Welcome to Friday’s edition of legit check, today we’ll learn how to spot a fake Air Jordan 1 High 85 OG Bred pair. The shoe is now fetching extremely high prices on third party marketplaces and counterfeiters have also introduced their replicated versions on the scene so you’ll do well to read this post in its entirety to avoid being dealt a fake pair. Areas of our focus will include the toe ,tongue, back, midsole, foot bed, hang tag and more.
How To Tell If Your Air Jordan 1 High 85 Bred Is Fake?
Toe
This ought to be the first thing you check for when authenticating your pair, as you can clearly see in the image above, the fake pair comes with a bulkier toe as opposed to the sleeker toe on the legitimate pair, see yellow arrows.
Tongue
One of the most telling signs lies in the tongue label. On the authentic Air Jordan 1 High ’85 “Bred Banned,” the “Nike Air” logo features a slightly bolder font, giving it a more defined appearance. In contrast, the font on the fake pair appears thinner and less refined.
Additionally, notice the spacing between the word “Air” and the bottom edge of the tongue tab—it’s more generous on the fake, which throws off the overall balance of the label.
Another subtle but important detail is the difference in fabric tone. The real pair features a smoother, glossier black fabric, while the fake pair has a duller, almost matte finish. These differences in texture and sheen can often be spotted under good lighting and are worth checking closely, see yellow arrows.
Wings Logo
Another key giveaway between the real and fake pairs lies in the execution of the iconic Air Jordan Wings logo on the collar.
On the fake air Jordan 1 High 85 OG Bred pair, the logo appears overly raised and puffed out, almost like it’s been embossed too aggressively. This gives it a three-dimensional, bulging look that disrupts the clean silhouette of the collar area. The lines of the wings and the basketball are also less sharp and more rounded, which further signals inconsistency.
In contrast, the authentic pair features a much flatter, more subtle imprint. The logo is still slightly recessed, but it sits more seamlessly within the leather. The lines are clean, sharp, and precise, staying true to Nike’s standard of craftsmanship for the ’85 remakes.
If you run your finger across both logos, the fake will feel noticeably more raised and rugged, while the real pair will feel smoother and more integrated into the upper.
Midsole
One subtle but telling difference can be found in the texture pattern on the midsole.
On the fakes, the pattern is visibly larger and more spaced out. The textured print lacks the fine detail and density seen on authentic pairs, which gives it a slightly “off” look when compared side by side.
In contrast, the authentic pair features a much tighter and more intricate pattern, with finer grooves and a more consistent surface finish.
When scrutinizing a pair, zoom in on the heel area of the midsole—the real pair will show a refined, compact texture, whereas the fake pair will look bulkier and less detailed.
Heel Shape & Proportions – Overscaling Exposed
First, the overall height of the heel on the fake pair appears slightly taller than the authentic version. Another notable detail is the mid-panel tab (circled in yellow). On the real pair, this tab is slightly thicker and better stitched, giving it a sturdy, clean finish. In contrast, the fake pair’s tab looks thinner and a bit sloppier in execution.
Lastly, pay close attention to the gap between the ankle collar and the heel overlay. On the fake pair, the gap is noticeably wider, which again disrupts the shape. The real pair maintains a tighter, more refined space, consistent with Nike’s authentic mold specs, see green lines.
Insole – Color, Print & Quality Check
The authentic insole features a cleaner, slightly lighter off-white tone, while the fake insole leans more toward a dull beige or pinkish hue. This color discrepancy can easily be spotted in side-by-side comparisons.
Next, focus on the “Nike Air” branding. On the real pair, the logo is printed in a slightly larger, bolder font, and the ink quality is superior—it has a more vibrant red tone and appears more deeply embedded into the insole fabric, indicating greater durability and precision.
In contrast, the fake insole’s “Nike Air” logo looks fainter and less saturated, with slightly smaller text. Over time, this print is likely to fade more quickly due to inferior ink.
