Are you struggling to find the difference between real and fake boots? Today I will show you how to spot fake Nike football boots, through 5 easy ways.
When you have a range of very successful products, you will likely have some people out there trying to replicate them to make money.
This is the case with Nike football boots and boots in general, as I have encountered a number of fake boots that have tried to imitate the brand.
Now for some boots, it is clearly obvious that they are fakes, but it can be harder to make out the real ones from the fakes in some cases.
So in this guide, I will be showing you five ways to spot fake Nike football boots out.
Table of Contents
What Are Fake Nike Football Boots?
A fake pair of Nike football boots have had their design copied by fraudsters, looking to use the brand to sell there own boots.
They often look similar in appearance to the real ones; however, they aren’t close in terms of how they are made.
While I can imagine it is easy to replicate the design on a boot, being able to use the exact same materials and make it, so it’s the real one, is a tough job.
That is why once you know where to look, spotting the fakes from the genuine becomes an easy enough task.
Is Buying Fake Football Boots Worth It?
Now let us say you have found some boots that you know are fake, but you can get them for a much lower price. Is it then a good idea to pick them up?
Well, a while back, I did a review of a good number of football boots over on Amazon. All of which were made by brands with little reputation other than on Amazon.
Of these boots, you had ones made like Nike ones, and some copied the exact designs with a few Nike mercurials coming to mind.
While others did there own colourway but still using a swoosh that suspiciously similar to that of Nike.
Whether any of these boots are worth buying, I would say no, mainly because what they are made of isn’t anywhere near the same quality as your well known branded boots.
You can pick up these fake Nike football boots for around the £10-20 mark, which at first seems like a good pick up. Especially since the most expensive elite Nike boots come in at £250.
However, what your paying for is a cheaper and low-quality boot that isn’t designed to help you get the best out of your football game.
5 Ways To Spot Out Fake Nike Football Boots
1. The Look Isn’t Quite Right
The first thing I recommend when trying to spot fake football boots is to inspect any photos of them you can find.
Now the problem online is that pictures can easily be photoshopped or borrowed from other websites, so it’s not always easy.
But if the boots are shown, I recommend having a good look at all the boots’ details.
Nike’s boots contain a lot of fine details, which is hard to replicate.
So if you notice shining in areas that there shouldn’t be, patterns and colours not right in certain areas, then I would not recommend going any further with that purchase.
2. Bad Reviews
Reviews for me are one of the first things I check out before purchasing as it does give you an idea of what to expect when you receive the item.
If you are buying off a website or a second-hand online retailer like eBay, and all you can see are poor reviews. Well, that is an indication that the boots are fake.
From these reviews, you should be able to see a common theme. If they’re good, then most people will be saying that.
However, if they’re bad and fake, you will find it easy to spot them out that people are receiving fake versions of their boots.
3. Swoosh Is The Wrong Shape
I have seen way too many football boots where just one glance tells you straight away whether they are fake.
When it boils down to Nike, the first thing you should look at is the swoosh.
Now, this swoosh is essentially a tick, but when brands try to copy the logo, they often put on the boots the wrong size swoosh or just completely mess it up altogether.
Basically, if the Nike logo is looking for like a ‘hockey stick’, then the swoosh you see featured on all Nikes products is a no go.
4. Fit Isn’t Right
Let’s say you ordered some boots; however, something seems off, and you are not sure about them.
Well, what is a great thing to do along with looking at the boots themselves is to try them on.
Now Nike has a distinctive fit, which is different from other brands. They have been specifically made to be tight but comfortable.
If the boot, therefore, is flimsy in your hand or just doesn’t feel right or of any quality, then it’s probably a fake boot.
5. Where Are You Purchasing From?
Now chances are if you are trying to buy a pair of football boots, but the website your buying off seems a little dodgy.
Well, chances are you are buying fake Nike football boots and not real ones.
My first advice when buying boots online is to stick to the retailers that are well established and trusted.
If you’re buying Nike, then well, it is a no brainer that you will be completely fine.
You also have big retailers in the UK called Prodirect and Sports Direct.
They don’t create boots themselves but sell products from brands like Nike to millions of people.
