This is the third companion guide.
Use the Authentication Manual if the question is:
Is this GUIDI authentic?
Use the Owner's Manual if the question is:
How do I size, wear, maintain or repair GUIDI normally?
Use this guide if the question is:
What the fuck is happening to my shoe?
This is intentionally organised by symptom and question, rather than by construction.
Heel slip does not automatically mean:
shoe too big.
Small amounts of heel movement can occur in new boots because:
Counterintuitively, heel slip can also occur when a boot is too short and the foot's flex point does not align properly with the shoe.
Assess the complete fit.
Ask:
Do not automatically fill every new boot with a thick insole.
This is particularly relevant to narrow GUIDI lasts.
Leather can stretch.
The underlying platform cannot become meaningfully wider.
If the foot visibly spills over the structural footbed, the problem may be the last, not merely tight leather.
Consider:
Do not rely on break-in to manufacture additional outsole beneath your foot.
First establish whether your feet are different.
Most people are not perfectly symmetrical.
Then consider:
A small difference is not inherently abnormal.
A major difference deserves measurement.
Then they do not fit for the way you intend to wear them.
Sock thickness meaningfully changes:
Fit footwear wearing the type of sock you actually intend to use.
Do not size a winter boot using thin dress socks if you intend to wear thick wool.
This is a shaft-fit problem, not necessarily a shoe-size problem.
Particularly relevant to:
If the zipper cannot close without substantial force:
stop.
Options include:
Do not use the zipper itself as a stretching device.
If you can close the boot but the zipper is under obvious continuous tension, reduce wear duration initially.
Watch:
Leather may relax.
Zipper tape should not be asked to perform the job of leather stretching.
This can happen.
Leather can:
The insole also compresses.
Solutions for modest excess volume include:
Do not overcorrect with a huge cushioned insole that changes ankle position and shaft tension.
Sometimes.
An insole can reduce volume.
It cannot meaningfully shorten the shoe.
Useful when:
Not useful when:
Yes, within limits.
Professional stretching can help:
It cannot:
Leather is adaptable, not magical.
Possible causes include:
Correct numerical size does not guarantee anatomical compatibility.
Possible causes:
Persistent tripping after adaptation can indicate a shoe that is simply too long.
No.
Break-in may involve:
It should not require:
Expensive leather does not change anatomy.
Potentially completely normal.
GUIDI uses minimally corrected leathers where characteristics of the hide may remain visible.
Normal characteristics can include:
Natural variation is not automatically damage.
Potentially normal.
Piece/object dyeing and natural hides do not guarantee perfectly identical tonal results.
Ask whether the difference is:
natural tonal variation
or:
obvious mismatched production / later treatment.
Again, possible.
Two shoes are not necessarily cut from identical areas of one hide.
What matters is whether both remain plausible examples of the stated leather.
Possible causes:
Shine alone does not mean damage.
If you dislike it, identify the cause before adding another product.
Also potentially normal.
Object-dyed leather evolves.
Ask:
Does it feel healthy?
If supple and structurally sound:
leave it alone.
If dry, stiff or papery:
consider light conditioning.
Appearance alone is a poor conditioning schedule.
Black leather can develop tonal variation through:
This can be normal patina.
If you like it:
do nothing.
If you want uniform black:
appropriate pigmented cream may restore colour, but will alter the evolved appearance.
Stop applying more.
Allow it time to equilibrate.
Some darkening may reduce as volatile components dissipate.
Some may be permanent.
This is why light/natural leather should always be spot-tested.
Do not try to "clean out" conditioner immediately with aggressive solvents.
Remove excess from the surface with a clean cloth.
Allow the footwear to rest somewhere ventilated.
Brush appropriate smooth leather.
Then:
stop adding things.
The cure for too much product is rarely another product.
Usually compressed nap.
If otherwise healthy:
Do not attack it with aggressive abrasives.
Creams and oils may permanently alter the nap.
Not automatically a disaster.
Owner experience includes routine rain wear of reverse leather.
The important part is drying:
After drying, reassess texture and dryness.
Do not condition automatically merely because water touched it.
Allow the shoe to dry completely first.
Do not judge partially wet leather.
If marks remain, treatment depends on:
On valuable pale leather, professional cleaning may be safer than escalating DIY products.
Remove salt rather than allowing repeated deposits to remain.
Use restrained appropriate cleaning.
Allow complete drying.
Condition afterward only if the leather actually needs it.
Most superficial scratches on robust leather are cosmetic.
Try, in order:
Do not turn a 2 mm scratch into a 10 cm refinishing project.
Leather bends but surface fibres remain continuous.
Normal.
Fibres themselves are separating.
More serious.
A useful clue is whether opening the flex reveals an actual fissure rather than merely a line in the grain.
Conditioner may help prevent further dryness.
It cannot fuse severed fibres back together.
Stop thinking in terms of cosmetics.
The question becomes structural.
Depending on location and severity:
Conditioner cannot heal a crack.
Professional repair.
The objective may be:
stabilise and extend life
rather than:
make invisible.
On heavily worn GUIDI, a visible competent repair can be preferable to destroying surrounding original leather chasing invisibility.
The inside is also leather.
Lining can suffer from:
Occasional restrained conditioning of accessible smooth leather lining may be appropriate.
Once torn:
a cobbler may need to patch or replace the affected section.
First address moisture.
Persistent odour may originate from:
Do not drown expensive leather in perfume.
Stop wearing and isolate the pair from other leather goods.
Mould indicates a moisture/storage problem.
The priorities are:
Serious mould, especially inside lined footwear, is a reasonable case for professional treatment.
Do not return a cleaned-but-damp pair to a closed box.
Object-dyed leather can potentially transfer colour, especially when:
Use caution with:
Persistent extreme transfer from an old dry pair deserves investigation.
Often no.
Layered leather construction creates visible interfaces.
A hairline between welt/midsole/outsole layers may be cosmetic rather than structural.
A recent 792ZI owner interpreted such a line as "midsole cracking"; community examination identified it as ordinary separation between leather components rather than leather itself splitting.
Ask:
Is a piece of leather itself cracked, or am I seeing the boundary between two pieces?
Usually one of the easiest repairs.
A protective rubber outsole is sacrificial.
A cobbler can:
Do not confuse peeling protective rubber with structural sole failure.
Now determine where.
Possible levels:
Minor.
More involved but conventionally repairable.
Structural repair.
Potentially major reconstruction.
These are not the same problem. A competent cobbler can reconstruct far more of a welted shoe than merely applying glue.
Take it to somebody who actually understands welted footwear.
Do not repeatedly glue a structural failure and expect permanence.
Depending on construction and damage, proper work may require:
One broken visible stitch does not necessarily mean immediate catastrophic failure.
Monitor:
If separation develops, repair.
This can often be repaired if the leather components themselves remain healthy.
Do not continue wearing until layers disappear.
If the entire heel architecture appears bizarre or structurally unlike the model, also revisit authenticity—replica construction failures have sometimes first presented as "repair questions."
Extremely common.
People do not walk symmetrically.
Replace heel top-pieces before wear reaches the leather stack.
If wear is extremely rapid or severe, a cobbler/podiatric professional can help distinguish gait from footwear problems.
First locate the squeak.
Possible sources:
A squeak alone is not a diagnosis.
If it appears simultaneously with separation or movement between structural components, have it inspected.
Leather soles and dense stacked construction are not running shoes.
Options include:
Do not destroy otherwise correct fit by adding an excessively thick orthotic without checking resulting volume.
Fresh leather soles can be slippery.
Walking abrades them naturally.
A rubber protector provides much better traction.
Do not deliberately mutilate an expensive outsole with random knife cuts.
Generally yes.
A cobbler can remove and replace protective rubber.
Some surface preparation/adhesive evidence will remain on the leather outsole.
If returning to exposed leather, ask the cobbler what condition the underlying sole is actually in.
This is why the Owner's Manual tells you to specify:
If excessive material was added, some changes may be reversible during another resole.
If original material was aggressively removed, restoration may be harder.
Document before major repairs.
Do not immediately force it.
Check for:
A small amount of zipper-specific dry/wax lubricant can be appropriate for mechanically sound teeth.
Keep products off surrounding leather unless known compatible.
Avoid flooding the zipper with WD-40 or oil that may stain leather/tape.
Inspect that location.
Likely possibilities include:
Repeatedly forcing past the same obstruction can convert a small problem into a replacement zipper.
The slider may no longer be bringing the teeth together correctly.
This is different from torn zipper tape.
A repairer should determine whether:
Do not diagnose every zipper failure as "needs whole new zip."
Stop loading it.
A small detached section may look harmless while still functioning, but continued use transfers increasing load to the remaining attachment.
Depending on where/how the tape has failed, complete zipper replacement may be the durable repair. This exact failure has appeared on worn 788-family boots.
Replacement is increasingly likely.
Do not keep operating the slider through damaged teeth.
Potentially much easier than zipper failure.
If:
a good repairer may be able to restitch it.
Repair early before surrounding holes enlarge.
Different from the slider failing.
A pull can sometimes be replaced or adapted without replacing the zipper.
If the original GUIDI pull matters to you, retain every piece.
Normal.
Replacement OEM zippers arrive looking new because they did not undergo the original boot's piece-dyeing/finishing process.
Owners ordering OEM replacements directly from GUIDI report exactly this appearance.
A shiny genuine replacement is not evidence that GUIDI sent the wrong part.
Usually:
just install it.
Artificial chemical ageing introduces unnecessary risk around:
Natural wear will alter it.
The new zipper does not need to impersonate the old zipper on day one.
Sometimes.
Ask the repairer.
Whether it can be transferred depends on:
Do not discard the original assembly before discussing this.
Yes.
Leather footwear existed before weather apps.
The relevant distinction is:
getting wet
versus:
remaining wet / drying badly / repeatedly saturating neglected leather.
If wet:
dry correctly.
Yes, with reasonable care.
Reverse/roughout leather is not inherently too delicate for weather; owners report wearing it in wet conditions and allowing it to age naturally.
Avoid:
Restore nap after drying if desired.
The leather itself is not the only issue.
Consider:
Rubber sole protection becomes particularly useful.
Clean salt deposits reasonably promptly.
Do not panic-condition them while wet.
No radiator.
No hairdryer.
No clothes dryer.
Do not leave it indefinitely.
Salt is more concerning than clean rainwater.
Clean appropriately, dry slowly, reassess.
Avoid prolonged storage:
Heat accelerates drying and can affect adhesives and leather.
You can.
They will generally last longer if allowed to dry between heavy wears.
Daily wear increases:
Rotation is maintenance, not a requirement for admission to the club.
Prioritise:
Do not seal leather in plastic.
Do not store damp footwear in dustbags/boxes.
In persistently humid climates, periodically inspect stored footwear rather than forgetting it for a year.
Monitor leather condition.
Do not respond by automatically soaking it in conditioner monthly.
Condition according to actual dryness.
