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How To Legit Check Air Jordan 1 Rookie Of The Year

beige and white jordan sneakers


The Rookie of the Year is an iconic shoe with a distinct colorway. There is an exciting story about the origin of the design.

The specific colorway is inspired by Michael Jordan's style during his acceptance speech for Rookie of the Year. His outfit combination featured white, brown, and black, and the suede upper resembles his jacket.

Years later, the Rookie of the Year is strong on the sneaker scene. Counterfeiters are trying to capitalize on the high demand, producing identical copies that don't have the same quality.

How can you tell if the sneakers are fake and avoid online scams? Our Jordan 1 rookie of the year legit check reveals step by step instructions that even beginners can follow.

Table of Contents

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Initial Inspection

real vs fake comparison of nike air jordan sneakers


The first thing you end up doing is checking the proof of purchase. This can be challenging, but it is essential to mind the details. Check the retailer name, transaction details, and logo. Identify any inconsistencies in these.

However, don't rely solely on the proof of purchase check. You can get a pair of fake sneakers with the original receipt, so use another authentication method to be on the safe side.

Next, we want to examine the shoe box. Nike shoes come in a sturdy box made of high-quality cardboard. If you buy brand-new shoes without a box, they are likely fake.

Next, you want to analyze the shoe box. Original Nike boxes come in a black and red color scheme, with quality printing and saturated colors. Any fading and poor printing can indicate a fake product.

Observing the details of the Nike logo can give you valuable insights. We want to focus on the Swoosh shape, font, and how the letters are connected.

Further, we move to the box label. The label has information about the product, style code, and number. While counterfeiters copied the exact text, their text isn't consistent with Nike's. You can notice the difference in letter thickness and font.

Finally, we do the smell test for the initial Jordan 1 Rookie of the Year legit check. This is an excellent way to authenticate sneakers since genuine leather can be instantly recognized.

The rental Nike shoes are made of genuine leather, a material that has a pleasant, sweet smell. You can still sense the musky smell even if the product is second-hand. If your sneakers have a high plastic smell, this is a good indicator of a fake.

Tongue Label

For the next method, we inspect the label attached to the tongue. You can find the label on top of the tongue, featuring a black background with a red logo.

First, we can notice that it is black with a red logo. The Nike Air text is consistent with the brand's font.

There is proper spacing between the letters, and the "E" is seamlessly connected to the Swoosh logo. The printing quality is also evident.

What to look for in fake sneakers? The tongue label can be smaller. When observing closeups of the Nike Air logo, you can notice inconsistencies such as misalignment and different thicknesses. The printing quality can be bad, so the red color might appear faded.

Inside Label

Next we inspect the shoe interior in our jordan 1 rookie of the year legit check guide. You can find a small label attached to the interior of the tongue, explaining how the Swoosh symbol is an official trademark.

However, this does not stop counterfeiters from profiting. They will copy the exact label to deceive the customer. However, you can still notice inconsistencies such as poor printing, incorrect font, and letter thickness. Although small, these details can reveal a fake product.

The Swoosh

comparison of real and fake nike swoosh


Next, we focus on the Swoosh logo and explain where the counterfeiters go wrong. We can see that the original pair has a swoosh with a pointy top that doesn't sit too close to the lace holes. This distance can be smaller or larger in fake products, resulting in a disproportionate look.

The corner stitching sits slightly above the Swoosh logo. Again, this position can vary in fake products. Also, you want to look at the stitching quality.

An original sneaker will have dense stitching made with thick thread. In fake models, you can notice that the individual switches are irregular.

 

Hourglass shape

side by side real and fake nike hourglass shape


The Air Jordan 1 has a distinct hourglass shape when looked at from behind, a feature present in the Rookie of the Year. the middle seam creates the narrowing in the middle. The top and bottom parts are slightly curvy.

On the contrary, the fake sneakers are straight and lack a pronounced curve.

Material Quality

The Rookie of the Year is made of genuine leather and suede patches. We have a few ways to tell if the material is natural.

Firstly, real leather has a distinct texture. It is smooth to the touch, and you can feel the irregular grain patterns. However, it can also have wrinkles and other imperfections.

As for suede, it feels smooth and grainy. Both have a distinct musky smell, a signature feature of natural leather.

Notice a strong plastic or glue smell? We would have to disappoint you; the product is a fake one.

Stitching

comparison of authentic and fake stitching in nike jordan shoes


A good sneaker can be recognized by its high-quality stitching. The stitching binds the shoe, providing longevity with frequent wear and tear.

Observe the tightness and consistency of the stitches to assess the quality. It should look neat where the patches meet, with consistent space between each stitch.

In original sneakers, you can spot flawless stitching without irregularities or visible glue residue. On the other hand, it is asymmetrical and irregular in fake shoes.

Air Jordan Logo

The Air Jordan logo is at the top, above the Swoosh logo. Counterfeiters have put so much effort into copying the exact logo, but the differences are apparent to the trained eye. We analyze the lettering and the wings to determine the inconsistencies.

Wings

Look for differences in the wing shape and width to determine a fake. Improper space between the elements is another red flag. The printing quality is terrible so that the wings can look smudged on closeup photos.

Lettering

The Air Jordan logo text comes with thin and precise letters. The letters shouldn't overlap or go beyond the banner.

In addition, the ™ symbols should be placed appropriately. The font and thickness should match the original.

Toebox

The toebox of Rookie of the Year is slightly elevated. Fake models might lack the moderate curve.

On the other hand, the toe box can look inflated when observed from the side. Remember that original shoes have a slim-toe box.

Next, take a look from the top. The perforation holes should be consistent in shape and size, forming a specific pattern. Each hole should be precisely perforated in the original.

Poorly cut perforations, variations in hole size, and being too close to the seams are all indicators of a fake.

Insole

The Nike Air logo is printed on the shoe insole. We make the same comparisons we did before to determine if it's a fake.

The font should be consistent with the branded one, with no irregular spacing between the letters. The "Nike" should be connected to the swoosh logo.

Laces

The original Nike laces are made of high-quality materials, 8 mm wide, and 72 inches long. Pre-loved shoes might not come with their original laces, but this doesn't have to mean they are not original.

The Bottom Line

Our Jordan 1 Rookie of the Year legit check helped you authenticate your sneakers and avoid being scammed. The Air Jordan logo, Swoosh logo, material, stitching, and labels can help you identify a fake product.

If you still need help, the authentication experts at Legit Grails are here. Contact us now, and we will verify your footwear and luxury goods!

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