R. Lyons
Skate Shoes?!?...Well Maybe...G.A.T.s...Definately!!!
With 'nary a mention in this shoe seller's description, what you see here is an accurate reproduction of the original G.A.T.S (German Army Trainers) issued under a military contract by the thousands to the West German Army (ie the "Bundeswehr") in the 1980s; reportedly designed by Puma and manufactured by Adidas, without the Adidas branding or traditional Adidas three stripes logo, and not commercially available to the general public. For a few decades, about the only place to get GATs was at European military surplus stores and occasionally here in the U.S on Ebay, and then what you got was a used shoe, as I had never seen a new unworn authentic GAT listed for sale. Now, various manufacturers, including Adidas, have reintroduced the GAT in the authentic white/gray suede/gum at a considerably higher price than these "PEILEG" "knock-offs"; and by "knock-offs", I don't mean that in a negative way, as ALL the GATs now are "knock-offs" including the Adidas ones. As a side-note, I ordered the beige/gray ones, because they really don't look beige but more of an off-white to resemble a "broken-in" pair of the original color white/gray, and I must say, I'm glad I did, they look great!So, getting down to these "PEILEGS", they fit akin to my several pairs of Adidas men's 8.5 "Sambas" (whereas you can see the obvious similarities to the GAT!) ie. the length is just right, and exactly like the "Sambas", are a narrow shoe (meant to be, in my mind, laced tightly together for a trimmed look). So, the "PEILEGS" are true-to-size when compared to Adidas "Sambas", and I know a thing or two about that, as I have been wearing (and only wearing I might add!) Adidas since my 70s college days when every guy on campus was wearing the brown Adidas "Tobagos", which have morphed into today's "Sambas". And here is the real kicker: for the past couple years, even according to the WSJ August 17, 2024 "Off Duty" article, "Sambas" have been "THE IT" shoe, but now, people want the exclusivity of the non-logo look of the GAT, with the same overall vibe of the "Sambas".I've been wearing these "PEILEGS" now for a day, and just as comfortable as any of my "Sambas" when new, and in fact, I'm a little more impressed by the construction of this gum sole as being slightly more pliable when compared to the "Sambas", but again, time will tell how these hold up in comparison. In short, probably the most desired/fashionista's men's casual shoe you could want today at a more than reasonable price!9/26/24 ADDENDUMSince posting my original review, I have noticed several "helpful likes" posted responses, so I thought I would add a couple more comments/pix, as I am pretty enthusiastic about this shoe. As you can see from a recently purchased current model green striped "Samba", the soles of both shoes are not just similar, they are IDENTICAL IN EVERY DETAIL (other than color which will vary on which color "Samba" you get), leading me to believe the soles of the genuine "Adidas" and the "Peilegs" are sourced from the same manufacturer, with the only difference being that I mistakenly ordered these "Adidas" 1/2 size up from my other normal men's 8 1/2 other Sambas, which I found to be totally unnecessary; so my recommendation is go with your normal size, no need to upsize either the "Samba"s or the "Peileg"s, at least as far as the length goes (no issue with either brands for me as far as width goes).Ver másVer menos
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