New Balance 550: How to Spot a Counterfeit Pair?
With over 100 years of expertise, New Balance has made a name for itself in the world of sneakers. New Balance is constantly coming up with new and innovative models. The New Balance 550 was one of the most innovative basketball shoes of its time. After being forgotten for a few years, it came back into the limelight thanks to the release of new colours, an idea initiated by the shoe brand's new director. The entire brand returned to the forefront of the sneaker world thanks to this restocking. Unfortunately, the popularity of the New Balance 550 has not escaped the attention of counterfeiters, who have been quick to create replicas of the pair. They sell them at high prices, making you think they're genuine designer shoes when in fact they've been made in replica factories. That's why, if you decide to buy your pair second-hand or outside an official shop, here's a real guide to help you spot a counterfeit.
The "N" logo:
To begin with, pay particular attention to the "N" logo on the side of the 550 pair. This letter is already a good indication of the authenticity of your pair of New Balance shoes.
On authentic New Balance, the logo has an extremely well-defined shape and has spaces at the sides. The two lines of stitching that underline the "N" do not touch the details below the logo.
This is not the case on replica shoes, where the spaces around the "N" are not respected. This letter is also regularly too thick and its shape is often ill-defined, representing more of an "H" than an "N".
On the left, a genuine pair of 550s, on the right, a counterfeit of this pair.
The 550 :
Also check the "550" inscription on your pair of New Balance. New Balance uses a very specific technique to make this inscription, a technique that crooks cannot match.
New Balance makes this lettering in a defined way, and it's also large and raised above the surface. If you have the shoes, run your finger over it. The '550' should be textured and slightly domed.
The false "550" print looks flat and does not fill the space provided.
The heel :
Let's move on to the heel of the shoe and, more specifically, the brand logo in this area. On an authentic pair of New Balance shoes, the 'NB' is well centred with a regular white space on the sides.
On replicas of the New Balance 550, the 'NB' is positioned too high. Also look at the stitching in this area of the shoe. These are also indicative of the authenticity of the pair. The seams should be flawless, even, tight and thick. We regularly find irregularities in the seams on pairs from counterfeit factories.
On the left, a real pair of New Balance, on the right, a fake pair.
Curious to find out more about branded trainers? Read our articles on Day trainers by Hermès, Chain Reaction trainers by Versace and Track trainers by Balenciaga.
The suede patch :
Last but not least is the suede patch on the front of the shoe, near the toe box.
The colour is not the same on a counterfeit shoe as on a genuine one. In fact, counterfeiters use a patch in a warm colour, a grey tending towards yellow. Genuine New Balance 550s have a suede patch in a dull, light grey or even cream colour.
Also look at the angle of the suede patch. It should end and slope at the first '5' in the '550' inscription. On shoes from replica factories, it slopes down to the second '5' or even '0'.
Secure the purchase of your pair of New Balance 550 with Obvy :
If you want to buy your pair of New Balance on resale platforms, we advise you to use Obvy to secure your transaction.
Obvy is a secure payment platform that helps you avoid the scams that are common in transactions between private individuals. When you make a transaction on Obvy, the funds are only credited to your seller when the buyer certifies that the goods purchased are in order. If this is not the case, you are automatically refunded and the item is returned to the seller.
By using Obvy to carry out transactions between private individuals, you can also benefit from payment in several instalments.