Nike Air MAG vs Knockoff

By now, you should have heard something about the Nike Air MAG's that were released in 2011.  They were available by auction only through eBay and ten select Nike stores around the world.  A total of 1510 (1500 through eBay) were sold.  Proceeds from the auction benefited the Micheal J. Fox Foundation.

I should mention that was I crazy enough to buy a pair.  Hey, it was for a good cause.  I made some smart calculations and wild guesses and bought the shoes for a good price.  In the end, only 18 people paid less than me as I purchased it at one of the lower prices, over 30% less than the average selling price.

There have been some knockoffs from China (where else?) that have been popping up that last 12 months or so.  These go for about $200-250.  Well....again, I was crazy enough to buy a pair a few months ago...just to compare the two.  Now, I do want to say that these are knockoffs or bootlegs, so you will be buying an illegal product.  I also want to inform those out there of the differences between the real deal and the fake.  Without something to compare it to, it is difficult to spot the fake.

The $250 price tag is direct from China.  Prices will vary from vendor to vendor, and there is a limited amount as they cannot keep up with demands.  There are people selling these knockoffs second hand on auction sites and forums and charging a lot more, at least 2-3 times the price.  So, be careful as some China vendors and auctions are known to be scams.  Forums are a lot safer as members are known to the community.  Best to do research before you pull the trigger on your purchase.

It has been over 18 months since I got my Nike Air MAG's, also made in China, and I have yet to review these shoes.  So, this will be a brief review of both.  I got the same size of both, so it will be very easy to see the differences.  Note that in all photos, the real Nike is on the left, while the knockoff is on the right.

Packaging:

Nike Air MAG boxes

Nike:  The first thing you will notice is the size and construction of the box.  The Nike box is well constructed with thick cardboard.  I should note that when I received the shoes, it came in a box within a box, within a box...and really well protected. The box is also in one piece, meaning the lid is attached to the box.  It also has a magnetic flap on the box.

Knockoff:  This is a flimsy box and will be damaged during shipping.  Box is in two pieces, like most traditional shoe boxes.  It is also smaller than the Nike one, but one would not know that just from looking at pictures without comparison.  You can see in the image above the noticeable size difference.  Note, these are the same size shoes.  They matched the yellow colour almost perfectly.

Other differences:  The logo on the box is slightly different. There is a small red number, which I assume is the size of the shoe, on the bottom of the MAG logo.  Obviously, on the Nike box, the number matches my shoe size.  On the knockoff, it is marked at a size 10.  There is a label on the front of the knockoff box, that is similar to current Nike shoes, that indicates the shoe size as well as other relevant information.  Of course, I could be wrong on this number thing.  Also, note the orientation of the box in relation to the graphics.  The knockoff is in a 'portrait' orientation, taller than it is wide.  The Nike is in landscape and closer to a square, like a thick pizza box.

Nike Air CPK MAGherita - logo and box

I cannot  help to think that the logo and the box looks a lot like it was made by California Pizza Kitchen.  Wait a second, Back to the Future released in 1985...California Pizza Kitchen founded in 1985.  Although, Pizza Hut was the 'offical' pizza of the movie. 

Nike Air MAG pack out

Nike:  The shoes are packed out in semi-dense foam.  It holds its shape and sort of 'locks' the shoes in the box.  The shoe sits snugly into the cut out as the foam is deep, about half way up the shoe.  It is a three layer layout, with the bottom layer uncut (no shoe silhouette cut out).  This gives the structure rigidity. The charger is packed in its own box (upper left).

Knockoff:  The shoes do come individually bagged, whereas the Nike ones are just placed in the foam.  The foam in the knockoff box is a lot softer, it does not keep its shape.  It is also about half the thickness of Nike, with one layer of foam and no bottom layer.  Shoe is touching the bottom of the box.  Might be the reason why they come bagged.  While there is a cut out for the charger to fit, it just flops around in there.  There is no mini box for the charger.

Other Differences:  The charger for the Nike is wall plug in only, and uses a mini jack to plug into shoe.  The knockoff charger has a USB option and plugs into shoe via a data cable. I guess you could charge it through  a computer.  Neither charger is anything special, meaning they were not 'custom designed' for the shoes.  Note how the boots are placed, Nike is placed horizontally, while the knockoff is vertical.

Shoes:

Nike Air MAG - outside

Nike:  The real deal has tighter construction. It has a taller and stiffer collar.  The LED's on the heel have a coloured lens, so you can see the lights even when not turned on

Knockoff:  Construction is a bit flimsy, but acceptable.  The shoes almost look broken in.  An easy tell for the fake is the non-coloured LED's in the heel.  They light up correctly, but the window looks empty when not lit.  If you look closely, you can see the naked LED bulbs and some of the printed circuit board they are mounted to.

Other Differences:  The Swoosh is slightly larger on the knockoff.  Again, you would not know that without the Nike to compare to.

Nike Air MAG - inside

Nike:  Notice the light aqua colour in the heel cup and midsole.  Shape of mid-sole is more swoopy and lower profile.

Knockoff:  The splatter on on the heel cup and midsole matches the Nike really well.  Although some areas can use a little more splatter.  The colour is a bit off, more of a darker shade of of the main colour than the light aqua of the Nike.

Nike Air MAG - collar

Here is were you really start to see the differences, even without knowing what the real ones look like.

Nike:  The logo on the ankle strap lights up using a electroluminescent panel.  The collar is a more streamlined design and stays upright.  The white edge of the collar is about the same thickness as the main grey part of the collar.  Notice the cut out is crisp, clean, and follows the same shape as the rest of the collar.  The Nike ankle strap floats on the the boot, while the Achilles pad is secured (glued) to the boot. 

