Hi, I bought an Alpha M65 last year from Silvermans. It is a nice jacket, but ultimately I sold it on. I actually prefer the Austrian M65 and have written a review on it elsewhere on this site (you might want to take a look). As for the Alpha M65, I didn't think it was worth the money really. I would try and get one for £30ish. If it only lasts a few years you can alway get another. The Austrian ones (non gore tex) are very well made, much tougher (though heavier) fabric, and much cheaper.
M65 jacket advice.
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Hi, I bought an Alpha M65 last year from Silvermans. It is a nice jacket, but ultimately I sold it on. I actually prefer the Austrian M65 and have written a review on it elsewhere on this site (you might want to take a look). As for the Alpha M65, I didn't think it was worth the money really. I would try and get one for £30ish. If it only lasts a few years you can alway get another. The Austrian ones (non gore tex) are very well made, much tougher (though heavier) fabric, and much cheaper.
Well, you can't beat the Alpha for durability. I've had mine for 10+ years, and many of those years it's been an everyday garment, autumn, winter, spring. Granted I've never worn it as a woods-jacket, but after all these years draped over chairs, and dragged throught closing doors of trains and the like, it still looks new.
Rain: I sprayed mine with something when I got it, and never thought more of it since, and only washed it one or twice. It keeps me dry in every weather I wear it in. That said, I don't wear it on proper rainy days. I've lived in the scottish west coast before, and I don't think it would stand up to that kind of weather. Some greenland wax may help, but I don't have experience with that.
When picking a liner: I got a vintage liner, that's only a liner. Good thing with this is ventilation at the armpits, but the donwside is that it's not usable for anything else.
The modern liners have pockets and can be closed up as a standalone jacket. Good for use a a middle layer with some other jacket or by itself. It's also got elastic cuffs, which the vintage ones don't.
Rain: I sprayed mine with something when I got it, and never thought more of it since, and only washed it one or twice. It keeps me dry in every weather I wear it in. That said, I don't wear it on proper rainy days. I've lived in the scottish west coast before, and I don't think it would stand up to that kind of weather. Some greenland wax may help, but I don't have experience with that.
When picking a liner: I got a vintage liner, that's only a liner. Good thing with this is ventilation at the armpits, but the donwside is that it's not usable for anything else.
The modern liners have pockets and can be closed up as a standalone jacket. Good for use a a middle layer with some other jacket or by itself. It's also got elastic cuffs, which the vintage ones don't.
Been trying to get hold of a
Austrian Army Alpine Combat Jacket for a while - very under rated gear
OK, so it looks like this. When I was doing my research I have noticed interesting trend. Our forums and reviews generally say that Alpha is the only brand worth buying and the rest is a pile of chineese knockoffs. On the other side in US everyone seems to have an opinion that Alpha is not what it used to be (especially the civilian version) and it's worth spending a little bit extra (sic!) for a Helikon which is considered at the moment the best modern iteration of M65 (German and Russian forums especially). Very good example of this is visible on UK and US Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helikon-Ge...F8&qid=1478544628&sr=8-1&keywords=helikon+m65
https://www.amazon.com/Helikon-Genu...F8&qid=1478544632&sr=8-1&keywords=helikon+m65
Read the reviews...
For me the whole point of military gear/clothing is solid, rugged and functional item for a reasonable price. I purchased my first M65 on the flea maket in Germany for 17 marks (something like 10 euros) and I loved it. New Alpha with liner and postage is touching £170 which can buy you top of the line down jacket or goretex shell. No thank you. Got my Helikon M65 two hours ago in the mail and for £65 it's everything I want it to be. M65 fit and feel, M65 look, M65 functions. And it's really build to take the beating. If it only last me 10 years instead of 20 than I'm happy.
In my opinion unless you have a sentiment or looking for authenticity (reenactment, collectors) then Helikon is a solid option and it won't dissapoint as a field jacket.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helikon-Ge...F8&qid=1478544628&sr=8-1&keywords=helikon+m65
https://www.amazon.com/Helikon-Genu...F8&qid=1478544632&sr=8-1&keywords=helikon+m65
Read the reviews...
For me the whole point of military gear/clothing is solid, rugged and functional item for a reasonable price. I purchased my first M65 on the flea maket in Germany for 17 marks (something like 10 euros) and I loved it. New Alpha with liner and postage is touching £170 which can buy you top of the line down jacket or goretex shell. No thank you. Got my Helikon M65 two hours ago in the mail and for £65 it's everything I want it to be. M65 fit and feel, M65 look, M65 functions. And it's really build to take the beating. If it only last me 10 years instead of 20 than I'm happy.
In my opinion unless you have a sentiment or looking for authenticity (reenactment, collectors) then Helikon is a solid option and it won't dissapoint as a field jacket.
I have to agree with your reasoning. Please give us a review after the first winter.
Not to sidetrack the thread, but it's interesting to see that there's a fair bit of interest in the M65 here on this thread. I'm on the other side of the pond where I've always been interested in the British smocks, but they're hard to get where I'm at. Never actually seen one in person either.
Obviously you guys are familiar with the UK smocks. Any reasons why you might prefer the M65 over the smocks? Any pluses or minuses for each?
I own a US woodland camo M65. I've always been a fan of the 50/50 Nylon/Cotton mix fabric.
Obviously you guys are familiar with the UK smocks. Any reasons why you might prefer the M65 over the smocks? Any pluses or minuses for each?
