Since its release in 1982, the Nike Air Force One has been one of the most popular sneakers released under the Nike brand. Nike Air Force One sneakers have been worn by professional basketball players such as Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace. Furthermore, Nike Air Force One sneakers are an immensely popular footwear choice for many urban youth. Because of the popularity of the Nike Air Force One sneaker, it has become one of the most replicated shoe brands in the world.

Check for irregularities in the shoe in question. fake nike Air Force One shoes may have a Nike "swoosh" mark (logo) that is either too thick or irregularly shaped, as stated on the Beyond Jane website. The Beyond Jane website goes on to explain, the "E" in "Nike" and the "A" in "Air" should touch the swoosh on a pair of authentic Nike Air Force One shoes.

Inspect the material on the shoe. Nike doesn't sell Nike Air Force One shoes with material from Burberry or Gucci. In addition, many of the colorful "custom" Nike Air Force One shoes that may be purchased online are not authentic. According to the Beyond Jane website, most custom Nike Air Force One shoes offered online may be fake shoes that appear custom painted. Poor stitching or glue around the seams indicate a lack of authenticity, as Nike would never allow a poorly manufactured shoe to hit the marketplace.

Squeeze around the bottom of the Nike Air Force One where "Air" appears written on the shoe. With authentic Nike Air Force One shoes, this area of the shoe will appear hard or very firm. However, if you're able to squeeze this area, or if it appears uncharacteristically soft, chances are very high that the shoe is counterfeit.

Notice the price of the shoe. If the price seems to good to be true, it probably is. Nike Air Force One shoes retail anywhere from $70 to $85, on average. Sellers that offer deep discounts or sales on multiple pairs will most likely be selling fake Nike Air Force One shoes. If a seller indicates the Nike Air Force One shoes are factory variants, avoid buying them at all costs. As indicated on the Beyond Jane website, factory variant shoes are counterfeit and mislead consumers into thinking they are purchasing authentic Nike Air Force One shoes.

Observe the comfort level of the shoe. Authentic Nike Air Force One shoes appear comfortable for basketball or casual activities such as walking. The size will be correctly indicated on the inside tag of the shoe. Authentic Nike Air Force One shoes appear available in half sizes as well. Counterfeit Nike Air Force One shoes may have inaccurate size information on the tag of the shoe. For example, the shoe may indicate size 10 on the tag, but in actuality the shoe may be a size 11. In addition, it may be difficult to find fake Nike Air Force One shoes in half shoe sizes.