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Adidas Reimagines Its Utilitarian Military Sneaker as a Luxe, All-Suede Stunner

The BW Army, first supplied to the West German Army in the 1970s and ’80s, proves that practicality and polish aren’t mutually exclusive.

Close-up of a beige suede Adidas shoe heel with a textured translucent sole against a teal background.Adidas
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By Jack Seemer

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The BW Army occupies quiet corner of the Adidas archive as a clean, utilitarian silhouette rooted in military provenance. The brand was one of the original makers of simple, no-nonsense training shoes supplied to the West German Army in the ’70s and ’80s.

But who said practicality and polish were mutually exclusive?

Gray suede Adidas sneaker with maroon laces and gum sole on a light background.
The BW Army emerges with an all-suede construction for the fall and winter seasons.
Adidas
Beige suede sneaker with matching laces and gum sole, side view.
The suede variants are split into two colorways, “Cinder” and “Halo Blush” (pictured).
Adidas

Two new variants swap the shoe’s traditional smooth-leather base for an all-suede construction, arriving in a rich dark colorway and a lighter neutral option that highlight the BW Army’s understated appeal.

Of course, this isn’t the first version to feature suede as its predominant material.

In February, Adidas teamed up with the The Whitaker Group for a blacked out BW Army. However, that version still featured smooth-leather accents around the toebox and tongue. (The original design has it the other way around.)

Beige suede Adidas sneaker with laces viewed from above on a light background.
“Halo Blush” arrives with tonal accents, including laces that match the rest of the upper.
Adidas

Nonetheless, these new pairs continue to drop Adidas’s signature three-stripe motif from the sides, leaving a cleaner profile that reads more like a heritage dress shoe than a sporty sneaker.

Close-up of a gray suede sneaker with dark brown laces and a translucent gum sole.
The “Cinder” color comes with contrast laces in dark burgundy.
Adidas

That deliberate minimalism is a throughline for the BW Army’s most considered releases since the style came back onto the scene in 2025.

A recent Lux version established the template for a more refined take on the silhouette, while the Decon variant stripped it back further. The new suede pull on the same thread, with no surplus branding to speak of; even the the soles of the shoes replace the Adidas brand mark for text that reads “BW-Sport 265.”

Light brown rubber shoe sole with circular and triangular tread patterns and "BW-Sport 265" text.
The shoe replaces the Adidas brand mark on the sole for text that reads “BW-Sport 265.”
Adidas

Availability and pricing

Both colorways are available now on Adidas’s website. Matching other BW Army variants, they cost $120 each.

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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