The best way to spot fake Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Carbon is to look at the size tag. Most fake Carbon V2s don’t have their inscriptions at the correct font weight.
Therefore, most fakes have an improper amount of space between the characters.
1. Barcode scan
The barcode is a key sign of real Adidas sneakers.
Click on the barcode icon and aim at the barcode on your Yeezy 350 Carbon box.
Use your judgment with the results.
Look for matches that verify the realness of your Yeezy Boost V2 Carbon, as previously mentioned.
1.2. Authentic results
If many matches appear on Google for your barcode, as shown below, your box is likely genuine.
As depicted in the image above, the results align with the colorway, size, and product ID of the authentic Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Carbon box label shown in the comparison.
1.3. Fake results
We’re confirming the box’s authenticity, not the sneakers.
There’s a chance genuine boxes were replaced with fakes by counterfeit resellers to deceive buyers.
The fake Yeezy Carbon barcode doesn’t align with the colorway, size, and product ID, unlike the genuine Yeezy.
A barcode scan is only a perfect match if the size and colorway in the results correspond to those on the box.
If just one of these elements matches, the box remains unauthentic.
Finding it too hard? Legit check your Yeezys with our experts:
2. Size tag
1 – “US UK FR JP CHN” Inscription
Authentic: Font-Weight is thinner compared to the replica.
Fake: Font-Weight appears too thick, making it easy to spot as a fake.
2 – Date of Manufacturing Text
Authentic: The date text (“05/20”) is thinner.
Fake: The date text is too thick, indicating a replica.
3 – “ART” Number Text
Authentic: All characters in “ART FZ5000” have the same thickness.
Fake: The “ART” text is thinner, while the “FZ5000” text is thicker.
4 – “adidas” Inscription
Authentic: The text is thicker.
Fake: The text is too thin.
Guaranteed fake: If the “adidas” text is connected to the “®” symbol.
5 – LHG/APE/CLU/EVN Print
Authentic or Fake: Any of the inscriptions (LHG, APE, CLU, EVN) can be found on both authentic and fake pairs.
Not a reliable spot for identification.
3. Lacing
Authentic:
Left Shoe: From the wearer’s point of view, the left lace that originates from the stripe side of the shoe should go under the right lace, which comes from the interior profile side of the shoe.
Right Shoe: The right lace from the stripe side should go under the lace from the left side of the shoe.
Fake:
Laces are attached in a manner inconsistent with the authentic shoes, making this a helpful factor for identification.
Let’s have a look at a detailed comparison:
This flaw is applicable only to deadstock pairs (those unworn and in factory condition).
Alternatively, it only works for pairs where the laces have not been tampered with or swapped.
Here’s what the extra laces should look like — find them in the box of the shoes:
4. Boost
4.1. Best fake
Fake: The boost sole’s pellets are mathematically aligned, showing symmetry.
Authentic: Pellets are randomly positioned, lacking a set pattern.
4.2. Mid fake
Fake: Pellets on the boost sole appear too thick and textured.
Authentic: Pellets have a more natural look, without excessive texture or thickness.
4.3. Bad fake
Lastly, let’s verify the pellets on another version on the market of the fake Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Carbons.
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. Box label
Every sneaker in the Yeezy V2 line comes in two editions: the US and the international version.
The US version label showcases three sizes:
US (in large print), and UK and F (both in smaller prints below).
The international version displays sizes for six countries:
US, UK, F, D, J, and CHN, with all sizes printed equally on the label.
Fake: Serial number ends with a V10 for a US version, which is incorrect.
Authentic: For US versions, serial number ends with V02 or V03. For international versions (Canadian/European), it ends with V10.
Any deviation from these expected suffixes on the serial number is a clear red flag for identifying counterfeit products.
This is particularly true for US versions labeled incorrectly with a V10 suffix, as indicated in the image above.
6. Shape
Fake: The tongue’s opening is noticeably wider and larger than it should be.