Knockoff:  Hard to tell from photos, but the ankle strap is fixed to the boot with hooks and loops, while the Achilles pad floats.  Strap logo does not light up, it is painted to give a glowing illusion.  One telltale sign is the way the collar flops.  Also note that the white edge is puffier than the gray part of the collar.  The cut out is poorly finished.  Nike has the hidden (or tucked in) the stitches that are around the perimeter of the hole.  You can clearly see the stitches on the knockoff.

Fun Fact:  There are many that have purchased the knockoffs and made modifications to it.  One modification is making the strap logo light up.  Some are selling the shoes with these on auction sites and forums.  Take note of the other differences that I have (and will) point out so you know what you are getting.

Nike Air MAG - quarters

Nike:  Clear (light grey tint) outer sole with EL panel for lighting.  Also, you can see that the heel cup on the Nike is shorter.  Nike has a more subtle rib structure along the side of the shoe.  This is where the laces would go into the base of the shoe.  Note that neither of these shoes have the auto-lace feature.  Get over it!

Knockoff:  Longer heel cup, resulting in a smaller gap where the heel cup and the midsole meet.  A major tell in is the ribs on the knockoff.  These are very noticeable, even in poor lighting.  The ribs are so pronounced, there is a need for a notched recess for the hook part of the swoosh to sit in.  The light up sole is done with two LED's, instead of EL panel.  You can really see the difference once lit.  Also, the outer sole is a semi-transparent rubber, almost yellowing from over UV exposure.  Notice that you cannot see the lighting element (in this case LED) through the side.  Whereas, you can 'clearly' see the EL panels on the Nike.

Nike Air MAG - rear

Nike:  You can get a better look of the rigidity of the boot from this angle.

Knockoff:  Achilles pad is very close to the real deal, just slightly larger.  Since the pad is floating, it makes the boot look more flimsy than it is.  Other than that, the view from the back is almost identical. 

Nike Air MAG - top

Nike:  Here you can see the Nike has a narrower toe box.  Notice how the collar and sides of the boot look stiffer and have a cleaner form.  The way it is constructed, the laces look like they go into the sides of the shoe.  Laces are a little thicker but narrower. 

Knockoff:  Not only are these laces a bit wider and thinner than the Nike's, they are also less tight, meaning the elastic is not as strong.  From this angle, you can see the ribs on the side are much more pronounced than the Nike.  Keep this in mind when comparing the ribs, think panty lines on a chick's butt.  The Nike is like a hot chick wearing form fitting jeans, and you can just barley see the faint panty line of her boy cut shorts.  While the knockoff is more of a fuller sized gal wearing classic briefs with yoga pants that are at least a size too small. The floppiness of the collar can also be seen here.

Nike Air MAG - soles

Nike:  The soles of these shoes flare out, creating a wider...wait for it...footprint.  The flaring is on the clear outer sole, and almost looks like a flat tire.  The tread pattern is little pyramids, like the ones in Cairo, but much smaller. 

Knockoff:  The tread pattern is recessed squares, or raised grid pattern, like a waffle.  The footprint is more of a traditional shape, without any flare.  Also, you can really see the difference between the clear grey tint of the Nike and the yellow-ish clear of the knockoff.  There are minor shape differences in the part out, but nothing drastic.

Nike Air MAG - light up

Nike:  Oh yeah, these shoes light up, just like the ones in the movie.  Note how the EL panel in combination with the clear sole, results in a crisp edge and bright light.  The crisp shape is achieved by having the EL panel cut in the D-shape that you see lit up.  The Nike logo on the ankle strap is just as bright in the aqua EL panel.  The heel is lit by three rows of LED's in green, yellow, and red.

Knockoff:  When turned on, the heel lights are almost identical.  The lights on the sole differ since they used LED's instead of EL panels.  Also, the glow is a little muted.  This is partly due to the rubber defusing the light. The shape of the light is achieved by a defusing lens behind the outer sole.  Instead of the aqua glow, these have a more blue-ish glow.  The ankle strap does not light up, but the paint colour of the Nike logo matches the blue of the sole lights.

Other Differences:  I mentioned that the chargers are different.  The location of the charging port also differs.  On the Nike, the charge port is well hidden on the bottom of the Achilles pad.  The knockoff has the female end of the data port loosely dangling from wires behind the Achilles pad.  This is also where the power button is hidden.  And by hidden, I mean also dangling from wires behind the Achilles pad.  On the Nike, the button is hidden in the outside collar, at the tip, totally concealed and clean.

Conclusion:

The Nike version is great.  It is made by Nike.  So what, if it does not auto lace?  Seriously, get over it.  The positives of the Nike Air MAG far out weigh the one negative of no auto lace.  Of course, you get what you pay for.  The lowest price these went for was $2300.  The fact that these were a limited run helps the quality of the product.  Nike went all out on this one.  I would think that if these were mass produced, it would easily be in the $300-400 range.

The knockoffs are surprisingly well made.  I have to say that since these are knockoffs, it is stealing from Nike and Universal.  You are also encouraging the business of bootlegging.  Yes, I know I bought a pair, too.  But it was for research...and I donated a good chunk of my paycheck to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.  I know that is still not a good excuse.

Anyway, you get what you pay for and at about $250, you get something really well made.  Sure, it is not dead nuts on, but really, without the Nike to compare to, it is difficult to tell.  Even comparing screenshots from the movie, the knockoffs look really close.  Heck even the Nike's, when comparing to actual screen used shoes, vary a little.  Only a handful of people can really tell the difference...well, one more now that you have read this.

Worried that your strap does not light up?  No worries, there are people selling modify ones.  Keep in mind the differences if you decided to purchase these.  There are forums that even show you how it is done if you decided you want to tackle that yourself.  In the end, if you always wanted a pair and did not get a chance or have the budget to bid on the authentic ones in 2011, the knockoffs are a great alternative for about $250.

Update:

I have had a few people inquiring about where I purchased the knockoff Air MAG's.  I got mine from AliExpress.  It will give you a few choices from various vendors where you can order. Looks like they are still around the $250 price.

