Original Vans Old Skool Vs Fake. How To Spot Fake Vans Shoes?

The Vans Old Skool skate shoe, which debuted in 1977 as “Style 36,” is now one of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes. It has always been a favorite among skateboarders. The signature side stripe was originally just a spontaneous drawing by the brands’ founder Paul Van Doren, which he referred to at the time as the ‘jazz stripe’. In today’s world, that simple doodle has become an identifiable characteristic of the Vans brand. But this was only the beginning for the Old Skool, which would go on to compete with the original as Vans’ most iconic shoe. However, there are an increasing number of fake Vans shoes on the market nowadays. How can you tell the difference between authentic and fake original Vans shoes? Teeanime will show you how to spot the difference between real and fake Vans Old Skools in this guide.

1. The Overall look of Vans Classic Old Skool Shoes

Vans’ first skate shoe to include leather panels was the Old Skool, a new low top, lace-up model. It’s the first to include the recognizable side stripe. It’s lined, with cushioned collars for support and flexibility, reinforced toecaps for durability, and the Vans distinctive waffle outsole for a harder grip. The Old Skool was the first Vans skate shoe to have leather panels for increased durability, most notably the suede toe.

Vans shoes, with the exception of Old Skool and Sk8 designs, often include a rectangular strip of fabric with the brand’s logo on the lateral side of the shoe.

2. Feel the Weight of Vans Shoes

If you’ve ever had a pair of Vans, you’ll know they’re not light. Vans shoes are notorious for being quite heavy for a pair of shoes. Depending on the shoe model, they weigh anywhere from 0.75 (Vans Era) to 2.87 (Vans Sk8-Hi Classics). They’re probably fake if they feel light.

3. The Rubber Toe Cap

1) All Vans sneakers include reinforced rubber toe guards that are perfectly attached to the shoe for wear and tear protection. The top of the midsole should be textured, while the rest of the midsole should be smooth.

2) Genuine Vans shoes should have a slightly upward toe angle. If they are flat, they are most likely fake. A small gap should also exist between the rubber toe cap and the shoe fabric. Knockoffs typically do not have a gap, with the rubber collar going all the way to the cloth.

4. The Stripe on the Sole

1) The Vans classic’s characteristic styling cue is the stripe on the rubber foxing tape. Vans creates the stripe out of solid colored rubber with clean, straight edges. The stripe on genuine Vans sneakers is molded into the shoe.

2) The stripe on some fake Vans shoes is painted on rather than molded. As a result, it will lack the clean lines of a genuine pair and may have excess paint elsewhere.

5. The Laces and Eyelets

1)Authentic Vans shoes will have flat shoelaces, whereas fake Vans may have round shoelaces. Genuine Vans shoelaces should be stiff. Fake ones have soft and thin laces of poor quality.

2)With the exception of the original Old Skool Vans, which have only raw shoelace holes, genuine Vans sneakers have precisely painted and aligned eyelets.

6. The Tag inside of Tongue

Examine the data on the inside of your Vans tongue. On the tag, there is information about size and where the original Vans sneakers are manufactured. It should not only completely match the information indicated on the box, but it should also specify the country of manufacture. These are the signatures that should be found on the original models: Made in China, Made in Vietnam, and Made in Cambodia. The size (in American, British, and European numbering, as well as the liner’s length in cm) should be printed on the tag.

7. The padding

Aside from the branding, authentic Vans sneakers are distinguished by a slightly rounded padded collar. The footbed is additionally cushioned for additional comfort and shock absorption.

8. The Trademarks in Vans

Vans shoes should have three trademarks: a well printed, easy-to-read trademark on the insoles (solid, not fated logo), a small label outside the shoe (depending on the style), and the logo on the sole situated at the heel. Examine the details, such as the typeface and the “V” letter with a distinctive extension. You can contrast the trademarks with those found on the Internet or with another pair of the original shoes.

9. The Logo on the Heel

Off the Wall was a popular skating technique in 1970s California. The original “Off The Wall” skateboarding emblem was designed in the 1970s by James Van Doren’s son. They started using the emblem on the Style 95, one of their earliest skating shoes. Both logos still represent the brand.

10. The Middle Sole

Vans outsoles have three layers of foxing tape. Real Vans rubber outsoles exhibit overlapping layers of rubber foxing tape. Although it looks shoddy, it’s a Vans original. The red fake Vans aren’t authentic.

11. The outsole of Vans Shoes

1) The vulcanized rubber waffle soles of the genuine Vans shoes have rhomboid and diamond forms. Verify sure the edges are straight and crisp. While fake Vans are typically sloppy, with the sole color blending into the white, the real ones have crisp lines around the sole’s perimeter. A flat sole, as opposed to fake pairs that won’t have a flat bottom to the waffle pattern.

2）Factory Code

A tiny manufacturing code will be inscribed into one of the diamonds on the sole of a pair of Vans Old Skools (fake Vans may also have this code).

Various nations utilize a variety of different factory codes; one shoe style may have several different factory codes. A mark to identify the country of production should be an embossed two- or three-letter country code. The code on the sticker inside the box should also match.

12. The Stitching

Examine the stitching carefully. The original Vans had straight, symmetrical, and sturdy stitching with no room for flaws. While fake Vans typically have loose, uneven, or inconsistent stitching spacing, as well as kinked stitching.

13. The Swing Tag

Vans Old Skools include a swing tag with the Vans Off The Wall emblem; ensure that the printing is solid and legible. Examine the small registered R above the front wheel for clarity and sharpness. Take note of how the swing tag’s end is perforated so that the skateboard may be easily “broken” off.

14. The Shoe Box

1) The authentic shoes have a locking mechanism on the top through a tab. Cheap knockoffs frequently lack a locking mechanism. Nothing will hold the top in place as it drapes over the bottom of the box.

2) The original box always includes a label indicating the size, country of manufacture, and code. CLK, HF, or R denotes the country code, where your Vans were created (for example, CLK – Made in Cambodia), the manufacturer’s index, the model’s original color, and the bar code. Check that the printing is legible and sharp, and that there are no spelling errors. You can scan the code with specific software that distinguish originals and fakes, such as ShopSavvy or ScanLife.

3) To safeguard the shoes, wrap them in paper with logos inside the box.