Adidas Reimagines Its Military-Born Sneaker as a Retro Runner with Vintage Nike and New Balance Vibes

The BW Army continues to pull rank, this time thanks to a reworked sole inspired by 1970s-era running shoes.

Close-up of a gray and maroon Adidas sneaker with cream laces and a white sole against a blue background.

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By Jack Seemer

Published May 5, 2026

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Updated May 5, 2026

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You don’t make shoes like the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 if you’re content to rest on your laurels. But Adidas would be the last brand to abandon its archive.

Even today, old-school gems like the Samba and Superstar continue to win over new fans, usually by way of unique colorways and one-off updates shaped for the present.

The BW Army Run is the latest example of this approach, with Adidas continuing to position its military-born trainer as the retro silhouette to beat in 2026.

Gray and white Adidas sneaker with black stripe and cream sole on a light background. — The BW Army Run is a new riff on the GAT supplied to West German forces half a century ago.

Hit the road

Like recent examples of the BW Army, including high-profile collaborations with Hartcopy and Kith, the model eschews the brand’s trademark stripes that accompany most other Adidas Originals models.

Blue and gray suede sneaker with white stripe and cream sole viewed from the side. — The BW Army notably eschews the three-stripe motif found on most Adidas shoes.

Instead it relies on a subtle interplay of materials and colors, including suede overlays around the toebox and heel.

Top view of a white and gray sneaker with white laces on a light background. — The shoe relies on paneling around the heel and toebox to add contrast.

The shoe features the old Trefoil logo on the heel.

Adidas

Underfoot, however, it diverts from the original design of the BW Army supplied to West German forces half a century ago by swapping out the traditional gum sole for one inspired by ’70s-era running shoes.

That means the upper rests on a combination of foam and treaded rubber, closely resembling vintage Nike and New Balance shoes, not to mention Adidas’s own retro runner, the SL 72.

Adidas swapped out a traditional gum sole for a combination of foam and rubber inspired by vintage running shoes.

Adidas

The treads are somewhat reminiscent of those found on the Adidas TRX sole from the 1980s.

Adidas

Availability and pricing

Available from May 8, 2026, through the Adidas Confirmed app, the BW Army comes in four launch colorways, “Off-White,” “Collegiate Red,” “Glow Blue” and “Grey Strata.” It costs $120.

White and gray Adidas sneaker with black stripes and a yellow sole.

Adidas BW Army Run

$120 at Adidas

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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