The quickest way to check for authenticity on your Yeezy 500 is by inspecting the size tag and the box label of the sneakers. The fake size tag features many inconsistencies while the box label may display an incorrect size code that doesn’t match the version of your sneakers.
Today, we are here with another guide on how to spot fake vs real Yeezy 500 sneakers just in seven steps to mark on your fake vs real Yeezy 500 sneakers list.
Since you’re an Yeezy fan, why not check out the other legit check guides? Amongst them, we’re teaching you how to spot fake Yeezy 700, Yeezy 350 V2 and Yeezy Slides.
Although the size tag and the box label are the two main indicators of authenticity that you would find on the Yeezy 500, they are not the only indicators present on the sneakers.
That is why we have created this comparison guide, featuring 7 indicators embedded with images to help you identify how authentic your sneakers are.
At the bottom of this detailed real vs fake Yeezy 500 guide, you will find a quick 7-step fast solution to identifying a fake pair of Yeezy 500’s.
So let’s proceed to the steps to take when authenticating your sneakers to ensure you do not end up with a replica of the original sneakers.
When fake manufacturers try to replicate the Yeezy 500, they are typically more focused on recreating the design of the sneakers with almost little to no attention paid to elements like the barcode.
This makes the barcode a reliable indicator of authenticity that can help you ensure you only purchase the original Adidas manufactured sneakers.
When you are ready to scan the barcode of your Yeezy 500, we recommend that you use the Legit Check App.
When you scan the barcode using the Legit Check App, the app will run your unique barcode against other Yeezy sneakers online.
Note that all Yeezy sneakers have a unique barcode that relates to a specific combination of colourway, style and size. Below we have attached an example for the Yeezy 500 Utility Black:
First of all, you’ll have to install the Legit Check App on your iOS and/or Android device.
Once you are ready to scan, tap on the barcode scan icon and focus in on the barcode on the box of your Yeezy 500.
The results are where you will need to apply your intelligence. You will need to look for matches that confirm the authenticity status of your Yeezys.
Now, if the results show lots of confirmation points on Google for your unique barcode as illustrated in the picture below, then you can be assured that your box is authentic.
Please note that we say the box is authentic and not the sneakers because there is still the possibility that the real sneakers might have been swapped for the fake ones by the fake resellers to trick buyers into thinking the sneakers are genuine.
On the other hand, if the results do not show confirmation points that match the size-colorway combination, as shown in the picture below, then you probably have a fake in your hands.
Please note that the barcode scanning can only be considered a perfect match when the size and colorway combination on the results match the one on the box.
Thus, if only one of the two matches, then the box is still a fake. For the full story on how to scan the barcode on the box or your Yeezy 500 for authenticity, read our article here.
The next step, and usually the best way to tell a fake pair of Yeezy 500 is to inspect the details of the size tag.
The flaws on the replica Yeezy 500 pairs may be hard to spot, but that’s why we’ve created this ultimate guide after all.
Let’s take a look at the differences between the real vs fake Yeezy 500 size tags first:
Now that you had a look at the fake vs real Yeezy 500 reference images, let us explain the flaws on the Yeezys.
1 – The “MADE IN CHINA” print
The fake Yeezy 500 pairs usually have the “MADE IN CHINA” text looking a lot thicker than the text on the authentic sneakers.
In fact, the legit Yeezy 500 pairs have their “MADE IN CHINA” text looking thinner.
Also, keep in mind that it can be exactly reverse on the replica sneakers, and that’s why we recommend you refer to our real vs fake Yeezy 500 images every time you legit check one of these pairs.
2 – The “US UK FR JP CHN” text
Inconsistent lines on the “N” from the “CHN” text show where the printer ink has pooled between the “N” lines which make it look thicker and bolder. These inconsistent lines are a telltale sign that the sneaker is fake.
It’s all down to the quality of the print, and this does not occur on the real size tag.
3 – The date print
Differences between the real vs real Yeezy 500 sneakers manufacturer date are very prominent.
You can notice how, on the fake Yeezy 500 size tag, there is a lot more space between the month of production, the slash, and the year of production.
In this case, we have the authentic pairs produced in the second month of 2018, and the replica sneakers manufactured on the fifth month of 2019, and the replica Yeezys have more space between these elements than the authentic Yeezys.
