The return of Bata Bullets

Bata Bullets
Bata Bullets
Alan Perrott of the New Zealand Herald celebrates the return of a Kiwi classic.

Come on say it with me: "Cap, shirt ... Bata Bullets. Cap, shirt ... Bata Bullets."

One of the great TV ads of our - OK, my - time. Not only does it prove how they took a lot of beating, it shows we even let girls wear them.

Then again the only remaining options back then were jandals or bare feet, which was only one more choice than we had in colours on the television, so I won't go making any grand claims around equal rights.

Anyway, like Georgie Pies, it seems they're back. And they're probably just as tasty.

It was those horrible Sparklers that finally killed Bata Bullets for me. They were your standard sandshoe, but they came with this nasty strip of plastic down the side that was supposed to magically change colour. No, it did not.

Then came the day when I discovered Bata was a Czechoslovakian company. Commie shoes? We were wearing Commie shoes?

And I hear they're even being sold at Para Rubber again. Have they brought those back, too? I thought they'd died out together. Actually, I'd really go a Crazy Joe iceblock and some Gold Rush. Who's with me?

- Bata Bullets are on sale at Para Rubber

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