With less than two months left in 2015, it's safe to say that the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 will go down as one of, if not the, best sneakers of the year. However, if we had to pinpoint one flaw in the 350, it would be its easily-imitated minimal construction. The sneaker's simple build means that replica versions are more accurate than ever, and they're only getting better by the day. Still, there's one simple check that remains a dead giveaway for spotting fakes — the Boost unit itself.
A new guide has surfaced courtesy of Reddit user MomisSpaghetti which appears to be the most accurate legit check thus far. We cross-examined it with our real pairs and compared the fakes with other online images and from what we can see, everything checks out. Without further ado, here's the easiest way to spot fake 350s.
For starters, check out this authentic pair and take note of the placement and form of the individual Boost capsules. They're randomized and inconsistent, with no visible similarities in their patterns or the sizes of each Boost pellet, which is a byproduct of Boost's manufacturing process. Got it? Good, scroll down to the next image.
This is what the bottom of a current replica pair looks like. Again, look closely at the visible Boost unit. Notice anything different? Here, it's actually uniform, with the left and right shoes containing flipped "mirror images" of the Boost component. In other words, it's a piece of foam that's been made to look like Boost, although it doesn't actually carry any of the energy-returning properties of the real thing.
Furthermore, if you have the advantage of checking out the shoes in person, you should actually be able to feel a difference between the real and fake Boost cushioning, with the authentic version being much softer and pliable. However, if you're limited to images alone, the above guide should be enough to keep you from getting got.
Stay woke out there, fam.
