In this edition of legit check, we’ll learn how to quickly detect the Fake Air Jordan 1 VAA Alaska OFF WHITE .We’ll lean on The Authentication GURU very through side by side for this authentication. Areas we’ll focus on will include the tag, tongue, panels, insoles, booklets, and more. So grab your sneakers and let’s get started.
How To Tell If Your VAA Air Jordan 1 Alaska Off White is Fake?
Lateral Panel
On that lateral-quarter panel, the grey suede overlay on the fake is darker and more beige/khaki, while the authentic overlay is lighter and cleaner (a paler, more neutral grey). The fake’s overlay also looks a bit “heavier” in tone, which makes the contrast against the white leather stronger than on the real pair.( see red arrows).
Wings Logo & Straps
- Wings emboss (red rectangles): the real pair’s Wings logo is pressed more softly, so it looks more “ghosted” and blends into the strap. On the fake, the embossing is deeper and more obvious, so the logo stands out more.
- Perforations on the strap (green rectangles): the real strap’s perforations are lighter/subtler and don’t pop as much. On the fake, the holes look more pronounced, deeper cut and higher contrast so they’re easier to see.
Medial Panel Inscriptions
- Print weight/color: the authentic text looks darker and more saturated (a bolder, true black), while the fake print is a touch lighter/greyer and not as “inked in.”
- Scale: the authentic lettering also reads slightly larger overall , especially the line spacing and the thickness of the characters while the fake looks a bit tighter and smaller.
Tongue
- Orange shade (green arrows): the fake label print is a deeper, darker orange, while the real label looks brighter and more “neon” orange.
- Tab-to-liner spacing (red line): the fake has more exposed white tongue foam/liner above the label, so the gap between the top edge of the tag and the tongue liner is wider. The real tag sits closer to the liner.
- Swoosh placement (green line): on the fake, the swoosh sits slightly higher on the tag, leaving a bigger gap between the bottom of the swoosh and the lower edge of the tab. On the real pair, the swoosh is positioned lower and looks more centered vertically.
Tag
On the zip tie, the authentic tag is a lighter ice-blue and the embossing is much sharper. You can also spot a small ‘C.’ mark on the real tag (with a dot) that’s missing on the fake VAA Air Jordan 1 Alaska pair , and overall the replica’s text is faint due to shallow embossing.
Insoles
The fake’s traction “spikes” look taller and sharper ( which means more discomfort for the wearer), while the real pair’s nubs are lower and more rounded.
- the fake shows more obvious horizontal press/adhesive ridges (more banding lines), while the real back looks smoother with fewer/fainter ridges.
- Blue tone: the fake blue reads slightly darker and more saturated; the real looks lighter/cleaner.
Booklet
LIFE’S HACK” color: on the authentic booklet the letters read more blue/sky-blue, while on the fake they lean more purple/violet.
- Booklet size: the fake booklet is shorter (less height) compared to the real one.
- “NOT NEW” text weight: the “NOT NEW” portion is slightly bolder/thicker on the real booklet, while the fake looks thinner and lighter, with less defined edges.
Box
- Surface ridges/lines: the fake box shows visible horizontal banding/press lines and uneven sheen (see green rectangles and red circles). It looks like the corrugation/roller marks are telegraphing through the outer layer.
- Real box finish: the authentic box panels look smoother and more uniform, with a cleaner matte/satin finish and fewer visible streaks.
- Extra build-quality tell: the fake box also shows more scuffs/patchy spots where the black looks “ashy,” while the real stays more consistent in color.
There you have it folks, hopefully you’ll be able to spot the Fake VAA Alaska Air Jordan 1 Off White with these tips. I’ll update the post as soon I come across more detailed tips to look for, stay tuned and check the post regularly.
I’ll also invite you to check my authentication post on the Air Jordan 4 Lakers and Jordan 1 Travis Scott Low Fragment 2.0 as both pairs were released not long ago and fakes of both have flooded the market.
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Where To Buy Legitimate Pairs
You can purchase legitimate pairs on eBay from our featured sellers via authenticity guaranteed. You may also purchase them via StockX
Quick recap: how to spot a fake Air Jordan 1 V.A.A. “Alaska” Off-White
- Grey suede overlays: the fake overlays run darker and more beige/khaki; the real overlays are lighter and more neutral.
- Wings strap details: the Wings logo is more “ghosted” and subtle on the real, while the fake emboss is deeper and more obvious. Strap perforations are also more subtle on the real and more pronounced on the fake.
- Medial text print: the real “V.A.A. for NIKE / ‘AIR JORDAN 1’ / Beaverton, Oregon USA / c. 1985” print is darker, bolder, slightly larger, and cleaner; the fake print is lighter/greyer and a bit fuzzier at the edges.
- Tongue label: the fake NIKE AIR label prints in a darker orange; the real is brighter/neon orange. The fake label sits lower with more space to the tongue liner, and the swoosh sits higher on the fake tab (bigger gap under the swoosh).
- Zip tie: the real tag is a lighter ice-blue and has sharper embossing; the fake is a slightly darker/dustier blue with faint text. The real also shows “C.” with a dot that’s missing on the fake.
- Insoles: fake has taller/more aggressive nubs on the top surface; real nubs are lower and more rounded. On the blue backside, the fake shows heavier horizontal press/adhesive ridges and a slightly darker blue tone; the real looks smoother and lighter.
- Booklet: “LIFE’S HACK” appears bluer on the real and more purple on the fake; the fake booklet is shorter; the “NOT NEW” text is slightly bolder on the real.
- Box quality: the fake box has visible ridges/roller lines and an ashy, inconsistent black finish; the real box is smoother, cleaner, and more uniform.
