The BEST Air Jordan 1 and They Aren't Made by Jordan Brand

[@ndr40]

to be completely honest, this shoe is more authentic than what jordan is selling.

[@mtbicepulous]

It’s funny that we live in a time where people frown on replica sneakers yet some of them are better quality and more truthful to the original product than those produced by official factories. Sad tbh

[@PanAjken]

Rel Bro

[@NerdLifts]

Most bootlegs aren't hand made from higher end materials. Comparing a work of art like this to a cheap sweat shop knock off is criminal.

[@Mike-no9zf]

Well, high-tier reps often have retail material (not all of them), better stitching, and better quality overall (if you know how and where to get them ofc). Since Nike moved their production to Vietnam, the QC has gone downhill, so it's quite easy to get fakes that are better than the official product.

[@qhorton6743]

It was only a matter of time lol variants were sloppy af 20 yrs ago.. now? Not so much

[@vipstarizm6990]

Yeah literally how u can tell fakes from the real product these days is the fakes are much better quality than the garbage Nike put out now days..... It's not like all fakes are this level either, just that Nike put out so much trash quality. Not just materials it's the manufacturing level also. AJ1 mids for example could and should be much better quality for the price. Other brands do it for less. I mean tell me when was the last time you bought a pair of Nikes and both tongues sat straight? I swear they do it on purpose they treat the consumer like shit.

[@chuckmckillip5377]

I appreciate this channel so much for going off the beaten path. Content like this, reviewing non-hype brands like Anta, Puma, Li-Ning, and UA proves to me that you all truly love sneakers. I’d never heard of these before, and I appreciate the information. Thanks, and have a great day!

[@noiisserpmii]

The small run of remade bespoke shoes for wearing is a better option than wasting $ on cheap products.

[@drjamesalfondc]

I would purchase a quality product like this over anything that JB is putting out now. The most unfortunate thing about buying sneakers in America now is having to enter a raffle to even have a chance to buy a pair. I remember buying the 96 breds at the mall as a kid. Not sure why sneaker brands can't do that anymore. When the eastbay catalog would hit the mailbox they would always have a full run of sizes. Damn, I'm dated, but it was the best time to be a sneakerhead and it definitely cultivated my love for basketball shoes. Sucks how jaded I am now with the whole buying process. And yes the quality has been definitely subpar compared to older/previous models. Had all the Originals 96-98 multiple colorways and some team shoes as well. They are all trashed now, cause we actually used to play and wear them too. Crazy concept but they actually made them to last back then

[@Sambam1981]

I’m 41 and I remember those days. It was better. I used to love getting that Eastbay catalog in the mail.

[@owenyoung9645]

Respect OG. Honestly wish i was around back then. Born in 98 pretty much missed it all

[@drjamesalfondc]

@@owenyoung9645 ahh, it was fun time but it’s nice to watch this channel cause Chris’ knowledge on retros is extensive. I definitely love this channel just for all the nostalgia. But I’m happy that you share the same passion for shoes. Stay blessed man.

[@Foxy-N]

I remember the good ol days of sneaker culture!

[@nassiglutt6587]

Can say non sneaker lovers whom are purely flippers messed it up. They the biggest reason it came this hard getting what you want imo

[@newjerseydamo]

Love the edits. So on point. And let's be honest - people can complain about the price, but if these were legit for $200 retail, scalpers and bots would snap them all up and resell for higher than $600.

[@paulh.9937]

People buy em for more than 600 anyway, so I don't see why anybody would be complaining

[@l.j.russell902]

facts. and i rather pay 600$ for an actual quality shoe than 600$ for a retail shoe and the materials on them aren't worth the 600$ price point. For me thats why i would rather buy a designer shoe than a nike at such a high resale price point.

[@DiceB]

So true

[@joseasantos996]

The resalers are killing the shoe game. Kids and teens can’t afford these shoes now a days. And most of the “sneaker heads” still live at home with there moms. Those are the ones that talk the most crap about reps. What made shoes cool was kids getting them and growing up and having memories tied to them. Baseball was the same way, caterer to kids and you’ll have generations of fans. Cater to adults/the rich and it’s a dying sport..

