Counterfeit Skate Gear Thread

[JANUS]

A bit of a dead giveaway with Baker boards when team riders like Nuge, Spanky, Cyril decks are "NEW JUST IN" unless you found a container load from last decade...

Yes that is a bit overboard, but you get what I mean, I would think (those guys not having pro boards for a while / no longer on Baker).

Nuge and Cyril, yes, but Spanky has had some decks recently. Like this atrocity:



But I’m just being nit picky, you’re otherwise correct.

[TwisT]

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I dont know heaps about this relating to skating but can provide some possible insight into how this stuff sometimes works.

I bought a fake North Face jacket in Vietnam in 2011. Someone at the time explained to me that there is a legit North Face factory in Vietnam. North Face orders 100,000 units, the factory makes 200,000 and delivers 100,000 to North Face as ordered and the remaining 100,000 to the markets to be sold off cheap.

My jacket came with all the tags, holograms, warranty papers etc but cost me $40 instead of $400. It last me 5+ years so I ain't mad.

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A similar thing was common in the bike industry, where Specialized's carbon fiber molds (or the SolidWorks digital models for these molds) were being sold by employees of Merida (49% owner of Specialized and one of the largest OEM bike makers in the world) to dodgy companies who would use their carbon technology to make fake Specialized bikes which were then sold via Aliexpress and eBay.

My old job literally showed me the how they buy tooling and molds for discontinued products that were still popular.  They could then release as their own product or counterfeit if they want. They also confirmed that if (insert brand)  ordered 100,000pcs in a production run they could keep the machines running and turn out whatever we would need.

The problem is usually QC. There’s no accountability on counterfeit even if it’s from the same factory. So hypothetically if the counterfeit indys were coming from the same factory as the legit indy’s there’s no guarantee that their going to use the same alloy and as the real ones if they have some like the bullet alloy, lying around. Why use the more expensive shit? Whose gonna check? Counterfeit is always a toss up. At least with authentic stuff there’s a some sort of control and accountability. That’s what I tell myself I’m paying for, but also accept that if I buy a counterfeit/clone it’s more of a gamble.

[manysnakes]

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I dont know heaps about this relating to skating but can provide some possible insight into how this stuff sometimes works.

I bought a fake North Face jacket in Vietnam in 2011. Someone at the time explained to me that there is a legit North Face factory in Vietnam. North Face orders 100,000 units, the factory makes 200,000 and delivers 100,000 to North Face as ordered and the remaining 100,000 to the markets to be sold off cheap.

My jacket came with all the tags, holograms, warranty papers etc but cost me $40 instead of $400. It last me 5+ years so I ain't mad.

[close]

A similar thing was common in the bike industry, where Specialized's carbon fiber molds (or the SolidWorks digital models for these molds) were being sold by employees of Merida (49% owner of Specialized and one of the largest OEM bike makers in the world) to dodgy companies who would use their carbon technology to make fake Specialized bikes which were then sold via Aliexpress and eBay.

[close]

My old job literally showed me the how they buy tooling and molds for discontinued products that were still popular.  They could then release as their own product or counterfeit if they want. They also confirmed that if (insert brand)  ordered 100,000pcs in a production run they could keep the machines running and turn out whatever we would need.

The problem is usually QC. There’s no accountability on counterfeit even if it’s from the same factory. So hypothetically if the counterfeit indys were coming from the same factory as the legit indy’s there’s no guarantee that their going to use the same alloy and as the real ones if they have some like the bullet alloy, lying around. Why use the more expensive shit? Whose gonna check? Counterfeit is always a toss up. At least with authentic stuff there’s a some sort of control and accountability. That’s what I tell myself I’m paying for, but also accept that if I buy a counterfeit/clone it’s more of a gamble.

Oh yeah, there are a ton of horror stories about dodgy Chinese bikes whose bikes failed spectacularly with no one to be held accountable

[Mbrimson88]

I know these have been posted in other threads, but it would be good to have them here as well.

