Vans shoes are popular skate and extreme sport footwear favored by many youths and adults worldwide. Vans is most famous for its low cut, rubber bottomed classic skate shoe. Because Vans is a brand of shoes that are highly sought after, counterfeiters have been known to produce and sell knock-off versions that still carry the Vans name and design. In order to protect yourself from purchasing a fake pair of Vans shoes, there are some simple things to be aware of if you are unsure whether or not a pair of Vans shoes is real.

Attempt to bend the toe of the shoe. Vans shoes are known for their unique rubber backing on their soles that can bend quite easily. Knock-off versions of Vans shoes typically use cheap stiff rubber that will have not have the same pliable characteristic of real Vans soles.

Look for Vans logos on the shoes. Classic low cut Vans style shoes always have a box with the Vans logo at the heel of the shoe. A fabric tag on the side of the shoe, just below the laces, is also common on Vans shoes. Higher top skate and BMX shoes may not have the classic Vans logos on them; however they should have some form of tag or inscription on them unique to Vans.

Compare the price that the shoes are being sold for to the price they are listed as on the official Vans website. While some stores will on occasion have shoes on sale for discounted price, Vans shoes typically carry a high price compared to generic brand shoes. Common sense is a practicable guide when it comes to price. If you feel that the price of a Vans shoe is too good to be true, it just might be.

Compare pictures of a certain shoe you are thinking about purchasing to their entry on the official Vans website. Most stores will be able to tell you the name of each shoe, making looking up the matching shoe online easy.

Look at the stitching, the design and the colors that each design of shoe are available in. If any of those characteristics don't match up, it's quite possible the shoe is a fake.