[@SixSioux]

@@joseasantos996 blessed words

[@dannygonzalez6548]

Love that you ALWAYS give credit where due even your plugs to where you source things.. You've got everything that makes a veteran youtube content creator. Hats off to you and the team 👏🏽 💯

[@RodasReviews]

Absolutely love this channel. You’ve been keeping it real for years now. After watching Rose Anvils videos on the AJ1 dissections, it solidified that Jordan Brand quality is so lacking and even misleading. Love that you are shining light on people who really care about their products. Keep making videos that are important to you and the culture!

[@187swizz]

I ordered a pair when he first got his Instagram account because before it was hard to contact him because he only had WeChat. All I can say is his shoes are beautiful. I liked them so much I placed a second order. His craftsmanship is on point. Having a pair of the originals when I was a kid , his shoes brings back a lot of memories. He has his midsoles made specifically for him . And they are board lasted. You just can’t see it because he puts a layer of leather over it to cover it. Definitely worth the money.

[@Traveljournalist]

Did you wear them enough to see how they are aging ?

[@itsanta1134]

What's the fit like? TTS

[@187swizz]

@@itsanta1134 yes TTS

[@36090pburke]

Can u give me the info so I can cop

[@russellgray1917]

Is it a great looking shoe?-Yes Is it made better than anything that Jordan Brand is producing?-Yes Would I give serious thought to buying a pair right now?- HELL YEAH!!! Case closed! Thanks for another dope video from Weartesters!

[@jackfreni2606]

Hey Chris, I been watching you for over 11 years now, since I was in middle school. (I’m sorry if that makes you feel old 😂) I love hearing your takes on stuff like this and just hearing your knowledge on how each shoe performs and quality on retros. Keep doing what your doing brodie 😁

[@The1SwagDad]

Thanks!

[@WearTesters]

🙏🏼

[@shadowoftheson5144]

My first Jordan 1 I bought in 1985. I have no problem with this because Jordan Brand doesn’t care about us and they don’t care about putting great products out there anymore. I’m glad there are people out there making them more like the originals. It’s come to this point for me. You can’t keep playing games with your long time consumers who made you what you are in the first place. 🤷‍♂️

[@vkaltak]

I just ordered a pair based on your review! This is at least the 3rd pair I've ordered based on your reviews and have never let me down. Thanks!

[@samlewis5442]

where from?

[@vkaltak]

@@samlewis5442 MX

[@stevenkoppelkam643]

Love the leather lasting board. Thats how my nice handmade boots are. Overtime they conform to your foot shape and get even more comfortable. Also $600 for hand made footwear is pretty par for the course. You get what you pay for

[@bcgreen20]

THIS is the type of content I subscribed for, you’ve always been a straight shooter and always keeps it real, love this kind of video

[@sprtsgalore]

Been watching for 11 years . Thanks for the consistency and growth!

[@1of1podcast21]

I literally just returned my last two Jordan’s from SNKRS because of quality issues. This video is just making me want to try quality versions of Jordan’s more and more man. Tired of just getting cheap stuff and just taking it. I am interested in seeing you guys do a video on the Jordan 4 canyon purples though.

[@ginnysow]

I’m so glad you did a review on these. The subject of replicas is so taboo even though the materials are far superior as you’ve shown.

[@koma3475]

Man, I’m so hyped/excited for this video. Gotta be my fave review you guys. Like everyone has said, you guys are so open and honest to looking beyond retail shoes. Having seen snide’s review of this a month ago, never would’ve thought I’d see you guys check it out. My gosh, I’d give up my ‘85 neutral grey and Georgetown’s for VRL’s shoes. They are beautiful!

[@wearejoe]

I am so happy that you are reviewing these. Ssoooooo happy! Thank you!!!

[@stevelambert3418]

I think it's freaking genius. When you first pulled them out, the swoosh is what caught my eye. I thought that you had an original Black toe. The midsole reminds me of my 85 Chicago's to the T. When you mentioned not having the same blue prints etc. I found that really interesting. People who experiment and come up with this, are in my opinion an architect and this is probably the most interesting video that you all have put out. Love stuff like this.