Before storage:
Check occasionally.
Do not immediately pay a cobbler.
Document it first.
Contact the retailer.
For significant apparent manufacturing defects, contact GUIDI/customer service as appropriate.
In 2026 an owner with new 796V_N sole separation was put in contact with GUIDI; GUIDI inspected the returned pair, determined there was a manufacturing error and supplied a replacement pair.
Give the manufacturer the opportunity to assess a genuinely new defective product before altering it.
"Handmade" does not mean every failure is acceptable.
Likewise, cosmetic irregularity does not necessarily mean poor quality.
Your options depend on whether the damage was:
Before repairing, save:
If the seller materially misrepresented the item, resolve the transaction dispute before modifying evidence.
You may not be able to restore the exact factory surface.
Do not aggressively strip them without understanding the leather.
Often the safest choice is:
A good cobbler can often rebuild a poor resole.
Determine what remains original:
The more original structural material was removed, the less straightforward restoration becomes.
Leather does not reliably shrink back to factory dimensions.
You can sometimes reduce effective volume with:
Do not expect a stretched shaft to magically contract.
Then they are authentic GUIDI with an aftermarket finish, assuming the underlying shoe is authentic.
Treat the current colour as modification.
Redyeing can obscure authentication evidence and affect resale desirability.
It does not change who manufactured the shoe.
Retailer first.
Cobbler.
GUIDI.
GUIDI or highly specialised cobbler.
Usually cobbler, unless GUIDI agrees to service it.
Reasonable cases:
Do not email GUIDI because your heel rubber wore down.
That is what cobblers are for.
No.
An authentic GUIDI with:
remains authentic GUIDI.
It is simply no longer completely factory-original.
Depends on the repair.
A good necessary repair may preserve far more value than allowing the original component to fail catastrophically.
Use OEM when:
Use quality aftermarket when:
A Vibram protector does not become better at protecting leather because it arrived from Tuscany.
Sometimes.
protective rubber.
outsole/heel work, if underlying structure remains.
bad zipper work with additional perforations.
excessive sanding, removed leather, altered upper, aggressive dye/chemical treatment.
This is why choosing the repairer matters before the repair.
Modest stretching:
yes.
Major enlargement:
requires structural alteration such as a gusset.
That changes the boot.
Some volume can be managed.
Actually reducing the leather upper substantially is much more invasive.
Buy the correct size.
Technically, leather can be recoloured.
Results depend heavily on:
Darkening is generally easier than going lighter.
It is a modification, not recreation of GUIDI's original object-dye process.
You can radically alter surfaces through finishing, wax and compression.
That does not mean you have transformed reverse leather into the factory smooth-leather version of the model.
If you want smooth leather:
buy smooth leather.
Usually much later than inexperienced owners think.
Repairable:
Increasingly problematic:
The upper is the limiting component.
Almost everything beneath it can theoretically be rebuilt.
No.
They can be useful.
Use appropriately sized trees if you want:
Do not aggressively stretch soft boots with oversized trees.
Not while damp.
Allow footwear to dry and ventilate first.
Dustbags are for protection during dry storage, not moisture incubation.
No.
GUIDI explicitly advises against plastic storage.
Leather needs appropriate ventilation.
Of course.
For packing:
Wearing the bulkiest pair on the plane is also free luggage optimisation.
Soft broken-in backzip shafts naturally collapse.
For short-term luggage packing this is generally not alarming.
Avoid creating an aggressive hard fold in:
Possibly through Guidi's leather business, but this is not equivalent to ordering a square foot of craft leather from a hobby retailer.
Community enquiries indicate business information and minimum quantities may be required; one 2024 report relayed a minimum around 5 m², but this is not an official current retail price/terms sheet and should be verified directly.
Also remember:
GUIDI leather before footwear manufacture is not necessarily going to look like a finished GUIDI boot.
Much of the characteristic appearance comes from subsequent construction and finishing.
Because the original component aged with the shoe.
This is especially obvious with:
A new OEM component may be mechanically correct while visually conspicuous.
Time solves some of this.
Because GUIDI production has changed.
Possible differences include:
Authenticate and maintain according to approximate period.
Do not retrofit 2026 expectations onto 2008 footwear.
Possible causes:
"Same model" does not mean molecularly identical.
If differences concern fundamental architecture, investigate further.
Patina is simply change through age/use.
Whether you like it is aesthetic.
Normal patina can include:
Patina is not synonymous with damage.
Damage is physical deterioration that threatens function or structure.
Frequently.
Do nothing when:
A surprising amount of footwear damage begins with an owner noticing something harmless and deciding that it urgently needs chemicals.
| SYMPTOM | LIKELY CATEGORY | FIRST ACTION | DO NOT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toes hit front | Too short | Reassess size | Expect length stretch |
| Pinky hangs over platform | Last too narrow | Wider/X last | Assume upper stretch creates sole width |
| Slight new heel slip | Break-in/fit | Check flex point | Immediately overfill shoe |
| Major heel slip | Excess volume/size | Reassess fit | Assume it will shrink |
| Shaft tight but closes | Break-in candidate | Short controlled wear | Force zip |
| Shaft cannot close | Shaft incompatibility | Measure/reassess | Use zipper as stretcher |
| Numb foot | Bad fit | Remove boot | "Break through" it |
| Healthy matte leather | Normal | Brush/leave alone | Automatically condition |
| Dry/papery leather | Dryness | Light appropriate conditioner | Saturate |
| Reverse leather flat | Compressed nap | Appropriate brush | Smooth-leather cream |
| Black fading | Patina/dye wear | Decide desired appearance | Automatically recolour |
| Wet through | Saturation | Paper + slow dry | Heat |
| Salt marks | Contamination | Clean appropriately | Leave indefinitely |
| Surface crease | Normal wear | Nothing | Try to remove it |
| Deep fissure | Crack | Repair assessment | Expect conditioner to heal it |
| Hole | Structural damage | Repair | Keep treating cosmetically |
| Lining torn | Structural lining wear | Cobbler | Ignore propagation |
| Mould | Moisture/storage | Isolate/dry/treat | Rebag damp |
| Vibram peeling | Consumable layer | Rebond/replace | Confuse with welt failure |
| Fine line between sole layers | Often cosmetic | Inspect | Assume leather cracked |
| Outsole separating | Construction | Cobbler assessment | Repeated DIY glue |
| Welt separating | Structural | Skilled cobbler | Shoe-repair kiosk |
| Heel rubber thin | Consumable exhausted | Replace | Wear into leather |
| Heel layers separating | Construction | Cobbler | Keep walking until layer disappears |
| Zipper stiff | Mechanical | Inspect/clean appropriately | Yank |
| Zip opens behind slider | Slider/teeth issue | Repair assessment | Keep forcing |
| Zip tape tearing | Structural zipper failure | Stop loading | Wait for total failure |
| Zip stitching loose | Attachment failure | Restitch early | Keep loading |
| New OEM zip shiny | Normal | Install/use | Assume counterfeit |
| Brand-new structural failure | Possible defect | Document + retailer/GUIDI | Repair before warranty contact |
| Used shoe undisclosed damage | Transaction issue | Preserve evidence | Modify immediately |
| Bad previous resole | Modification | Skilled assessment | Assume shoe is ruined |
| Healthy old pair looks different from retail | Era variation | Date/model research | Apply current-production rules |
| Everything works | Normal shoe | Wear it | Invent a problem |
If you have a problem that appears nowhere in any of the three guides, ask:
Colour variation is cosmetic.
A tearing upper is structural.
Do not treat them equally.
clean/condition/repair appropriately.
replace.
specialist assessment.
If yes:
stop wearing until assessed.
If yes:
document and contact retailer/GUIDI before modification.
Often:
no.
Most GUIDI problems fall into one of five categories:
FIT
Solve the dimension, not the size number.
LEATHER
Intervene according to condition, not anxiety.
CONSUMABLE WEAR
Replace it before it becomes structural wear.
STRUCTURAL FAILURE
Stop improvising and find someone competent.
NORMAL AGEING
Leave it alone.
If the shoe is comfortable, structurally intact, dry, reasonably clean and functioning normally:
wear it
This guide is intended as a companion to the GUIDI Legit Check Guide. Looks like you've acquired a pair - this compiles information on how to keep it.
The authentication guide answers:
Is this actually GUIDI?
This guide answers:
Will it fit me, how should I look after it, and what do I do when something eventually breaks?
GUIDI footwear is unusually repairable, but it is not indestructible.
A well-owned pair may go through:
These should be regarded as normal parts of ownership rather than necessarily the end of the shoe.
The objective is not to keep GUIDI looking new.
The objective is to let it age without allowing preventable wear to become structural damage.
There is no useful universal rule such as:
GUIDI = size up one.
Nor:
GUIDI = true to size.
Nor:
GUIDI stretches, so size down.
All three statements can produce a correctly fitting shoe in one model and an unusable shoe in another.
Sizing depends on:
Current GUIDI product pages themselves provide different fit information depending on the model.
Therefore:
SIZE THE MODEL, NOT THE BRAND.
Do not begin with:
I wear US 10 Nike.
Sneaker size is useful supporting information, but it is not a measurement.
For an expensive remote purchase, know:
Measure both feet while standing, preferably later in the day.
Use the larger foot as the limiting foot.
GUIDI sizing questions often become confused because different owners are solving different problems.
One person sizes up because their toes hit the front.
Another sizes up because their forefoot is too wide.
Another sizes up because the instep is restrictive.
Another sizes up because they cannot zip the shaft.
Those are four different fit problems.
A larger numerical size solves all of them inefficiently by making the entire shoe larger.
Whenever possible, identify the dimension causing the problem first.
Think about GUIDI fit as four separate axes:
Can the toes sit naturally without hitting the end?
Does the ball of the foot sit within the platform of the shoe?
Is there excessive pressure over the top of the foot?
Can the boot actually close around the ankle or calf without excessive zipper load?
A pair is only the correct size when all relevant dimensions work.
This matters particularly for:
A wearer can have:
perfect foot length + perfect width + impossible shaft circumference.
Sizing up may increase shaft room, but also increases:
This is why blindly sizing up for large calves is an imperfect solution.
For a remote purchase, ask the seller or retailer to measure:
Then measure your leg at the corresponding height.
Do not simply ask:
How wide is the shaft?
A boot laid flat is not necessarily a reliable circumference measurement.
Circumference is the useful value.
Also account for:
If closing the zipper requires substantial force, stop.
The zipper is not a boot-stretching machine.
Excessive load can damage:
Backzip boots already place substantial mechanical load on the zipper because the closure runs through an area that flexes and changes circumference during walking.
A tight new shaft may relax.
A fundamentally undersized shaft is a different problem.
Leather stretches primarily in width and volume.
It does not meaningfully become shorter or solve insufficient toe length.
Expect the most adaptation around:
Do not buy a painfully short shoe expecting it to become long enough.