Also, if you are looking for a cheaper pair, there are officially licensed (from Universal Studios) versions available from Halloween Costumes, for only $100.  These are not as 'screen accurate' as the knockoffs, but for only $100, they look pretty good.  I ordered a pair and when they come in, I will do a full review and comparison between the three versions.  You can read about that by clicking HERE.

A new version, known as 'V3' is out.  My review/comparison here.

Nike Air MAG's vs Knockoffs vs Costume Version

This will be a review of the Halloween Costumes version of the Back to the Future shoe. Also, I will compare the China knockoff  as well as the real deal Nike Air MAG's.  This will be formatted much like my last review.  In the photos, the authentic Nike Air Mag (refer to as Nike) will be on the left, China knockoff (refer to as knockoff) in the middle, and the Halloween Costumes version (refer to as HC version) will be on the right.

For a more in depth review of Nike Air MAG vs. Knockoff, click here.

Packaging:

Shoeboxes

While the Nike and Knockoff boxes look very similar, the Halloween Costumes version is totally different.  It is a typical shoe box with an incorporated lid.  The base is grey with dark blue paint splatter graphics, this is to mimic the paint splatter on the sides of the shoe.  The lid is blue with official Back to the Future Part II logo across.  One side of the box has a label with an official Universal Pictures logo and number indicating size of shoe.  Note that all three shoes are the same size.

Sure, the box does not match the cool Nike version, but it is better made than the Knockoff. It also helps that the HC and Nike came in a sturdy shipper.  The Knockoff was poorly packed for shipping, especially for something that was shipped overseas.  This is why there are lovely creases and dents on my Knockoff box.

Pack out of the three versions

Pack out of the HC is typical of your average shoe.  The standout is the printed paper since there is a lack of cut out foam to fill in negative space.  Normally, when you get shoes, it comes wrapped  in thin tissue paper.  But, this paper is quite thick...but it has cool printing on it.  Win some, lose some.

Packing paper with Back to the Future Part II logos

A charger cable is included with the shoes, but no plug-in unit.  This means you will need to plug into a USB port, instead of a wall, to charge.  Lack of foam and plug-in unit keeps the cost down.  I wonder if I can access data if I plug my shoes into my computer.  Different kind of shoe hack.

The Shoe:

Outside of shoes

The first thing you will notice is, there is no Nike logo on the HC.  Since these are only licensed from Universal Pictures and not Nike, there is no swoosh.  It looks kinda naked without the logos.  Although, I have no clue how they basically knocked off Nike's design and not face legal action from Nike.  But, there is a rule that states that a 10-15% change of a design means it is a 'new' design.  More on that later.

Before I continue, I am just going to flat out say that the HC is very similar to the Knockoff.  The HC is basically the Knockoff without Nike logos.  I would not be surprised if these are made by the same manufactures and just re-branded (or un-branded) to legitimately sell to the mass market.  Even the electronics are basically the same.  There are some minor differences that I will point out.

Moving on, you will notice that the construction is the same as the Knockoffs, even down to the well defined ribs of the quarters.  Most of the differences between the Knockoffs and Nike are exaggerated on the HC.  For example, the ribs are deeper and on the HC than on the Knockoffs.  The Nike has smooth sides with slightly raised ribs.  Both the Knockoff and HC have sharp transitions to the rib, even to the point were it dips down before it raise up to the rib...as if they used a George Foreman Grill to press these grill marks.  You will notice this in different lighting as you will see hard edges on non-authentic MAG's (see photo below).

Laces are four elastic straps.  On the HC , the quality of these elastics are lower than that of the Knockoff.  Both are wider and not as thick as the Nike laces.  I can see the others wearing out in time, but Nike straps lasting longer.  I would not know, I have yet to put any of these on...so, I cannot comment on the comfort of these shoes, but they look damn cool.

Comparing toe box of MAG's

From the picture above, you can see that the toe box shape and size is very different.  The Nike is sleek and low, slightly above the toe cap.  The Knockoff has a larger toe box with a taller front wall, it is about twice the height of Nike.  The HC has the most toe room, with a very bulbous toe box at nearly three times the height of the Nike toe box.  These  differences are also apparent in the width of the toe box.  The wider HC almost extends past the outsole.  If you look down, you will see outsold peeking through on the Nike, a little less on the Knockoff, and almost completely covered on the HC.

The collars of the HC are similar to the Knockoff as they are floppy compared to Nike, which are stiffer and offer a little more ankle support.  The Nike collar, the white part, is almost flush with the side walls.  Both the Knockoff and HC have puffy collars.  If you like really luscious collars, then you will love the HC.  They seem to over stuff the HC collars, they also sit low, about the same height as the Knockoff.  Both collars sit low compared to Nike.

Nike collar is a uniform height all around, Knockoff has slight variation, almost unnoticeable.  The HC collar is all over the place.  They did not get the side supports shape quite right and it seems they are compensating by varying the height of the white collar.

Inside of shoes

In the photo above you can see what I mean about the depth of the ribs.  The uppers are a slightly darker shade on the HC. Hard to tell in pictures, but the Nike is the lightest grey, then slightly darker Knockoff, then slightly darker-er HC.  The colour of the outsole and heel cup is also darker on the HC. There is a slight teal tint in these parts.  The photo above shows this.

Along the throat of the HC, there is stitching all around.  This creates a piping effect around the edge of the lace area. Nike and Knockoff do not have this.  Speaking of stitches, there is additional stitching around the ankle strap on the HC.  The stitching is there to hold the hook and loop system that secures the strap to itself and to the shoe.  Nike and Knockoff use some sort of glue to hold down their hook and loop, resulting in cleaner looking straps.

