How To Spot Fake Air Jordan 4 Bred (2025)

Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by Ch David

The quickest way to spot fake Air Jordan 4 Bred sneakers is to check the text on the size tag because it often looks too thick or very thin on fake pairs. Replica Air Jordan manufacturers never manage to get the printings inside the sneakers correctly.

The Air Jordan 4s are in the top 5 most popular Air Jordan models. Moreover, the Bred colourway is the most popular combination of colours for the 4s, as it consists of black, red, and white.

While this tutorial applies to legit checking the Jordan 4 Bred, we’ve also got this Air Jordan 4 legit check tutorial which applies to all models and colourways of the Jordan 4s.

In this fake vs real Jordan 4 Bred legit check guide, we have linked real vs fake Air Jordan 4 Bred images so that you could understand and visualize the flaws of the fake shoes.

How to tell if Air Jordan 4 Bred is fake

You can tell if your Air Jordan 4 Bred is fake by checking if the size tag has very thick inscriptions, as fake pairs always do so. In some cases, you’ll see fake pairs with noticeably very thin text.

Besides the size tag of the real vs fake Air Jordan 4 sneakers, we have also linked other good reliable signs of authenticity which we are just about to check now.

1. Size tag

• The fake pair’s date of manufacturing (“10/21/24”) is too thick.
• The “308497-089”, the “MADE IN CHINA”, and the “FABRIQUE EN CHINE” prints are also too thick.

An authentic pair of Jordan 4 Bred would always have thinner text, just as shown in the legit example above.

Expert Legit Check - Let our team look at your Jordans:

2. Interior tongue tag

In the real vs fake Jordan 4 Bred image above:

• The replica Air Jordan 4 Breds have their “AIR JORDAN’ text too small.
• The white threads all around the fake label are too thin.

Besides, you can notice how the fake Air Jordan 4 Breds also have their text looking too thin on the interior tongue label, while the legit shoes have their text thicker.

3. Rear NIKE AIR logo

In the real vs fake Air Jordan 4 Bred image above:

• The fake pair’s Nike Swoosh logo is placed too close to the “NIKE” text.
• The replica Swoosh logo is thicker and it comes out too much of the shoes.
• The fake “A I R” print looks too thin.

See how the authentic Jordan 4 Bred pair is exactly the opposite of the fake.

4. Sockliner shape

• The fake Jordan 4 Breds have their grey sockliner looking too thin Especially noticeable next to the laces.
• Though, the sockliner is too thick on the area which is closer to the back of the shoes.

On the other hand, you can see how the authentic Air Jordan 4 Breds have the same stitching weight on the sockliner.

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. Exterior tongue tag

In the fake vs real Air Jordan 4 Bred image above:

• The fake pair’s stitching all around the label is small and too thick.
• The Jumpman’s right arm is too bulky and curvy on the fake pair.
• The right arm is also too thin compared to the authentic one.

6. Toe box

Moving on into the real vs fake Air Jordan 4 legit check guide, we are going to analyse the toe box of the Jordan 4’s.

In the Air Jordan 4 fake vs real image above:

• The fake Air Jordan 4s have their toe box looking too curvy.
• The fake toe box is arched too much at the front tip, while the authentic sneakers have their toe box less curvy.
• The overall look of the fake toe box is too thick.

When saying that the toe box is too thick, we mean that it has an over-inflated look compared to the authentic shoes, which have their toe box looking deflated and less thick than the fake shoes’ toe box.

7. Double-stitching

In the fake vs real Jordan 4 Bred image above:

• The fake Air Jordan 4’s stitching below the cage is too big.
• There is too much distance inside the stitching from the top to the bottom.
• The fake stitches themselves are too big.

Not only that, but on the left side of the fake vs real Jordan 4 Bred image above, you can see how the stitching has the same flaw – the stitches are too distanced from each other, and they are too big on the fake Jordan 4 Bred.

Shortlist: Legit check Jordan 4 Bred (in 30 seconds)

The 7 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-second solution to authenticating your sneakers. Below are the top 7 indicators that can help you determine if you have a fake or real Jordan 4 Bred.