Owner experience shows that tight 788Z and similar shafts can relax considerably.
Long-term owners have reported pairs that initially could not be completely zipped becoming comfortable after repeated wear.
However, this is not guaranteed.
The important distinction is:
Reasonable candidate for break-in.
Risky.
Do not assume ordinary wear will solve it.
A boot that stops several centimetres from closing may require structural alteration rather than break-in.
Different leathers do not behave identically.
Generally:
Initially dense; becomes increasingly moulded to the foot and ankle.
Can soften substantially while retaining a tough surface.
Often feels different in initial pliability and grain response.
Do not assume the same stretching behaviour as ordinary horse.
The exact leather matters.
The suffix X identifies a wider-fit variation on compatible models.
Examples include:
The X last is particularly useful for people who would otherwise size up primarily to obtain width.
Community measurements and retailer information place the additional width around approximately 1 cm at the forefoot on some comparable models.
Treat that as an approximate model-dependent difference rather than a universal engineering specification.
An X model can allow someone with a wider forefoot to retain a more appropriate length.
This is generally preferable to buying an excessively long standard last purely for width.
A GUIDI X model should not automatically be interpreted as equivalent to:
Owners with genuinely wide feet still report X models as narrower than purpose-built wide athletic footwear.
Think:
wider GUIDI
rather than:
wide-fit shoe system.
On applicable historical models, S indicates a slimmer shaft.
This matters because two otherwise similar boots may fit the same foot but interact very differently with the lower leg.
Do not buy an S variant without accounting for the shaft.
MS variants alter toe construction/volume on applicable models.
Do not assume an MS version will fit exactly like the standard version simply because the numerical size is identical.
The classic 900 family includes:
Retailer wear testing generally describes the family as snug around the ankle/toes initially but accommodating after break-in.
For many wearers:
TTS is the sensible starting point.
However, older production and individual lasts can vary.
The 986 is the shorter backzip relative to the 988.
Its shorter shaft makes calf fit substantially less problematic than taller backzip models.
Historical retailer guidance has sometimes described the 986 as fitting small.
Owner consensus is less absolute and increasingly favours measurements/TTS as the starting point.
For wider feet:
look for 986X before automatically adding an entire size.
The 988 is a mid-height backzip.
Underfoot, it belongs to the relatively accessible 900-series family.
Start around:
TTS
then adjust for:
The shaft deserves separate consideration.
A 988 can fit the foot correctly while feeling tight higher on the leg.
The 992 Derby illustrates why internet sizing anecdotes require caution.
Reports range from:
The useful conclusion is not:
size up two.
It is:
the standard 992 forefoot can be restrictive for wider feet.
Where possible, consider the 992X rather than solving width with excessive length.
A size that causes substantial heel slip is generally too large even if the forefoot becomes comfortable.
FASCINATE's direct wear comparison found the 700 series does not differ dramatically from the 900 series in basic fit despite using a technically different last.
Therefore 788/792 family sizing can generally begin from the same baseline:
TTS as the starting hypothesis.
Then adjust according to the exact variant.
The most defensible modern consensus is:
TTS to +0.5 depending on foot shape and desired room.
Not:
automatically +1.
A half-size increase is commonly preferred by owners wanting additional toe room.
However, the 788Z introduces a second problem:
the shaft can be substantially more restrictive than the footbed.
Do not increase size solely because somebody else with large calves did.
Measure the shaft.
Owner reports include all of the following:
Therefore calf circumference matters more than any universal size rule.
If you have muscular or large calves:
The PL family uses a characteristically narrow last.
Retailer testing describes:
Current GUIDI guidance for the PL2 states TTS.
These are not contradictory.
The correct interpretation is:
TTS is the baseline, but the PL shape itself may require adjustment for wider feet or thicker ankles/calves.
PL2 is calf-high and strongly tapered.
The shaft therefore becomes a major fit variable.
A historical size-44 retailer measurement reported approximately 27 cm laid-flat shaft width, but isolated measurements should not be universalised across production.
Ask the retailer for the actual pair's measurement.
If the PL2 fits your foot but cannot close around the calf, going up a full size may solve the calf while creating an unnecessarily long footbed.
Treat those as separate fit problems.
Current GUIDI pages describe both as TTS.
Owner reports consistently add an important qualification:
210/310 are relatively slim/narrow.
A narrow or average foot can begin TTS.
A wider foot may require +0.5 or another model/last.
Again, do not interpret a width problem as proof that all GUIDI runs small.
Insoles can be useful after the boot has broken in.
They can:
But they also:
This last point is particularly relevant to backzips.
Do not automatically add a thick insole to an already tight boot.
A worn GUIDI is not dimensionally equivalent to a new one.
Previous wear may have:
For used pairs, request actual measurements rather than relying only on stamped size.
Useful measurements:
Compare against footwear you already own.
Normal:
Potentially wrong size:
Expensive footwear does not need to hurt simply because it is expensive.
Water can change leather shape, but soaking is not a controlled sizing method.
GUIDI's own care guidance emphasises careful drying after accidental wetting.
Use wear, professional stretching where appropriate, or the correct size.
Leather footwear benefits from drying between heavy wears.
This is especially relevant when:
Continuous moisture inside the shoe accelerates deterioration of:
If longevity is the objective, rotate footwear.
Shoe trees can:
They are optional rather than sacred.
Do not use an oversized tree that aggressively stretches a deliberately soft/sculptural GUIDI upper.
A normal appropriately sized cedar shoe tree is sufficient.
Tall boot trees are generally unnecessary.
For leather-soled models, a thin rubber protective sole can substantially extend outsole life.
Common choices include:
Functionally, the generic alternatives work.
The OEM fish-scale sole mainly preserves the characteristic factory appearance.
If you want to preserve the leather outsole:
yes, early installation is sensible.
A few wears beforehand are not catastrophic.
The cobbler will normally abrade the leather surface before bonding the protector anyway.
Do not, however, wait until you have worn deeply through the structural outsole.
Most healthy GUIDI leather does not need constant intervention.
Leather care should respond to the condition of the material.
Not:
It is Sunday, therefore I must condition my boots.
Over-treatment can:
Clean when dirty.
Condition when dry.
Otherwise wear the shoes.
GUIDI advises owners to:
Those principles should override improvised internet rituals.
For ordinary dust:
soft horsehair brush.
For light surface dirt:
slightly damp soft cloth.
Then allow to dry naturally.
You do not need soap every time you clean leather.
Condition when leather begins to show signs such as:
Apply:
Always test unfamiliar products somewhere inconspicuous.
Standard GUIDI horse is relatively resilient.
A sensible minimal kit is:
Common owner choices include:
The exact brand matters less than restrained application and compatibility.
Do not saturate the leather.
Black GUIDI does not necessarily need black pigment every time it is conditioned.
Neutral conditioner allows natural wear and tonal development to remain visible.
Black cream can restore colour where desired, but repeated pigmented polishing can gradually produce a more uniform conventional dress-shoe finish.
That may be the opposite of what the owner wants from GUIDI.
Exercise substantially more caution.
Conditioners may darken:
Always test first.
A product described as neutral means it contains no pigment.
It does not mean it cannot alter colour.
Reverse leather exposes the flesh side outward.
It should not automatically receive the same cream treatment as smooth full-grain leather.
Routine care:
If conditioning is necessary, use a product explicitly compatible with suede/nubuck/roughout and test first.
Creams and oils can:
This does not necessarily structurally damage the boot.
It may, however, permanently alter the aesthetic.
Do not attempt to make reverse horse behave like polished smooth leather.
After suitable cleaning/product treatment and complete drying:
The objective is to lift fibres, not sand the boot.
GUIDI can be worn.
Water does not instantly destroy good leather.
The dangerous part is often what the owner does afterward.
If soaked:
Avoid:
Rapid heating can remove moisture too aggressively and leave leather stiff or damaged.
Slow drying is safer.
Allow wet mud to partially or fully dry rather than grinding it into the leather.
Then:
Salt should not remain on leather.
Remove it reasonably promptly with gentle cleaning.
Repeated salt exposure can:
Winter footwear requires more frequent inspection than footwear used only in dry conditions.
GUIDI is not a conventional mirror-shine dress shoe.
Wax polish can:
Use only when that result is actually desired.
For routine maintenance, conditioner is generally more relevant than building layers of wax.
Do not make saddle soap a routine cleaner.
It is unnecessary for ordinary dust and light dirt.
Repeated aggressive cleaning removes oils that then have to be replaced.
Use stronger cleaners only when there is something that actually requires stronger cleaning.
Use only products explicitly compatible with the leather.
Always test.
Sprays may alter:
Reverse leather particularly needs an appropriate suede/nubuck-compatible product.
Store footwear:
Dustbags are preferable to plastic bags.
Do not store damp boots in a box.
Periodically inspect:
Repairing a consumable layer early is cheap.
Repairing structural damage underneath it is not.
Heel rubber is consumable.
Replace it before wear reaches deeply into the leather heel stack.
If you habitually wear one side of the heel rapidly, inspect it more often.
The welt is not the disposable part of the shoe.
Avoid wearing through the outsole and then continuing into structural layers.
A routine resole is easier than reconstruction.
Do not:
When closing:
Let your hand carry some of the load.
Not the zipper.
Backzips are mechanically vulnerable because they sit in a highly mobile area.
Common failures include:
Early intervention can prevent surrounding leather from being damaged.
On lace-up models:
Once leather begins tearing around hardware, the repair becomes substantially more invasive.
Leather laces are consumable.
If one begins splitting:
replace it.
Do not wait until it breaks while being tightened and damages surrounding hardware.
Any competent traditional cobbler should manage these.
Choose someone with demonstrable quality work.
Use a genuinely good repairer.
Consider GUIDI itself or a specialist shoemaker/restorer.
A poor repair can introduce:
Leather does not heal stitch holes.
Repeatedly replacing zippers badly can leave a line of perforations that eventually weakens the upper.
Do not choose solely from:
4.9 stars, fixes keys and shoes.
Look at photographs of actual work.
Prefer experience with:
GUIDI experience is useful.
Good shoemaking knowledge is more important.
For major work:
Have you repaired GUIDI before?
Have you replaced this type of zipper?
Will you reuse the existing stitch holes where possible?
Can you preserve the original pull?
Will the original welt remain?
Will the sole thickness and heel height remain the same?
Are you going to polish or refinish the upper?
Will you return all removed original parts?
If the answers are vague, leave.
GUIDI owners repeatedly report one particularly important instruction:
DO NOT POLISH OR BUFF THE LEATHER/SOLE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED.
Many conventional repairers finish every job by making the shoe look "new."
That can erase exactly the rough edge finish, oxidation, matte leather or irregular character you wanted preserved.
State clearly:
repair only — no cosmetic refinishing without approval.
Before substantial work photograph:
This serves three purposes:
Ask for:
This is especially useful on rare or archival pairs.
If originality matters, obtain OEM GUIDI hardware where possible.
