M-65 Field Jacket

[TLW '90]

That would be the course of action I'd probably choose, too. The last thing you want to do is spill coffee on a jacket with a lot of memories, especially when a good vintage or a modern-day repro version can be bought pretty easily which you can then proceed to wear the **** out of and put your own wear-and-tear on it via your own adventures.

I don't drink coffee, but the whole spilling stuff on it ship has long since sailed.
There are fake blood stains on it from numerous Halloween's I've worn it over the years, some OD green model paint I've spilled on it, and other things I can't even remember.
When my dad gave it to me as a kid it was just " my jacket " I proudly wore it without care and made memories in it long before it even fit me.
If I was to get another it would have to be an original because I don't do imported reproductions of anything USGI.

 

[TLW '90]

When you send it off for repair, ask them to put buttons inside the sleeves. Mark the exact place where you want them, and you will be able to use a liner with the coat. Actually, you can wear the liner without the buttons, but the liner sleeves will come out of the jacket when you take it off.

I still wore it the other day because it was raining a bit, but the liner was a medium and this particular m-65 is a small so the liner didn't really fit very well.


I will have to see if I can find somebody that'll do a good job repairing it for a reasonable price, but I have absolutely no problem just adding snaps in place of the hook n loop.
It's something I can easily do myself at home, and honestly I can't stand hook n loop anyways.

 

[Fifty150]

There was a TV show when I was a kid; where the actor was wearing the jacket. At the time, I had a similar jacket. I did not have Demi Moore. Decades later, I'm still wearing that same type of jacket. And just like in the TV show, I'm driving around in a van.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Yo, I missed this thread!!

 

[Fifty150]

This is my cheapest of the cheap M-65 jackets. Rothco.

My preference for fit is to be able to raise my arms and move my arms around. I need to be able to move around, even with the liner in. I'm wearing it without the liner. My chest measures at 50". The jacket is an XL. The size chart says 28". This is the right size for me. For me. For other people, they want the jacket really tight, and they would go down 1 or 2 sizes.






​

 

[barnabus]

This is my cheapest of the cheap M-65 jackets. Rothco.

My preference for fit is to be able to raise my arms and move my arms around. I need to be able to move around, even with the liner in. I'm wearing it without the liner. My chest measures at 50". The jacket is an XL. The size chart says 28". This is the right size for me. For me. For other people, they want the jacket really tight, and they would go down 1 or 2 sizes.






​

View attachment 720000

This chest pockets look quite small. Are they standard size? They look almost square there.

 

[Fifty150]

Are they standard size?

I'm not sure what the pocket standard is. It's the same size as my other M-65 jackets from Alpha. Holds the same stuff.


​

There are times when I do use the epaulettes. I will actually run the shoulder strap of my bag under it. What I didn't like was if I didn't loop the straps under the epaulettes, the buttons got in the way. Backpack straps and shoulder straps would snag on the buttons. So on this jacket, I cut the buttons off, and stitched the epaulettes onto the jacket. So far, so good.



​

 

[Fifty150]

On a recent TVB drama series, one of the characters is seen wearing a M-65 type jacket and possibly a M-51 fishtail parka.. Maybe this is going to make the jacket popular in Hong Kong.





​

​

​

​

​

 

[Fifty150]

I ordered the Barndit jacket. It's difficult to specifically articulate, that the fabric did not have the same "feel" as my Tru-Spec, Propper, Rothco, & Alpha. It feels different to the touch, and the weight and heft are different. The zippers are unbranded. The zipper on the front has the zipper pull on the left. The collar closure tab has nothing to attach to. It just hangs there. The fit was narrow in the shoulder and back. The shoulder seam was a little high. My arms did not reach up and/or move freely. This jacket would not fit over body armor, or be wearable for work. It was not manufactured to the same specifications as my uniform jackets. Half the price of an inexpensive M-65. But not a true uniform jacket.







​

 

[PeterRocco]

Thanks for Sharing.

 

[Stebroc]

Good evening. I found an alpha field that interests me. Do you happen to know of any vintage jackets that aren't made in the United States? The one I saw doesn't have the writing, even though it's at least 40 years old... thanks to anyone who responds.

 

[Pandemic]

Does anyone know if the Bronson repro’s are compatible with GI liners? I’m thinking about getting a Taxi Driver special for an upcoming trip to NYC

 

[Fifty150]

I don't know about the jacket. The guy wearing it is vintage. He's old enough to have been issued one.

​

 

[MrProper]

This is my cheapest of the cheap M-65 jackets. Rothco.

My preference for fit is to be able to raise my arms and move my arms around. I need to be able to move around, even with the liner in. I'm wearing it without the liner. My chest measures at 50". The jacket is an XL. The size chart says 28". This is the right size for me. For me. For other people, they want the jacket really tight, and they would go down 1 or 2 sizes.






​

View attachment 720000

Rolled up sleeves are really a good idea for an M-65
I also wear mine from Helikon without lining.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@MrProper
Looks great!

 

[PeterRocco]

Looks Great!

 

[Fifty150]

Rolled up sleeves are really a good idea for an M-65

Not for everyone. But it's for me.

 

[ProfG]

Rolled up sleeves are really a good idea for an M-65
I also wear mine from Helikon without lining.
View attachment 728037

Mr P, did you have your jacket taken in at the waist at all? I have a similar one from JCrew (may post fit pics one day...) which I'm not crazy about due to its bagginess. I much prefer sleek, form-fitting jackets - your M65 seems to hug your body. I know it comes with a drawstring, but somehow the drawstring doesn't seem to fix the way it drapes on me.

 

[MrProper]

Mr P, did you have your jacket taken in at the waist at all? I have a similar one from JCrew (may post fit pics one day...) which I'm not crazy about due to its bagginess. I much prefer sleek, form-fitting jackets - your M65 seems to hug your body. I know it comes with a drawstring, but somehow the drawstring doesn't seem to fix the way it drapes on me.

In fact, I only tightened the drawstring a little. Not too much, not too little. And the one at the bottom a little too.
But it certainly helps that I took the smallest size where the sleeves were still long enough. This is the size M. It would look much wider in L... I tried it out

 

[ProfG]

In fact, I only tightened the drawstring a little. Not too much, not too little. And the one at the bottom a little too.
But it certainly helps that I took the smallest size where the sleeves were still long enough. This is the size M. It would look much wider in L... I tried it out

Interesting. I have a small (usually I wear medium). Maybe I should have gone for extra-small...