M65 size charts be aware :D
In cold winter days i wear n3b parka , 4xl - but vf model , which is slim version of n3b model which is loose fit . When ordering my M65 jacket i was leaded by that (my poor) guidance and bought 4xl M65 ! Must say that im 196 cm tall and 140 cm in chest size (over 130 kg) and need to say that wearing that size (without liner though,but don't think it would change my feel much more in a good way) was felt like i'm in a tent. So i went and change it for a size smaller , 3xl . Just want to say that you need to be avare that this jacket in it's original version (not defender one) is a very loose fit , and if you want some slimmery look in it - you should go by two sizes smaller that you firstly thought . Now i find myself that 2xl size of M65 fitted me best .
Pros: none
Cons: none
Sizing: Feels large
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Šima in Croatia
Sizing
Glad I got this jacket. Was debating it for years. Jacket is well made though the hood is pants. I’m 180cm tall 75kg very slim an really long arms. Turns out the small is perfect. I wouldn’t want any bigger and there is still room for a hoody underneath. Love it.
Pros: Black colour not a weird shade. , Weight
Cons: Hood
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Bill in Northern ireland
Worth the wait
I've had an m65 jacket (non Alpha) for a few years and it's served me well. I've been hesitating about buying a 'proper' alpha m65 for a while now, but wasn't sure whether I could justify the higher price. Well having done a lot if research I took the plunge and I'm glad I did. There is no comparison between this one and my previous m65. As soon as I opened the package I could tell it was good quality, just from the weight of the fabric. The fit is great, the colour is great, I can't fault it.
Pros: Fit, Colour, Heavy material, Super quality, Alpha label
Cons: none
Sizing: Feels large
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Basil G in Frodsham
Top Jacket
First off, definitely get the size smaller than you would normally get. I ordered XXL and it was far too big. I had to send it back. XL is the perfect size. Secondly, I purchased the liner which in my opinion is essential for colder climates. It buttons into the jacket no problems and as the sleeves of the liner are ribbed elasticated, it is very warm. The M65 jacket itself is tough and looks to be well constructed. Even though the XL is the correct size for me, the sleeves are very wide, hence the liner makes sense. The jacket is new and looks and feels it. I think it will definitely look better with age and when it has worn in a little. Having said that, this is a quality piece of kit and I am really chuffed with it.
Pros: Warmth (with liner), Quality of manufacture., Appearance
Cons: none
Sizing: Feels large
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Doug in Bedford
Highly recommended
Bought mine from M&G about 4 or 5 years ago. Despite wearing it a LOT it looks just as good as the day I got it. Very hard wearing, very high quality. It's my go-to winter coat and is usually fine without the liner. I do have the liner but only really use that in the depths of winter in the UK. I'm 5'10, 40" chest, 170lbs and the Medium is generously cut but not too loose.
Pros: Quality, Highly water resistant
Cons: Hood is nasty, last resort use!
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Ian C in Tunbridge Wells
Great all rounder
Generously sized and excellent quality. Not the cheapest jacket out there but well worth every penny. Looks good and keeps you warm. I haven't bought the liner yet for the winter, but friends who own them speak very highly. All in one of the best jackets I've ever bought
Pros: Worth every penny, Looks great, Good sizes, Hard wearing
Cons: none
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Richard in Tipton, West Midlands
The best jacket ever!!
I bought a U.S. Fishtail parka online, it wasn't the parka for me, with my heart set on a decent parka with some history I set off from Reading to the Wolverhampton store as there is nothing like trying a jacket on for real.
I went through a few parkas and infantry jackets that weren't for me, feeling deflated by now thinking of a wasted journey, I saw the Alpha out the corner of my eye, I had nothing to lose by now and tried it on...
REALLY!! It blew me away, fit like a charm, looks the business, I could feel the quality as soon as it was on this was jacket is a keeper!!
The jacket is plenty good enough without the liner too, so when I got the liner a week later blown away again! I am not getting cold in this thing ever with the liner fitted, which only takes minutes to fit and remove. Once you've gone Alpha there is no going back I will never wear another brand now the quality is second to none.
