M-65 Field Jacket

[windrunner]

This comes with a liner but is 200+ with shipping...is it even a legit jacket or just one for civilian market?

 

[windrunner]

Found a much cheaper listing that comes in around 70 bucks, with liner as well. Condition isn't terrible either.

 

[Pandemic]

My dad bought a surplus jacket when he got back from Vietnam in 1969. After reading this thread, I’m curious to see what year it is. It also has a fuzzy acrylic plush liner, but I’m not sure if that came with the jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

My dad bought a surplus jacket when he got back from Vietnam in 1969. After reading this thread, I’m curious to see what year it is. It also has a fuzzy acrylic plush liner, but I’m not sure if that came with the jacket.

There are two types of liners; the fuzzy white liner is the warmer of the two. It is a thick liner that requires more space so the fit won't be too tight.

The second type is the polyester batting liner shown in the post above. It doesn't take up much space and is warm enough for freezing and above, and perhaps a little lower.

The liners aren't expensive, and I would recommend getting both and see which is more suitable to the climate in which it is worn.

 

[Doctor Damage]

View attachment 701994

This comes with a liner but is 200+ with shipping...is it even a legit jacket or just one for civilian market?

The tag is a military tag (or a Japanese reproduction) and given it's good condition suggest the jacket is lightly worn, or at least hasn't been washed.

 

[Doctor Damage]

The second type is the polyester batting liner shown in the post above. It doesn't take up much space and is warm enough for freezing and above, and perhaps a little lower.

I had a new repro US army parka that (oddly) was supplied with an original liner, the poly batting one, and it was basically useless in winter. Maybe over a dozen layers it would have been fine, but if you live anyplace that gets proper cold in winter find something better if you want it to keep you warm rather than just keep the weather off.
EDIT: I should note that the parka's shell was a single layer of cotton blend, whereas the M-65 jackets are two layers, so might be expected to be warmer. Probably not a fair comparison or analogy. Nevertheless, the original surplus liner was embarrassingly thin.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Alternative would be a cotton turtleneck shirt under M65.

 

[Peacoat]

I had a new repro US army parka that (oddly) was supplied with an original liner, the poly batting one, and it was basically useless in winter. Maybe over a dozen layers it would have been fine, but if you live anyplace that gets proper cold in winter find something better if you want it to keep you warm rather than just keep the weather off.

Maybe you need to move someplace warmer. No way is that poly batting going to do anything with the serious cold you guys have. You need the fuzzy white liner.

 

[windrunner]

The tag is a military tag (or a Japanese reproduction) and given it's good condition suggest the jacket is lightly worn, or at least hasn't been washed.

Ended up getting the 70 dollar one, is not as pristine but seems in good condition still. Would you say the other one is worth 200 or not?

 

[StetsonBaron]

A buddy of mine recently got a customized M65 woodland camo but with a seriously warm removable liner made of real sheepskin and karakul. It’s definitely not cheap, but it's built for extreme cold. I think it was made in Mongolia and tailored more for collectors or harsh winters than casual wear. Might be overkill for some, but it’s probably the warmest M65 jacket I’ve seen.

 

[TLW '90]

I recently tried to put the liner from my '85 dated woodland m65 into the '77 m65 only to discover that it doesn't have the buttons in the sleeves for the keeper loops

I asked my dad and he doesn't remember if they were there when it was issued to him or not.
He doesn't remember patching the holes, and doesn't remember when his name tape came off or if he had removed it.
I am thinking he removed the buttons or something, he went through BCT at Ft Bliss TX and didn't get a liner with his m65 so I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the need to remove them for some reason.
The '85 woodland m65 still has the liner...etc because he was in Washington at the time and actually needed the liner.

I've wanted to send this jacket off somewhere for repair because I've made tons of memories in it over the years, but am thinking that ultimately it may be better to just get another in much better condition and store this one away.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I've wanted to send this jacket off somewhere for repair because I've made tons of memories in it over the years, but am thinking that ultimately it may be better to just get another in much better condition and store this one away.

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 crap out of and put your own wear-and-tear on it via your own adventures.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Ended up getting the 70 dollar one, is not as pristine but seems in good condition still. Would you say the other one is worth 200 or not?

Sometimes the best thing to do is buy a cheap one and see if you like it. You might end up hating these types of jackets! Then you're only down a small amount of $$. As to the $200 jacket, that would be too much for me, unless I was dead sure it was vintage and not a good Japanese repro* and in minty condition, but to each his own. As a side note I would want to see a photo of the tag on the liner to make sure it's the same size as the jacket. Not sure, but I suspect the removable liners only came in "regular" lengths, unlike the jackets, but please don't quote me.

