The Air Jordan 1 High "Dark Mocha" Is the Industry's Most Faked Sneaker

Getting your hands on a pair of high-heat sneakers on release day is no easy feat, but buying a pair on the resale market also comes with its own set of challenges. As the sneaker market has increased in popularity over recent years, so has the number of replica sneakers in circulation, with many of these being passed around on the secondary market.

A new study by hotukdeals has recently revealed the sneaker styles that are most likely to be faked, and surprise, surprise, most of these fetch a pretty price at resale. After pouring over thousands of forums and replica sites, the study found that the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Dark Mocha” was the most commonly replicated shoe, with over 3000 quality check or review posts related to the style. On the secondary market, the model is known to go for over £500.

While it may seem a slightly surprising result to some sneakerheads, they’ll be less shocked to know that the rest of the list is packed full of buzzy offerings. The Travis Scott x fragment x Air Jordan 1 Low took second place, while his “Mocha” Air Jordan 1 High closed out the top three. Nike’s infamous “Panda” Dunk came fourth, with the Travis Scott x Nike SB Dunk Low and Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail” coming fifth and sixth respectively.

Nike (here including Jordan Brand) was found to be the most repped brand, making up for 88% of the sneakers in the study’s list of the most popular reps - which was mostly made up of Air Jordan 1s and Air Jordan 4s, as well as Dunks. The estimated black market value for these top 25 most faked sneakers is estimated to be around £3 million.

Now, if you’re looking to pick up a pair of high-heat sneakers, but want to avoid fakes, it's crucial that you’re smart with your shopping. We’d always recommend buying from reputable sellers and marketplaces at resale to avoid getting caught out, and even set up our own platform, Sole Market, to help you get the best deals on authentic sneakers. With hundreds of verified sellers, our own in-house legit checks and speedy shipping, securing your grail has never been safer. Just head over to Sole Market to check out the selection.