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Adidas’s Military-Born Sneaker Looks Even Better in Waxed Canvas

Adidas’s take on the legendary German Army Trainer dresses up for fall.

Close-up of a taupe-colored sneaker showing the laces, suede upper, and textured fabric panel near the toe, set against a muted green background.Adidas

By Jack Seemer

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Early fall is a time of change, reflection and all things waxed canvas.

For centuries, the rugged material has warded off inclement weather, all while look pretty dang dapper doing so. Today it remains a go-to fabric for grail-level jackets and even handsome sneakers.

You can thank Adidas for the latter.

Gray suede and mesh Adidas sneaker with a low profile design, matching gray laces, and a textured rubber sole. The shoe features subtle Adidas branding on the tongue and side of the sole, with a light beige interior lining.
Available via Adidas’s Confirmed app, the BW Army Shoes now come in waxed canvas.
Adidas

Battle born

Having already revisited its in-house GAT, shorthand for the legendary Germany Army Trainer, the brand is doubling down on versatile silhouette with a waxed-canvas version ahead of cooler weather.

The new BW Army replaces traditional leather with a combination upper that pairs the old-school material with suede overlays.

Gray suede and mesh sneaker with matching gray laces, a padded beige collar, and an Adidas logo on the tongue and insole.
In addition to waxed canvas, suede overlays give the new BW Army Shoes a luxe finish.
Adidas
Light brown Adidas sneaker with a suede and canvas upper, featuring a textured rubber sole and visible stitching details. The shoe has a low profile with laces and a slightly frayed tongue edge. The Adidas logo is embossed on the side of the sole.
Waxed canvas is known to develop one-of-a-kind patina with wear.
Adidas

While the waxed canvas alone promises plenty of patina as things stand, frayed edges give the design a broken-in look straight out of the box.

Close-up of the back and side portion of a taupe-colored sneaker with a textured fabric upper, frayed edges along the stripes and collar, and a matching rubber sole. The interior lining appears to be a smooth, light tan material. The sneaker features laces in a similar taupe shade.
Frayed edges on parts of the upper give the new BW Army Shoes a broken-in look out of the box.
Adidas

Meanwhile, the gum-rubber outsole remains virtually unchanged from the previous BW Army released in the spring.

Functionally, it borrows the “three-zone profile” of the Samba but replaced the Adidas logo for text that reads, “BW-Sport 265” — a reference to Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).

Sole of a shoe with a textured pattern featuring triangular shapes at the top, circular indentations, and concentric circles near the ball of the foot. The bottom half has a wavy tread pattern with a rectangular label reading "BW-Sport 265." The sole is a muted grayish-brown color.
The text “BW-Sport 256” replaces the Adidas logo on the sole of the sneakers.
Adidas

Keep your feet up

Adidas is far from the only brand to offer a modern take on the GAT, which dates back to the 1970s. Maison Margiela’s luxe interpretation is one of the most influential sneakers of the past 30 years.

However, Adidas has two legs up when it comes to making German Army Trainers.

Close-up of the heel and sole of a light gray Adidas sneaker, featuring a textured rubber sole with a patterned tread and the Adidas logo embossed on the side. The upper part is made of a woven fabric with visible stitching and a slightly frayed seam detail.
Unlike many modern manufacturers of German Army Trainers, Adidas actually supplied the armed forces in the ’70s and ’80s.
Adidas

The first is a matter of authenticity. The sportswear giant actually supplied unbranded trainers to the actually supplied trainers to the West German Army throughout the ’70s and ’80s.

white Adidas sneaker
The previous version of the BW Army (pictured) stayed true to the original versions.
Adidas

The second, of course, is price. Maison Margiela asks $750 for its iconic but lavish Replica sneaker. The BW Army, meanwhile, costs just $120.

The waxed-canvas version comes in two colorways, “Silver Pebble” and “Grey,” both available now via the brand’s Confirmed app.

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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