SoleSavy State of Sneakers Vol.1: The Trouble with Sneaker Replicas

Gotta have that hype drop? Impossible to cop? For some sneakerheads, replicas are the answer, a way to fill the void without breaking the bank. At the same time, the easy availability of high-end replicas that look almost exactly like — and, in some cases, are basically identical to — authentic pairs raise the risk of getting ripped off. Given all the [problems in sneakers], will the community ultimately denounce reps, or embrace them?

The Word

In our [State of Sneakers Vol.1] survey, we found sneakerheads’ attitude toward fakes is much softer than their attitude towards botters. While 48% of sneakerheads surveyed view fakes negatively, and 80% refuse to wear them, 52% don’t really care, as long as someone isn’t trying to pass off a fake as authentic. When reps are so similar and even rumored to be produced in the same factories as the originals, it calls into question what “authentic” even means to some.

The Ask

The clear ask from sneakerheads is for brands and stores to make the release of sneakers more equitable, to stop hyping up sneakers that were never made to be available outside a select few. Until that day comes, the pro-reps argument is that replicas can at least artificially level the playing field. As long as there are grails in short supply, interest in reps — driven on sites like Reddit where r/repsneakers has over 500,000 members — isn’t going anywhere.

The Issue

The issue comes down to trust. Though reselling* sites like StockX, GOAT and eBay have built their brands on “legit checking” services, there are plenty of examples of fakes getting around it, and you pay that high transaction fee either way. Because those sites aren’t owning up to their failures, their response to reps passed off as the real thing has been “just sell the sneakers again” since they’ll obviously pass their flawed smell test.

*At SoleSavy, we are firmly against mass reselling and understand the obstacles it creates for everyday sneakerheads. In order to get a full, unbiased pulse on sneaker culture today, it was essential to collect data from everyone in the world of sneakers.

The Savy

We’re all about cultivating a positive sneaker community, where people are more than happy to share information and tips they’ve found useful in the past. We want sneakerheads to have confidence and trust: confidence that members have the best tools and info to cop sneakers at retail, and trust in each other that they can cop and trade without fear of getting a fake. It’s a fight worth fighting and a fight we believe you can win with the right resources.

The Method

The [State of Sneakers Vol.1] is one of the largest studies done on sneakers and the people who love them. To build the report, we surveyed 3,458 sneaker enthusiasts, collectors and resellers; hosted five focus groups with a total of 50 sneaker enthusiasts; completed 25 in-depth interviews; and collected over 500 hours of participant observation in various sneaker forums, subreddits, and on SoleSavy. Check out the [State of Sneakers] and get better at copping.

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Read the full [State of Sneakers Vol.1.]