[@snkrtechtalk6005]

Most remakes use outsoles from actual JB mids or OG Hi and take it off to use it on the handcrafted pairs. This has been discussed by several accounts that do this, especially Max.

[@yesssirrrr1113]

This is crazy! I’m definitely grabbing a pair 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@robocoptakesthebus]

This is basically the same quality craftsmanship as something like Golden Goose shoes, each are individually made w/ quality leather, always low quantities, which reflects the price. Each shoe is an individually handmade creation. Very cool.

[@VenicioKriStylz]

Thank you for your review. I always consult your channel before making my sneaker purchase decisions! Always like to see a northern California based KZbin channel doing well!

[@rail2railnose2tail]

i am a fan of this! This is some quality content with a quality product. thank you for the review

[@LocustAndWildHoney]

Fudge, these are actually so fire 🔥

[@bestalternativesneakers2022]

I’ve been following this guy since we are a kid.Big respect!This guy is the real true goat sneaker lover!

[@AleksandarLovell]

How good are these, saw them a few months ago and was waiting for a few more reviews on them. They look amazing! :D

[@benshallcross3596]

I love and appreciate your content, it’s candid and well considered. Thank you.

[@MattieXMoto]

Absolutely correct 'Nike is currently bootlegging themselves' with the junk they make with low grade leather that has been split like the multiverse. I only buy flyknit 2 runners for under $50. Or converse chuck 70s for under $70. That is all Nikes are worth

[@steventurner3767]

Thank you for shining a light on UA products. It's wild to me that this is such a point of contention with people when Nike utilizes Chinese factories for all of their products. The wild thing is if you get the quality products, UA is often comparable or above the GR Nike releases.

[@sneakybloke]

That’s just weak justification for buying fake products

[@steventurner3767]

@@sneakybloke weak justification to me is paying resell for products that are barely worth 2/3s of the retail price. It may seem like an excuse to you but it's hard to justify the price when there's barely a discernable difference between the product; especially when it comes from basically the same source and utilizes the same, if not better materials. Why do you think OG models never compare to their retro releases any more when it comes to quality? How many times have you heard Chris mention that in his vids?

[@indigo7454]

@@steventurner3767 facts !

[@jessemedina5436]

@@sneakybloke no we’re not 12 year old little kids in middle school we bought them from the a true craftsman a person who loves the model and u mad about another man purchase clown

[@Binz0bang]

VRL just fulfilling Jordan Brand’s promise. “Quality inspired by the greatest player ever” 🔥

[@dunksrnice]

Love the review and honest opinion as always! Keep killing it my guy!

[@JCM311]

So these are really good UAs that are made better than Jordan brand lol

[@zotanica]

Just call em reps lol

[@JCM311]

@@zotanica Call em whatever you want dude, the nomenclature doesn’t really matter haha. The fact is they’re made better, ain’t that some shit 🤣

[@NyneElevun]

Man, I love this channel so much! Chris is just as nostalgic as me. It always feels like sneaker convos with a cousin. Chris, you’re my white chocolate cousin in my mind! 😂😂

[@killtheradio2999]

Yes....love them....and this video is an instant classic for me

[@chaechaerro]

Better than whatever "reimagined" Jordans are coming out over the next year. These are fantastic

[@The1SwagDad]

Great video guys! Honest hurts those that don't want to hear it. This AJ1s are beautiful! I love sneakers but I hate paying outrageous amounts of money to resellers to get shoes I'm actually going wear. What sucks even more is that the giant brands don't give a shit, they intentionally limit there production, cut corners on quality, over hype releases and lack customer loyalty! Keep up the great work and helping us stay informed!

[@ohhlj2761]

Appreciate you guys being real and keeping it 100 when saying these are not authentic.

[@MrLovemeor1007]

You keep thing’s so real and I love that , I trust your reviews. And it is a great shoe !

[@christophersigalas6555]

Been watching your channel for a while now, great content as always.. Thank you!

[@MrGhost2501]

For the yellow midsole, you can use Salon Care 40, plastic wrap and the sun.