Pros: Great with or without the liner , Good pockets , Perfect fit , Unbreakable, Looks cool
Cons: none
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Jordy in Reading
A taste apart
A classic of all times in the past present and future. During my military days I had a khaki M 65, roughed through each winter days, and it is biting cold in a tank. Now I have an Olive green, a super fit, goes well with my configuration as if it was made to order. It has its presence when worn around. Thanks Alpha for making them and enabling us to wear them. I think it is more suitable for men from uniformed back ground, it has an emotional attachment too, for the association one develops with this friendly garment , for its texture and color over the years
Pros: All Pros
Cons: none
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Timur Shah in Qatar
So far...so good
Took delivery of an OD Alpha M65 today. I am 6'1" tall with 41 inch chest so paid close attention to the previous reviews around sizing . I decided to order a medium jacket and hoped I'd got it about right.
Discovered it was just the right size, fits very well. Not baggy around the body and the length is bang on. The styling is very good and hangs well. I have now washed it to remove any dressing on the fabric and to lose the packing lines on the material. I discovered that it also has 2 internal chest pockets (1 zipped) which is a bonus as I couldn't see any in the description. I will be looking to weather the jacket over the next few weeks to remove the 'new' appearance. The jacket is quite substantial despite not having a liner attached ( a later option perhaps).
Overall very pleased with the jacket. Will add a later review after I have had the jacket a while.
Pros: Build quality feels substantial , Great styling and appearance.
Cons: Around buttons & zips but no, A few loose stitching thread, Obvious seam issues at the , Moment., Time will tell...
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Matt R in Folkestone, Kent
Six Months On
Six months on and one button has falled off - that's all. One popper is a bit stiff and could do with a bit of lubricating but everything else is perfect. Zip works perfectly and no frayed edges. I've said before that it isn't a waterproof jacket but I have been wearing the Alpha M65 in some quite heavy rain and it is very water repellent so much so that I have only got wet the once! Sizing - I have the XL and I have a 46 inch chest and I like the fact that the jacket is big enough to fit over a couple of extra layers for those really cold days. It's my outdoors jacket of choice, I like the colour (Olive) and I like the feel of it. Would I buy another one? Well, unless my M65 catches fire or gets attacked by a swarm of NyCo eating locusts I won't NEED to buy one, but I WOULD buy another - probably in a smaller size and without the liner to wear as more of a casual jacket rather than for 'outdoors' wear.
Pros: Authentic look and feel, Heavyweight, hardwearing jacket, Alpha quality
Cons: Poor hood
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Mike Barnes in East Preston on the West Sussex Coast
Alpha Industries M65 Field Jacket - Sizing
This is a very good jacket and I can concur with all the positive comments of others. Regarding the zip problem mentioned by one person, who was perhaps unlucky, given good lubrication the brass zip works well and stands up to alot of punishment. On the sizes, having lived in Noth America for five years a rule of thumb is if you normally take a UK large get a USA medium. I forgot this myself and bought a large! The result is I am wearing a tent! But wow is it warm with the liner, I've been out in -9c in the north of Scotland this week and didn't notice.
Pros: none
Cons: none
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Don in Aberlour
Two months on
I've had my Alpha Industries M65 jacket for over two months now and it's been keeping me warm when out walking my two dogs and it looks damn good too. I'd like to respond to one critic of the Alpha M65 - remember that the Alpha M65 is made of NyCo - 50% nylon, 50% cotton, this is far more hard wearing than the polyester and cotton M65 and better than the 100% cotton version also. It is a far superior material in every respect. You get what you pay for and quality costs more. If I buy another M65 jacket, I'll be buying one made of NyCo.
Pros: Hard wearing, Military heritage, Great looks
Cons: Poor hood
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Mike Barnes in East Preston
Great looking jacket
I bought the Alpha Industries M65 Field Jacket to wear when walking my two dogs. It is a heavy jacket and feels very warm even without the liner. I'm 5' 11'' with a 48 inch chest and I ordered the XL and the liner and the sizing feels right for me. The jacket looks and feels authentic. It isn't waterproof - it does repel a light shower but any sustained and heavier rain and you will get wet. I don't think the hood would be much good in keeping my head dry or warm either. I'd like to ask M&G if they could supply the M65 button-on fur trimmed hood as seen on the M65 Fishtail Parka. I think that would be a good addition to the M65 Field Jacket - M&G could that be a possibilty? I'd certainly buy one.
Pros: Warm, Heavy weight material, Authentic look and feel, Original M65 design
Cons: Poor hood
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Follow-up by Meanandgreen: Hi Mike, at the moment we have no plans to stock the button-on fur trimmed hood, but we'll look into it.
Reviewed by Mike Barnes in East Preston, West Sussex
Second Review - a year on
This is an update on my earlier review written shortly after buying the coat a year ago.
I still love the style and may buy another M65 style jacket, although I am not sure I would pay for another Alpha Industries one.
