: the print in the top-right corner.
For this example, we’ve used the Jordan 13 Flint size tag (“414571-404”).
The authentic Air Jordan 13’s style code is thinner than the one found on the replica.
The fake date of manufacturing is too thin, and the real one is thicker.
The fake shoes have their “MADE IN CHINA” lines of text looking too thick.
On the other hand, the authentic Air Jordan 13s have their text on the bottom left corner of the size tag looking thinner than the text found on the replica shoes.
Expert Legit Check - Let our team look at your Jordans:
2. Jordan logo
The fake shoes have their “JORDAN” text looking too small and too thin.
The fake Jordan 13s usually have their text too far away from the edges.
Also, fake 13s have their text too thin.
On the other hand, the authentic Air Jordan 13s have their “JORDAN” text below the laces looking bigger and thicker than the fake shoes’ inscription.
3. Tongue
The fake shoes have their tongues Jumpman looking too thick.
The authentic Air Jordan 13s will always have the same stitching weight for their tongue’s Jumpman logo, and will never have parts of the body of the Jumpman thicker or thinner than the rest, unlike the fake shoes.
4. Heel bump
Fake AJ13s have a straight shape, as they do not curve enough on the back.
The authentic shoes have a little bump on their rear side, visible from the profile sides of the shoes.
A quick mention:
The steps we’ve written so far are the BEST ways to authenticate this item
The next few steps are still reliable methods…
… but they apply to non-top-versions of replicas available for this item
If in doubt, we recommend double-checking the steps we’ve explained above this line.
5. Front stitching
The fake shoes have their stitching below the “JORDAN” text tab improperly shaped.
The stitches are too thick and short.
All of the stitches on the authentic shoes are of the same thickness and length.
6. Hologram
The fake shoes have their Jumpman and the “23” text less opaque than the legit shoes’ hologram.
The fake shoes have their stitching too thin.
The fake pair’s stitching circle is placed too far away from the bubble, while the legit shoes have their stitching circle placed closer to the bubble with the hologram.
7. Shape
The replica Air Jordan 13s have a wider and “fatter” shape than the legit shoes.
They’re not as narrow as they have to be.
The authentic shoes have a narrower shape than the fake shoes’ shape.
8. Toe box
Fake shoes tend to have their toe box looking too thick.
The replica Air Jordan 13s also have their toe box looking too curvy from the sole, while the toe box found on the authentic 13s is less curvy and bumpy.
Looking at the authentic shoes’ toe box, you can see how they have a thinner and “slimmer” look than the fake shoes’ toe box, which looks over-inflated and thicker than the legit shoes’ toe box.
9. Sole
The fake shoes have their Jumpman on the sole looking too thick.
This flaw can be the easiest visible if you look at any of the arms of the Jumpman, where you can see how thick are.
Moving to the original Air Jordan 13 shoes, we have pointed out in the fake vs real Air Jordan 13 image above how the legit pair has its Jumpman looking thinner and slimmer than the one found on the fake pair.
10. Reflectiveness (3M)
Let’s look at the shoes with the lights off, and only with the flashlight upon the shoes, in order to reveal the 3M Reflective material.
The fake shoes have their 3M Reflective material shining poorly when compared to the authentic shoes.
By that, we mean that the fake shoes do not glow around their material as much as the authentic shoes.
11. Box label
The fake shoes’ box label has its “AIR JORDAN 13 RETRO” text looking too thin.
The fake box’s style code looks too thin as well, but also too small.
The authentic Air Jordan 13s box label has its style text looking thicker and bigger than the text found on the fake shoes’ box label.
Shortlist: Jordan 13 Legit Check
Check the size tag of your shoes. Mostly, the replica AJ13 sneakers have their text on the size tag improperly positioned and font-weighted
Inspect your shoes for the “JORDAN” text found below the laces. Mostly, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their text looking too thin and small
Look at the Jumpman on the tongue of your Air Jordan 13s. Usually, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their Jumpman on the tongue looking too thick compared to the retail pairs
Examine the shape of the shoes from the side. Mostly, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their shoes straight on the rear side, while the authentic shoes must have a bumpy and curvy shape
Verify the stitching below the “JORDAN” text tab. Most of the time, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their stitching improperly shaped and weighted
Make sure to look at the hologram logo on the side of your 13s. Usually, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their hologram too little visible, and the stitching all around is too thin and placed too far away from the hologram bubble
Check the shape of your shoes from the back. Mostly, the fake Air Jordan 13s have their shape looking too fat and wide from the back
Look at the toe box of your Air Jordan 13s. The fake AJ13 sneakers are most common to have their toe box area looking over-inflated, thicker and curvier than the authentic shoes’ toe box
Authenticate the thickness of the Jumpman on the sole of your shoes, as most of the fake pairs have their Jumpman looking too thick
Verify the quality of the 3M Reflective material of your shoes. The replica Air Jordan 13s have their material shining too little when compared to the legit ones
Have a look at the text on the box label of your shoes. Most of the time, the fake shoes have their text looking too thin
The 11 detailed steps outlined above might not be so practical when you are in a hurry or when you want to buy sneakers online.
That is why we have compiled this quick 60 seconds solution to authenticating your sneakers.
Expert Air Jordan 13 Authentication
If you need help with the authentication of your Air Jordan 13, we’ve got you covered.
All you have to do is send us good-quality pictures of your sneakers and we will get back to you with the results within 24 to 48 hours. The results will also come with a report on why we believe your sneakers are fake or authentic.
That brings us to the end of our fake vs real Air Jordan 13 legit check guide. We will continue to update this article as better and newer comparisons are put out.
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About the Author
David is the co-founder and co-CEO of Legit Check By Ch. David's experience: 5+ years of creating educational content in the fashion industry. 6+ years of authenticating luxury items. Currently, David is the Head Editor of the LCBC Library, where 1,000,000+ words have been published, in free guides, for over 1,000 items.
