GAT sneaker aficionados, gather around. adidas has another army-coded treat for the utilitarian sneaker truthers out there. But this time, adidas is taking things down a bit. Literally.

The BW Army Decon features a collapsible heel, allowing the shoe to be worn as a mule and a sneaker. What's more functional than that?

As it stands, adidas' BW Army shoe is a minimalist gem that stays true to its battlefield origins, with suede paneling at the front, a white leather base, and a sleek low profile. Of course, this is still an adidas sneaker, which means the Three Stripes placed all of this militant goodness atop a Samba-style outsole.  

Now, the actual army sneaker design has no true owner, but Maison Margiela does have somewhat of a monopoly on the GAT's cultural cache.

But from a historical (and accessibility) perspective, adidas has the upper hand. At least where tactical legacy is concerned.

German Army Trainers, as the name suggests, have roots in 1970s Germany, where the Three Stripes designed the slim shoe for the German army. Yes, the literal army. This isn't a replica — it's the real deal.

It wasn't until 2017 that adidas officially brought the shoe back, and in the almost 10 years since, adidas has blessed the sneaker world with all kinds of luxury iterations, like the waxed canvas BW Army and its crazy-glossy sister. And now the BW Army Decon, available on the adidas website for $120, is continuing this legacy with a mule-tastic twist.

When it comes to GATs, it's not about who did it first, it's about who did it right. But in this case, adidas might just be both.

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