How to Spot Fake New Balance Shoes: A Simple Guide

New Balance shoes are loved for their signature designs, easy-to-style looks, and versatility across different styles. However, the brand's popularity has also led to an increase in counterfeit products, making it harder for shoppers to tell the difference between authentic and fake pairs. So, how can you check if New Balance shoes are authentic and avoid buying counterfeits? In this article, Supersports shares simple, practical ways to spot the signs of genuine New Balance shoes.

About New Balance Shoes

New Balance is an American sports footwear brand founded in 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts. With over a century of history, New Balance has become one of the leading names in the athletic footwear industry, alongside Nike and adidas. The brand offers products for a wide range of needs, from running shoes and training shoes for workouts and sports competitions to everyday sneakers. By combining performance-enhancing technology, comfort, and distinctive design, New Balance shoes have become increasingly popular among athletes and sportswear enthusiasts, especially younger consumers.

How to Spot Authentic New Balance Shoes

Here are some simple ways to check whether your New Balance shoes are authentic and avoid counterfeit products.

1. Check the Shoe Box

• Authentic New Balance shoes: Genuine shoes come in a sturdy cardboard box with the New Balance logo printed on the side and lid. The font, logo, and packaging colors should be clear and sharp.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit shoe boxes often have blurry text, unclear printing, or dull colors. However, be cautious, as counterfeit shoes may sometimes be placed in genuine boxes to deceive buyers.

2. Check the Box Label

• Authentic New Balance shoes: The label on the side of the box should contain complete product information, including the shoe size, color code, and barcode. These details should match the label inside the shoe's tongue. For models released from 2014 onward, label printing was improved for greater clarity and sharpness, and a QR code was also added.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Labels on counterfeit shoes may contain inconsistent product information, with poor-quality, blurry, or smudged printing.

3. Check the Outsole

• Authentic New Balance shoes: Genuine shoes typically have durable, slip-resistant outsoles made from rubber and other high-quality materials. One simple test is to rub the outsole against the ground. Authentic shoes may produce more friction and a noticeable sound, while counterfeit pairs may slide more easily without making much noise. Genuine shoes should also feel comfortable and cushioned when worn. When you press your fingernail into the sole, a temporary indentation may appear before gradually disappearing. This is a characteristic of PHYLON foam used in the midsole.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit shoes often have lower-quality outsoles due to inferior manufacturing processes, resulting in reduced durability and less effective traction.

4. Check the Tongue Label

• Authentic New Balance shoes: Carefully check all the information printed on the label inside the shoe's tongue. In particular, the shoe's serial or product information should match the barcode and details on the box label.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit shoes may have labels with mismatched information or may not have a tongue label at all.

5. Check the Logo on the Outsole

• Authentic New Balance shoes: Genuine New Balance shoes feature the brand's distinctive logo on the outsole. The logo should be clear and sharp, with no broken lines or missing letters. Pay close attention to the small ® symbol and the circle around it to make sure both are intact and clearly printed.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit shoes often overlook these small details, making the outsole logo a useful clue when checking authenticity. For more tips, read our guide on how to spot fake shoes.

6. Check the Price

• Authentic New Balance shoes: New Balance is a well-known footwear brand, and its shoes typically cost from over VND 1,000,000 to VND 3,000,000. Even with discounts, genuine pairs are unlikely to be as cheap as some shops advertise.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Be cautious of offers advertising discounts of 50% or 70%, as these may involve low-quality counterfeit products. However, a large discount alone does not prove that a pair is fake.

7. Check the Shoe's Smell

• Authentic New Balance shoes: Although often overlooked, a shoe's smell can be another clue when checking authenticity. Genuine shoes may have a mild, slightly milky scent.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit shoes may have a strong, unpleasant chemical smell due to lower-quality materials or manufacturing processes.

8. Inspect the Shoes Overall

• Authentic New Balance shoes: As a final step, inspect the entire pair and review the details you've checked. Genuine shoes generally have a well-finished, sturdy construction, with neat and precise stitching.
• Fake New Balance shoes: Counterfeit pairs may have visible inconsistencies, uneven stitching, and a less refined finish due to poor manufacturing quality.

Don't forget to inspect the entire pair of shoes.

Buy Authentic New Balance Shoes at Supersports

When shopping for authentic New Balance shoes, it's important to choose a trusted retailer like Supersports. As a retailer and distributor of authentic footwear from world-renowned brands, Supersports is committed to providing quality products you can trust.

Supersports also guarantees:

• 100% authentic products.
• Quality assurance through multiple inspection processes before products reach customers.
• Complete original accessories and packaging, including shoe boxes, tags, and product labels.

Supersports is Vietnam's leading retailer and distributor of authentic sports footwear, apparel, and accessories. Part of Central Retail, a leading retail group from Thailand, Supersports offers more than 30 renowned sports brands, including Nike, adidas, Crocs, and Puma. Supersports is also an official and exclusive distributor of Under Armour, HOKA, and Columbia. We are committed to bringing sports enthusiasts across Vietnam authentic products of the highest quality.