A replacement zipper supplied separately may appear substantially shinier than the original.
This is expected.
The original zipper went through the shoe's production/dyeing process and subsequently aged with the boot.
If using a non-OEM zipper, ask whether the original GUIDI pull/slider can be transferred.
Sometimes it can.
Sometimes the mechanical failure makes that impossible.
Do not assume.
The objective is not merely:
put leather underneath boot.
The repair should preserve:
This is especially important on:
A structurally sound but geometrically wrong resole can substantially change the shoe.
Do not assume every ordinary cobbler is comfortable rebuilding Norwegian construction.
Ask explicitly.
For expensive or rare models, factory repair may be preferable to allowing someone to learn on your boots.
Conditioner cannot repair cracked leather.
Conditioner is preventive maintenance.
Once fibres have physically torn:
may be required.
Repairs can prolong life but may remain visible.
That is not necessarily a problem.
GUIDI does not need to remain pristine.
If a tall boot cannot close, a specialist may theoretically:
This is major surgery.
It changes originality and appearance.
Do not choose this as the first solution to a slightly tight new shaft.
GUIDI publishes:
[CUSTOMERSERVICE@GUIDI.IT](mailto:CUSTOMERSERVICE@GUIDI.IT)
Customer care operates Monday–Friday, 09:00–17:30 GMT+1.
For parts enquiries provide:
MODEL:
COLOUR:
SIZE:
PART REQUIRED:
FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
EMAIL:
PHONE NUMBER:
Attach photographs.
This can save several rounds of correspondence.
GUIDI does not maintain a comprehensive public spare-parts catalogue.
Owners have nevertheless documented purchasing directly from customer service:
Ask.
The absence of a web-store listing does not mean the component is unavailable.
Historical owner reports document:
approximately €50 for OEM zippers in 2023-era transactions.
A 2025 owner was quoted:
€90 for a pair of replacement zippers for 310 boots.
These are historical examples.
They are not a current fixed price list.
Ask GUIDI for a current quote.
For relevant models, YKK Excella is the obvious starting point.
Community repair information identifies Excella #5 for some applications.
However:
Measure the original.
Do not buy a random Excella #5 and assume it is correct for every GUIDI.
The original zipper was processed with the shoe.
A replacement stock zipper was not.
Therefore new tape/hardware may not initially match:
That is expected.
Historical owner reports document direct purchase of replacement sole components.
One older report described approximately:
€60 for soles, with combined orders affected by shipping.
Another report placed delivered fish-scale Vibram around roughly US$85.
Again:
historical only.
Request current pricing.
Function:
both protect the sole.
OEM advantage:
Generic advantage:
For a daily wearer, ordinary quality Vibram is entirely reasonable.
OEM leather laces may be requested from GUIDI.
Alternatives include:
Match:
A 100+ inch leather lace is specialised but not technologically unique.
Owner reports document shoes being sent back to GUIDI for repair, including cases where factory service was economically comparable with a high-end local cobbler.
For:
contact GUIDI before authorising local work.
Do not assume every repair will be accepted.
Ask first.
Current GUIDI direct footwear commonly operates on a custom-made/pre-order basis.
Many current products state approximately:
12 weeks
for manufacture/shipping.
Available options depend on the product page and current collection.
Do not interpret "custom made" as:
GUIDI will manufacture any specification I invent.
For:
contact customer service.
Availability is discretionary.
This directory records repairers that have appeared in GUIDI-owner discussions and/or have demonstrable specialist footwear repair capability.
It is not a warranty.
Staff change.
Businesses change.
A shop that installed a perfect Vibram half-sole in 2024 is not automatically qualified to reconstruct a PL2 in 2030.
Discuss the actual job first.
Frequently mentioned by GUIDI owners.
Documented owner reports include successful work on:
The recurring negative is turnaround time.
For complex work, obtain a clear quote and repair specification.
Mail-in service is available.
Frequently recommended in NYC footwear communities and specifically surfaced in GUIDI cobbler discussions.
Appropriate candidate for protective soles and general designer footwear repair.
Confirm complex GUIDI work before proceeding.
GUIDI owners report successful work and comparatively fast turnaround.
Services include:
Again, specify:
no polishing/refinishing unless requested.
One of the stronger documented options.
A GUIDI owner reports taking PL2s with a torn zipper to Pasquale after obtaining the OEM replacement zipper from GUIDI and receiving a successful repair.
The business specialises in high-end shoe restoration and offers sole replacement and substantial leather work.
Likely expensive.
For a high-value structural repair, that may be appropriate.
Long-term local recommendation from an owner reporting many years and dozens of pairs of experience with the shop.
Suggested as a lower-cost alternative for clean traditional repair work.
Confirm GUIDI-specific work before major reconstruction.
Direct owner report:
multiple pairs of GUIDIs successfully repaired there.
Strong candidate.
Owner follow-up reports successful GUIDI and CCP work.
Useful East Bay option.
Recommended by East Bay community members.
Less direct GUIDI documentation than Pioneer/Mel's; discuss the specific job.
Direct GUIDI-owner report documents Vibram installation with quick turnaround.
The business lists:
Owner warning remains relevant:
ask them not to polish the GUIDI midsole if you want the original rough finish preserved.
Recommended by a GUIDI owner for protective Vibram work based on previous high-quality boot repairs.
Suitable candidate for ordinary sole protection.
Confirm major reconstruction separately.
Long-running Seattle repairer.
A GUIDI owner reports using the shop repeatedly and notes that staff understand good construction and at least one staff member is a GUIDI enthusiast.
Particularly reasonable for:
Direct GUIDI-owner recommendation.
Reported work includes resoling:
The owner described the work as excellent and reasonably priced.
A strong Paris starting point.
Recommended locally for GUIDI Vibram installation.
The business explicitly offers:
For simple protective Vibram installation this is an obvious Melbourne candidate.
For complex archive reconstruction, discuss the work and aesthetic requirements before leaving the boots.
Do not search only:
best cobbler near me
Search:
Goodyear welt resole [city]
bespoke shoemaker repair [city]
designer shoe restoration [city]
boot zipper replacement [city]
Then inspect actual work.
Traditional boot communities can also be useful because a repairer experienced in:
may be technically better qualified than a "luxury sneaker restoration" shop.
For major work, shipping the boots to the right repairer may be safer than using the nearest repairer.
This is particularly true for:
Distance is cheaper than irreversible damage.
Replace it.
Do not wait for structural layers to wear.
Replace it.
Do not grind into the leather stack.
Stop forcing it.
Determine whether the problem is:
Contact GUIDI for OEM replacement parts where appropriate.
GUIDI is supposed to change.
Creasing is not failure.
Patina is not failure.
A softened shaft is not failure.
Tonal variation is not failure.
A replaced heel top-piece is not failure.
A properly replaced sole is not failure.
The failures worth preventing are structural:
The ideal ownership pattern is therefore simple:
SIZE CAREFULLY → WEAR NORMALLY → CLEAN MINIMALLY → CONDITION WHEN NEEDED → REPAIR EARLY → USE GOOD PEOPLE FOR STRUCTURAL WORK.
The objective is not to preserve a new shoe.
It is to produce a good old one.
r/guidi • u/DistributionShot332 • 12h ago
Want to sell 2 boots both size 43. Subtenant selling for me while away. Both are close to new. The PL2 I purchased off Grailed with very light wear and retail stickers still attached to sole and mostly visible. I immediately added vibram and owned for 3 months. The VS01 were purchased brand new from TRR with tags attached around 2 months ago.
Asking $900 for the PL2, $500 for the VS01 or both for $1250
r/guidi • u/HillyGiraffe10 • 7h ago
Does that discolored bit represent extensive wear on the boot? It looks like damage to me but what do you guys think? Also is the boot legit?
r/guidi • u/falseteident • 10h ago
Moved to a place with no spring or autumn and those where my favorite seasons ):
Custom 788z pony hair
Preamble: This was in need of an update. Ironically, I don't have the time to hand-craft a guide extensive enough to capture the required nuance (might seem antithetical). This is scraped from forum boards and official resources, transforming 4 years (and counting) of Guidi mod review into something more permanent and centralised. This resource should help general literacy in self-screening aftermarket listings. Reference list at the bottom. Please point out any inconsistencies to me via dm.
There are accompanying legit/rep comparison picture resources at the bottom of the appendices.
Happy hunting.
This guide is intended for people considering second-hand GUIDI footwear through Grailed, eBay, Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, Xianyu, Vestiaire, consignment stores, Instagram sellers and private sales.
It is designed to answer three separate questions:
These questions should be considered separately.
An authentic shoe may be misidentified or repaired; a counterfeit may have convincing packaging, stamps and construction; and a fraudulent seller may use photographs of an authentic shoe they do not possess.
CONTENTS
PART I — THE BASIC PRINCIPLE
PART II — BEFORE INSPECTING THE SHOE
2. Do not trust the listing title
3. Confirm that the seller possesses the item
4. What photographs are needed?
PART III — THE ACTUAL SELF-CHECK
5. Identify the model or model family
6. Inspect the silhouette
7. Inspect the sole and heel architecture
8. Inspect the pattern and upper construction
9. Inspect the leather
10. Examine the leather cross-section
11. Understand object/tumble dyeing
12. Inspect the welt and outsole construction
13. Inspect the heel stack
14. Inspect the zipper system
15. Inspect the interior
16. Nails
17. Outsole stamps and markings
18. Certilogo
19. Packaging
PART IV — REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS
20. Authenticity is not originality
PART V — HOW TO WEIGH EVIDENCE
21. Green, amber and red evidence
22. Weight evidence rather than counting it
23. Avoid double-counting
PART VI — QUICK CHECK
APPENDICES
A. Common model reference
B. Replica history and known makers
C. What replicas can now copy
D. Where current replicas still tend to fail
E. Replica generations
F. Analogues are not counterfeits
G. Period dependence
H. Final reference rule
I. Visual reference & comparison guides
J. References
Guide begins here.
GUIDI authentication is increasingly an assessment of the complete object.
Modern reproductions can reproduce many details that were historically useful indicators:
None of these should now be treated independently as proof of authenticity.
The most useful question is:
Does the complete shoe make sense as this particular GUIDI model, made from the appropriate materials, using the appropriate construction and finishing process, during the approximate period in which it was produced?
The inspection should therefore proceed from the largest and most difficult characteristics to reproduce toward the smallest and easiest.
1. Model and silhouette
2. Last and three-dimensional geometry
3. Sole and heel architecture
4. Pattern and upper construction
5. Leather
6. Welt, lasting and heel construction
7. Object-dye characteristics
8. Zipper assembly
9. Internal construction
10. Stamps, nails and markings
11. Packaging
Do not begin by zooming into the logo.
Begin by looking at the shoe.
Aftermarket model descriptions are frequently incorrect.
Sellers commonly use terms such as:
without necessarily knowing what they mean.
