What started out as a simple training shoe for German soldiers in the 1970s became a global sensation when Maison Margiela started selling a replica for $850.
While we love the look and the historical homage, we think you should shop around if you have your mind set on a fresh new pair of GATs.
Margiela themselves named their entire collection the Replica, so we think it’s fair to consider other great options inspired by the old school German Army Trainers. Especially since some of our picks are much more comfortable to wear or offer a more modern twist with edgy interpretation of the classic design.
Ready to find your next favorite sneakers at a fraction of what Maison Margiela charges? Scroll down to see our absolute favorite Margiela GAT alternatives!
Amberjack The GAT
Full-grain leather and water-repellent suede on a gum sole, made in Portugal, for $179.
Quince Lifestyle Trainer
Italian cowhide and suede over a lambskin lining, for $95.
adidas BW Army
A white leather upper, a gray suede toe and a gum sole, for $120.
What makes a GAT a GAT?
A German army trainer has four signatures: a white leather upper, a gray or off-white suede toe, a small side overlay and a gum sole. Those four are the test for every pair below.
The shoe began as an indoor training shoe for the West German army. adidas and Puma both made it, and each has claimed the design. Margiela credits a different source on its own product page: Austrian sports shoes from the seventies.
The white Replica is nappa leather and suede on a honey sole, made in Italy, for $850. If it’s a plain white low-top you want rather than the GAT, our Common Projects alternatives cover the Achilles instead, and our guide to the best luxury sneakers for men ranks the wider designer field.
The best Margiela GAT alternatives
Here are the German army trainers that capture the Replica best.
1. Amberjack The GAT: All four signatures, made in Portugal
- Upper
- Full-grain leather, water-repellent suede
- Sole
- Flexible rubber, gum
- Made in
- Portugal
- Colors
- Ivory, Cobalt, Obsidian
- Price
- $179
Amberjack The GAT ticks every box on the list: a white full-grain leather upper, a gray suede toe and side overlay, and a gum sole. It’s designed in Brooklyn and made in Portugal, and you can shop Amberjack The GAT in Ivory, Cobalt or Obsidian on Amberjack’s own site.
It’s the most comfortable German army trainer we’ve tried. A padded collar and a foam tongue soften the step-in. The removable insole is heat-activated, so it molds to your foot as you walk, and the rubber outsole flexes with every step.
The one thing to know is the fit. It runs snug and narrow and sits close to the ground, with an almost barefoot feel. We’ve tested the GAT ourselves; read our hands-on Amberjack sneakers review to see how it held up.
Best for: The man who wants the whole GAT look in a sneaker he’ll reach for every day.
Price against the Replica: $179 versus $850.
Check price: Amberjack The GAT: All four signatures, made in Portugal at Amberjack Shoesat Amberjack Shoes · Secure checkout
2. Quince Lifestyle Trainer: Italian leather and suede for under $100
- Upper
- Italian cowhide and suede, lambskin lining
- Sole
- Gum
- Colors
- White, Lichen, Black
- Price
- $95 (originally $179)
Quince says its trainer is rooted in the German army trainer silhouette, and the White pair shows it. A white leather upper, a light gray suede toe and side overlay and a gum-colored sole make four out of four. You’ll find the Quince Italian Leather & Suede Lifestyle Trainer among Quince’s men’s sneakers.
It’s built from Italian cowhide and Italian suede over a soft lambskin lining. The White pair sells out in some sizes, so if yours is gone, Lichen and Black come in the same shoe.
Best for: Anyone who wants Italian leather and suede and a GAT for under $100.
Price against the Replica: $95 (originally $179) versus $850.
Check price: Quince Lifestyle Trainer: Italian leather and suede for under $100 at Quinceat Quince · Trusted luxury retailer
3. adidas BW Army: The trainer adidas says it made first
- Upper
- White leather, gray suede toe
- Sole
- Gum
- Colors
- Cloud White/Gum, 15 styles in the line
- Price
- $120
This one comes from a maker with a claim to the original. adidas says it made the army’s “BW Sport”, and the BW Army is its military-inspired take, with minimal branding, a streamlined toe and a low profile. Shop the adidas BW Army on adidas.com.
