How To Spot Fake Crocs – 10 Differences

Crocs were originally made for comfort, but have become somewhat of a fashion statement in recent years, especially as many celebrities have been photographed wearing them.

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They appear to be the marmite of shoes – some dislike the look of them, while others are obsessed!

Despite this, these shoes are like no other, and due to their popularity, there are a number of fake Crocs on the market.

These imitation Crocs can really fool you into believing they’re the real deal if you don’t know what to look out for.

This article is going to guide you on a few things to take note of, when purchasing Crocs, so you know you’re wearing an authentic pair.

What Makes Crocs So Special?

Many would say that Crocs are particularly ugly but yet loved, making them a unique shoe.

There are many reasons why they are so loved, making it even more important for you to make sure you are buying authentic ones, as there are quite a few benefits to wearing them.

Firstly, all Crocs are made with a special material named Croslite. This material is a type of resin, and only this company knows how to make it, which is one of the reasons for their hefty price tag.

This resin is high-quality, and molds to the wearer’s foot, rather than staying rigid, offering a lot more support than other types of shoes.

This material then makes the Crocs very durable, being able to withstand water and hot temperatures. Many opt to wear these shoes when they go swimming, or even on hikes in warm weather.

Aside from these points, Crocs are said to be a healthy option for your feet. There are a variety of holes and open spaces along with the shoes, allowing for ventilation and air circulation.

This prevents the risk of fungus forming, which happens in dark, wet spaces. These areas that are ventilated also keep your feet cool, allowing for more comfort as you wear them.

Crocs also have tiny little nubs on the foot bed of the shoe, which are said to slightly mimic acupuncture to improve circulation in your feet.

These are also useful for your feet to have a good grip on the shoe while they are on, and will avoid any slipping or sliding.

Spotting Fake Crocs

As we’ve already mentioned, Crocs are a shoe like no other, and there are a number of benefits to wearing them, so ensuring you are purchasing authentic ones is the key.

This article will now outline 10 things to look out for when purchasing a pair of crocs.

Design Features

All crocs have a strap that can be moved to the front if you want to wear them as slip-on shoes, or be pushed to the back for more of a tight fit.

If your crocs either don’t have this strap, or the strap it has doesn’t allow for easy movement, they are most likely fake.

As mentioned earlier, the little nubs on the foot bed are a key design feature of Crocs. You may find some knock-off Crocs that have these nubs, but they may not feel as comfortable and won’t provide you with the benefits that real Crocs offer.

Logo

The trick for checking the authenticity of any brand is to check its logo. The best knock-offs will try to mimic the original logo as best they can, but if you look closely, there will be some differences.

The logo for Crocs is a crocodile named Duke, and here are a few of his characteristics.

He has two eyes and two hands with three fingers on each hand. There are also six bumps on his back. All of them are even, but the fourth bump (count down from his head) should be slightly bigger than the rest of them.

While some knock-offs may include this logo, the Duke wannabe may have more fingers or bumps, or may just look a little rough.

The logo should also be on either side of the moveable straps, where the strap fixes onto the shoe.

Material

As mentioned, the material used to make Crocs is Croslite. This is what makes Crocs so light and flexible. The company that manufactures Crocs are the only ones with access to this material, so fake ones are likely to be made from rubber.

Therefore, you’ll notice that fakes are less bendy, heavier, and have a rubbery smell.

Shoe Tag

Every authentic pair of Crocs has a tag with a unique barcode. If you suspect your Crocs are fake, check this barcode, as it could be similar to another pair.

Check The Shoes’ Feel

As stated earlier, Crocs are known for their comfortable and cushy feel, and over time, the Croslite material will have molded to your feet.

Your feet should also feel very well circulated, and the little nubs at the bottom of your feet should be working to increase blood flow.

They should also feel extremely light on your feet, and if you were to bend them, they should flex easily. Real Crocs also float in water, so this is another way that you can check if they’re real or not.

Check The Outsole

There are certain things printed on the outsole of your authentic Crocs. They should have the size, made-in information, the brand name with the trademark symbol, where they were produced (Boulder, Colorado), and the official website address.

If any of these pieces of information are missing, then your Crocs aren’t the real deal.

Check The Packaging

If you’ve bought authentic Crocs from a store, they’ll be packaged in a good quality box with a unique barcode, and information such as size, color, and model printed on the side.

If you’ve bought them from an online store that’s authentic, they’ll arrive in a transparent branded bag.

If your Crocs don’t come with a barcode or any information on the product, they are likely to be fake.

Check The Tread

Aside from being designed for comfort, Crocs are also meant to be completely slip-resistant. They were designed to prevent any slipping on wet floors, boat decks, and any uneven surfaces.

If you turn the shoes over and look at their soles, they should have a particular tread pattern, almost resembling the veins of a leaf.

If your Crocs don’t have any kind of treat pattern, and you feel unsteady on certain surfaces as you wear them, then they are likely not the real deal. You can experiment by wearing them and walking over some unsteady surfaces.

Check Any Defects

Authentic Crocs should not have any defects. If they do, you are able to return them within 90 days of the purchase, but it is rare that this should happen, so any obvious defects should mean they are fake.

Some common defects include the shoes running small, one shoe being bigger than the other, heel straps that are flimsy or too firm, and shoes that just don’t look right.

Check The Color

Authentic Cros are available in over 20 wonderful colors, and each color has a snazzy name such as Flame Orange Zing, and Celery.

When people have been scammed and have bought fake Crocs without realizing it, they’ve found a color that is completely different from the one they ordered.

One way to check your Crocs is to match them with the colors available on their official website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes Crocs So Comfortable?

What makes Crocs so comfortable is their soft foam resin, which prevents you from getting blisters on your feet even after an entire day of wearing them.

The ventilation and acupuncture-like nubs on the foot bed of the shoes also contribute to the comfort that these shoes provide.

They are also very lightweight, so you won’t feel any heavyweight on your feet as you wear them.

What Made Crocs So Popular?

Crocs are known to be part of the ‘ugly fashion’ phenomenon, and it has taken some years for them to gain popularity.

As time has gone on, more and more celebrities have been photographed wearing Crocs, with some even bringing out their own versions, such as Justin Beiber, who created cartoon-themed Crocs in 2021.

Do Crocs Get Smelly?

Due to the ventilation and breathability of these shoes, they don’t release any unpleasant odors.

This is the case even if you were to get them wet, but the variety of ventilation holes, and their unique material means they won’t take on any odors, or begin to smell even if they were to get wet.

Even if your feet were to be particularly sweaty, Crocs are shoes that cool your feet down, so sweat is not an issue.

Final Thoughts

Despite their unique appearance, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, Crocs have been designed in order for the wearer to experience ultimate comfort, support, and stability.

Therefore, being scammed with fake Crocs means you won’t get to experience the wonderful benefits that these shoes offer, with some scammers charging even higher than the regular price as a way to make buyers believe they are legitimate.

Therefore, going through these 10 steps and checking the aspects mentioned in this article will help you tell if your Crocs are real or not.

While it can be hard to check these things if you are purchasing them online, you should still be able to see the authenticity of the shoes through the photos the website provides.

Your best bet is to purchase them through the official Crocs website, but if you are buying them from a retailer, you must check that they are authentic, and always read the reviews!