Are my VFF Speeds fake?

[trying2snow]

Just got my VFF speeds, love them, but I can't tell if they are fake or not. Got them from ebay (UK), paid alot, brand new with tags.

Every looks and feels OK, all set to cut the tag off, when I discovered a typing error on the tag: "important groung feedback", when it should say "important ground feedback". Are they fake?

Please help.

[n.vodden]

Hi there, and welcome

Are you able to post a photo? I'm not an expert, just an enthusiastic amateur  but I have authentic Speed's and the fakes I have seen have subtley different shapes to the pattern which give them away.

[trying2snow]

Hope these images are OK, only had my phone - if you want specific images, just ask.

Thanks for the help.

[Zephyr]

I regret to say that they look fake, at least they don't have the attachment piece of the tongue made of some sort of white fabric of the current version (a piece of thick polyamide with the edge pad stitched to the mesh and with a yellow logo embroidered). However, the point of attachment of your shoes (just a section of the mesh stained in white) looks the same as in Vibram's website, but in my opinion that picture must be an early prototype that never entered mass production. It seems that forgers keep copying that picture instead of the real shoes in the market. If you don't get what I mean just check the white and blue Speeds in the Italian Vibram FiveFingers website: http://www.vibramfivefingers.it/eng/speed.aspx. In contrast, the other two color schemes (black/white and lilac/white) correspond to that early design.
The shape of the heel cup also looks different. A good picture of the sole could help spot some other differences. I remember to see a pair of fakes with easily identifiable differences in the soles.

[trying2snow]

Thanks Zephyr. That's upsetting news, as I paid almost full price.

Vibram do not make it easy to spot fakes when the official images are not correct.

I have seen the version of speed you talk of, and just assumed there were two versions.

If anyone else has any input, I'd really appreciate it, before I start the process of returning them.

[trying2snow]

For better pictures, take a look at this link:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vibram-Five-Fingers-Speed-New-Box-RRP-130-NO-RESERVE-/280638741374?pt=UK_Clothing_Menswear_MensShoes_GL&hash=item41575f5b7e&autorefresh=true

This isn't the item I won, but they look exactly the same, except my ones have  white inner soles.

[Zephyr]

These are some of the pictures posted by Justin in May 2010. the Speed were released at the same time as the Bikila (around March) so they didn't have much time to modify the model.

the piece of fabric at the base of the tongue:



the soles don't show almost any defect in the color pattern of the different cleats (only one color filling every cleat):
and also, the smooth margin of the black piece of EVA under the inner side of the arch, here the margin without pits is wider:

Justin's review recorded in video:

Vibram Five Fingers Speed First Look

[trying2snow]

I've seen this image:



at an official retailer. I don't know. I just wish Vibram had some way of telling us - email to vibram uk distributer, italy, and USA have gone unanswered.

I'm going to contact the seeler about returning them. Wish me luck, and thanks for the help.

[dirkverelst]

I can confirm your shoes are fake, sorry. As Zephyr told you, the white piece of mesh on the forefeet that was still there in the early version (preproduction), and in the Vibram catalogue, was replaced by a full-white covering including yellow Vibram stitching.
No way you got one of those preproduction models.
The same goes fot the white/blue version you sohw a picture of.

Hope you can get a refund or something.

good luck

Dirk

[trying2snow]

Cheers Dirk.

If anyone has any experience of the ebay process for returning fake goods, it would be great if they could share.

Should I go through ebay, saying they are fake, or contact the seller and return them (seller has a 14 days return)?

Also, I would not have purcahsed these if the official vibram site had a different design, Vibram really need to fix it.

[dirkverelst]

If the seller has a 14d return policy, I'ld go for that, personally. let us know how it turns out...

[Barefootin Family]

The Speeds I have look exactly like the ones Zephyr posted. Sorry, but I think they're fake. If they don't have a return policy, tell them that you know they are fake and you will report them if they don't give you your money back. My wife bought me the entire series of Everybody Loves Raymond off of eBay, and when it came it was just a bunch of DVD-r discs, and she wrote them a nasty email and they told her to keep the discs & refunded the price plus shipping.

[trying2snow]

Quick update, I've made contact with the official UK distributor, Primal Lifestyle, and hopefully we can confirm these are fakes, I can do a 'SNAD' (significantly not as descrbibed) and stop this seller posing as an Official Vibram stockist and ripping off any more people.

I must add that I really didn't expect Primal Lifestyle to get back to me, so big thanks to them.

[Barefootin Family]

Quick update, I've made contact with the official UK distributor, Primal Lifestyle, and hopefully we can confirm these are fakes, I can do a 'SNAD' (significantly not as descrbibed) and stop this seller posing as an Official Vibram stockist and ripping off any more people.

I must add that I really didn't expect Primal Lifestyle to get back to me, so big thanks to them.

Awesome to hear. Good luck.

[bareninja]

What I cant understand is why peeps still think they can buy genuine fivefingers off auction sites or amazon.
no authorized stockist is allowed to sell on these platforms,its one of the conditions to become an AS in the first place.

peeps buy these from ebay and then they are shocked to discover that they are fake.vibram clearly state only buy from authorized stockists shops or websites.

but greed blinds buyers decisions,thinking they can save money and buy these elsewhere..well if they get burned they have only themselves to blame really.