While Fake, or Replica or Unauthorized… whatever you call it… Yeezys continue to be a problem in the secondary “grey market” of resellers and ebayers we try to stay ahead of the issue. Comparing different versions of counterfeit Yeezy Boosts has become an increasingly difficult task.

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Early versions are often quite terrible as they are rough drafts based on second or third hand descriptions leaked from the official manufacturing plants in China. Sure a few customers get had purchasing “pre-orders” and “early” pairs but for the most part the public knows to steer clear of that nonsense.

Soon after the release, and inevitable sell-out from authorized retailers, consumers are forced to turn to resellers to get a pair. Within a few weeks China starts churning out nearly identical versions based on photos and a hands on experience with authentic pairs. It’s early September 2015 and those nearly identical fakes are popping up all over.

We’ve made a few charts in hopes of helping you avoid the fakes. Remember to follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with Real Vs Fake comparisons and release information.

Fake Yeezys sometimes have a black Adidas box. That’s easy to spot and was quickly remedied by the knockoff factories. Some labels were printed up in speculation using Nike/Jordan colors. The majority came without a label at all, another obvious red flag. Authentic pairs will have the PIRBLK color on the label, but unfortunately for the community so do recent “unauthorized” pairs. While the tag won’t verify authenticity, it can be used to easily identify fakes.

Next a quick look at the heel, perhaps the easiest, and maybe only way to spot a fake or unauthorized pair. If the pattern seems too consistent, or if the lines don’t make peaks on the heel, you’re likely looking at a knock-off Adidas Yeezy.

Unfortunately the differences at this point end there. The “unauthorized” pairs boast claims of being made by the same employees who manufactured the authentic pairs. Rather this is true or not is unknown, however we do know the same equipment is used and in some cases, they’re made in the very same factory.

Given the current state of the Yeezy replicas, we stand by our Talk Kicks opinion. You’re probably best staying away and waiting on that “Beluga White” release.