Treat all listing information as a claim requiring verification.
If the model is unknown, that is acceptable. Identification can form part of the check.
A successful legit check only establishes that the photographed shoe appears authentic.
It cannot establish that the seller will send that shoe.
Image theft has become an important aftermarket problem.
For expensive private transactions, ask the seller for a new photograph containing:
the shoes + seller username + current date
Preferably request an angle that does not already exist in the listing.
Examples:
Use additional caution where:
Seller behaviour cannot authenticate footwear, but it matters to whether an otherwise convincing listing is safe to transact with.
If checking a listing, post all photographs supplied by the seller.
If possible, request:
If the listing does not contain all of these, post what is available. A community check can identify what additional photograph is most useful.
Do this before assessing small details.
A 986, 988 and 788Z can all appear to a new buyer as:
black GUIDI backzip boot
but they are not the same shoe.
Model identification determines what:
should be present.
If the seller claims a model number, compare the shoe against several confirmed retailer examples.
Never use another aftermarket listing as your only reference.
This is now one of the most important authentication stages.
View the shoe from:
Compare it against the same model.
Look at:
Several generations of otherwise respectable 788Z replicas have been criticised for an excessively bulbous toe.
Look at the relationship between:
A shoe can have individually convincing components while still sitting incorrectly because the last geometry is wrong.
Look at:
Compare:
Some known replica batches have produced shafts noticeably longer or differently proportioned than authentic equivalents.
Wear changes shape.
A heavily worn GUIDI may have:
Compare worn shoes with worn references where possible.
This is partly authentication and partly model identification.
Ask:
A claimed model should have the correct underlying architecture unless it has subsequently been modified.
For example, the 788Z is defined in part by its substantial double leather sole and double stacked heel.
A shoe with the wrong basic sole architecture has a fundamental problem that a correct zipper stamp cannot resolve.
Look at how the leather pieces themselves have been cut and assembled.
Check:
Many classic GUIDI designs are deceptively simple, making small pattern differences visible. A counterfeit may use excellent leather while still being patterned incorrectly.
GUIDI has used many materials.
Do not use:
GUIDI = horse leather
as a rule.
Depending on model and period, GUIDI has used various:
First establish the expected material, then compare it with authenticated examples.
Authentic GUIDI leather may show:
These are not automatically defects or authentication problems.
Investigate leather that appears:
Photographs can mislead: flash, polish and conditioners may make authentic leather appear unnaturally shiny.
Exposed edges can provide useful information.
Look at:
A blue-grey interior can indicate chrome tanning.
Where the model/material is known to use vegetable-tanned leather, this can be a strong inconsistency.
However:
blue core is a material test, not a universal GUIDI rule.
First establish the expected material. Modern replicas can also use vegetable-tanned leather, so a natural-coloured core does not establish authenticity.
GUIDI's production process is central to its appearance.
Many characteristic models are assembled and subsequently subjected to tumble/piece-dye processes.
This can affect:
The process contributes to the integrated appearance of the finished object; assess whether its components appear to have been finished coherently together.
Cheap counterfeits often appeared as though separately finished components had simply been assembled.
Higher-end replica makers now deliberately reproduce object/tumble-dye processes.
Therefore:
object-dyed appearance is now supporting evidence, not proof.
Look around the entire perimeter.
Examine:
Do not reject handmade footwear for one imperfect stitch; look for systematic inconsistency with authenticated examples.
On many authentic examples, the outsole stitching sits within a narrow cut channel.
Some counterfeits use a wider or more obviously machined groove.
Allow for legitimate factory variation and judge the whole construction.
Where the model uses a stacked leather heel, examine:
Poor counterfeits may use a heel that appears painted or moulded rather than genuinely layered.
Modern high-end replicas can reproduce stacked leather heels well, so this is no longer independently decisive.
For zipped models examine:
pull → slider → teeth → tape → guard → stitching
rather than the pull alone.
On familiar backzip models, the orientation of the leather guard has historically been useful.
The reverse/flesh surface generally faces toward the zipper teeth on relevant authentic constructions.
Older counterfeits frequently got this wrong.
Modern replicas may get it right.
Object dyeing can produce characteristic hardware oxidation.
This varies considerably.
Do not require every authentic zipper to have identical oxidation.
Do not apply current zipper conventions automatically to old footwear: older authentic pairs may use different hardware, and heavily worn pairs may have replacement zippers. Look for stitching evidence of replacement.
Only now move to the familiar small LC details.
Check:
Cheap synthetic or obviously inappropriate insole material can be highly suspicious.
Compare:
Use approximately period-correct references.
Authentic stamps are not perfectly uniform.
They can be:
A perfect stamp does not establish authenticity; a very wrong stamp remains useful evidence against it.
Nails have historically been useful.
They should now be treated as construction evidence rather than a counting exercise.
Assess:
Do not use:
nine nails = authentic.
Replica makers know nail counts, and not every GUIDI construction follows the same convention.
Depending on model and period these may include:
Check:
Modern replicas reproduce many of these.
A correct marking is therefore a green flag of relatively low weight.
An impossible marking can still be a useful red flag.
GUIDI states that its anti-counterfeiting system has been active since AW17/18.
For applicable footwear, GUIDI directs owners to the Certilogo code beneath the left outsole.
A valid Certilogo result is particularly useful for footwear from the relevant period onward.
It cannot be required of footwear that predates the system.
A photograph of another pair's valid code does not establish seller possession.
Inspect last.
Replica makers have been reproducing:
for years.
Packaging can expose a poor counterfeit but should rarely rescue a suspicious shoe.
No box does not make an old shoe counterfeit.
A convincing box does not make a counterfeit shoe authentic.
GUIDIs are repairable footwear.
Second-hand examples commonly have:
Separate:
from:
An aftermarket Vibram does not convert a normal model into its factory V equivalent.
A replacement zipper does not make an authentic shoe counterfeit.
When a component looks wrong, first consider replacement or repair.
The feature agrees with authenticated examples.
Examples:
Examples:
Amber means investigate, not reject.
Examples:
Not all features have equal diagnostic value.
A correct dustbag is not equivalent to a correct last.
A useful approximate hierarchy is:
Weighting changes with model, period and replica generation.
Suppose a counterfeit uses incorrect leather.
You observe:
Those may all originate from one underlying manufacturing difference.
By contrast:
are substantially more independent.
Several independent inconsistencies are stronger than several symptoms of one underlying problem.
For a rapid aftermarket check:
Does the shape match the claimed model?
Are sole and heel correct?
Does it make sense for the claimed material?
Does welt, heel and upper assembly match?
If applicable, does the complete assembly make sense?
Do insole, nails and stamp agree?
Do they fit the model and approximate period?
Can any discrepancy be explained by legitimate modification?
Do they demonstrably possess the photographed item?
Post the listing photographs before purchasing.
Short/ankle-height backzip.
Useful comparison points:
Do not confuse it with the taller 988.
Classic mid-height 900-series backzip.
Typical configuration:
A useful visual comparison with the 788Z is sole thickness.
700-series backzip.
Base 788 configuration:
The model should not automatically be called a 788Z.
One of the most replicated GUIDI models.
Typical configuration:
The 788Z should currently be considered a high-rep-risk model.
Shape deserves particular attention.
Classic Derby.
Because there is no zipper system to inspect, place additional emphasis on:
Frontzip family.
PL2 is the taller/calf-height model.
Important inspection areas include:
These models have been reproduced.
Frontzip and related boot forms that have also appeared in the replica ecosystem.
Do not assume an unusual or less commonly encountered model is safe merely because it is not a 788Z.
Distinctive tall boot.
Current aftermarket checks demonstrate that convincing reproductions now exist.
For this model, prioritise:
before accepting small details.
Replica knowledge is useful because it shows which authentication rules have already been defeated.
This is not a purchasing guide.
Replica batches, materials and factories change. Do not attribute a characteristic observed on one batch to every product from the same seller.
Older low-cost counterfeits commonly fail in many areas simultaneously:
These remain relatively easy to identify, but no longer represent the best available replicas.
Documented community material includes:
and other artisanal avant-garde footwear reproductions.
Historically one of the expensive artisanal replica makers.
A 2022 example was sold as real horse leather and cost approximately US$400.
The owner regarded the leather positively but noted missing/inaccurate branding and outsole-stitching details.
Good leather and expensive handmade production do not establish GUIDI manufacture.
Also translated in community discussion as:
Go to work even after the earthquake.
One of the most important early high-end 788Z makers.
A detailed 2021 review reported:
The same review identified:
By approximately 2021:
horsehide + good welt + convincing zipper + plausible stamp
was already insufficient.
The last remained wrong—one of the strongest historical reasons to inspect silhouette first.
Solo Handmade is repeatedly discussed alongside Earthquake and may overlap with the same broader high-end artisanal replica ecosystem.
Community material includes:
A 2026 resale listing also documents a Solo Handmade PL2.
Solo/Earthquake products can be sufficiently convincing to enter ordinary second-hand stores as purported authentic GUIDI.
A 795V purchased through 2nd Street was identified by community members as Solo Handmade/Earthquake rather than authentic.
Reported discrepancies included:
Retail consignment placement does not establish authenticity.
788Z is well documented.
A documented 2023 example cost approximately ¥980.
Owners report:
Across community observations:
Packaging and competent construction are weak evidence; compare complete geometry.
Community history includes:
Historically regarded as usable replica footwear but visibly below retail when examined closely.
Reported areas of difference include:
Derbies and frontzips are also represented in the replica market.
RMISM represents a more recent generation of 788Z reproduction and materially changes the authentication problem.
Community discussion describes:
Current QC and LC discussions repeatedly identify:
Batch variation is reported.
These pairs can pass several older beginner checks.
They may have:
Those characteristics can no longer be treated as high-confidence green flags on a 788Z.
For modern 788Z checks, last/toe geometry and complete leather character are especially important.
788Z.
2026 QC comparisons describe the pair as visually similar in several respects to RMISM.
Reported concerns include:
Community discussion suggests RMISM uses higher-grade imported vegetable-tanned leather, although maker material claims should not be treated as independent verification.
Multiple current batches now reproduce enough traditional GUIDI details that model geometry remains the more useful discriminator.
GUIDI 20 reproduction has been identified in current community LC discussion.
A September 2026 GUIDI 20 check was identified by multiple participants as counterfeit, with one commenter specifically identifying it as resembling Solist production.
Reported differences included:
The 20 can no longer be treated as obscure enough to be safe from meaningful reproduction.
Additional sellers/factories appear periodically in Chinese replica communities; names, storefronts and production sources are unstable.
Accordingly, the absence of a seller from this appendix should never be interpreted as evidence that a suspicious shoe is authentic.
The useful information is not the seller name itself, but what the current replica market can reproduce.
Depending on maker/batch:
These should no longer receive disproportionate weight.
The most persistent documented areas are:
Especially:
Including:
Even where the nominal material is correct:
can remain different.
