To check a pair of Yeezys, start with the size tag inside the shoe: the style code (for example CP9654 for the 350 V2 Zebra or B75571 for the 700 Wave Runner) should match the colorway in your hands, the production dates should come before the release, and the box label should repeat the same code and size. Then compare the details Adidas made the same way on every pair of that release: the Primeknit pattern, the SPLY-350 stripe where the colorway has one, the Boost midsole texture, the heel tab stitching and the insole. Photos can show whether a pair is consistent or inconsistent with the release, but they cannot settle it. Yeezys were among the most copied sneakers of the last decade, and the best replicas match tags and boxes closely. Only an in-hand check from StockX, GOAT, eBay's program or a legit check service gives an answer that buyers accept.
Quick answer
- Since Adidas ended the partnership in 2022 and sold off its stock, most 350 V2 pairs resell for approximately $60-250, near or below retail.
- Look for: a size tag code that matches the colorway and box, real Boost texture, clean Primeknit, an even SPLY-350 stripe and neat heel tab stitching.
- Early pairs (350 V1, original 2016-2017 350 V2s, Nike Air Yeezy) still carry real value and are copied the most.
How to check yours, step by step
- Find the size tag. It is sewn inside the shoe, on most 350 V2 pairs on the inside of the upper near the tongue area, and on the 700 inside the tongue. It lists sizes in several systems, the country of manufacture (China and Vietnam are normal), a production date range and the article number.
- Read the article number. Yeezy codes are two letters and four digits or one letter and five digits, such as CP9654 (350 V2 Zebra), CP9652 (350 V2 Bred), AH2203 (350 V2 Beluga 2.0) or B75571 (700 Wave Runner). Search the code: it should return the same model and colorway as the shoe.
- Check the production dates. The tag shows a window, such as a range over a few weeks. It should sit before the release or restock date of that pair. Restocks of the same colorway carry later dates, which is normal.
- Compare the box label. On the end of the box the label repeats the model name, an abbreviated colorway, the article number, the size and a barcode. Code and size must match the tag. Font weight and spacing should be even.
- Check the model-specific details in the table below: Primeknit, stripe, Boost, heel tab, insole.
- Look at the shape from the side and from behind. Replicas often get the toe height, the heel curve and the line of the midsole slightly wrong. Compare against a photo of a pair bought at retail for the same colorway.
- Lift the insole. You are looking at the stitching underneath and, on the 350, at the Boost visible through the sole. Messy or glued-over stitching is worth noting, though factory variation exists.
The Yeezy checklist, model by model
| Detail | Where to look | What is consistent with a genuine pair |
|---|---|---|
| Size tag (350 V2) | Inside the shoe | Clean print, article number matching the colorway, production dates before the release |
| Box label | End of the box | Same code and size as the tag, even font, colorway abbreviation matching the release |
| Primeknit (350 V2) | Upper | Even, tight knit; pattern density and stripe placement matching retail pairs of the same colorway |
| SPLY-350 stripe (350 V2) | Side stripe, on colorways that have it | Letters evenly spaced, consistent thickness, clean edges, correct orientation for the release |
| Boost (350 V2) | Through the outsole windows and under the insole | Irregular, slightly uneven pellet texture, not a smooth or uniform foam |
| Outsole (350 V2) | Underneath | Translucent rubber cage with crisp edges, correct color for the colorway |
| Heel tab (350 V2) | Back of the shoe | Neat, straight stitching, symmetrical tab, correct length and position |
| Insole | Inside | Print sharp and placed as on the release, insole shape fits the shoe cleanly |
| Midsole (700) | Side profile | Encased Boost with a clean molded sidewall, crisp paint lines between colors |
| Upper panels (700) | Toe, sides and heel | Suede, leather and mesh layered evenly, with the reflective details where the release has them |
A few notes on these details. Many 350 V2 colorways, especially later ones such as the Cream, Static and the earth-tone releases, have no SPLY-350 text at all, so the absence of a stripe is only a problem if the colorway should have one. Boost foam yellows with age and light exposure, even on unworn pairs kept in a box; that is chemistry, not a warning sign, though it lowers the value. And Primeknit patterns vary slightly from pair to pair, which is why comparing with several genuine pairs beats comparing with one.
A short example of how the checks combine: a pair of 350 V2s with a white and black knit and a red SPLY-350 stripe has a size tag reading CP9654, production dates a few weeks before one of the Zebra restocks, and a box label with the same code and size. The tag, box and colorway line up. If the knit is tight and even, the red letters are evenly spaced, the Boost shows its pellet texture through the sole and the heel tab stitching is straight, the pair is consistent with a genuine Zebra in every detail photos can show. Since Zebras resell for roughly $150-300, a legit check before listing is the sensible next step.
