Air Max 97 x Off-White “Menta”: How To Spot Fakes (2024)

Last Updated on January 11, 2024 by Ch David

In this guide, we’ll focus on the Air Max 97 Menta.

Precisely, we’ll inspect 10 spots on these shoes and learn how to detect fakes.

Not the colorway you need? Check these out:

• Off-White Air Max 97 “THE TEN”
• Off-White Air Max 97 Black
• Off-White Air Max 97 Elemental Rose

Let’s go with the Menta Air Max 97 for now.

How to spot fake Off-White Menta

The medial text on both the left and right shoes is the #1 check for the authenticity of the Air Max 97 Off-White Menta.

This is because replica Nike manufacturers frequently struggle to accurately replicate this text.

1. Medial text

1.1. Left

1. “c. 1997” Text
   • Authentic: Bigger, thicker, and positioned straight.
   • Fake: Smaller and appears to be positioned crookedly.
2. “USA” Text
   • Authentic: Thinner, smaller, and not as wide.
   • Fake: Too thick and too wide.
3. “TM” Text
   • Authentic: [No specific details provided, assuming it’s visibly proper]
   • Fake: Too thin and noticeably distinct even to the naked eye.

1.2. Right

1. “TM” Text
   • Authentic: Larger.
   • Fake: Noticeably smaller.
2. Comma (,) Next to “Beaverton”
   • Authentic: Larger and thicker.
   • Fake: Smaller and thinner.
3. “USA” Text
   • Authentic: Thinner.
   • Fake: Noticeably thicker.
4. “c. 1997” Text
   • Authentic: Thinner.
   • Fake: Too thick.

Finding it too hard? Reach out to our Nike x Off-White experts:

2. “AIR”

• Authentic: The “AIR” text is straight and properly aligned.
• Fake: Displays the “AIR” text as crooked and excessively angled to the left.

3. Swoosh

1. Placement
   • Authentic: Swoosh logo appropriately placed on the transparent side.
   • Fake: Swoosh logo is situated too high on the transparent side.
2. Curvature
   • Authentic: Displays moderate and standard curvings.
   • Fake: Exhibits too wide curvings, making the Swoosh appear more curved than it should be.

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.

4. Pull tab

• Authentic: The pull tab is shorter and aligns with the original design specifications.
• Fake: The pull tab is noticeably too long, diverging from the authentic design.

5. Stitching

• Authentic: The stitching on the pull tab is more obvious and easily noticeable.
• Fake: The stitching is less visible, showcasing a subtle or subdued appearance.

6. Tongue

• Nike Swoosh and “NIKE” Text Distance
  • Authentic: Notable distance between the Nike Swoosh and the “NIKE” text.
  • Fake: The Swoosh tends to be too close to the “NIKE” text.
• Visibility of “™” Text
  • Authentic: The “™” symbol is visible and proportionate in size.
  • Fake: The “™” text appears too small and less visible.
• Size of “R” in “SPORTSWEAR” on the Tongue Tag
  • Authentic: The “R” characters are visibly larger and clearer.
  • Fake: They appear notably smaller in comparison.

7. Sole

• Authentic: Larger, edge-reaching Nike Swoosh on the white bubble.
• Fake: Smaller Swoosh, not extending to the bubble’s edges.

8. Insole

• Authentic: The “THE TEN” text on the insole is of a specific thickness.
• Fake: Often has the “THE TEN” text thicker than on authentic pairs.

9. Size tag

• Authentic:
  • “VT” text is clearly visible and well-defined.
  • Nike Swoosh logo in the middle of the size tag is sharply defined.
  • “MADE IN VIETNAM” text is significantly thicker.
• Fake:
  • “VT” text may appear less defined, resembling a xerox copy print.
  • Nike Swoosh logo may also be less defined in the mid-size tag.
  • “MADE IN VIETNAM” text is commonly thinner than on authentic pairs.

10. White tab

• Authentic: Features a white tab with sharp corners.
• Fake: Noticeably has a white tab with rounded corners.

Shortlist: How to tell fake Off-White Mentas

1. Check the medial text for correct sizing and positioning.
2. Verify the placement of the “AIR” text to ensure it’s not crooked.
3. Examine the Nike Swoosh logo for its placement and curvature.
4. Analyze the length of the pull tab; genuine tabs are shorter.
5. Inspect the stitching on the pull tab; genuine stitching should be noticeable.
6. Authenticate the tongue tag, paying attention to the details.
7. Verify the size and placement of the Nike Swoosh logo on the sole bubble.
8. Examine the insole for accurate “THE TEN” text.

This list helps you quickly assess the authenticity of your Off-White Air Max 97 Menta.

Expert Off-White Menta authentication

Our team is happy to help:

• Simply send us high-quality pictures of your Menta Air Maxes.
• We will provide you with the results within 24 to 48 hours…
• Along with a detailed report explaining whether your sneakers are authentic or fake.

Thank you for using our guide, and we will continue to update it with the latest comparisons for your reference.

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