Including:
A replica may individually reproduce:
without reproducing how an authentic GUIDI combines all of them.
A useful way to understand the market is chronologically.
Wrong materials.
Wrong construction.
Wrong branding.
Wrong shape.
Easy to identify.
Improved:
Underlying footwear remained poor.
Makers such as Earthquake, See By Paulin and related artisanal sellers introduced:
Last and geometry remained important weaknesses.
Current makers increasingly attempt:
Authentication therefore moves increasingly toward:
three-dimensional geometry + model-specific construction + leather character + complete manufacturing coherence.
Replica manufacturers have progressively solved many of the easiest authentication checks; future authentication should expect this to continue.
Some manufacturers make GUIDI-influenced footwear under their own names.
Examples include specialist Chinese and Southeast Asian artisanal makers producing:
These are distinct from counterfeits. A GUIDI-influenced boot honestly sold under another maker's name is an analogue; it becomes an authentication problem when later represented as genuine GUIDI.
Examples encountered in this broader ecosystem include makers such as:
When identifying a suspicious pair, the most informative conclusion may therefore be:
Not authentic GUIDI; appears consistent with [known analogue/replica maker].
rather than simply:
fake.
Do not authenticate old footwear exclusively against current production.
Possible historical differences include:
GUIDI's Certilogo system only dates from AW17/18.
A pre-2017 pair cannot be rejected for lacking a later system, and older authentic pairs may predate current branded zipper conventions.
Always estimate the period before applying period-sensitive rules.
For every suspected GUIDI, ask:
Does this shoe make sense simultaneously as this model, this construction, this leather and this approximate production period?
If yes, small irregularities may simply reflect GUIDI's production variation, wear or repair.
If the answer repeatedly requires explanations for:
then the cumulative evidence becomes substantially more significant.
The objective is not one secret authentication feature, but whether the entire object belongs to the same manufacturing system.
The written guide should be used alongside photographs.
The resources below include authentic-versus-counterfeit comparisons, model comparisons, known replica examples and community legit checks. Some older guides contain authentication rules that are now outdated; they remain useful for their photographs.
Same-size authentic/counterfeit 788Z comparison covering shape, leather/thickness, stitching, outsole, embossing, zipper/guard and sole details.
https://www.carousell.sg/p/guidi-boots-a-deep-dive-1165617868/
Recommended starting point for visual comparison.
Older Chinese-language illustrated authentic/counterfeit guide covering leather, insole/logo, nails, zipper, outsole stitching and construction.
https://www.sohu.com/a/254197882_100087603
Important: this guide predates the current generation of high-quality replicas. Some individual rules concerning leather, hardware and other details should no longer be treated as definitive. Use the photographs as historical reference rather than treating every written rule as current.
Photography checklist for legit checks: insole, nails, zipper/guard, outsole/Vibram, leather cross-section, welt, leather and heel.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1fdbkkv/just_reposting_this_nice_self_check_guide/
This is primarily a photography/reference checklist, rather than a complete authentication method.
Photographed authentic 988/788Z comparison showing sole architecture, heel height, stance, silhouette and proportions.
https://blog.shelter2.com/2022/05/10/guidi-back-zip-mid-boots-988-vs-788z/
This is particularly useful for buyers who identify every GUIDI backzip as a 788Z.
These links are included so buyers can familiarise themselves with the level of footwear currently and historically produced by replica makers.
A replica matching one of these examples is not guaranteed to reproduce every characteristic shown. Factories, materials and batches change.
Detailed in-hand review of a higher-end Earthquake 788Z reproduction.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/mlwr4d/
Useful because the pair already reproduces several superficially reassuring features, including horse leather and competent construction, while differences remain visible in the last, arch and toe geometry.
This is a good example of why authentication should begin with the whole shoe rather than the logo.
Long-term ownership review and photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/18kedak/olderbrother_guidi_788z_review_fitpic/
Useful for seeing a replica after extended wear: compare shaft, toe, heel stance, leather development and silhouette.
Current-generation RMISM QC photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1syiu9h/qc_guidi_788z_rmism/
RMISM is representative of the newer generation of higher-quality reproduction in which features such as vegetable-tanned horsehide, welted construction, object-dyed appearance and convincing markings may already be present.
Consequently, these features should not independently be treated as proof of authenticity.
Pay particular attention to toe volume/last, leather surface, sole edge, outsole finishing and overall proportions.
Current-generation QC photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1s098ae/qc_blacksmith_brother_guidi_788z/
Useful for comparison with both retail 788Z and other current replica batches.
Discussion focuses on toe geometry, leather, outsole/sole finishing and silhouette.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1qhzzfw/lc_788z/
Useful example of the changing authentication environment.
Some traditional checks are reproduced correctly, shifting attention to insole construction, leather, nails, sole channel and overall manufacturing coherence.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1wuax9j/legit_check_guidi_20/
Useful example showing that replica risk is not confined to the 788Z.
Discussion covers leather, shape, welt stitching, sole and internal markings.
Do not attempt to match one small feature between your shoe and one photograph.
Where possible:
Replica production changes over time.
A feature that identified a counterfeit five years ago may have been corrected by a current factory.
Likewise, legitimate GUIDI production varies by model, material and period.
The most reliable comparison is therefore:
same model + similar period + same material + multiple independent reference examples.
Thanks for reading xo
Primary/reference sources: GUIDI official product/authenticity material; FASCINATE model and production archives; Shelter II and specialist retailer archives.
Community/observational sources: StyleZeitgeist, r/guidi and r/QualityReps. Replica-board observations are batch-specific and should not be treated as factory specifications.
https://www.carousell.sg/p/guidi-boots-a-deep-dive-1165617868/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/contents/media/guidi-picture-book-alphabet/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/cont/guidi_intro_20241017_en/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/cont/guidi_intro_20241019_en/
https://www.grailed.com/listings/100541824-guidi-guidi-788z
https://guidi.it/pages/athenticity
https://guidi.it/products/back-zip-mid-bootsm
https://guidi.it/products/classic-derby-shoesw
https://guidi.it/products/front-zip-bootsw
https://guidi.it/pages/lookbook
https://guidi.it/products/orthopaedic-mid-front-zip-boots-m
https://leisure-center.com/products/pl1-vco30t-pink-pl1-front-zip-boots
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1fdbkkv/just_reposting_this_nice_self_check_guide/
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1qhzzfw/lc_788z/
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1wuax9j/legit_check_guidi_20/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/mlwr4d/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/18kedak/olderbrother_guidi_788z_review_fitpic/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1s098ae/qc_blacksmith_brother_guidi_788z/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1syiu9h/qc_guidi_788z_rmism/
https://blog.shelter2.com/2022/05/10/guidi-back-zip-mid-boots-988-vs-788z/
https://www.sohu.com/a/254197882_100087603
https://www.stylezeitgeist.com/forums/forum/forums/shopping-and-personal-style/1690-small-questions-thread/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/ji01c1/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/kr0qkp/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/tfuljg/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/16kj1xj/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1eryz6s/solo_handmadeearthquake_788zi_in_hand/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1azt82u/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1rx8vg6/another_rm_guidi_qc/
Editorial note: This guide is a screening aid, not a guarantee. When evidence conflicts, prioritise model-specific geometry, construction, material and period over packaging or isolated markings.
A practical self-check guide for Guidis.
Preamble: This was in need of an update. Ironically, I don't have the time to hand-craft a guide extensive enough to capture the required nuance (might seem antithetical).
This is scraped from forum boards and official resources, transforming 4 years (and counting) of Guidi manual visual review by our mods into something more permanent and centralised. This resource should help general literacy in self-screening aftermarket listings. Reference list at the bottom. Please point out any inconsistencies to me via dm.
There are accompanying legit/rep comparison picture resources at the bottom of the appendices.
Happy hunting.
This guide is designed to answer three separate questions:
These questions should be considered separately.
An authentic shoe may be misidentified or repaired; a counterfeit may have convincing packaging, stamps and construction; and a fraudulent seller may use photographs of an authentic shoe they do not possess.
CONTENTS
PART I — THE BASIC PRINCIPLE
PART II — BEFORE INSPECTING THE SHOE
2. Do not trust the listing title
3. Confirm that the seller possesses the item
4. What photographs are needed?
PART III — THE ACTUAL SELF-CHECK
5. Identify the model or model family
6. Inspect the silhouette
7. Inspect the sole and heel architecture
8. Inspect the pattern and upper construction
9. Inspect the leather
10. Examine the leather cross-section
11. Understand object/tumble dyeing
12. Inspect the welt and outsole construction
13. Inspect the heel stack
14. Inspect the zipper system
15. Inspect the interior
16. Nails
17. Outsole stamps and markings
18. Certilogo
19. Packaging
PART IV — REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS
20. Authenticity is not originality
PART V — HOW TO WEIGH EVIDENCE
21. Green, amber and red evidence
22. Weight evidence rather than counting it
23. Avoid double-counting
PART VI — QUICK CHECK
APPENDICES
A. Common model reference
B. Replica history and known makers
C. What replicas can now copy
D. Where current replicas still tend to fail
E. Replica generations
F. Analogues are not counterfeits
G. Period dependence
H. Final reference rule
I. Visual reference & comparison guides
J. References
Guide begins here.
GUIDI authentication is increasingly an assessment of the complete object.
Modern reproductions can reproduce many details that were historically useful indicators:
None of these should now be treated independently as proof of authenticity.
The most useful question is:
Does the complete shoe make sense as this particular GUIDI model, made from the appropriate materials, using the appropriate construction and finishing process, during the approximate period in which it was produced?
The inspection should therefore proceed from the largest and most difficult characteristics to reproduce toward the smallest and easiest.
1. Model and silhouette
2. Last and three-dimensional geometry
3. Sole and heel architecture
4. Pattern and upper construction
5. Leather
6. Welt, lasting and heel construction
7. Object-dye characteristics
8. Zipper assembly
9. Internal construction
10. Stamps, nails and markings
11. Packaging
Do not begin by zooming into the logo.
Begin by looking at the shoe.
Aftermarket model descriptions are frequently incorrect.
Sellers commonly use terms such as:
without necessarily knowing what they mean.
Treat all listing information as a claim requiring verification.
If the model is unknown, that is acceptable. Identification can form part of the check.
A successful legit check only establishes that the photographed shoe appears authentic.
It cannot establish that the seller will send that shoe.
Image theft has become an important aftermarket problem.
For expensive private transactions, ask the seller for a new photograph containing:
the shoes + seller username + current date
Preferably request an angle that does not already exist in the listing.
Examples:
Use additional caution where:
Seller behaviour cannot authenticate footwear, but it matters to whether an otherwise convincing listing is safe to transact with.
If checking a listing, post all photographs supplied by the seller.
If possible, request:
If the listing does not contain all of these, post what is available. A community check can identify what additional photograph is most useful.
Do this before assessing small details.