[TwisT]

https://keepfire.en.alibaba.com/?spm=a2700.wholesale.cordpanyb.2.340f32719fwrww

wouldn't mind having one of those cruisers with the spitfire trucks, I like the idea of something overtly bootleg

[el chino]

https://keepfire.en.alibaba.com/?spm=a2700.wholesale.cordpanyb.2.340f32719fwrww

wouldn't mind having one of those cruisers with the spitfire trucks, I like the idea of something overtly bootleg

those trucks arent even the same size 😂

[Red Eyed Swimmer]

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https://keepfire.en.alibaba.com/?spm=a2700.wholesale.cordpanyb.2.340f32719fwrww

wouldn't mind having one of those cruisers with the spitfire trucks, I like the idea of something overtly bootleg

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those trucks arent even the same size 😂

Let me guess...you ride the same size trucks it's called hot rodding and its the next big thing - its just taking its time to get to the states. You ride a 8.5"/58mm in the back and 8"/52mm in the front. Its 3021 over here brah!

[rocklobster]

Those graphics from the mid-2000s era Flip, blows my mind they reached that far back for a graphic. The cruiser boards have crossed from so-bad to so-bad-its-good territory.

[el chino]

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https://keepfire.en.alibaba.com/?spm=a2700.wholesale.cordpanyb.2.340f32719fwrww

wouldn't mind having one of those cruisers with the spitfire trucks, I like the idea of something overtly bootleg

[close]

those trucks arent even the same size 😂

[close]

Let me guess...you ride the same size trucks it's called hot rodding and its the next big thing - its just taking its time to get to the states. You ride a 8.5"/58mm in the back and 8"/52mm in the front. Its 3021 over here brah!

saw a kid with wheels like that last year at the park, gave him some old spitfires and the kid is actually getting good, he comes from the ghetto side of town and im already homie with both his older brothers, oldest dude is around 25 hes a boxer and smokes smack, the other dude is like 16 and doesnt drink or smoke and also loves skateboarding.
Well thing is that a week after giving him the wheels, his brother told me " you know what man, he had a bunch of used wheels weve been collecting as hand me downs and he didnt listen to us when we told him to ride same size wheels but simce you gave him those wheels he hasnt stopped talking about them" and  legit i started cracking up but then i realized that the kid might actually look up to some of us the park cause were ki da selective on who we take under our wing, but theres only one rule we go by, if the kid truly seems to love skateboarding, then its on! Tastes and style change overtime so as long as its real we dont even care about the skill

[Mbrimson88]

Been a minute, but there are so many more fake and counterfeit listings on ebay, as per this post from the Spitfire thread:

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i’m not sure what you guys have been talking about in here as i don’t frequent this section of slap often, but if anyone’s been looking for 52-55 conical fulls, i came across this on ebay. i messaged the guy because i was curious about how legit these were, and he said that these are made in the same factory as spitfire, just no logos.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133612170680

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Totally NOT at all anything to do with Spitfire or DLXSF.COM product.

There is a counterfeit thread still floating around (not updated for a minute) but the number of people who don't have a shop or legitimate seller account trying to sell off things like that on ebay is at an all time high, many claiming something, or having the fake wheels and other products but no ties to the skateboard industry, a shop, etc.

Sure they might be ok wheels to skate, but claiming they are from certain same manufacturers is very much a flat out lie.


COUNTERFEIT SKATE GEAR THREAD

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=115386.0

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glad you said this. thank you

Easy.

The funny thing, but also important point to note, always check the feedback, which in this case is pretty bad.

https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_profile/skate_supply?lb=1


To quote the most recent one:

"False advertising. Not “spitfire formula four” in the slightest. Junk, soft generic mfg, seller claims made at same factory which doesn’t make them “spitfire” Ebay please remove this seller from the ebay community, which is based on trust and integrity. This seller even outright lied when I specifically asked if they were spitfires, prior to my purchase!. , absolute scam scam scam scam scam scam scam, not spitfire, do not buy from this liar."

[nekro]

I'm not sure about the packaging on my Swiss, any consensus?

[BALARGUE]

Text just looks like the fake ones
Check post earlier on this page

But you probably already know the answer considering the price you paid or the place you bought it from... 