I own a US woodland camo M65. I've always been a fan of the 50/50 Nylon/Cotton mix fabric.
In my opinion I like the British Army smock, that is apart from one thing....the camo. Maybe I'm a bit vein but I'm not a fan of wearing camo jackets around the UK, not even in the woodland. The M65 therefore appeals to me because it is durable and comes in a variety of colours that I can happily wear as an 'everyday jacket'.
I've owned and worn a number of both of these and still do, I wouldn't want to be without either of them; I always think of them as two completely different items of outerwear with very distinct uses.
I worked with horses for a good part of my life, and the M65 was my jacket of choice for that and all associated work, i.e. fencing, paddock work and fettling carts and harness, stuff like that. The fit is, on me anyways, a bit more close to the body; even fully open the jacket doesn't flap around at all, they seem to take the shape of the wearer in much the same way as the Levi jeans used to........and the pockets are just the right size and position to hold tools and all the bits and pieces I'd need and keep them easily reachable and easy to get in and out.
The British army smock is a looser garment, especially when open, and the many pockets are massive - way too big to be able to get to small-ish stuff repeatedly and easily but great for items like phone, camera, hat and gloves, maps, water bottles etc. I find it a much better thing to walk in, easier to regulate temperature precisely and looser, less restrictive somehow; that, after all, was what it was designed for. I never found the M65 comfortable to walk any distance in, even without the liner I seem to get warm very quickly in them and they can feel a bit restrictive with layers underneath. On the other hand I wouldn't want to wear the smock whilst working.
Just my observations, but I hope they give you an idea of the differences I find between the two
Aye Up All,
Interesting points you make Macaroon, nicely described - but with our US member(s) in mind perhaps a little expansion re comparisons.
As you state the M65 and current day Brit field (combat) jackets have/had two different purposes.
The Brit jackets tend to be a lighter-weight (material) over-garment and pocket carrier as opposed to a well-fitting field jacket. (The Brit is meant to fit over body armour! whereas '60's/70's body armour (the flak jacket) went over the M65).
The direct Brit equivalent of the genuine/original US M65 field jacket is thegenuine/original plain olive British Army combat jacket of the same era.
The plain olive '60's British field jacket was a very robust garment and had very similar qualities to those that you state for the M65 (The Brit was actually a better jacket IMHO). I used one of those for skool and was subsequently issued with a DPM version of it some years later which was of the same quality. They are immediately (if you can find one!) visually identifiable by way of multiple stitching on the collar making it stiffer than the later and current day versions.
From the mid '70's Brit Army clothing went downhill and whereas even modern day produced M65's have stayed reasonably close in design and in some cases, quality, to the originals.
If you want to get anywhere near the quality and fit of both the original US and Brit garments take a look at the Austrian surplus poly-cotton alpine jacket (KA-03).
Again IMHO, it has an even better design and function than either of the others.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135493&highlight=Best+Bushcraft+Jacket
Interesting points you make Macaroon, nicely described - but with our US member(s) in mind perhaps a little expansion re comparisons.
As you state the M65 and current day Brit field (combat) jackets have/had two different purposes.
The Brit jackets tend to be a lighter-weight (material) over-garment and pocket carrier as opposed to a well-fitting field jacket. (The Brit is meant to fit over body armour! whereas '60's/70's body armour (the flak jacket) went over the M65).
The direct Brit equivalent of the genuine/original US M65 field jacket is thegenuine/original plain olive British Army combat jacket of the same era.
The plain olive '60's British field jacket was a very robust garment and had very similar qualities to those that you state for the M65 (The Brit was actually a better jacket IMHO). I used one of those for skool and was subsequently issued with a DPM version of it some years later which was of the same quality. They are immediately (if you can find one!) visually identifiable by way of multiple stitching on the collar making it stiffer than the later and current day versions.
From the mid '70's Brit Army clothing went downhill and whereas even modern day produced M65's have stayed reasonably close in design and in some cases, quality, to the originals.
If you want to get anywhere near the quality and fit of both the original US and Brit garments take a look at the Austrian surplus poly-cotton alpine jacket (KA-03).
Again IMHO, it has an even better design and function than either of the others.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135493&highlight=Best+Bushcraft+Jacket
A bit of a coincidence - I was in Kidderminster last week and picked up a cheap one from Surplus & Outdoors to replace an M65 jacket I gave away a few years ago. They also had Austrian M65 style jackets and Austrian goretex jackets in a similar cut all in a neutral non-camo grey-green. The alpine one is perfect for what I want to use it for and I've just finished cleaning it and giving it a coat of Fabsil. S&O seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel as the few remaining ones had tabs missing from zips or other faults but these guys seem to have a stock albeit at twice the price.
https://forcesuniformandkit.co.uk/collections/all-army-surplus-jackets-and-coats/products/austrian-army-surplus-alpine-combat-jacket
I'v had an alpha m65 for about 13 years. Downgraded to a work coat a few years ago (i'm a farmer/tree worker) and its showing no signs of giving up yet
My favorite coat
My favorite coat
Neutral advice?
They are both good piece of kit. I had M65 and british smocks and used it mostly when hunting (forest).
I think that my Alpha M65 is ruger (but heavier) than my british smock (dont remember the exact model, brittons have changed quite often). British smock have roomier pockets but they don't size well for me (quite tight around shoulder and under arms and very loose elsewhere). I think that NY/CO and Polycotton screen of the M65 give a little more protection under rain than 100 cotton (?) british smock (not in wind).
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