Case Study #1 Nike MAG Back to the Future

Our team was often asked to share some recent legit checks we conducted for our supporters to learn more about the authentication process. We always was this as a good idea, yet simply sharing some images would not give much value to the readers. This is why the LegitGrails Team decided to start sharing some in-depth analysis on the unique items we verify.

The first lot in the series of our "Case Studies" is the Nike MAG Back to the Future pair we have recently verified. This model is famous for being one of the most expensive pair of sneakers to ever resell. Its popularity is definitely due to the model's connection to the beloved 1985 classic "Back to the Future" and its self-lacing feature. The resell price can exceed $10,000 due to the fact that only 1589 pairs were ever released.

• The First Glance
• The Box Label
• The Overall Look
• The Heel
• The Size Tag

Brief Order Description

Although 20 photos were submitted, only about 5 of them showed useful details properly. Our team usually requests additional photos in case the initial ones are not enough, yet in this case those 5 photos sufficed.

Here's what the Authenticity Certificate looks like for this item:

How Does The Authentication Process Go?

Nike MAG Real Vs Fake: The First Glance 

Taking an initial look at this pair, our team was not convinced. It's not that we authenticate such expensive items with a prejudice - it's the opposite to be exact. Our team does not let anything but good reason decide the outcome of an authentication. 

However, such expensive items carry an expectation of a good condition, as every sneakerhead would treat such a legend with respect.

What initially threw us was the packaging, as mentioned above, such awful condition of the packaging would be unexpected in an authentic pair, as its value would drastically fall.

Inspecting the box lid photos, we have noticed incorrect fonts used in all the text details. Look at the below photo! Even a person with little knowledge about authentication would feel something being off about this printing.

Fake Vs Real Nike MAG: The Box Label

By this moment our team was confident in their suspicion - just look at those fonts! The box label did not leave any question, yet the team continued the verification just to make sure every detail is carefully inspected.

Regarding the box label,  we usually suggest checking whether the text has an overall consistency. As you have probably noticed by now, the below box label does not correspond to this requirement.

Nike MAG Back To The Future Authentication: The Overall Look

The first very obvious flaw that was noticed here are the glue patches, of course. It's not a secret that even authentic Nike pairs can sometimes come with numerous factory flaws. The situation definitely gets worse with every release, which allows the replica producers take advantage of this.

Some other obvious flaws are the colours used in the pair's details, the shape of the pair, and the overall quality of its details.

How To Authenticate Nike MAG Back To The Future: The Heel

Not every retail pair is ever identical to another retail pair, yet some consistency can always be tracked. 

Disregarding the Nike heel logo, as its appearance is often influenced by wear and tear, let's focus of the paint splashes. The authentic example on the left is just a reference for you to see how badly the fake pair failed here. The pattern on this Case's fake pair on the right does not look anything like the authentic.

How To Spot Fake Nike MAG: The Size Tag

This detail was left for last, and it may as well be the least authentic detail of the whole pair. Of course, no detail of this pair is authentic, but not all of them fail to copy the authentic as badly.

From the factory indication in the upper right corner, to the incorrect fonts all over the label, this size label was just a cherry on top of all the other inaccurate details of this replica. 

This fake has even failed to copy the frame of an authentic Nike size tag. Remember - such a thick frame is always a red flag!

To conclude our first case study, make sure you always try to inspect an item before the purchase - even if just a few photos are available! Sometimes, those replicas are much easier to spot than it seems. In any case, our team is always happy to help you make sure your collection is fully authentic.

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