[@rangerred9022]

Oh this going to be a great video!

[@teddylucena9446]

Thank you! I love it. Keep making videos like this!!

[@Flippinkickz]

Nice to see a review of these on here!

[@vyleo9004]

Just wanted to say thank you for reviewing these. Never thought of buying a customs/reps before but your review pushed me over the edge. I live in aus and I know I would never be able to get an 85 cut pair for retail and I am never purchasing through resell so having these as an option is great.

[@frogtofall]

1: This is the first “replica” I’d actually purchase and wear. 2: If Jordan brand made this shoe they could call it a premium and sell it for more. 3: That shoe you got is perfect and I want a pair.

[@vinnyninja3552]

Gotta say I love that quote about how technically they're making replicas 👏👏 never actually realized that. I love reps, I don't really buy them, but I've never saw the problem with buying for less, for more higher quality (if you buy correct).

[@variandavid377]

WOW!!! JUST WOW!!! Plus that quote from Russ is 💯

[@ezekielgatus8578]

Love your review, definitely gonna cop this!

[@Kevwitdakcks]

Thank you for your truth, and your passion for kicks! You have so much knowledge, and I have learned a ton from your videos. Also… Congratulations on the recent plug in the AND 1 Video on Netflix! 💪🏾💪🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@andrewcampbell-young8426]

Keep doing what you doing 👏 💯 love the content 👌

[@orincoon5585]

I've been checking out this guy's site and I love how he has a eye and heart for details. The Jordan 1 black toes are my favorite Jordan 1's. I have both the 2013 and 2016 pairs. Looking at getting these rep pairs as well since Nike and Jordan Brand will never give us something this good. At the end of the day they're just shoes and they're meant to be worn and enjoyed. Another great video and review guys!👍

[@DashDrones]

Chicago's released in 2015 not 2016. I have a pair of 2013s too.. Not sure what you mean by 'Chicago black toes' though. Are you talking about the mids from 2020?

[@orincoon5585]

@@DashDrones the Chicago 1 black toes release in 2016 as well.

[@DashDrones]

@@orincoon5585 are you talking about the black toe 1highs from 2016?

[@filipiino96793]

Chicagos and black toes are 2 different pairs. what is a Chicago black toe?

[@DashDrones]

@@filipiino96793 exactly Chicago black toe isn't a thing...

[@therealal1713]

Just got my black/white (panda) pair. Everything said in this video is spot on! Love my pair!!

[@FlyingPirahna1]

Fully agree with you man. I'd buy every OG color way every year if they made them to these original '85 specs, but they just won't make them. They're subtle little changes that only huge sneaker nerds notice, but as one of those nerds, I love seeing the dedication and craftsmanship in these.

[@Richhuwu]

Sooooo 🔥 love you guys good videos all the time !

[@joshuapowers9126]

Love the channel always appreciate your reviews! Are u allowed to send a link where we can find these???

[@chadjones4181]

Chris, great review…thanks! I ordered a pair of bred’s from him after watching this…can’t wait to get them. How do you think the shape and leather quality of these compare to the Nike AJ 1 neural gray 85’s?

[@thabomboneni2994]

MK the truth been schooling us about this for a while now, now peoples eyes are starting to open

[@Romu1us]

That black panther clip got me hahahaha. Keep it up!!

[@lilspyke33]

I asked vibe about the soles too and he said he supposedly made the mold himself with his own 3d modeling software. also about the yellowed midsoles, he's willing to do them lighter. just as long as they're not pure white.

[@cls2863]

Thanks for this video. I appreciate it.

[@jozuna2051]

I've been on the fence on these for a minute but man now I think I'm gonna go for it.. Thanks for breaking my wallet

[@markopolo9936]

The fact they have a leather insole/footbed shows that these are high quality, this is how work boots and dress shoes are made. Not worth 600 IMO but certainly worth more than the retail pair in terms of build.

[@thegatorviking]

it absolutely is worth that price when you consider the man hours put into making a shoe this flawless. The tools you need. ( Which are NOT common and NOT cheap ) Plus buying the materials at an effective cost, means you have to buy a lot of them. Which again, is not cheap. $600 is a very reasonable price for these. People pay twice that on resale without blinking for inferior products.

