Alpha Industries M65 Field Jacket

[Trenchfriend]

View attachment 559861

And? Just the pic?

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

anyone have any experience with this Rothco version? I'm half-considering one for a gift. In this instance, it has to be a new jacket. I like that it comes with the liner, and they go on sale for $85 at times.

Military Type Field Jacket and Quilted Liner Tactical Military M65 Tiger Stripe | eBay

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[mumpy]

anyone have any experience with this Rothco version? I'm half-considering one for a gift. In this instance, it has to be a new jacket. I like that it comes with the liner, and they go on sale for $85 at times.

Military Type Field Jacket and Quilted Liner Tactical Military M65 Tiger Stripe | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Military Type Field Jacket and Quilted Liner Tactical Military M65 Tiger Stripe at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I haven't tried the Rothco version but I can totally vouch for the Helikon M65, very robust and well made. Comes with a liner and is in a similar budget I think (got mine on discount).

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I haven't tried the Rothco version but I can totally vouch for the Helikon M65, very robust and well made. Comes with a liner and is in a similar budget I think (got mine on discount).

Let me know if you run into one for less than $100. I do like the look of them more than the Rothco, particularly the chest pocket sizing and look. I looked around a bit, and I'm seeing a consistent $140-160, most having to ship from Europe, so including shipping. Amazon has them too, but again $160 or so.

 

[mumpy]

Let me know if you run into one for less than $100. I do like the look of them more than the Rothco, particularly the chest pocket sizing and look. I looked around a bit, and I'm seeing a consistent $140-160, most having to ship from Europe, so including shipping. Amazon has them too, but again $160 or so.

Will let you know if I find something.

I am located in Europe and can be found much cheaper here indeed.

 

[barnabus]

I can totally vouch for the Helikon M65, very robust and well made. Comes with a liner and is in a similar budget I think (got mine on discount).

Ditto.

My Helikon has essentially stopped me posting in WJAYWT because it's been that, every day since it arrived. It is an excellent jacket.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I run into a little conundrum with authenticity and functionality. My intuitive preference is for more authenticity than not. Specifically, the chest pockets with the M-65. I'm drawn to the bigger, bellowed pocket of old, but I really do not like having to try to reach the bottom of those pockets when I need something. So, my desire for the authentic butts up against my other high priority: functionality. Every time...and I do mean every time...I'm forcing my hand down at an awkward angle (maybe if my arms were another foot longer, I could get that 180° reach down) into the pocket, I think I'm going to either rip the pocket stitching or tear the jacket chest material itself. The new ones have small pockets, like that for a wallet vs the old ones for M-16 cartridges (right?). Honestly, I think the small pockets look goofy too, but I'll be damned if they probably aren't nice when you have to dig into them.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I run into a little conundrum with authenticity and functionality. My intuitive preference is for more authenticity than not. Specifically, the chest pockets with the M-65. I'm drawn to the bigger, bellowed pocket of old, but I really do not like having to try to reach the bottom of those pockets when I need something. So, my desire for the authentic butts up against my other high priority: functionality. Every time...and I do mean every time...I'm forcing my hand down at an awkward angle (maybe if my arms were another foot longer, I could get that 180° reach down) into the pocket, I think I'm going to either rip the pocket stitching or tear the jacket chest material itself. The new ones have small pockets, like that for a wallet vs the old ones for M-16 cartridges (right?). Honestly, I think the small pockets look goofy too, but I'll be damned if they probably aren't nice when you have to dig into them.

My cheap and cheerful Rothco has the inauthentic small breast pockets but yes I agree they're easy to dig into and actually hold a lot of stuff despite their small size. As for the M-16 magazine thing, these jackets have the same pockets as the WW2 jackets and the Korean War jackets from which they descend, so no.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Ditto.

My Helikon has essentially stopped me posting in WJAYWT because it's been that, every day since it arrived. It is an excellent jacket.

And Helikon seemingly still has stock of the authentic zippers. I don't know, how much they bought, back then, but seemingly not less.