[nekro]

Text just looks like the fake ones
Check post earlier on this page

But you probably already know the answer considering the price you paid or the place you bought it from... 

I bought them from TGM and they weren't cheap!

[BALARGUE]

My bad
i was a tad bit aggressive
I should not be so trustful with retails :/

You checked the other details ?
shields, box, spacers ?

[Allen.]

You can get the counterfeit bones from Amazon. I’ve definitely gotten counterfeit reds. It wouldn’t surprise me if TGM sold fakes - knowingly or unknowingly.

[manysnakes]

I bought what I assume to be real ones from TGM last year. I checked all the things you're supposed to check. One thing to note that is that a lot of fake ones do not say "Made in Switzerland" on the package, because it's an immediate red flag at customs to see a box with a bill of lading from China and a bunch of boxes which indicate that the product was made elsewhere. Doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, but it's a lot more likely to get confiscated.

[nekro]

My bad
i was a tad bit aggressive
I should not be so trustful with retails :/

You checked the other details ?
shields, box, spacers ?

What do you think?

[MaXX_I-D]

So is this not a thread on where to get bootleg shirts?

[Mbrimson88]

What do you think?

They look like they are legit and genuine swiss.

The curve of the SS on genuine ones shows, as the fake ones are straighter on the curved parts (unless they have changed the fake ones again).



As I had said before, I have some older sets of Bones Swiss that are genuine product that have the old year and at least one box with no "Made in Switzerland" which is what the people making the fake bearings would have used back in the day to make their versions.


TGM is an authorised dealer of Bones and other product, but a recent post in the wheels thread might have put them on the radar for a lot more than a set of wheels.

It is always weird when a seller has numerous sets of Bones swiss out of packet on ebay and other assorted things, which is usually an indicator of fake or counterfeit product, as per many other ebay sellers who do indeed have fake product.


EDIT:  As posted before, this is possibly the best side by side comparison I have seen, so as long as this Instagram post is still up, I would refer people to look through all these pics.  In the event it gets taken down or the account is stopped for whatever reason, I have taken screen shots of all this information too, so can post that as needed.

I would recommend anyone to look through the pics to help with their bearings.

[nekro]

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What do you think?

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They look like they are legit and genuine swiss.

The curve of the SS on genuine ones shows, as the fake ones are straighter on the curved parts (unless they have changed the fake ones again).



As I had said before, I have some older sets of Bones Swiss that are genuine product that have the old year and at least one box with no "Made in Switzerland" which is what the people making the fake bearings would have used back in the day to make their versions.


TGM is an authorised dealer of Bones and other product, but a recent post in the wheels thread might have put them on the radar for a lot more than a set of wheels.

It is always weird when a seller has numerous sets of Bones swiss out of packet on ebay and other assorted things, which is usually an indicator of fake or counterfeit product, as per many other ebay sellers who do indeed have fake product.


EDIT:  As posted before, this is possibly the best side by side comparison I have seen, so as long as this Instagram post is still up, I would refer people to look through all these pics.  In the event it gets taken down or the account is stopped for whatever reason, I have taken screen shots of all this information too, so can post that as needed.

I would recommend anyone to look through the pics to help with their bearings.

Thanks for the guidance.  When I first received them I did check the pics of the bearings themselves and they looked legit.  It was only when I checked the pics of the box that I began to have doubts.

I've only just started skating again after 24 years and have never ridden Swiss before.  Nobody I ever used to skate with had them, I don't remember many shops in the UK stocking them and they were just way too expensive for most kids.  I'm riding 2 setups, one with Reds and the other with Swiss - is there much of a difference?  Hmm,...I'm not too sure.

[Mbrimson88]

Thanks for the guidance.  When I first received them I did check the pics of the bearings themselves and they looked legit.  It was only when I checked the pics of the box that I began to have doubts.

I've only just started skating again after 24 years and have never ridden Swiss before.  Nobody I ever used to skate with had them, I don't remember many shops in the UK stocking them and they were just way too expensive for most kids.  I'm riding 2 setups, one with Reds and the other with Swiss - is there much of a difference?  Hmm,...I'm not too sure.