While we are in the ankle area, we should talk about the hole.  On the Nike, this hole is a crisp three-sided window with tight radius corners, with no stitching around the perimeter.  Knockoff window is more rounded, still somewhat of a three-sided shape with larger radius in the corners with stitching.  The HC also has stitching, their window is more of an ellipse or pill-shaped, and a lot smaller opening than the others.  If you have girthy fingers, it may get trapped in the HC window.

Achilles pad and heel cups

From the back of the shoes, you can see the differences in collar puffiness.

Again, since the HC is not made and not licensed by Nike, we do not see any reference to "Nike MAG" on the heel cup.  You will also not see "Nike" on the front of the ankle strap.  The profile of the HC heel cup is also flatter than the other two, you can see this better in the side views above.  Texture on the heel cup and outsole are the same on all three, but the HC texture is not as deep. 

The ankle strap is reversed on the HC, with the hook and loop closure on the outside.  This might be just a manufacturer error on some and can easily be swapped with the other shoe.  At least they did not give me two rights or two lefts.  The HC Achilles pad matches the Knockoff, while both slightly differ from the Nike.  Nike's pad is fused to the back of the shoe, the others attached by hook and loop and completely removable.

Soles of the MAG's

There are some small details on the Nike sole that the others did not replicate.  First, you will notice that the Nike sole is wider than the others.  This is due to a flare of outside edges of the sole, imagine it looking like a flat tire.  The clear parts are clear with a slight blue tint on the Nike, while the others have a yellow-ish tint...looking like it did not come from a smoke free home.  These are new, and there is no smoke in this home.  Maybe they smoked a lot at the factory.

The waffle pattern of the sole is obviously cleaner on the Nike.  It is hard to see in photos, but on the bottom surface, the waffle pattern turns in to inverter pyramids, instead of recessed squares as they are on the sides.  Think meat tenderizer and the little pyramids, but the inverse of that, versus your typical waffle from a George Foreman Grill.  Yes, that is two George Foreman Gill references.  Both the Knockoff and HC's waffle pattern is recessed flat squares all around. 

Light them up!

Yes, they light up...but you already knew that.  Here are some major differences between the authentic and not-so-authentic ones. Nike uses a LED's with tinted bulbs on the heel.  The tinted bulb or lens allows the green, amber, and red to be seen even when not lit.  On the Knockoff and HC, you see the bare LED elements through the window in the heel cup, and only see the colours when it is lit.  Because of the bare LED, the hot spots are more noticeable on the non-authentic shoes.

Nike has electroluminescent panels to light up the two 'D' windows on the outsole.  This is why there is a nice crisp light when powered.  The others use two blue LED bulbs to light the window, resulting in a hotspot in the corner.  The Knockoff has better light distribution than the HC.  Also note that the Nike lights are a flat teal, while the other are a deep blue with hot spots.

Both non-Nike shoes seem to use the same electronics. The charge port and activation button are very similar as they just hang out the back of the shoe, hidden by the Achilles pad.  It takes a lot of effort to access these dangling wires.  One will have to 'dig' behind the Achilles pad to activate the lights.  In the Nike, the button is hidden inside the corner of the outside collar, while the charging port is on the bottom of the Achilles pad.

Conclusion:

You get what you paid for.  At $100, you are getting a really good replica of the Nike Air MAG's.  With a little modification, like adding a Nike logo on the front of the strap, 'Nike MAG' on the back, and swoosh on the side, the Halloween Customs version can easily pass as a great replica to an average person.  Plus at only $100, I could wear these and not worry about it.

As stated in my previous post about these shoes, it is really hard to tell the difference between the Knockoffs and Nike's.  Unless you have seen (or have) the authentic ones to compare to, the $250 Knockoffs are a great replicas.  Although they are bootlegs, they make a great alternative to spending $6000 for an authentic pair and the risk of messing up your investment. 
 
Where to buy:

Nike:  Since my last post on this subject, a few have asked me where to get these shoes.  The Nike's are long gone.  As stated before, they were only available through eBay or select Nike Store auction.  Pretty much the only place you can get these are still on eBay.  But be prepared to spend  at least $6000 for a pair of authentic ones.  Keep in mind that there are strong rumours of a re-release of the MAG's with power lacing, from Nike, in 2015.  Again, these are unconfirmed rumours.

Knockoffs:  There are a few places online that sell these.  I got mine from AliExpress for about $200-250.  While it seems risky to order something like this from overseas, they seem legit as bootleggers go.  Others are selling these exact Knockoff on online auction sites for double the price.  Again, I should stress that these are knockoffs and  violate of many licenses.  But, they are pretty nice considering the cost.

Halloween Costumes:  These are officially licensed from Universal Pictures, so they will have Back to the Future logos.  These are sold as "Back tot he Future 2 Light Up Shoes" and not as "Air MAG's".  Halloween Costumes sell these for about $100 and are almost as good as the Knockoffs. 

Now, you know the differences between the three.  Hope this information helps should you decide to invest in pair of these shoes.  Please be careful of scams.

Nike Air MAG vs V3 Knockoffs

If you have not heard, there is a new pair or Nike Air MAG knockoffs on the market.  These are known as 'V3' to the cool kids.  I did a review on the V2 a while back...perhaps you have read it. I hesitated on purchasing a pair and doing another review, it is a lot of work and I am kinda lazy.  It is like writing a ten page paper.  But, someone requested that I do a comparison of the two...so, basically on a dare, like calling me 'chicken', I dropped the $600 and got a pair...and here we are again. It is fun to see how well bootleggers can copy something, and I like pointing out the flaws.

As with my previous comparisons, I will go through what to look for to spot the knockoff.  I am sure there will be those out there that will try to pass these off as authentic Nike Air MAGs.  Side note, a few years ago, I caught someone using my photos of my real MAGs in their auction.  Screw that!  I know that fool did not have the real deal and he used my photos without permission or gave credit.  I reported the listing and it was removed.  I thought about watermarking my images, but figure it is best to share these images without any obstructions.  So be careful if you are looking to purchase these shoes and know what you are getting.  Oh, if you need/want to steal/borrow my images, I cannot stop you, but please credit your source.  Like I said, this post takes a lot of time to write, edit, proofread, examine the shoes, shoot photos, etc....and you are getting it for free, and I spent $600 for your enjoyment.