[@Squabbywabose]

Who is selling them?

[@thesneakermovement5968]

A hand made shoe that’s not worth $600? You must exclusively but Pro wings..smh some handmade dress shoes cost way more….

[@markopolo9936]

@@thesneakermovement5968 nicks boots cost this much, have about 3 times as much leather made in the US by people who know what they’re doing. You can definitely get hand made stuff for less. High end Dress shoes are constructed to an extremely high standard with leather everything and with a hold fast lasting board. Their construction and leather selection is extremely hard to do, hence why they cost so much.

[@thesneakermovement5968]

@@markopolo9936 i wear a 14/15… let me know where i can get hand made shoes for less in my size…

[@GRAYMASKMAN]

Great Approach!

[@bigfishfishing-111]

I've got 3 LJR replicas jordan 1s and they are as good as retails. I wear them with pride. No resale bullshit for me.

[@silvianrosianu3637]

Super late to this video but we need Rose Anvil to cut one of these in half and see if they can actually last.

[@Chorgy]

Hold up, hold up, hold up... I just got mines in and it has THE RIGHT AJ1 smell... Usually the easiest way to tell AJ1s from fakes, but VRL's replicas have the correct smell!

[@tiger_lord305]

Got the Reverse Royal sample from them and love it! Absolutely recommend him! Getting the Chicagos as well. Once I got the 85’ Hi black/white from JB, I was hooked on that shape. Looks so much better than the standard AJ1. Its a shame JB didn’t come out with Black Toe or Chicago Hi ‘85.

[@Grey_Ghost_GX]

Those shoes and THAT shirt!!! Where did you get it? So sick!

[@zephorumcoffin2801]

Possibly one of your best reviews, your thoughts are how true sneaker heads feel. Now you got me thinking about replicas.

[@theevananderson5888]

The typical white lace would look good but damn Chris those black laces are fire 🔥

[@zigga967]

as a fan of reps, this guy has a sick product!

[@michaelsanford4891]

Considering the market conditions right now, 600 for these at that level of quality and the colorways available are a reasonable option and you're not getting lied to about what they are.

[@TopGunn827]

Chris i love your videos and i religiously watch your content and I’m so glad you posted this video. I know you’re not cosigning the buying and reselling of reps but man i think this was something that you needed to see. I literally am selling every authentic shoe that i have paid ridiculous money for resell. And I’m in constant search, scouring the Internet for the perfect quality reps. I still do retail raffles but i refuse to pay insane amounts for Nikes bull shi anymore. If i get lucky so be it but when i don’t i honestly hit up the overseas people and get some kickass uas. Growing up loving Jordan’s i am so disappointed in the Way things are today. From the bot users and scammers to the quality or lack of coming out of Nike. I don’t wish Jordan brand to make these quality shoes again because the botheads would surely ruin it for every true sneaker fan out there. Anyway that was a wonderful video thanks man

[@adn2601]

Gotta love that pre-aged look

[@thesoulmates2375]

The shape is 🔥

[@Drew.Whitcomb]

Love that got that quote from the GOAT sneaker reporter Russ Bengston.

[@ma76bball68]

Pure epicness. Exactly as Chris said: “if the brand isn’t going to do it, then someone will beat them to the punch.”

[@jessemedina5436]

Bought my pair before he even started the design on these … waited 3 months for him to finish the product was one of the first to order so happy with my chicagos .

[@markcastano1348]

Love your take in this. Honest and let’s be honest controversial. I just love it. Best video ever

[@4shr4ffN4jib]

mind blown 🤯 but great share ❤️ can't agree more

[@calicojakk9974]

These are some crazy reps. There’s lots out there that are right on par with JB, but these are wonderful.

[@ronaldbrooks1226]

Sooooo... I'd like to think that I'm a realistic person and listening to this has changed my whole outlook about Nike and what they are giving us. Love the shoe btw and will look them up!