No worries!

Re differences - swiss just go harder for longer, so will (usually) still be rolling a long time after the reds have given up, but any bearing will last if you look after them, keep them clean, don't get them wet, etc.

[DISTANT RUMOURS]

Not going to lie I searched for stuff on those websites, mostly guitar stuff and i 'm also honestly going to admit that stuff was DIRT cheap and held up really really well. I bought an aluminum pedalboard on there and thing traveled with me all over Europe. After 6 years it's still in perfect condition and it cost like 5 times less than a "branded" one (exactmy the same, but no branded stickers on it).

After that good experience I thought I'd search for some skate stuff from time to time. I did that before, more like windoshopping and one day I said "screw it!" and bought some bones wheels.
 
To be honest they were very very decent and cost like 12 dollars for a set.
I also saw those big head spitfires on there!

I was stupid enough to believe they were real (the seller seemed to be  skateshop) and would have never known they could be fakes if I wasn't for this thread. I just assumed they were old stock they got rid off. Because the wheels had older graphics on them (and they were PERFECT).

They also had older workshop/habitat/girl (nothing major just older stuff) boards on there and I also just thought they had old stock laying around.

But now it's obvious it's all fake ... a friend of mine skated those decks and said they were pretty good.

With companies in the US outsourcing their products (Chinese pressed decks and asian urethane) could it be there's some overlap in quality? I mean, could it be the same decks and wheels sometimes?

I also read a lot about fake sneakers:
And sometimes the quality sucks, but sometimes it's so good you really can't tell tell the difference anymore.

Like I said, I bought those wheels believing they were real ...


With those "fake" companies I think sometimes they intentionally use lesser quality materials to make more profit but sometimes I'm convinced you're buying the same stuff/unlicensed under the counter.

This is an interesting one:
after the good experience with the wheels also bought some older "Janoski max" shoes off the same seller. I own more than 150 pairs and those were easily in my top 5 of most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. I went on serious hikes with them, ran, played sports and they held up really really well. I never could tell they were fake, they were exactly the same as another max pair I owned just a bit more comfy (the sole was more squishy).

I'm not a fan of fake stuff AT ALL (load of exploitation), but I can't say the quality was bad.
At all.

I was naïve enough to believe skate stuff wouldn't get "faked"

Very interesting thread, will definitely follow and be more careful in the future.

[manysnakes]

Dude you own 150 pairs of Janoskis?!?!?!

[Ghost Face]

Does AH make wheels?

[Ghost Face]

and these are suspect as well

[BALARGUE]

They look like what you find on completes

[Mbrimson88]

Does AH make wheels?

They are the same graphic as the wheels on the budget completes, so although they are cheap and made in China, they are not necessarily fake (as some shops will take them apart and sell separately), but going by where they are listed, which has had some fake product before, I would say they are most likely fake cheap wheels.

The OJs definitely look like the cheap and crap copies of the real thing, especially as most don't come in plain shrink / no packaging.

[Ghost Face]

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Does AH make wheels?

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They are the same graphic as the wheels on the budget completes, so although they are cheap and made in China, they are not necessarily fake (as some shops will take them apart and sell separately), but going by where they are listed, which has had some fake product before, I would say they are most likely fake cheap wheels.

The OJs definitely look like the cheap and crap copies of the real thing, especially as most don't come in plain shrink / no packaging.

And they have no size printed on them. The others I've google'd all have at least the size on them and most have the Duro on them too.

[Mbrimson88]

So this post has so many generic brands, almost all of which would be on cheap completes, with no completes in sight, so I would be going with totally fake.

Brands include Birdhouse, Element, DGK, Real, Antihero and Alien Workshop.

Unless there was a reasonable explanation, I could not see these as being the same, but even then they are cheap wheels at best anyway.

https://www.instagram.com/johnosskateshop/

[Mbrimson88]

They look like what you find on completes

Ha yeah, saw this after the post.

Someone is actually trying to sell cheap completes that they have taken apart and listing for near pro prices.

Not fake, but definitely not cool either.


https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/175016132553




https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/175016130681