The latest PUMA German Army Bonanza trainer merges the original GAT fitness shoe with colourway inspiration from PUMA's crepe soled Bonanza line.
The PUMA Germany Army Bonanza trainer is sure to get the OG PUMA fans talking. Taking the original Germany Army trainer, or GAT as it is also known, with some added colourway inspiration from the Bonanza line the end result is an archival treat with a twist. As far as the Army trainer goes its heritage is still clouded in mystery. No one can really say for definite whether it was in fact the PUMA Army trainer or the adidas Army trainer. When all said and done the story of the German Army trainer is certainly a unique one. After the two Dassler brothers decided to go their own separate ways & focus on their own brands, the competition between the brothers really heated up. First coming on the scene back in the 1970s, the German Army trainer was designed for exactly what its name suggests, for German soldiers to use for training in. The Museum of Military History in Dresden, Germany claims to have records which prove the very first GAT was in fact designed by PUMA. Others say it was actually adidas, but one thing is for sure, when the Soviet Union fell in 1989, the GAT became Obsolete.
Above: The Puma Army Bonanza trainer choc brown/beige now available from 80s Casual Classics.
If you're a self proclaimed PUMA patron you might already know a thing or two about the Bonanza line. For those who aren't that familiar the Bonanza line was PUMA's answer to a leisure shoe which adidas also ventured into during the 1970s and 1980s. The Made in Germany line utilised crepe soles with styles like the Bonanza Stroller & the Bonanza Nugget which both featured brown leather uppers & a moccasin inspired design. As well as shoes PUMA also released boots on the Bonanza line such as the Bonanza Digger boot which again featured a crepe sole as well as the leisure lines' signature brown uppers. The overall aesthetic of the Bonanza line was similar in design to what Martin Michaeli, was doing with Mephisto around the same time. 
Above: The Puma Army Bonanza trainer choc brown/beige now available from 80s Casual Classics. After recently reviving the German Army trainer from the archives, PUMA have now introduced a Bonanza line inspired version of the original GAT shoe from the 1970s. The archive inspired release features suede brown uppers with the iconic suede overlays & T-toe detailing to the front. The military inspired trainer is finished off with the signature formstrip in beige to the sidewalls alongside a gum rubber sole unit. Shop the classic PUMA trainer now via the links.