The Cloud White/Gum pair has a white leather upper, a light gray suede toe and a gum sole. Its side strips are white leather rather than gray suede, so from the side it reads cleaner than the Replica. The line runs to 15 styles, most of them at $120.
Best for: The man who likes his sneakers with a piece of history.
Price against the Replica: $120 versus $850.
Check price: adidas BW Army: The trainer adidas says it made first at adidasat adidas · Shop with confidence
4. Axel Arigato Dice T-Toe: A suede toe and gum sole, minus the side strip
- Upper
- Leather, suede and polyester
- Sole
- Gum
- Colors
- White/Gum
- Price
- $360
Axel Arigato doesn’t sell the Dice T-Toe as a German army trainer. It says the shoe nods to 1970s track and field runners and 1990s skate shoes, yet the White/Gum pair carries three GAT signatures: a white leather upper, a gray suede toe and a gum sole. Look for the Dice T-Toe in Axel Arigato’s men’s footwear.
It has no GAT side strip, so it’s a cousin of the Replica rather than a twin. The uppers are handcrafted from leather, suede and polyester.
Best for: Designer-label fans who can live without the side strip.
Price against the Replica: $360 versus $850.
Check price: Axel Arigato Dice T-Toe: A suede toe and gum sole, minus the side strip at Axel Arigatoat Axel Arigato · Easy, secure ordering
5. Steve Madden Dixon: The GAT look for $99.99
- Upper
- Faux suede, cotton lining
- Sole
- Gum rubber
- Colors
- White Leather, Black Leather
- Price
- $99.99
The Steve Madden Dixon puts the GAT shape within easy reach, in White Leather or Black Leather. The White Leather pair has an off-white leather upper, a light gray suede-look toe cap and side strip, and a gum sole, in sizes 7.5 to 13.
Its listing gives a faux suede upper, a cotton lining, an EVA insole and a rubber outsole, and says it fits true to size. The faux suede is the trade-off against the real suede on the pairs above.
Best for: A newcomer trying the GAT look before he spends more.
Price against the Replica: $99.99 versus $850.
Check price: Steve Madden Dixon: The GAT look for $99.99 at Zapposat Zappos · Wide selection of styles
How these German army trainers compare
Here is every pair side by side with the Replica.
| Shoe | Price | Upper | Sole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maison Margiela Replica | $850 | Nappa leather and suede, made in Italy | Honey |
| Amberjack The GAT | $179 | Full-grain leather, water-repellent suede, made in Portugal | Gum rubber |
| Quince Italian Leather & Suede Lifestyle Trainer | $95 (originally $179) | Italian cowhide and suede | Gum |
| adidas BW Army | $120 | Leather, suede toe | Gum |
| Axel Arigato Dice T-Toe | $360 | Leather, suede and polyester | Gum |
| Steve Madden Dixon | $99.99 | Faux suede | Gum rubber |
Dupe, replica or alternative: what are you buying?
Every shoe on this page is sold under its own maker’s name. The GAT shape has been made by adidas, Puma and Margiela, and brands like Amberjack and Quince make it today under theirs. A shoe sold as a Margiela at a fraction of the Margiela price is a counterfeit, and that’s a different purchase altogether.
Or buy the Replica
If only the original will do, find the Maison Margiela Replica in the men’s Maison Margiela edit at $850. You get white nappa leather and suede on a honey sole, made in Italy, from the house that put the word replica on the label. Our guide to the Maison Margiela brand tells the rest of the story.
Check price: Or buy the Replica at Mytheresaat Mytheresa · Express delivery
Frequently asked questions about Margiela GAT alternatives
Why are Margiela GATs so expensive?
What are Margiela GATs?
How much do Margiela GATs cost?
Are GATs still cool?
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