Enough babbling, let us get started.  Remember, as always, that the authentic Nike will always be on the left side of the image and the V3's will be on the right.

Packaging:

Nike Aid MAG boxes

Nike:  The Nike's came in a well protected shipper...well, multiple shippers...so the box is very clean.  There is a subtle texture on the box that is hard to see in photos.

V3:  The V3 came in a standard shipper box, so any mishandling of the package resulted in dings and dents that translated onto the final box.  The walls of the box while a little weaker than Nike's, are still very strong.

The texture is not as noticeable on the V3 box, but it is there.  They even matched the colour almost perfectly.  Although, the wrapping of the yellow paper is not as perfect as Nike's.  You have to look for the minute details.  If you can inspect in person, you can tell right away, but through photos, it is very difficult.  They also weigh about the same.

Close up of MAG logos

Nike:  Of course, the label on the authentics are crisp.  You can clearly see the signatures of  Nike Designers Tiffany A Beers and Tinker Hatfield.  Lines are thin and the label is perfectly centered in a crisp recess on the box.

V3:  While the recess for the label is there, it is not as crisp and the label is slightly off-centered. The recesses is a little smaller than the label...or, the label is larger than the recess.  Note the uniform border on the Nike label versus how my V3 label sits a little lower in the recess.  This causes the corners to curl up a bit on the V3 label.

Looking at the logo, the upper yellow triangle is too yellow, the authentics have a slight orange to it.  Comparing the stylized nuclear logo, you can see the line weight is thicker on the V3.  The signatures of the designers are fuzzier on the V3, as if they are out of focus.  This is most likely due to a low-res scan of the original.  The lines, "Prepared by", and "Approved by" are also what you might call pixelated.  Again hard to see if you have nothing to compare to.

As you may recall, I mention that my V2's were marked as a size 10. These V3's are correctly marked as size 8, but as you can see, the font used is slightly different.  the V3 '8' is more rounded, where as at the Nike '8' is more square and sits flatter, matching the existing font for 'Magnetic Anti Gravity'.   If you really want to be anal about it, the V3 '8' is slightly off centered, too.

Bottom of boxes

Nike:  The bottom of the box as some legal mumbo jumbo, various warning, and logos.  I never mention this on my other MAG comparison posts since this is not usually something of interest.  Until now.

Close up of legal on bottom of box

V3:  What?  They totally copied all the legal and logos.  Even the positioning is near perfect.  Unlike the top label the graphics on the bottom are crisp and clear.  Given a clean box, it would be hard to distinguish the authentic from the knockoff based on the bottom graphics.

Magnets on the box

Nike:  It only makes sense to have magnets on the box. MAG's, Magnetic Anti Gravity...magnets, get it?  There are four magnets on each box, two on the flap and two on front wall of the box.  While it is not a secure closure, the magnets do make a magical closure.

V3:  My V3 box is far from perfect due to mishandling during shipping.  Notice the walls on my box are slightly bent.  This means my lid does not sit properly.  Regarding the magnets under the wrap, they are not as flush as Nike's.  Although the Nike magnets do stick out a little, see image above.  The V3 magnets stick out a bit more and the wrapping is not as clean, leaving what looks like an air bubble.  This is on both sides of the box.

Also, the paper used to wrap the V3 box is a little thinner than the stock on the Nike box.  You can kinda feel the difference and see it in some areas where there is overlap.

Pack out of shoes and accessories

Nike:  The shoes are packed in foam, three layers, with the top two layers cut with the shoe's silhouette.  Bottom layer is uncut and provides protection for the shoes.  There is no foam on the lid to 'seal' the shoes in foam.  The charger is placed on the top left corner with the booklet wedged in between the foam and the back wall of the box.

V3:  Just like the Nike's, the V3's are packed in foam.  From what I can tell, this is the same type of foam in colour and density...you are my density, and the same three layers construction.  There is a booklet included, but this was placed under the left shoe (on top).  The charger is also placed on the top left, but there is an extra piece of foam to wedge in the box.  Note that the V3 charger box is a totally different size and shape as the Nike charger box.  But, we will get to the booklet and charger later on.  I should mention that the V3's came individually bubble wrapped, and the Nike's came in the box as you see in the photos.

Overall, the V3 box is a really good copy of Nike's box.  Every detail has been replicated and executed really well.  With the exception of some minor details (like the label and magnets), it would be hard tell one from the other...especially if you have a clean and undamaged box.

Shoes:

Outer side of Air MAGs

Nike:  Hard to tell at first, but when comparing the two side by side the authentics have a sleeker/sexier overall shape than the V3's.  I will try to break it down as best I can.

V3:  There are a few areas that are slightly different from the Nike's.  The one that stands out the most are the ribs.  On the Nike's, the ribs are very subtle.  I imagine this is very difficult to replicate as none of the knockoffs have been able to pull it off.  The ribs on the V3's look like bad case of visible panty lines.  Still, these are an improvement from the V2's. I will get into more detail soon, but the ribs stand out the most.  Also, the V3 ribs are more vertically laid, the Nike's lean far more forward, giving it more speed.

There is small dip on the outsole, between the first and second rib, that is not as defined in the V3.  This also translates to the outsole/sole curves to be slightly off.  If you look at he peaks of the rear EL panel (light up part), the Nike's are slightly back.  Note that the peak of the Nike arch is pretty center to the opening of the shoe. On the V3, this arch is slightly forward.

Front of Air MAGs

Nike:  Again, it is sexier.  You can tell there was more time spent on the construction of the shoe.  Whereas, there are some areas that look rushed on the V3.  Everything is just a little tighter and cleaner.

