M65 Field Jacket

[Dr Onion]

After many years of faithful service my old M65 style jacket has finally earned a rest in the wardrobe in the sky.

The dealer on ebay I bought the jacket from all those years ago no longers trades as far as I can tell so I took a look around to see who else might be selling them. As far as I can tell, there are many different grades of these jackets being sold, ranging from really cheap and nasty to very expensive and "branded".

Anybody bought one of these style jackets recently? And where did you get it from?

Many thanks

Dr O

 

[garethw]

Hi there
I've had a few of these jackets and love them. I'd avoid any of the 40 quid knock offs " M65 style" jackets. They are invariably poor quality.
The one I've now had for a few years is the Alpha version. Excellent quality jacket. I can't recall where I bought it but Silvermans has them for about £90.
The other brand that makes a good one is Propper, I tried them when I got the Alpha, but they didn't have my size. Note both Alpha and Propper have had contract for uniforms to the US gov't so make good solid and reliable gear.

cheers
Gareth

 

[launditch1]

Dont forget about the M1951 version.Sometimes available alot cheaper than genuine M65's and nearly the same(ish).I bought my m65 from an ebay seller in Thailand, it cost me about £45 all in.It took one week to arrive!The genuine article too.It would seen there is alot of US surplus out that way..

 

[wizard]

Alpha or Propper are both well made to the specs of the issued ones. You should be able to find either brand online, both are labeled by the maker. I sort of miss using the M65. Seems all the ones I have from my 20 years service have shrunk and I can no longer zip them up properly. Same with my BDU pants, all a size too small now...time shrinks clothing

 

[garethw]

Alpha or Propper are both well made to the specs of the issued ones. You should be able to find either brand online, both are labeled by the maker. I sort of miss using the M65. Seems all the ones I have from my 20 years service have shrunk and I can no longer zip them up properly. Same with my BDU pants, all a size too small now...time shrinks clothing

Yeah know what you mean.. my Alpha medium was way to big when I got it..only just fits now!!! I kind of think we swell up with time, rather than the clothes shrining!!!
cheers
Gareth

 

[Dr Onion]

Nice one chaps! I've managed to source a decent one for a goodly sum!

Cheers

Dr O

 

[Rod Paradise]

Alpha M65 in Black or Sage green for £65 delivered here: http://www.bankfashion.co.uk/webapp...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=&productId=713823

Wouldn't have found it if I hadn't been reading this thread & googled for it - so thanks folks!!

 

[chutes]

Although Onion has now acquired an awesome replacement M65 field jacket, I'll post this here anyway.

Modern Alpha and Propper M65s are nowhere near as good as the older 1960s military issue M65s - the green ones. I'm lucky, here in Australia the army bought masses of these in the mid-late 1960s and they were still on issue up until the late 1980s. I've probably had 4 or five green ones since I was a kid in the 80s. I currently own two of them complete with liners.

Look for nickel zippers, not brass. That will indicate to you that the lining of these M65s is most likely the ventile-like material which makes the jackets so effective. You can still find these in decent sizes online, but they'll be coming from the USA. They've almost disappeared here in Australia, replaced in shops by Chinese manufactured pretenders. Maybe I'm being too picky. I also own a Canadian ICE Tactical Recce Smock and I reckon it's a bit crap compared to my M65 - I even defiled it by sewing in buttons so I could attach an M65 liner.

Another option is to keep an eye out for Austrian (NOT Australian) surplus field jackets. These are cut in the M65 pattern but are a bit more of a slim fit - almost identical to the $300 designer versions that hipsters buy in the US LOL. These have some nice refinements such as button adjusters on the cuffs like an M51 Field Jacket, but they are most definitely an M65 style and are well liked by those who use them. Those enterprising Austrians also made a gore-tex jacket in the M65 Field Jacket cut. THAT my friends has to be the coolest piece of kit ever, because as we know, the traditional M65 is designed for cold/dry, not cold/wet. The gore tex version should handle either.

 

[garethw]

Hi there
I guess the old issue models may well have been better, not seen one to compare. But I've had two Alpha M65 jackets, (first got attacked by mice).. and they are very robust and nicely made. I tired on a Propper version, but it was too big, it was very nice quality too.
I've owned a US issue fishtail parka and the Alpha build quality seems on a par to me.

I got the Alpha liner too for mine which makes it really warm in winter.

cheers
Gareth

 

[santaman2000]

...Those enterprising Austrians also made a gore-tex jacket in the M65 Field Jacket cut. THAT my friends has to be the coolest piece of kit ever, because as we know, the traditional M65 is designed for cold/dry, not cold/wet. The gore tex version should handle either.

I'd like to see someone make one out of Cordura with the Goretex used as a lining for the pockets and for the sewn in liner. Add to that someone making the button in liner with Thermax filling and it would be as near perect as the design allows.

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

I got the Alpha liner too for mine which makes it really warm in winter.

Two liners are even better! These really are great old jackets, I love mine in winter it keeps me nice and toasty. Premier Surplus in Swindon is a good place to try for these originals. They had a fantastic stock of perfect old ones a while back they looked unused.