But if let’s say you came across a site called ‘buycheapnikebootsherethatarentfake.com’.
Now they could be legit despite the interesting name. But if you have sites like these or any that have no or bad reputation, I would not trust them at all.
An Example Of Fake Nike Football Boots
Like I said towards the start, not every brand will try to trick you into thinking your buying Nike football boots.
You will be surprised that some, and I say some, are genuine and transparent with you upfront.
Now here is an example of a football boot I found while browsing the Amazons catalogue.
They are made by Bolug and have a design that, from a glance, looks like your standard Nike Mercurial Superfly.
However, as you can see, they have a colourway that Nike has not done before, and there are also a few other details of note.
Firstly, on the boot’s side, it says ‘Merplus 11’, and the swoosh instead is a U that loops around the upper of the boot.
Now, these owners are treading a fine line when it comes to designing a boot that has no connection with Nike. With 500+ buyers, they have got away with it, though.
You will find boots like this online, and you will come across some that keep it hidden, trying to fool you.
So the best thing you can do is make sure you do plenty of research on:
- The brand
- Reviews
- Website
- The model you intend to buy (for e.g. if it is cheap on an unknown website, check out all the details on the original)
Best Way To Get Nike Football Boots Really Cheap
Unless you’re trying to get boots really cheap, I am talking a couple of quid per then buying boots from unknown places or people is just not worth the risk.
The reason why is simple, Nike have a system of 4 different tiers for most of their boots (except limited editions).
This consists of Club, Academy, Pro and Elite.
Club being the lowest tier and Elite the highest tier being the most expensive football boots you can buy from the brand.
Each of these tiers has boots at a different price tier, and with football boots less than £50, at around the £30-40 going as high as £300, it accommodates different budgets.
It means anyone can buy boots on the site since every budget is catered for.
You are also guaranteed to get boots from the actual website, which are real, as well as further support from there team if the boot isn’t a great fit.
Something that isn’t offered when you buy secondhand websites like Facebook and eBay.
When you go on Nike’s website, you will next to the name see the tier boot it is in.
If you press sort from high to low or vice versa, it will make it even easier too.
The Confusion With Nike’s Low-End Boots
In the previous section, I highlighted the tiered system Nike have.
I think it is great they do that, as opposed to having boots at one set price, which could be too high for people’s budgets.
Now the problem with the tiers is there can be a big difference between the Club versions and the Elite versions.
It obviously does make sense since Nike isn’t going to put the latest technology into their £30 boots.
But since these boots, which are the club version is cheaper, they tend to have a different look to the ones that professional footballers wear.
Doing The Same Job For You
Once you go lower than Elite and Pro, the materials used and the tech isn’t of the same quality.
It doesn’t mean the boots aren’t great because that’s not the case; there just not the top tier.
A comparison would be cars. If you buy a cheap car, it will be fine and will be enough to get from A to B.
It might not have the new audio system or any fancy gadgets, but the main thing is it will do a job.
With a more expensive car, you may have all the best stuff kitted in and a look that is amazing. However, the way it works is still the same.
An Example Of Nikes Football Boots
Now the confusion with these tiered football boots is the low-end boots look so much different to the best ones that some think they are fake.
Here is an example for you:
The first image is the new Nike Mercurial Dream Superfly in the Elite version, which currently costs £249.99.
It is the highest tier, which is the same one professional footballers use.
With the second, you have the same model but in an Academy version.
It is more than half the Elites price at £84.95 and is the third tier.
Now, if you inspect them both, you will see basically the same boot.
While to be expected, the feel isn’t quite the same in the cheaper ones, and the is design slightly more refined in the top tier ones.
The colour fade is more subtle, and the dynamic collar has a fit that will wrap your ankle better.
But with that said both boots, despite big differences in price, are real Nike football boots.
Conclusion
At the start, you may find it hard to work out what is fake and what’s not, but these ways of spotting them out should make it easier for you.
There will always be fraudsters, unfortunately, out there that will try and scam people. But it’s all about spreading awareness and giving people the right information.
Now I do hope these ways to spot fake Nike football boots has helped you out.
If there are any further ways that you have found effective, then do let me know, and I will add it to the list 🙂
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