Footbed
On the fake Air Jordan 1 High 85 OG Bred pair, the footbed is a darker, peachy-beige tone, while the authentic pair uses a much lighter, cream-colored footbed. This subtle shift in tone is something counterfeiters often miss.
Hang Tag – Clarity vs. Gloss
the hang tag features a crisp and matte finish. The image of Michael Jordan is clear and detailed, with strong contrast and accurate colors that maintain visibility even under light.
In contrast, the fake pair’s hang tag has a shiny, almost glossy coating that catches light and creates a reflective glare. This makes the image look blurry and washed out, especially around the edges of Jordan’s silhouette.
Box
1. Box Dimensions: The first thing that stands out is the difference in box width. The authentic box is slightly wider, as indicated by the yellow lines.
2. Swoosh Color: Look closely at the red hue of the Nike swoosh. The authentic swoosh comes in a lighter shade while the fake one appears more bold, see red arrows.
3. Box Color Tone: Beyond the logo, the black color of the boxes is also different. The authentic box has a lighter shade of black, whereas the fake box looks more dark.
4. Print & Alignment Issues: In the second image, subtle misalignments are evident:
The “box label” print on the fake box is placed slightly lower, see yellow line
- and the gap between the Nike swoosh and the box lid is bigger on the real box, see yellow line
Box Label
1. Barcode Consistency (Green Box):
On the authentic box, the barcode is evenly printed, with a clear numerical string beneath.
The fake box’s barcode section looks slightly thinner and lower quality, and the spacing between the barcode lines and numbers below seems off. It looks more compressed and less sharp.
2. “Made in China” Placement & Font (Red Arrow):
On the authentic label, the “MADE IN CHINA / FABRIQUÉ EN CHINE / HECHO EN CHINA” text is perfectly aligned, comes in a bolder font.
On the fake label, the same text appears comes in a slightly smaller font.
3. Font Weight & Sharpness:
The fonts on the real label are bolder and sharper, especially the size numbers (e.g., “12”, “46”, “11”).
On the fake label, the fonts are slightly thinner and lack the same level of print crispness.
There you have it folks, hopefully you’ll be able to spot the Fake Air Jordan 1 High 85 OG Bred 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 Nike SB Low Yuto Horigome and Cool Grey Jordan 9 as both pairs were released not long ago and fakes of both have flooded the market.
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Where To Buy Legit Pairs
You may purchase authentic pairs on eBay from our featured sellers via authenticity guaranteed
Final Recap: Key Differences Between Real vs. Fake Air Jordan 1 High ’85 “Bred Banned”
Here’s a quick summary of all the critical details to look for when authenticating this pair:
Tongue Tag
Real: Slightly larger “Nike Air” font, clean embroidery, and smoother black fabric.
Fake: Smaller text, wider gap at the bottom, and duller black tone.
Wings Logo
Real: Flat and sharp with precise lines.
Fake: Puffy, overly raised, and less defined.
Midsole Texture
Real: Tighter, more compact pebble texture.
Fake: Larger and more spaced-out pattern.
Heel Shape & Tab
Real: Shorter profile, tighter ankle gap, and thicker center tab.
Fake: Taller, wider heel, thinner tab, and loose ankle cut.
Insole
Real: Light cream color with bold, durable “Nike Air” print.
Fake: Peachy tone with faded, thinner branding.
Footbed
Real: Light color with clean yellow tape and matte texture.
Fake: Darker tone, misplaced tape, and glossy surface.
Hang Tag
Real: Matte finish, crisp image of MJ with good color contrast.
Fake: Shiny, reflective, and blurry image quality.
Shoe Box
Real: Wider box, true matte black, lighter shade of red logos, and clean cut edges.
Fake: Narrower, glossier finish, off-red logos, and inconsistent structure.
Box Label
Real: Clean formatting, bold fonts, proper spacing, and barcode clarity.
Fake: Misaligned text, thinner fonts, incorrect layout, and lower print quality.