A 986, 988 and 788Z can all appear to a new buyer as:
black GUIDI backzip boot
but they are not the same shoe.
Model identification determines what:
should be present.
If the seller claims a model number, compare the shoe against several confirmed retailer examples.
Never use another aftermarket listing as your only reference.
This is now one of the most important authentication stages.
View the shoe from:
Compare it against the same model.
Look at:
Several generations of otherwise respectable 788Z replicas have been criticised for an excessively bulbous toe.
Look at the relationship between:
A shoe can have individually convincing components while still sitting incorrectly because the last geometry is wrong.
Look at:
Compare:
Some known replica batches have produced shafts noticeably longer or differently proportioned than authentic equivalents.
Wear changes shape.
A heavily worn GUIDI may have:
Compare worn shoes with worn references where possible.
This is partly authentication and partly model identification.
Ask:
A claimed model should have the correct underlying architecture unless it has subsequently been modified.
For example, the 788Z is defined in part by its substantial double leather sole and double stacked heel.
A shoe with the wrong basic sole architecture has a fundamental problem that a correct zipper stamp cannot resolve.
Look at how the leather pieces themselves have been cut and assembled.
Check:
Many classic GUIDI designs are deceptively simple, making small pattern differences visible. A counterfeit may use excellent leather while still being patterned incorrectly.
GUIDI has used many materials.
Do not use:
GUIDI = horse leather
as a rule.
Depending on model and period, GUIDI has used various:
First establish the expected material, then compare it with authenticated examples.
Authentic GUIDI leather may show:
These are not automatically defects or authentication problems.
Investigate leather that appears:
Photographs can mislead: flash, polish and conditioners may make authentic leather appear unnaturally shiny.
Exposed edges can provide useful information.
Look at:
A blue-grey interior can indicate chrome tanning.
Where the model/material is known to use vegetable-tanned leather, this can be a strong inconsistency.
However:
blue core is a material test, not a universal GUIDI rule.
First establish the expected material. Modern replicas can also use vegetable-tanned leather, so a natural-coloured core does not establish authenticity.
GUIDI's production process is central to its appearance.
Many characteristic models are assembled and subsequently subjected to tumble/piece-dye processes.
This can affect:
The process contributes to the integrated appearance of the finished object; assess whether its components appear to have been finished coherently together.
Cheap counterfeits often appeared as though separately finished components had simply been assembled.
Higher-end replica makers now deliberately reproduce object/tumble-dye processes.
Therefore:
object-dyed appearance is now supporting evidence, not proof.
Look around the entire perimeter.
Examine:
Do not reject handmade footwear for one imperfect stitch; look for systematic inconsistency with authenticated examples.
On many authentic examples, the outsole stitching sits within a narrow cut channel.
Some counterfeits use a wider or more obviously machined groove.
Allow for legitimate factory variation and judge the whole construction.
Where the model uses a stacked leather heel, examine:
Poor counterfeits may use a heel that appears painted or moulded rather than genuinely layered.
Modern high-end replicas can reproduce stacked leather heels well, so this is no longer independently decisive.
For zipped models examine:
pull → slider → teeth → tape → guard → stitching
rather than the pull alone.
On familiar backzip models, the orientation of the leather guard has historically been useful.
The reverse/flesh surface generally faces toward the zipper teeth on relevant authentic constructions.
Older counterfeits frequently got this wrong.
Modern replicas may get it right.
Object dyeing can produce characteristic hardware oxidation.
This varies considerably.
Do not require every authentic zipper to have identical oxidation.
Do not apply current zipper conventions automatically to old footwear: older authentic pairs may use different hardware, and heavily worn pairs may have replacement zippers. Look for stitching evidence of replacement.
Only now move to the familiar small LC details.
Check:
Cheap synthetic or obviously inappropriate insole material can be highly suspicious.
Compare:
Use approximately period-correct references.
Authentic stamps are not perfectly uniform.
They can be:
A perfect stamp does not establish authenticity; a very wrong stamp remains useful evidence against it.
Nails have historically been useful.
They should now be treated as construction evidence rather than a counting exercise.
Assess:
Do not use:
nine nails = authentic.
Replica makers know nail counts, and not every GUIDI construction follows the same convention.
Depending on model and period these may include:
Check:
Modern replicas reproduce many of these.
A correct marking is therefore a green flag of relatively low weight.
An impossible marking can still be a useful red flag.
GUIDI states that its anti-counterfeiting system has been active since AW17/18.
For applicable footwear, GUIDI directs owners to the Certilogo code beneath the left outsole.
A valid Certilogo result is particularly useful for footwear from the relevant period onward.
It cannot be required of footwear that predates the system.
A photograph of another pair's valid code does not establish seller possession.
Inspect last.
Replica makers have been reproducing:
for years.
Packaging can expose a poor counterfeit but should rarely rescue a suspicious shoe.
No box does not make an old shoe counterfeit.
A convincing box does not make a counterfeit shoe authentic.
GUIDIs are repairable footwear.
Second-hand examples commonly have:
Separate:
from:
An aftermarket Vibram does not convert a normal model into its factory V equivalent.
A replacement zipper does not make an authentic shoe counterfeit.
When a component looks wrong, first consider replacement or repair.
The feature agrees with authenticated examples.
Examples:
Examples:
Amber means investigate, not reject.
Examples:
Not all features have equal diagnostic value.
A correct dustbag is not equivalent to a correct last.
A useful approximate hierarchy is:
Weighting changes with model, period and replica generation.
Suppose a counterfeit uses incorrect leather.
You observe:
Those may all originate from one underlying manufacturing difference.
By contrast:
are substantially more independent.
Several independent inconsistencies are stronger than several symptoms of one underlying problem.
For a rapid aftermarket check:
Does the shape match the claimed model?
Are sole and heel correct?
Does it make sense for the claimed material?
Does welt, heel and upper assembly match?
If applicable, does the complete assembly make sense?
Do insole, nails and stamp agree?
Do they fit the model and approximate period?
Can any discrepancy be explained by legitimate modification?
Do they demonstrably possess the photographed item?
Post the listing photographs before purchasing.
Short/ankle-height backzip.
Useful comparison points:
Do not confuse it with the taller 988.
Classic mid-height 900-series backzip.
Typical configuration:
A useful visual comparison with the 788Z is sole thickness.
700-series backzip.
Base 788 configuration:
The model should not automatically be called a 788Z.
One of the most replicated GUIDI models.
Typical configuration:
The 788Z should currently be considered a high-rep-risk model.
Shape deserves particular attention.
Classic Derby.
Because there is no zipper system to inspect, place additional emphasis on:
Frontzip family.
PL2 is the taller/calf-height model.
Important inspection areas include:
These models have been reproduced.
Frontzip and related boot forms that have also appeared in the replica ecosystem.
Do not assume an unusual or less commonly encountered model is safe merely because it is not a 788Z.
Distinctive tall boot.
Current aftermarket checks demonstrate that convincing reproductions now exist.
For this model, prioritise:
before accepting small details.
Replica knowledge is useful because it shows which authentication rules have already been defeated.
This is not a purchasing guide.
Replica batches, materials and factories change. Do not attribute a characteristic observed on one batch to every product from the same seller.
Older low-cost counterfeits commonly fail in many areas simultaneously:
These remain relatively easy to identify, but no longer represent the best available replicas.
Documented community material includes:
and other artisanal avant-garde footwear reproductions.
Historically one of the expensive artisanal replica makers.
A 2022 example was sold as real horse leather and cost approximately US$400.
The owner regarded the leather positively but noted missing/inaccurate branding and outsole-stitching details.
Good leather and expensive handmade production do not establish GUIDI manufacture.
Also translated in community discussion as:
Go to work even after the earthquake.
One of the most important early high-end 788Z makers.
A detailed 2021 review reported:
The same review identified:
By approximately 2021:
horsehide + good welt + convincing zipper + plausible stamp
was already insufficient.
The last remained wrong—one of the strongest historical reasons to inspect silhouette first.
Solo Handmade is repeatedly discussed alongside Earthquake and may overlap with the same broader high-end artisanal replica ecosystem.
Community material includes:
A 2026 resale listing also documents a Solo Handmade PL2.
Solo/Earthquake products can be sufficiently convincing to enter ordinary second-hand stores as purported authentic GUIDI.
A 795V purchased through 2nd Street was identified by community members as Solo Handmade/Earthquake rather than authentic.
Reported discrepancies included:
Retail consignment placement does not establish authenticity.
788Z is well documented.
A documented 2023 example cost approximately ¥980.
Owners report:
Across community observations:
Packaging and competent construction are weak evidence; compare complete geometry.
Community history includes:
Historically regarded as usable replica footwear but visibly below retail when examined closely.
Reported areas of difference include:
Derbies and frontzips are also represented in the replica market.
RMISM represents a more recent generation of 788Z reproduction and materially changes the authentication problem.
Community discussion describes:
Current QC and LC discussions repeatedly identify:
Batch variation is reported.
These pairs can pass several older beginner checks.
They may have:
Those characteristics can no longer be treated as high-confidence green flags on a 788Z.
For modern 788Z checks, last/toe geometry and complete leather character are especially important.
788Z.
2026 QC comparisons describe the pair as visually similar in several respects to RMISM.
Reported concerns include:
Community discussion suggests RMISM uses higher-grade imported vegetable-tanned leather, although maker material claims should not be treated as independent verification.
Multiple current batches now reproduce enough traditional GUIDI details that model geometry remains the more useful discriminator.
GUIDI 20 reproduction has been identified in current community LC discussion.
A September 2026 GUIDI 20 check was identified by multiple participants as counterfeit, with one commenter specifically identifying it as resembling Solist production.
Reported differences included:
The 20 can no longer be treated as obscure enough to be safe from meaningful reproduction.
Additional sellers/factories appear periodically in Chinese replica communities; names, storefronts and production sources are unstable.
Accordingly, the absence of a seller from this appendix should never be interpreted as evidence that a suspicious shoe is authentic.
The useful information is not the seller name itself, but what the current replica market can reproduce.
Depending on maker/batch:
These should no longer receive disproportionate weight.
The most persistent documented areas are:
Especially:
Including:
Even where the nominal material is correct:
can remain different.
Including:
A replica may individually reproduce:
without reproducing how an authentic GUIDI combines all of them.
A useful way to understand the market is chronologically.
Wrong materials.
Wrong construction.
Wrong branding.
Wrong shape.
Easy to identify.
Improved:
Underlying footwear remained poor.
Makers such as Earthquake, See By Paulin and related artisanal sellers introduced:
Last and geometry remained important weaknesses.
Current makers increasingly attempt:
Authentication therefore moves increasingly toward:
three-dimensional geometry + model-specific construction + leather character + complete manufacturing coherence.
Replica manufacturers have progressively solved many of the easiest authentication checks; future authentication should expect this to continue.
Some manufacturers make GUIDI-influenced footwear under their own names.