What photos can and cannot show
Photos can show tag text, dates, box labels, knit pattern, stripe text, outsole and Boost texture at a distance, heel tab stitching and overall shape. A pair can be described as consistent or inconsistent on each of those.
Photos cannot show:
- Boost feel. Real Boost compresses and springs back in a particular way; dense imitation foam does not.
- Smell. Replicas often have a strong chemical smell.
- Weight. Checkers compare against known pairs.
- Knit feel and stretch. Genuine Primeknit has a specific softness and give.
- UV marks. Authenticators use a blacklight to find guide lines and glue invisible in daylight.
So a pair that looks right in every photo has not been settled. High-tier replicas, sometimes sold as "unauthorized authentic" or by similar names, copy codes and boxes and even use similar foam. The method for sneakers in general is in how to tell if sneakers are real, and for Jordans in how to tell if Jordans are fake.
The resale reality after the Adidas split
For years, Yeezys sold out on release and resold for double retail or more. That changed. Adidas ended the partnership in October 2022, then sold its remaining Yeezy stock in a series of drops through 2023 and 2024. Millions of pairs reached the market, and restocks of older colorways were already common before the split. The result is that most 350 V2 pairs now trade near or below their retail price of $220-230, and worn pairs bring much less.
| Pair | Worn, good condition | Unworn with box |
|---|---|---|
| 350 V2, later or restocked colorway | $60-130 | $130-230 |
| 350 V2 Zebra (CP9654) | $80-160 | $150-300 |
| 350 V2 original 2016-2017 colorways (Bred, Beluga, Copper, Green, Red) | $100-200 | $200-400 |
| 350 V1 (2015-2016: Turtle Dove, Pirate Black, Moonrock, Oxford Tan) | $150-400 | $400-1,200 |
| 700 Wave Runner (B75571) | $100-200 | $200-400 |
| 700 V2, V3 and later 700 colorways | $60-150 | $120-250 |
| 500, 380, 450 | $50-120 | $100-200 |
| Foam Runner, Yeezy Slide | $30-80 | $50-150 |
| Nike Air Yeezy 1 or 2 (2009, 2012) | Hundreds to low thousands | $1,500-5,000 |
| Nike Air Yeezy 2 Red October (2014) | $1,500-4,000 | Several thousand dollars and up |
Unworn with the original box commands most of the money. Worn pairs usually sell for 40 to 60 percent less, and pairs with yellowed Boost, sole separation or heavy creasing less still. Size matters too: very large and very small sizes often sell differently from the middle of the range.
The colorways that still carry value are the early ones: the 350 V1 pairs from 2015 and 2016, the first wave of 350 V2s and the original 700 Wave Runner, plus the Nike Air Yeezys made before Kanye West moved to Adidas. Those are also the pairs most worth copying, so they are the ones where authentication matters before a sale.
Common mistakes
- Trusting the box. Replica boxes are good, and genuine pairs often end up in the wrong box.
- Checking the code only. The code must match the colorway, the box and dates that fit the release or a restock.
- Treating yellowed Boost as a sign of a replica. Boost yellows with age on genuine pairs.
- Expecting a SPLY-350 stripe on every pair. Many colorways have none.
- Comparing with the wrong release. Restocks and later colorways differ slightly in knit and shape.
- Pricing from 2017 headlines. Most pairs are now worth near or below retail.
- Reading one odd detail as a verdict. Consistency across many details is what counts, and even that is only a description.
What to photograph
- The size tag, flat and sharp, with the article number and dates readable.
- The box label, straight on.
- Both shoes from the side, outer and inner, at the same height.
- The heel from directly behind, showing the tab.
- A close-up of the stripe and SPLY-350 text where present.
- The outsole, with the Boost visible through the windows.
- The insole in place and lifted out, and the stitching beneath.
Daylight, no filters and no heavy shadow give the clearest comparison with a known retail pair.
When to get it looked at in person
Selling through StockX or GOAT puts the pair through the platform's in-hand authentication as part of the sale, and eBay authenticates sneakers above a set price. Independent legit check services, through apps such as CheckCheck or Legit Check, review detailed photos and usually cost roughly $5-30 per pair depending on speed. A sneaker consignment shop can look at a pair in hand, often as part of taking it on.
For a worn later 350 V2 worth under $130, a careful photo comparison is usually enough to decide whether to sell or wear it. For a 350 V1, an original 2016-2017 V2, a 700 Wave Runner from the first release or any Nike Air Yeezy, authentication is worth paying for before listing, because buyers will ask for it anyway.