V3:  If you look at the quarters, other than the issue with the ribs, you can see that the Nike's sit lower and closer to the foot.  I would imagine this is a tighter fit.  I would not know, since I have yet to put these on.

Another area to notice are the laces.  Sorry, no auto lacing.  Like the Nike's, the V3's use elastic bands in place of traditional or power laces.  The V3 elastic band is much closer to Nike's than on the V2.  If you remember, the V2 elastic laces are too wide.

The V3 laces are not as straight and parallel as they should be.  Also looking at the edge of the quarters, you can see that the Nike's are parallel, while the V3's have a slight V-shape to them.  When compared side by side, the lace area of the V3 is narrower towards the front and wider towards the back.

Inner side of shoes

Nike:  If I say sexy or sleek one more time, you will probably smack me.  But really, look at the edge of the outsole.  From toe to heel, notice how the line is kinda flat and rises up fast at the front, then around the arch, and glides towards the heel. This gives the authentics a faster feel, as if it the shoe is in motion.

V3:  The outsole edge sort of just curves up around the arch and down to the heel.  Note that arc is almost constant, and does not look as fast as the Nike's.  From this side, you can also see that the volume at the throat is larger than the authentics.  The issue with the ribs is also quite noticeable on the inside.  They matched the seam that is between the second and third rib, but it is not as 'invisible' as Nike's.  I think Nike used a tighter stitch with more stitches per inch than the V3.

Heel cup inner side

Nike:  The texture of the outsole and heel cups is very pronounced on the Nike's.  As you can see, there is more of the aqua splatter, and the splatter is very fine.  The size of the splatter dots are about the same size as the small bumps of the texture pattern.  Looking at the wordmark, notice the 'Nike' and 'MAG' are very clean, not so with the V3.

V3:  While they corrected the shape of the heel cup from the V2's to better match the authentics, the issue is with the raised letters.  There are little nipples on the corners of every letter.  These nipples are there for injection molding, having a little extra reservoir allows the material to flow into corners of the letters better.  You see often see these in new tires as they want the rubber to flow into all the corners of the tread or lugs.  The V2's did not have this issue.

Nipples are present in both Achilles pads, but they are more pronounced on the V3.

Heel cup outer side

Texturing of the outsold and heel cup is not as obvious as the Nike's.  There would not be as noticeable the splattering was tighter and smaller.  At quick glance, the Nike's outsole and heel cup almost look more aqua because of the fine splatter.  The V3 did get the base grey correct, but since their splatter is minimal and too large, it does not have that 'aqua-tinted' effect.

Nike's seam along the back, while noticeable, is much cleaner and flatter than V3's.  The seam on the V3 forms a bit of a butt crack...MAG cleavage.  Also, there was traces of adhesive on the V3 along the valley where the heel cup and outsole meet.  If you look closely under the "MAG", you can see it.

Air MAG Soles

Nike:  My Nike's are starting to yellow.  Not sure why, it does not, has not seen any daylight.  Heck, they barely see any light...put the lotion in the basket.

V3:  They finally got the soles right.  In previous reviews, I have mentioned the wide flaring at the base of the soles on the authentic ones, other knockoff versions did not have this, V3 has that coveted flat tire look..  Damn it, their soles are more clear than mine.  One thing you usually cannot see in pictures...if you are trying to copy from photos...is the 'negative pyramid' tread pattern of the Nike's.  The V3's replicate this pattern very well.  Again, if it not for the splatter, it would be very difficult to tell the real ones from the fake ones just by looking at the bottom of the shoes.  Funny, you cannot tell from real from fake if looking at the bottom of the boxes, either.  They really have the bottom view...the view that no one sees...perfect.

Air MAG collar

More minute details to look for as we focus in on specific areas.

Nike:   The Nike collar (white trim) has a slim cross section, meaning that it has the same thickness as the main grey collar part.  It almost has straight sides and only rounds at the top, like an upside down U-shape.  Stitching of course is clean an precise.

The shape collar itself is one smooth transition.  This can be seen better in side view, see previous photos.  The collar starts at the instep and goes straight up, turns down, and flows down toward the Achilles with a subtle flattening towards the last fifth before it reaches the center back.

V3:  Starting at the instep, the collar goes up like it is supposed to, makes a turn down towards the Achilles, but it flattens out faster before reaching the Achilles.  This creates a slight more noticeable S-shape to the collar if looking from the side.   The valley where the white and grey meet also dips down further than the Nike's.  Again, see side view.

The V3 collar is a little puffier than Nike's.  Not as noticeable on the outside, although there is a little butt cracking happening where the white meets grey.  The puffiness is more noticeable on the inside, see image.  You can see that the cross section is more round and the stitching and construction is not as clean as Nike's.

There is also a slight variation on the triangle hole.  The front vertical edge on the Nike's leans a little more forward than the V3's.  I am really nitpicking, here.  But, the V3 holes are really clean and well made.

Air MAG inserts

Nike:  There are inserts placed in the shoes to help keep the form of the collar area.  In addition, the toe box is stuffed with your standard tissue paper...which on mine has yet to be removed.

V3:  I am amazed that they copied the shoe insert.  It is a nice to see they went that extra step include this part than no one really cares about.  The construction is very similar.  Hard to tell the difference as there are no real distinguishable marks. The only difference that stands out is Nike's have a perforated edge where the top folds down, the V3 is a straight crease. Yes, there is also tissue stuffed into the toe box.

Inside of the shoes and  label placement

Since we have the inserts removed, let us take a lookie into the shoe.

Nike:  Here is another part that people rarely see...even for myself.  The MAGs have a standard Nike label on the inner wall of the inside, left side of right foot.  Still has that new shoe smell.

V3:  They flat out copied the inner label.  Yes, even the barcode.  I wonder if they made different ones for different sizes.  These are either a very good scan or they had files of the label to reproduce from.  The V3 label is placed on the opposite side (outer wall of inside), right side of right foot.  No one is going to notice that the label is on the wrong side.  They may even have some that are on the correct side.