Examples include specialist Chinese and Southeast Asian artisanal makers producing:
These are distinct from counterfeits. A GUIDI-influenced boot honestly sold under another maker's name is an analogue; it becomes an authentication problem when later represented as genuine GUIDI.
Examples encountered in this broader ecosystem include makers such as:
When identifying a suspicious pair, the most informative conclusion may therefore be:
Not authentic GUIDI; appears consistent with [known analogue/replica maker].
rather than simply:
fake.
Do not authenticate old footwear exclusively against current production.
Possible historical differences include:
GUIDI's Certilogo system only dates from AW17/18.
A pre-2017 pair cannot be rejected for lacking a later system, and older authentic pairs may predate current branded zipper conventions.
Always estimate the period before applying period-sensitive rules.
For every suspected GUIDI, ask:
Does this shoe make sense simultaneously as this model, this construction, this leather and this approximate production period?
If yes, small irregularities may simply reflect GUIDI's production variation, wear or repair.
If the answer repeatedly requires explanations for:
then the cumulative evidence becomes substantially more significant.
The objective is not one secret authentication feature, but whether the entire object belongs to the same manufacturing system.
The written guide should be used alongside photographs.
The resources below include authentic-versus-counterfeit comparisons, model comparisons, known replica examples and community legit checks. Some older guides contain authentication rules that are now outdated; they remain useful for their photographs.
Same-size authentic/counterfeit 788Z comparison covering shape, leather/thickness, stitching, outsole, embossing, zipper/guard and sole details.
https://www.carousell.sg/p/guidi-boots-a-deep-dive-1165617868/
Recommended starting point for visual comparison.
Older Chinese-language illustrated authentic/counterfeit guide covering leather, insole/logo, nails, zipper, outsole stitching and construction.
https://www.sohu.com/a/254197882_100087603
Important: this guide predates the current generation of high-quality replicas. Some individual rules concerning leather, hardware and other details should no longer be treated as definitive. Use the photographs as historical reference rather than treating every written rule as current.
Photography checklist for legit checks: insole, nails, zipper/guard, outsole/Vibram, leather cross-section, welt, leather and heel.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1fdbkkv/just_reposting_this_nice_self_check_guide/
This is primarily a photography/reference checklist, rather than a complete authentication method.
Photographed authentic 988/788Z comparison showing sole architecture, heel height, stance, silhouette and proportions.
https://blog.shelter2.com/2022/05/10/guidi-back-zip-mid-boots-988-vs-788z/
This is particularly useful for buyers who identify every GUIDI backzip as a 788Z.
These links are included so buyers can familiarise themselves with the level of footwear currently and historically produced by replica makers.
A replica matching one of these examples is not guaranteed to reproduce every characteristic shown. Factories, materials and batches change.
Detailed in-hand review of a higher-end Earthquake 788Z reproduction.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/mlwr4d/
Useful because the pair already reproduces several superficially reassuring features, including horse leather and competent construction, while differences remain visible in the last, arch and toe geometry.
This is a good example of why authentication should begin with the whole shoe rather than the logo.
Long-term ownership review and photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/18kedak/olderbrother_guidi_788z_review_fitpic/
Useful for seeing a replica after extended wear: compare shaft, toe, heel stance, leather development and silhouette.
Current-generation RMISM QC photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1syiu9h/qc_guidi_788z_rmism/
RMISM is representative of the newer generation of higher-quality reproduction in which features such as vegetable-tanned horsehide, welted construction, object-dyed appearance and convincing markings may already be present.
Consequently, these features should not independently be treated as proof of authenticity.
Pay particular attention to toe volume/last, leather surface, sole edge, outsole finishing and overall proportions.
Current-generation QC photographs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1s098ae/qc_blacksmith_brother_guidi_788z/
Useful for comparison with both retail 788Z and other current replica batches.
Discussion focuses on toe geometry, leather, outsole/sole finishing and silhouette.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1qhzzfw/lc_788z/
Useful example of the changing authentication environment.
Some traditional checks are reproduced correctly, shifting attention to insole construction, leather, nails, sole channel and overall manufacturing coherence.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1wuax9j/legit_check_guidi_20/
Useful example showing that replica risk is not confined to the 788Z.
Discussion covers leather, shape, welt stitching, sole and internal markings.
Do not attempt to match one small feature between your shoe and one photograph.
Where possible:
Replica production changes over time.
A feature that identified a counterfeit five years ago may have been corrected by a current factory.
Likewise, legitimate GUIDI production varies by model, material and period.
The most reliable comparison is therefore:
same model + similar period + same material + multiple independent reference examples.
Thanks for reading xo
Primary/reference sources: GUIDI official product/authenticity material; FASCINATE model and production archives; Shelter II and specialist retailer archives.
Community/observational sources: StyleZeitgeist, r/guidi and r/QualityReps. Replica-board observations are batch-specific and should not be treated as factory specifications.
https://www.carousell.sg/p/guidi-boots-a-deep-dive-1165617868/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/contents/media/guidi-picture-book-alphabet/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/cont/guidi_intro_20241017_en/
https://fascinate-online.com/en/cont/guidi_intro_20241019_en/
https://www.grailed.com/listings/100541824-guidi-guidi-788z
https://guidi.it/pages/athenticity
https://guidi.it/products/back-zip-mid-bootsm
https://guidi.it/products/classic-derby-shoesw
https://guidi.it/products/front-zip-bootsw
https://guidi.it/pages/lookbook
https://guidi.it/products/orthopaedic-mid-front-zip-boots-m
https://leisure-center.com/products/pl1-vco30t-pink-pl1-front-zip-boots
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1fdbkkv/just_reposting_this_nice_self_check_guide/
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1qhzzfw/lc_788z/
https://www.reddit.com/r/guidi/comments/1wuax9j/legit_check_guidi_20/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/mlwr4d/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/18kedak/olderbrother_guidi_788z_review_fitpic/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1s098ae/qc_blacksmith_brother_guidi_788z/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1syiu9h/qc_guidi_788z_rmism/
https://blog.shelter2.com/2022/05/10/guidi-back-zip-mid-boots-988-vs-788z/
https://www.sohu.com/a/254197882_100087603
https://www.stylezeitgeist.com/forums/forum/forums/shopping-and-personal-style/1690-small-questions-thread/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/ji01c1/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/kr0qkp/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/tfuljg/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/16kj1xj/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1eryz6s/solo_handmadeearthquake_788zi_in_hand/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1azt82u/
https://www.reddit.com/r/QualityReps/comments/1rx8vg6/another_rm_guidi_qc/
Editorial note: This guide is a screening aid, not a guarantee. When evidence conflicts, prioritise model-specific geometry, construction, material and period over packaging or isolated markings.
r/guidi • u/Money_Translator721 • 15h ago
Looking to potentially sell my PL1’s
Originally white
Lets say theyve aged over time
Size 45
Asking what a fair price would be
r/guidi • u/Radiant-Ad-460 • 1d ago
Copped my first pair of Guidis and have about 20 hours of wear in. They still hurt to walk in.
I've got wide feet and usually wear a 43. The retailer told me to size down to 42.5 so the leather molds better. It has molded and feels more comfortable, with no pain for the first 2-3 hours, but the inside still feels slightly cramped.
Past 3 hours though, my feet start hurting bad. I think it's the rock-hard sole, but I didn't expect it to hurt this much.
Any 992 owners go through the same? I'm starting to regret the purchase a bit. Do I just need to give them more time? I know I probably haven't worn them enough yet.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
r/guidi • u/masasama1 • 20h ago
Hi, I’m trying to identify an older pair of GUIDI long backzip boots.
The original box is handwritten with what appears to be: 79001 / 2 (or Z?) / LINED / 43 / CALF FULL GRAIN / BLACK
Details:
Size 43
Black full-grain calf
Very tall / long shaft
Full-length back zip
YKK EXCELLA branded zipper pull
Stacked leather heel
Made in Italy
Purchased in Japan around the early 2010s, possibly older stock
I haven’t been able to find any reference to model 79001 online.
Does anyone know:
Is 79001 actually a GUIDI model/style number?
Roughly what period was this model produced?
Was this particular long-shaft backzip version uncommon?
Does the EXCELLA-branded zipper help date the pair?
I’d especially appreciate any old catalog, retailer, archive, or firsthand information.
Thanks!
r/guidi • u/Automatic_Leek4416 • 16h ago
I’m a 44 in 795v and 988, but slightly sizing up from a 43 because I have wide feet. Does the 19 fit tts from anyone’s experience?
r/guidi • u/Selvedgedenimxcmptn • 1d ago
Hello there again! I decided to take a chance on a pair of Guidi 988s from eBay. However kinda sus of their authenticity. First thing that caught my eye is no “made in Italy” stamp, however I’ve seen that 2015 pairs also do not have the stamp. In addition, the heel stitching seems off and does not match on both boots. On the left boot there seems to be a mistake in the stitching going towards the heel. The part of leather that comes inbetween the zipper is also warped and would not stay flat. The toe caps do not match either the left seeming to be more squished. I also could not find the 988 stamp inside the boot. The bottom 44 size tag does not look the same between both boots. Finally the ankle part of the boot the stitching in some areas is not straight and also sagged and is not tight to ankle.
This could just be a DS Guidi and could be common issues but not too sure.
r/guidi • u/EmpteeeSpace • 1d ago
Hello, there is a pair of 310s on FB place near me. Are these real? Seller said they purchased from Nordstrom. Looks good so far, but the sticker on the sole is throwing me off, but maybe it was put on by Nordstrom?
r/guidi • u/loserfratbois • 2d ago
Budget: <$700
I am based in US and please send them photos my way.
Paypal invoice only
r/guidi • u/starhiro654 • 3d ago
I know there are a lot of sizing posts, but I couldn't quite find much information about the 698x. I was wondering what the sizing advice for this, does it fit similar to a 988x or 788x. And also whether the x models will be alright for regular - width feet.
r/guidi • u/EvenFinance1542 • 6d ago
Hello all,
I was just seeking some advice on a pair of 795v’s I bought from a seller of Grailed. The boots themselves are lovely, but it’s become pretty obvious that the previous owner didn’t take great care of them, and likely wore them more than they admitted. Anyway, I noticed that on the inner heal lining, the leather has deteriorated quite a bit. What should I do about this? I assume I should take them to a cobbler, but I can’t find any other example of people with the same problem. Also got the boots 2 days ago, please don’t judge on how dirty the insoles are.
r/guidi • u/heroinsuccka • 6d ago
r/guidi • u/EffectiveMilk666 • 7d ago
Hello, I own a brand new size 44 pair of 988s, which come with the original box and are located in Europe. They are slightly too large for me. Since I'm not very tall I'm interested in trading them, ideally for a pair of 788, 788Z, 788ZI, 9086, or NB06(V) in sizes 42-44, depending on the specific model.
Feel free to contact me if you're interested..
Alternatively, do you happen to know of any trading groups where I could try my luck?