[@Sambam1981]

Look them up. I ordered 2 pairs and they are 🔥. Took 4 weeks to get because they are made to order

[@conorbernhard8734]

@@Sambam1981 how do you order from them? I found his IG page but it doesnt have any links or a website, am I in the wrong place?

[@Sambam1981]

@@conorbernhard8734 you have to DM him

[@pancon5]

This does look real nice, congrats to the artist/craftsman.

[@Foxy-N]

Awesome vid Wing! 🔥 Jordan brand won’t make these since they know that no matter what junk they churn out, suckas will buy em because of the hype.

[@realmamaknows]

The “handmade” part is just the part I find hard to believe, because it conjures up images of a small shop with a couple people and a couple machines cobbling away. The volume and the consistency are just too good to fathom it being traditionally handmade. He’s already sourced the sole, might as well source the rest of it, too, to some degree. The shape, construction, attention to detail, are all great, though.

[@jessemedina5436]

He didn’t source the sole I’ve been along the whole journey with videos he sent me u don’t know what you’re talking about he dissected his old 1985s that he owns and recreated the soles himself and it took him months to create the shoe

[@nblade66]

The Little Einsteins clip is from Season 2 Episode 11, around the 16:05 mark. I found it online on a streaming website, but I'm not sure if I can find a downloadable file. I could get a decent quality screen cap, though

[@damonsims4776]

@Weartesters those sneakers are dope. I’ve never been one to worry about what a person has on their feet. They’re shoes rock’em 👍

[@Fosterakahunter]

I'm gonna get a pair of these. Or, three. this video sold me.

[@homerjay8617]

Jordan Brand and Nike in general should be watching this video and taking notes.

[@DeVitomark]

Can you please do a review on the Nike Huarache Hyper Purple?

[@abvtac1252]

thanks to this video i copped the chicago, breds and royals from VRL. it gave me a whole different perspective. All i wanted is quality and the perfect shape for the AJ1s and jordan brand can’t do it lmao. call me crazy but i ended up selling my breds and royals from ‘01, chicagos ‘15 and my shattered backboards 1.0 just for these and still have a good amount left over after copping the VRL pairs. i don’t regret it lol.

[@prometheusk.7909]

Honestly, people pay almost 1k retail for Hender Scheme 4's and they're not officially endorsed or licensed by Nike/JB, yet they were sold in places like Nordstrom and Saks. Take that into consideration and if everything you said about these is consistent across all pairs, $600 is a steal.

[@sjames3354]

These actually remind me a lot of my MIP-10 in terms of the story behind them. However, the MIP-10 never had any intention of "replicating" the Jordan4, but it was more an interpretation of IF the Jordan 4 were designed to be a luxury shoe vs a sneaker. Another notable difference is the Hender Schemes do not incorporate ANY branding or trademarked logos in their shoes. Nonetheless, I agree with you entirely that for those of us who value quality and craftsmanship, it hardly makes sense to prefer "authentic" Jordan 1s over these.

[@DashDrones]

Snide reviewed these last week, he bought 3 or 4 pairs 🤣 $600 each and worth every penny. Thanks so much for sharing 🔥🔥🔥

[@samaantree]

W2C bro 😎, you’re not alone 😉

[@DashDrones]

Sorry was a month ago. Incredible.

[@DashDrones]

@@samaantree viberemakelab or VRL. I don't use Instagram, but pretty sure it's on there..

[@samaantree]

@@DashDrones I was just using code to let you know I know who Snide is 😆

[@DashDrones]

@@samaantree doh 🤣 I'm slow 😂

[@oliverjones6687]

Whoa! These are insane. They are to Jordan what Singer is to Porsche 😍🙌🏼

[@pmjc07]

Man, fizz’s are f’ing 🔥👍🏼👍🏼. The black Jordan 1 is my favorite og cw. 😊I might have to grab a pair. I’ll just close my eyes when I’m about to click PLACE ORDER. 🙃🤷🏻‍♂️

[@devanteross2838]

7:17 COMPLETE “PAUSE VIDEO, JAW DROP” moment

[@RETRO-RANEYS-RESTORATIONS]

DOPEBOY FRESH! Give that man a cigar