* One might argue that the best Japanese repros are better than the vintage originals...

 

[windrunner]

Sometimes the best thing to do is buy a cheap one and see if you like it. You might end up hating these types of jackets! Then you're only down a small amount of $$. As to the $200 jacket, that would be too much for me, unless I was dead sure it was vintage and not a good Japanese repro* and in minty condition, but to each his own. As a side note I would want to see a photo of the tag on the liner to make sure it's the same size as the jacket. Not sure, but I suspect the removable liners only came in "regular" lengths, unlike the jackets, but please don't quote me.

* One might argue that the best Japanese repros are better than the vintage originals...

Liner tags, looks like it's just medium with no indication if it's small, regular, or long. I assume it would just be regular? But yeah, yeesh 200 is a lot. Though if it would last me forever and it's in good condition maybe. Gotta think about it some more.

 

[Peacoat]

I recently tried to put the liner from my '85 dated woodland m65 into the '77 m65 only to discover that it doesn't have the buttons in the sleeves for the keeper loops

I asked my dad and he doesn't remember if they were there when it was issued to him or not.
He doesn't remember patching the holes, and doesn't remember when his name tape came off or if he had removed it.
I am thinking he removed the buttons or something, he went through BCT at Ft Bliss TX and didn't get a liner with his m65 so I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the need to remove them for some reason.
The '85 woodland m65 still has the liner...etc because he was in Washington at the time and actually needed the liner.

I've wanted to send this jacket off somewhere for repair because I've made tons of memories in it over the years, but am thinking that ultimately it may be better to just get another in much better condition and store this one away.

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.

 

[Preppy Climber]

Sometimes the best thing to do is buy a cheap one and see if you like it. You might end up hating these types of jackets! Then you're only down a small amount of $$. As to the $200 jacket, that would be too much for me, unless I was dead sure it was vintage and not a good Japanese repro* and in minty condition, but to each his own. As a side note I would want to see a photo of the tag on the liner to make sure it's the same size as the jacket. Not sure, but I suspect the removable liners only came in "regular" lengths, unlike the jackets, but please don't quote me.

* One might argue that the best Japanese repros are better than the vintage originals...

M-65 liners come in different lengths, or minimally they do for my X-small jackets. The "up to 63 inches" liner fits my x-small/x-short jacket and the "over 63 inches" fits my x-small/short jacket.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ That's a newer liner, looks like dated 2000, and the darker tag made of a plasticized paper is a giveaway. The liner posted by "windrunner" is dated 1974, and it's white and paper, so much older. So maybe they started doing different lengths for newer spec jackets? The M-65 jacket, modernized, were issued until quite recently in woodland camo, although I think USAF use only. Looking through my saved files, I see the latest mil-spec document I have for the M-65 is dated 2007 (quite recent!) while the latest mil-spec I have for the liner is dated 1988 and lists the following sizes only (see below). This chart more or less confirms what "Preppy Climber" has posted.

 

[Preppy Climber]

^ That's a newer liner, looks like dated 2000, and the darker tag made of a plasticized paper is a giveaway. The liner posted by "windrunner" is dated 1974, and it's white and paper, so much older. So maybe they started doing different lengths for newer spec jackets? The M-65 jacket, modernized, were issued until quite recently in woodland camo, although I think USAF use only. Looking through my saved files, I see the latest mil-spec document I have for the M-65 is dated 2007 (quite recent!) while the latest mil-spec I have for the liner is dated 1988 and lists the following sizes only (see below). This chart more or less confirms what "Preppy Climber" has posted.

View attachment 702351

Thank you for this additional info., @Doctor Damage!

 

[CatsCan]

Ended up getting the 70 dollar one, is not as pristine but seems in good condition still. Would you say the other one is worth 200 or not?

Your 70 Dollar one is the one I personally would have chosen myself as well. It is genuine military issue. So Sew is regarded one of the best period makers next to John Ownbey. Yours is contracted 1969 which is what I had prefered over the other one, too. The pre 70 ones with aluminum zips are getting rare. Plus I think you should explore the liner closer. I think it could be one of the better and rarer ones with closer stitching but we have to see a total of it.

The second one is civilian. Note the RN number which indicates a production for the civilian market. So it is not a military tag. This one is no way worth 200. It's Alpha's civilian range, so nothing special. The good Japanese Repros are a different game. This is not one of them.

Edit: I had a closer look to the liner of your 70 Dollar one. I was right. It's the first pattern liner which is really nice. Good buy.