How To Spot A Fake NHL Jersey!

As embarrassing as it is, over the past while several friends (and myself), have been duped into buying knock-off RBK Edge NHL jerseys.

Sometimes these jerseys can be easy to spot, but there are several companies that are making very good quality knock-off jerseys (typically manufactured in China or Korea).

After being bamboozled myself, I thought I’d go to some professionals for some tips and then write about it so you don’t make the same mistake that I did.

I asked my friends on twitter (@icejerseys) from Ice jerseys.com to help out in identifying some key things to look for when buying jerseys.  Hopefully, this will ensure that you don’t get caught with a knock-off like I did!

(P.S – They’ve also offered NHL Digest readers a discount: $10 off orders over $100 at Ice Jerseys.com! )

5 Things To Look For First:

1. Does the web site look professional?When it comes to online shopping, your first impressions are important. If the site doesn’t look professionally designed, has poorly written content, or has a checkout process that is less than simple…be cautious.
2. Does the site offer multiple methods to contact the company?A reputable website will always provide a full physical address on its contact page, as well as Telephone (toll-free is even better), and often live chat. In addition, they also may offer product reviews and site performance ratings to provide feedback from past satisfied customers. If all the site provides is a simple contact form or an email address, then it is likely that they don’t want you to find them too easily – for a reason!
3. What types of shipping methods are used? If they don’t use one of the major North American courier companies such as UPS, FedEx, Purolator or US or Canada Post, then it is likely that your package is coming from very far away – if it comes at all.
4. Where is the company based? If you do find a physical address (or other evidence) that the company is based offshore (especially Asia), then it is pretty much a sure bet that the jersey you are getting is a knock-off. All Reebok Authentic jerseys are manufactured in Canada, so there is no reason that a company in China would be selling Canadian-made authentic jerseys!
5. Is the price too good to be true?If the listed price is significantly below the typical retail price, that should be an obvious warning flag. An Authentic Edge Jersey with real pro customization like will usually go for $350-$400USD, so if you see a seller advertising the same product for anywhere from $75 to $200USD, you can be sure you aren’t getting the real McCoy!

Inspecting The Jersey for Authenticity

The following are some key things about the jersey’s construction to look for.  As mentioned, it’s been some time since the introduction of the RBK Edge jersey, and many fakes are now very close to being identical to the authentic so be very thorough in your investigation!

1. The very first thing to note is the coloring of the jersey. Many knock-offs are good with the main colors of Black and White.  However, you may be able to notice marked differences in Blues and Reds upon comparison to authentic jerseys.
2. Check the logos and numbers for the correct detail.  Again, the knock-offs are getting better at the detailing, but some NHL team logos have detail that can be hard to duplicate.  Pay particular attention to the sizing and spacing of the letters and numbers on the jerseys. The letter and spacing are likely to be larger or smaller than the authentic version.
3. Patches and stitching are also very important to compare. Compare the location of the stitching around the armpits and back of the neck to make sure the construction is authentic.  In addition, the NHL and RBK trademarks on authentic jerseys are actually patches and not embroidery.  This is one good comparison to make when shopping for a jersey on E-bay. You can see this clearly from the image posted below:

(h/t User TB426- Ice Jerseys forum)

If you want to see more great photographic examples of Counterfeit vs. Real RBK Edge jerseys and more things to look for, please read the Ice Jerseys forum thread below.

This forum thread is packed with great examples of what to look for on even the most authentic looking counterfeits!

http://forums.icejerseys.com/index.php?showtopic=1800&hl=fakes

Discount From Ice Jerseys

Once again, I’d like to thank the folks at Ice Jerseys for helping us make sure that we don’t get ripped off (again) on our jersey purchases this holiday season.  And, if you’re still shopping for a jersey (hat or T-shirt etc.) please consider Ice Jerseys.com and their generous discount for NHL Digest readers!