When getting a pair of Fearless Air Jordan 1s, you might want to know whether it’s real or fake.
Combining the UNC and Chicago colorways, these sought-after Jordan 1s are highly replicated.
In this guide, we’ll teach you how to spot fake Fearless Jordan 1s.
How to tell if Jordan 1 Fearless are fake
To tell if you have fake Air Jordan 1 Fearless, look at the size tag. A fake size tag will always have thinner or very bolded inscriptions compared to an authentic pair.
Let’s take a detailed look at the fake vs real Jordan 1 Fearless.
1. Size tag
Authentic: The “CK5666-100” text is thicker and more defined in the top-right corner.
Fake: Style-code appears too thin in the top-right corner.
Authentic: “MADE IN CHINA” text is thinner and larger in the bottom left corner.
Fake: “MADE IN CHINA” is too thick and too small in the bottom left corner.
Expert Legit Check - Let our team look at your Jordans:
2. Hourglass shape
Authentic Fearless 1s have an “hourglass shape” from the rear view:
The top and bottom are curvy.
The middle is narrowed to create the hourglass look.
Authentic shoes in the image show correct curvy and narrow details.
The real shoes also have a curvy/narrow shape, but are less accentuated and detailed.
Fake shoes have a tubular shape, not an hourglass look.
Let’s look at a more detailed image:
The fake also has some curves and narrowing, but it’s less defined than it should be.
Note: Assess this feature only when shoes are not being worn, as it may not be visible on foot.
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.
3. Toe box
Authentic: A properly inflated toe box.
Fake: The toe box is noticeably thin and low, contrasting with the thicker, higher, and bulkier toe box of the authentic pair.
4. Air Jordan logo
Fake: Text on fake Fearless Air Jordan 1s is thick and large.
Authentic: “AIR JORDAN” text on authentic pair is narrower.
5. Stitching
Fake: Stitching is poorly done; threads are thick and protrude from the shoes.
Authentic: Stitching around the logo is uniform and threads are securely attached, with none protruding.
6. Perforations
Fake: Perforations are too wide and deep, covering more of the white leather area.
Authentic: Perforations are narrower and cover less white leather area.
7. Corner stitching
Fake: Stitching is too thick and positioned too far from the Nike Swoosh logo.
Authentic: Stitching is thinner and closer to the Nike Swoosh logo.
8. Rear patch
Fake: Patch is too tall and narrow.
Authentic: Patch is boxier, shorter, and wider.
9. Midsole
Fake: Midsole stitches are too thick and bulky.
Authentic: Midsole threads are thinner and narrower.
10. FEAR label
Fake: “FEAR” text is too thin.
Authentic: “FEAR” text is thicker and more defined.
Shortlist: Authenticate your Fearless Jordan 1s
Size Tag: Examine the size tag inside the sneakers. Counterfeit pairs often feature text that is too thin.
Hourglass Shape: From the rear, genuine Air Jordan 1s display an hourglass shape. Fake pairs usually appear too straight.
Toe Box: Check the toe box’s shape. Counterfeit AJ1s typically have an over-inflated appearance.
Air Jordan Text: Inspect the thickness of the “Air Jordan” text in the shoe’s classic logo. Fakes often get this wrong.
Logo Stitching: Take a close look at the stitching near the Air Jordan logo. Counterfeit pairs often feature thick, sloppy stitching with extra threads.
Toe Box Perforations: Evaluate the size of the holes on the toe box. Fakes usually have smaller and narrower perforations.
Corner Stitching: Pay attention to the stitching on the sides of the shoe. Counterfeit pairs often have stitching that is too thin and too close to the Nike Swoosh logo.
Back Patch: Examine the patch where the Nike Swoosh logos meet at the back. Fakes tend to have a boxier appearance.
Midsole Stitching: Look at the stitching on the midsole. Fake versions usually feature stitching that is both too thick and too short, making it boxier than genuine pairs.
“FEAR” Text: Finally, check the “FEAR” text on the extra label. Counterfeit pairs often display text that is too thin.
If you’re short on time or planning to purchase sneakers online, the 10 in-depth steps mentioned earlier may not be the most convenient for you.
For that reason, we’ve put together a speedy 60-second guide to help you verify the authenticity of your Air Jordan 1 Fearless
Expert Jordan 1 Fearless authentication
We can assist in verifying your Air Jordan 1 Fearless.
Send us high-quality photos of your sneakers.
We’ll respond within 24-48 hours with a detailed report on their authenticity.
This wraps up our real vs fake Air Jordan 1 Fearless guide.
Stay tuned for updates as more comparisons become available.
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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.