The V3 matched the inner fabric of the shoe.  The tongue, inside and out, is near perfect match.  Even the footbed liner fabric, texture,and colour is well matched.

Looking at the insides, it is another tough area to use a reference when trying to compare the two.

Nike Air MAG Swoosh

Nike:  A closer look at the quarters, you can see there is just a hint of ribs.  Photo above shows the texture of outsole and heel cup better.  Take a look at the Swoosh, note that it is just placed on top of the fourth rib with no recess. You can even see a faint outline of the rib underneath.

V3:  One word:  Ribs!  Anyway, there is a recess for the Swoosh.  I guess you need to sink in the Swoosh when you have a rack of baby back ribs on the side of your foot.  Although, placement is pretty much spot on.  The V3 Swoosh is slightly different from Nike's. I am no expert on the logo, but I do know that it was changed a bit throughout the years. The V3 Swoosh has a 'sharper' curve and has a thinner tail than Nike's.

Heel lights

Nike:  No power lacing, but these shoes do light up, just like the movie.  Both the Nike's and the V3's have activation buttons hidden in the outside wing of the collar.  The charging ports are in the same area, even the chargers look very similar.

Charge port location

Nike's heel lights have a more transparent cover, this allows you to see the individual LED bulbs in the heel.  The two D-shaped EL panels in the midsole light up with sharp edges due to the clear sole.

V3:  Tangent - Above is a good comparison of the texture and splatter patterns of the outsole and heel cup.  Not easy to forge a Jackson Pollock painting...not easy to forge the paint splatter on Nike Air MAGs.  Back to the heel lights, the lens (well, really silicone-like cover) is not as transparent as the Nike's.  When these light up, the light is more diffused than the Nike's

Charging port is in the same place.  I think they can even share chargers, although I would not recommend swapping chargers.

Chargers

Nike:  As mentioned, the chargers look kinda similar, I mean you would not know which is which as neither are not branded with any Nike or Air MAG logos. The Nike charger does have a legal/warning label and has a U-shape profile.  A twist tie is used to bundle the wires of the Nike charger unit.

V3:  The V3 charger has more of an S-shape profile, with no wire management system.  Also note the charger boxes are quite different, obviously because of the shape of the chargers.  If you reacall the packout photo earlier, you will see the size and shape difference between the two charger boxes.

Oh, the logo on the ankle strap lights ups, just like the Nike's.  As far as lighting, other than heel light lenses, the V3 pretty much nailed it.  But stupid me, I forgot to snap a photo of it.

Toe box

Nike:  The toe box on the authentics are really low profile. It has been a while since I have said this, but they are sleeker and sexier.  Ha!

V3:  If you have been looking at the other photos, you should have noticed that the toe box on the V3  is bulkier than the Nike's.  This is a pretty constant issue with the knockoffs in general, whether you are talking about he V2, Halloween Costumes, or the V3 versions.  Same can be said about the ribs.  But, they are getting better at it.

Weave pattern

Nike:  The texture or weave pattern of the fabric is very tight, almost smooth to the touch.  Okay, not baby's but smooth, but like 600 grit.

I mention the lacing area earlier, way earlier...for me, it was yesterday.  Notice that the throat is wider, yet the width stays pretty consistent it goes towards the tongue.  The laces are all relatively the same width apart, same with the gap between the two sides.  The laces are a rectangular shape, note that the bottom/first lace is also rectangular.

V3:  The image above shows that the throat is narrower than the Nike.  The first lace is a trapezoid shape, wider at the top than at the bottom. This is consistent all the way up as it gets wider, where the fourth (top) lace is wider than the first (bottom) lace, and they all have a slight trapezoid shape.

The weave of the fabric is not as tight, but it is very close.  I would say the feel of this is more of a 400 grit.  Much better than other attempts in the past.

Well, that is it for the shoe and the box.  But wait, there is more.  Seriously, when will this post ever end.  They included the booklet, too!  Remember?  We are finally going to talk about the booklet.

It's About Time

Nike:  You cannot have a shoe with this much history and not have a booklet.  So, Nike included a booklet that unfolds to a two-sided poster.  One side with instructions, the other a poster...of the shoe.  The great thing about the instruction side is the drawings by designer Tinker Hatfield.

By the way, look closely at Tinker's sketches.  Notice he did not 'draw' attention to the ribs...because they are no supposed to be that raised, damn it!  I mean everything we talked about is in his sketches... the ribs, the flat tire look of the soles, the sleek and sexy toe box, etc...all there.

Booklet poster

V3:  Although folded differently, the booklet is spot on.  It seems like they got a hold of one and did a really hi-res scan and reproduced it near perfectly.  It is possible that they had access to the original file.  There are some flaws, for example, the band around the booklet is poorly constructed where we almost lose part of the text.  The printing is slightly fuzzy, either due to scanning or lower quality printing.

Print quality of posters

Above shows the two posters with Nike at top of the image, the V3 poster on bottom.  The V3 is slightly fuzzier in print quality, also a little lighter. But, the folds are where they are supposed to be.

The Nike booklet included a DVD, you can see it attached to the poster on the bottom right.  No disc was included on V3.  Notice there are two blank spaces on the bottom right of the V3 poster. One is for the disc, the other is for the registration plate...which was included.

Plates

I was surprised to see the V3 plate as it looks just like the Nike original.  Mine has a bunch of scratches  and dings on it, but they nailed it.  Obviously, these plates were inspired by the 2015 plates that are on the Time Machine.  Oh, they are made from aluminum.  The plates had your registration number on it so you can register your shoe with Nike.  I wonder if they picked a random number or used the number from the shoe they copied it from.  Who ever has #64530321 must be pissed.