4 – The Copyright “®” character
A very important spot to check, the “®” is touching the “adidas” text. This is an instant callout for a fake pair of Yeezys. Besides, there is also a different spacing between the “adidas®” and the square above from the real vs fake Yeezy 500 pairs.
5 – The APE/CLU/EVN Number Print
Please note that CLU, APE or EVN inscriptions might be found here and you should not worry if you’ve got any of them.
All three inscriptions can be found on an authentic or a fake pair, so we do not consider this area to be a reliable spot for identifying a fake Yeezy 500.
However, what you need to pay attention to is the quality of printing here. Look out for ink blotting, fuzzy lines and other signs of poor quality of printing.
Next, you will proceed to inspect the box label of your Yeezys. On the box label, there are two main confirmation points you should look out for; the country size code and the serial number. So how does this work?
Now, it is important to understand that the Yeezy-Adidas collaboration releases its sneakers in two versions – the US version and the international version.
The US version displays three-country sizes on the box label – US, UK and F. Here, the US size is in large print, while the other two sizes featured under the US size and in smaller prints.
The international version of the Yeezy 500, on the other hand, features 6 countries (US, UK, F, D, J, and CHN) sizes and every one of them is in equal prints on the label.
On the bottom right-hand corner of the box label is the serial number. If the pair is a US release, then the serial number is going to end with a V02 or V03. But for international (Canadian/European) releases, the serial number will end with a V10.
As seen in the image below, in the authentic international version featuring 6 sizes, the serial number ends with a V10. However, on the fake box label which is a US version, the serial number ends with a V10, as opposed to a V02 or V03.
Please note that if you notice any deviation from this pattern, then you are without a doubt looking at a fake Yeezy 500.
Next, you will need to inspect the lacing pattern of your Yeezy 500. Please note that every sneaker released by Adidas as part of the Yeezy-Adidas collection all come with one particular lacing style.
This lacing style follows a simple pattern; the left lace goes under the right lace in the left shoe and the right lace goes under the left lace in the right shoe.
If your lacing style does not correspond with this pattern when you first unbox your sneakers, then you certainly have a fake product in your hands.
However, it is important to understand that following the correct lacing pattern does not always mean the sneakers is authentic either.
This is because the fake manufacturer can choose to lace their sneakers in the same style as the authentic pattern although it is a replica.
Thus, we do not consider this to be a foolproof indicator of authenticity.
The toe box is where the toes fit in. As shown in the picture below, you will notice that the toe box is significantly bulkier on the fake pair when compared to the slender toe box of the authentic pair.
This difference can be attributed to the poor attention to detail from the fake manufacturers as well as the lower quality factory equipment used in the production of the sneakers.
The fake Yeezy 500 pairs will commonly use a replicated 3M material, which in consequence causes the shine to be less bright than the original pair.
As you can see in the fake vs real Yeezy 500 images above, the counterfeit Yeezys have a much poorer reflectiveness on the 3M lines.
On the other hand, the authentic Yeezy 500 sneakers seem to have a more bright and more noticeable shining for the 3M reflective lines all around the Yeezys.
As for the seventh and the last step of the real vs fake Yeezy 500 legit check guide, you’ll have to flip your sneakers to the rear side of them, and inspect the shape.
We chose not to use any emoji pointers for this comparison above because it’d be a lot easier for you to spot the flaws on the fake Yeezys without the help of the emojis.
So, the replica Yeezy 500 sneakers have a much fatter shape if you compare them to the retail Yeezys.
Not only that, but the replica Yeezys seem wider than the authentic pairs, which the legit Yeezy 500 sneakers seem to be wider on the bottom and the top sides of the sneakers, and narrower in the middle of them.
There are situations where you may be unable to go through each detailed step explained above when you need to authenticate your Yeezy 500.
That is why we have compiled this quick 60 seconds solution to authenticating your sneakers. Below are the top 7 indicators that can help you determine if you have a fake pair of sneakers or an original, Adidas-manufactured Yeezy 500.
If you need help with the authentication of your Yeezy 500, we’ve got you covered.
All you have to do is send us good-quality pictures of your Yeezy 500 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 real vs fake Yeezy 500 guide. We will continue to update this article as better and newer comparisons are put out.
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Thank you for reading this,
Ch Daniel and Ch David