The higher demand for Vans brand sneakers makes shoe sellers compete to provide these shoes. But unfortunately, there are still those who deliberately sell fake Vans sneakers.
At first glance, the difference between real and fake Vans sneakers is not very visible. Moreover, if you don’t observe the shape, color, and appearance carefully, the risk of buying fake Vans sneakers can certainly be greater. But don’t worry, because we will give you some tips on how to distinguish between original and fake Vans.
How to Check Vans Original Shoes
1. Look At The Barcode
The easiest way to see whether or not a pair of Vans shoes is authentic is to make sure that the barcode on the wrapper is officially registered. You can download applications on your smartphone such as ShopSavvy or ScanLife. Later, try to see the barcode code on Vans shoe wrapper that you will buy.
If you have scanned the barcode on the wrapper using the application you downloaded, the type of shoes you will buy will come out. If not, you can be sure that the Vans shoes are fake or KW.
2. Check the Vans Logo and Heel Pad
The first thing you can do is to check the image of the Van writing or logo printed on the shoe sole connection. This Heel Pad serves to seal the connection that covers the sole of the shoe to make it durable. If the heel pad is missing, you can be sure the shoes are fake.
Also, examine how the logo is shaped. Vans writing is printed in all capital formats, although the size of each alphabet is different. The letter V is shaped like a root symbol in mathematics, while the letters A N S are printed below the V horizontal line.
As for the heel pad material, you can check the quality of the rubber by pressing with your thumb nail. The heel pad of the original Vans shoes is made of hard rubber with good quality, so it is not easy to cause marks when there are scratches or pressure with nails. If it causes marks, you can be sure the shoes are not original.
3. Waffle Code
Like Adidas and other well-known brand shoes, Vans also has a code that indicates the shoes are original. The Vans code is usually printed on the outsole of the shoe, precisely on the sole of the shoe.
Each code attached to the shoe must be different, depending on where the shoe was produced. For example, if the shoes are produced in China, then the waffle code is IFC, HF, DT, SHC, ZDC, and ICC, while Indonesia has a GSI waffle code.
4. Shoe Quality and Appearance
Original vans products have excellent quality and appearance. You can try to observe every stitch on the shoe. If the stitches are not symmetrical and not neat, you can doubt the authenticity of the shoes.
5. Pay Attention To The Shoe Size Tag
How to distinguish between original and fake Vans shoes is by paying detailed attention to the shoe size tag. The characteristic of original Vans shoes is the size tag on the thick shoe tongue, shiny when exposed to light, slippery, and firmly attached. On the tag, there is also a production location code such as Made in China or Made in Japan, which you can detect by matching the tag production code with the waffle code on the outsole.
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6. Check The Dealer’s Legitimacy
In addition to comparing prices, you can check the dealer as a way to distinguish between original and fake Vans shoes. You can choose to buy on the official Vans website or trusted online stores, such as Amazon, Zappos, and Nordstrom. Before making transactions in online stores, it’s a good idea to check ratings and reviews from previous buyers as a reference.
7. Check the Sole Quality
Since the waffle code on the outsole cannot be used as the final reference in confirming whether a Vans shoe is authentic or not, you must pay attention to its quality. Starting from the inner sole (footwear), and outsole, to the foxing stripe/tape (colored lines that glue the sole to the shoe).
Original Vans use very good quality rubber material, so the sole is flexible, and the glue is strong and resilient. All this is because Vans shoes were created as footwear for extreme sports such as BMX and skateboarding. You can test the quality as in the picture above.
8. Feel The Weight Of The Shoe
Weighing is a way to distinguish original and fake Vans shoes that you can try. Unlike running shoes in general, the mass of original Vans shoes tends to be heavier. Even so, Vans shoes are still ideal to carry anywhere.
The Vans Era shoe size is designed to weigh 0.75 pounds. The specific gravity of Vans Sk8 to Hi Classic reaches 2.87 pounds.
Artificial Vans shoes tend to be lighter and more flexible than original Vans. Not only does it reduce comfort, but the less cushioned soles of fake Vans also make the soles of the feet tingle easily.
Conclusion
Well, those are some tips on distinguishing original vans shoes from fake ones. Hopefully with these tips you can avoid losses due to buying fake vans shoes.
If you have other tips, don’t hesitate to add them in the comments column.
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