Wow, that was a long post.  I am surprised you made it this far. I think I pretty much covered everything about the V3 shoe.  Feel free to check on my other posts about the V2 and Halloween Customs versions to cross reference other details of the authentic Nike Air MAG that I may have missed in this post...or, to see if I repeated myself too much.

Conclusion: 

The V3's are the best knockoffs out there, so far.  There is very little room for improvement.  I have been nitpicking many details, but really they are mostly minute details.  They are a little on the pricey side, especially for knockoffs, but it beats paying more than ten times the amount to get the real ones.  It seems that the V3'a are relatively easily available, as they will pump out more if needed, while the authentic Nike ones were limited to 1510 pieces available to the public via high priced auction.

Oh, disclaimer time.  I do not endorse the sale or purchase of bootlegs and knockoffs.  Yes, I know I bought a pair, okay a few pairs, of the knockoffs...but it was for research purposes, I had to write this article for you.  Plus, I bought the real ones with the money going to a good cause.

If you want a pair of Air MAGs for about 1/6th the average 2011 selling price...these are the ones to get. Heck, the cheapest authentic pair is asking about $8000 currently on eBay.  That is over double the average price of about $3800 during the 2011 auction for the authentic Nike Air MAGs.

The average person will not be able to tell the difference with these V3's....well, unless they read this article, too.  The super geeky nerds, like me...and you, can spot the fakes.  Hmm, I just had a thought. What if the V2 bootleggers read my original comparison post and used those notes to help them create the V3?  Or, they could have just looked at a real par and replicate what was in front of them.

You can get a pair of V3's for about $600 at sneakerahead.ru.  Lucky for me, I did not have any trouble getting them and they arrived in about ten days.  But, you are buying a knockoff and they will be coming in straight from China (go figure), you might encounter some issues with 'delayed shipping' and you will most likely have to deal with poor handling of your item.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post comparing the authentic Nike Air MAGs and the V3 knockoffs.  I hope it helps you whether you are thinking about purchasing an authentic Nike pair and do not want to get screwed or if you are looking to get the V3 and want to know what differences there are.  Get the 'real deal' or the 'real steal'.  Be careful and watch out for scams.  If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment.  While I am not expert on the MAGs, I will answer what I can.  Thanks!

Kozy Soles' McSteeze Slippers

Here is something a little different...another pair of Air MAGs for the collection and for review.  These are slippers by Kozy Soles.

Kozy Soles "McSteeze"

I got the awesomest Christmas gift from my cousin, a pair of Air MAG slippers.  Oops, (most likely) due to legal reasons, Kozy Soles calls these "McSteeze".  Again, these are awesome!

For those of you just joining us, I have done reviews and comparisons on the 2011 Nike Air MAGS with the V2 Knockoffs, Halloween Costumes, and V3 Knockoffs.  Feel free to click those links, you may want to read those to get an idea of the different versions out there.  Although, this review of the McSteeze will be a little different and not as lengthy, for obvious reasons.  I am not even going to physically compare these with the Official Nike Air MAG's.

These images with the white background were 'borrowed' from the Kozy Soles website. The pretty shots with my car, are mine.  Again, as I mentioned in my last Air MAG post, if you need to 'borrow' my images, please give credit.  Bit of a tangent, I happened to stumble on MY IMAGES on someone else's Instagram feed...without giving credit to the source.  Anyway, here we go.

Packaging:

The Kozy Soles come in a mesh bag.  No fancy box, just a bag.


Shoes:

Well, these are slippers.  I guess you can call them knockoff, but are they really?  Actually, really comfortable and...as the name states...cozy slippers.  There are many 'non-screen accurate' areas, but many things Kozy Soles totally nailed!

McSteeze, beauty shot

The outside is constructed from a plush material, giving it a soft feel.  I had stared at the slippers for a long time only to realise that they have no left or right distinction.  Once you wear them for a while, they will 'form' to your feet.  A custom fit...much like power laces.

Speaking of power laces, these obviously do not have power laces.  They do use the same execution as the other Air MAGs, by using four elastic bands across the top of the foot.  They do provide a snug fit.

McSteeze, side

An elastic band is also used for the Achilles pad.  Other versions use a strap with hook and loop closure.  The Achilles pad, like the rest of the slipper, is also made from a plush material.  There is a foam-like form inside the pad to give it structure and very minimal protection.  The elastic strap has the Kozy Soles company logo on it, instead of Nike...no light up.  There are no Nike Swooshes or any reference to Nike, Air MAG, or Back to the Future on these.

There is a good amount of padding on the footbed.  The soles of the slippers have little dots for traction.

McSteeze, top

The collar looks like Yoda's ears (see image above), but when you put them on, they sit pretty close to where they should be.  The triangular hole on the collar is represented by a triangular patch.  Great solution to what would have been a costly and aesthetic problem if it were a real hole.

McSteeze, back

The heel cup displays the Kozy Soles logo instead of the "MAG" logo.  Because there is no left or right, they have heel lights on both the inside and outside of the heel cup.  No, silly.  They do not light up, there are no electronics in these.

The midsole area that normally lights up is also mirrored, so you have the blue half-moon shapes on both sides.  They went to the trouble of creating a separate piece for the midsole, but did not use a different coloured material, or deco, to represent the splatter. This would have also been a nice addition to the heel cup.  But that is really nitpicking on something that is does not claim to be official or screen accurate.

My slippers on top of my car

Conclusion:

What a great pair of slippers!  In its core, these are great slippers.  Throw in the Back to the Future reference and you have a winner.  The folks at Kozy Soles did an amazing job on these.  I have no complaints on these.  In fact, I think these are the best replicas out there, especially when you factoring price and comfort of the slippers.

I did not know these even existed until I unwrapped these.  Had I known, I would have definitely ordered a pair.  I highly recommend these if your feet get cold, or if you are somewhat of a Back to the Future fan.  If you want a pair, head over to the Kozy Soles website and order yours.

New driving shoes!