1. Check the size tag of your AJ4 Bred. Mostly, the fake AJ4 Bred pairs have their text looking too thick.
2. Inspect the interior tongue “AIR JORDAN” labels. Usually, the counterfeit Air Jordan 4 Breds have their text looking too thin and too small.
3. Analyze the “NIKE A I R” text on the rear side of the AJ4 Bred. Most of the time, the counterfeit Air Jordan 4 Bred pairs have their text looking too thin and coming out of the sneakers too much.
4. Verify the sockliner of your shoes. The fake Air Jordan 4 Breds are most common to have their sockliner at different stitching weights.
5. Check the tongue stitching of your Air Jordan 4 Bred. The fake Air Jordan 4 Bred pairs are common to have the stitching on the tongue looking too small and too thick, and the arms of the Jumpman looking too thin and curvy/bulky.
6. Examine the toe box area of your Air Jordan 4 Bred pair. Mostly, the fake sneakers have their toe box looking too curvy and arched.
7. Authenticate the stitching on the side of the shoes. The fake Air Jordan 4 Bred pairs usually have their stitching too big and the lines are most common to be too distanced from each other.

What is the Air Jordan 4 Bred?

Few shoes are as iconic as the Air Jordan line of shoes. The original sneakers made in collaboration with Michael Jordan in the 1980s have led to Jordans becoming an icon of sneakerhead culture. One of those now iconic shoes is the Air Jordan 4, which was released in 1989.

The Air Jordan 4s were the first Jordans released for the global market and became cultural icons going into the 1990s. So naturally, fans of the shoes went crazy when their 30th-anniversary ‘Bred’ edition was released in 2019. This shoe is a modern take on the retro classic and sports the iconic Black/Cement Air Jordan 4 colourway.

While pricing might be lower than some of the other Jordans on the market, the Jordan 4 Retro Bred sneakers still command an asking price of over $500 on StockX. Considering that this isn’t a special collaboration or unique design, such a high general price goes to show how adored these classic shoes are.

Because of their high price, it’s crucial to make sure to legit check Jordan 4 shoes as soon as you buy them. After all, nobody wants to be ripped off when buying shoes that they love.

Why should you Legit Check Jordan 4 Bred?

Counterfeiting is a serious issue for sneakerheads right now. Over the past few years, the amount of fake shoes on the market has skyrocketed. This is why it’s crucial that you know the difference between real Jordan 4s and fake ones.

Much like other sneakers on the market, Jordan 4 Breds are incredibly hot targets for counterfeiters. Their relatively high price and popularity mean counterfeiters will always have a market for them. So you need to know how to spot fake Jordan 4 Bred shoes.

Waiting too long to check can be problematic, as you might void your ability to get a refund on a pair of fake Jordan 4. Thankfully, there are plenty of authentication services around, which can verify your sneakers for you, like Legit Check.

Where to buy legit Air Jordan 4 Bred

When buying expensive shoes such as Jordan 4 Breds, you want to make sure you’re buying from the most reputable sellers to save yourself a headache. Of course, buying shoes directly from Nike or Nike-verified retailers is the best way to avoid being scammed. However, with rarer shoes such as Jordan 4 Breds, buying directly from Nike is impossible.

Marketplaces such as StockX and GOAT offer low prices and an easy way to buy sneakers and other collectables with ease. Buying from StockX is incredibly safe, as the item is first shipped to their team to verify the authenticity of your Air Jordan 4 Breds.

Plus, if you’re worried about fakes, StockX offers a refund policy if you can verify the item as inauthentic. If you find out your sneakers are fakes using Legit Check’s streetwear authentication service, you can easily approach your marketplace or seller to request a refund.

Expert Air Jordan 4 Bred authentication service

LegitCheck is the best authentication service around, and can easily help you figure out whether you have Jordan 4 original vs fake. Our quick and easy service can help you authenticate your sneakers, and can even provide you with a certificate of authenticity to help you prove that you own the real deal. 

Simply send us some photos of your Jordan 4 Breds and we can easily tell if they’re real or fake. Our expert service is always here to tell you whether your collectables are legit or not. If you’re an avid collector, why not consider joining our Club service? This offers you great savings, perks and one free streetwear authentication a month!

The best way to ensure you’re getting real Jordan 4s is to buy them directly from Nike or verified resellers if you can. 

Unfortunately, Jordan 4 Breds are no longer in production, so it’s much harder to do this. Buying from verified resellers, however, is a great way to reduce the risk of being scammed.

Need our opinion on your item’s authenticity? It’s a service we provide.

Get a fully-detailed report for why you have a real or fake item. Takes less than 48 hours!

Alternatively, use our free resources: written guides and video tutorials.

Thank you for reading this,

Ch Daniel and Ch David