Authentic: The tongue opening on authentic Carbon 350 V2s is narrower and less expansive.
7. Toe box
Fake: The toe box appears over-inflated, giving it a thicker and curvier look.
Authentic: The toe box on authentic pairs looks more deflated, offering a lighter and less bulky appearance.
8. Midsole
8.1. Translucency
Fake: The midsole is less transparent, making the boost material harder to see, even in better lighting conditions.
Authentic: The toe box is transparent enough to easily see the boost material through it.
8.2. Color
Fake: The rear patch on the counterfeit shoes is slightly colored, lacking the depth and hue that should be present.
Authentic: The authentic shoes feature a rear patch with a distinct salmon pink/beige color.
9. Insole
9.1. Rear
9.1.1. Embossment Depth
Fake: The logo is more shallowly embossed, lacking the depth seen in authentic pairs.
Authentic: The embossment is significantly deeper, creating visible shadows and depth.
9.1.2. Font Thickness
Fake: The characters in the “Adidas” text are thicker.
Authentic: The characters are thinner and more precisely printed.
9.1.3. Text-to-Outline Distance
Fake: There’s a larger gap between the “Adidas” text and the outline of the logo.
Authentic: The text is closer to the outline, resulting in a more compact appearance.
9.1.4. ® Symbol
Fake: The registered trademark symbol “®” is larger than necessary.
Authentic: The “®” is deeply engraved, similar in depth to the other characters.
9.2. Front
9.2.1. Font Thickness
Fake: The inscriptions, ranging from the “adidas” text to the “YEEZY” print, are noticeably thinner than they should be.
Authentic: The lettering is thicker and more closely matches the authentic Yeezy typography.
9.2.2. Adidas 3-Foil Logo
Fake: The smallest foil in the classic Adidas 3-Foil logo appears too small, curvy, and bulky.
Authentic: The corresponding foil on genuine pairs is larger, thinner, and sharper.
9.3. Serial number
Fake: The text of the serial number is slightly thicker, leading to reduced spacing between the letters.
The lack of proper spacing is most evident in the dash character between the numbers 5 and 9.
Authentic: The text is thinner and the spacing between the letters, including the dash character, is more accurate to the original design.
Shortlist: Authenticate your Yeezy Carbon in 30 seconds
Check the barcode of your Yeezys and cross-reference the results with online data.
Inspect the lacing pattern: Ensure that for the right shoe, the right lace goes underneath, and for the left shoe, the left lace does the same. (Viewed as if you’re wearing them).
Examine the size tag for discrepancies, referencing the distinctions mentioned in the fake vs. real Yeezy Carbon guide.
Verify the box label inscription: Genuine European labels (showing 6 sizes) should read “V10”, while genuine US labels (3 sizes) should display “V02” or “V03”.
Assess the toe box design. Counterfeit versions tend to have an overly curved shape.
Observe the Yeezys’ overall structure. Fake pairs often deviate in curvature, especially at the tongue.
Scrutinize the boost sole’s texture. Replicas often possess pellets with incorrect shapes.
Evaluate the Yeezys’ central stitching. Counterfeits typically exhibit extended, slender stitches.
Investigate the insole’s text. Counterfeit Carbon Yeezys often feature text with an incorrect font weight.
Sometimes, you might not have the time to follow every step above to verify your Yeezy Boost V2 Carbon.
For such instances, we’ve crafted a 60-second authentication guide.
Expert Yeezy 350 V2 Carbon authentication
Uncertain about the authenticity of your shoe after reading this guide?
The Legit Check App provides an authentication service to give you peace of mind.
If you’re unsure or short on time, simply send us clear photos of your Yeezy V2 Carbon.
We’ll respond with our findings in 24 to 48 hours.
Our response includes a report detailing the reasons behind our assessment of your sneakers’ authenticity.
Want to avoid scams for your next sneaker, watch, designer item or bag? Enter your email address and we'll send the FREE guide over.
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.