I wore this walking to work almost every day from October until June this year. The cloth and stitching have held up fine but very disappointingly the zip broke near the end.
Reading my old review (and in light of the above failure) I now realise I was not critical enough. I could have got a much better jacket (perhaps even a waterproof one) for the same money.
The M&G version of the M65 is a lot cheaper and (judging from the high quality of the their military shorts) I strongly suspect it will be better quality also.
It is still a great coat though I am downgrading my initial score of 5 stars to 4 as a result of the value for money aspect.
Pros: Cool design, Warm, Distinctive styling, Very strong cloth
Cons: Snap buttons feel cheap, Not waterproof, Short lived zip
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: No
Reviewed by Canisavius in Yorkshire
Rambo & Robert De Niro wore one in Taxi Driver!
My new one replaced my original bought in the seventies and given to my son. Durable, well designed, comfortable, windproof, almost waterproof, useful pockets and adjustments. However, the main thing ro recommend it is how cool it looks, even my wife loves it! Feels like a nuclear bunker when everything is snugged down.
Pros: Soft and comfortable feel, Over engineered, Hard wearing, Rugged, Looks great
Cons: Weedy hood, Styled for fat blokes
Sizing: Feels large
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Martin Atton in Taunton Somerset
Absolutley great!
I was initially reluctant to buy this as I have the Surplus Raw Vintage M65, but I'm really glad I did. The Alpha M65 is a much nicer colour and is very well made indeed. At 5ft 4" I oped for size small, which is a good fit in the arms, but the real bonus is that it's a little bit more loose in the cut, therefore it's not as tight on my beer belly. I'm happy with this coat and the cheaper imitations and M65 'style' jackets pale in comparison to the real deal. The difference between size small and size medium is signigicant however, so if you are on the shorter side, go for small.
Pros: Roomier in the waist, Very comfortable, Sensible sleeve length, Lots of detail, Very well made - quality item
Cons: Wanted 'short' length
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Chris in County Durham
Excellent jacket
Great classic looking jacket.
i went for this as it supposed to be the best quality m65 on the market.
havnt tried the ones that are more than half the price though, so not entirely sure how it would compare to a less expensive version for quality.
also the other ones come with a liner included, you have to buy the liner for this jacket seperately.....i put my trust in the good reputation of alpha industries on the assumption that quality will be better than " cheapness ".
Pros: Good quality
Cons: Expensive.
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Simon in essex.
Hardwearing and Classic lines
I had a green one of these in College in the 'eighties and loved it; so I bought one here recently as a trip down memory lane. I was a bit disappointed at first that it is now made in China rather than Knoxville Tennessee, but that was clearly me being sentimental! It's all I hoped it would be - very hard wearing and surprisingly warm even without the liner (which I have also bought). With the liner it's very snug indeed. The two inside pockets are a modern addition I think but very useful.
It's a great jacket and I have worn it everyday since I got it six weeks ago. I keep seeing people wearing modern fashion copies of the basic M65 pattern but I prefer the classic and unfussy original. The sleeves have such a distinctive cut to them. I love it.
Pros: Very tough material, Warm, Comfortable, Great brass zip, Nice tailoring
Cons: Stitching seems light, Hood is pretty pointless, Shower proof only
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Canisavius in North Yorkshire
A Classic For A Reason
I've been a user of the M65 jacket for a few years now, since before I joined the military, the years through it and now, since leaving. Throughout all that time it's proved itself a brilliant piece of kit, and every time I've moved away from it to something else-usually far more expensive and civilian-I've ended up coming back to it. Due to my old one finally getting trashed after 20 years of service, I took the plunge last December and bought another, complete with the liner. What a brilliant decision; just after I received it, the temps got themselves down to -16°C. With a woollen pullover and a hat, this rig saw me through some genuinely Arctic weather. In the 9 months since purchase, it's been out with me into the woods (I'm into bushcrafting) and it's never went wrong. Not a stich has came loose, nothing has ripped, and despite the downpours, it has kept me dry and snug. For the money, these are unbeatable. M65 every time.
Pros: Comfortable, Warm, Fit, Storage
Cons: More internal pockets please.
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Billy in Scotland
Great
I purchased about a year ago and it has never disappointed, I still looks and feels as new and is very tough. Although it's listed as not being waterproof It has not let me down in the rain. It is quite warm in the winter but I am considering buying the liner. I will definitely buy again but I don't think I will need to as it has survived what ever I have thrown at it.
Pros: Practical, Cool in summer, Warm in winter, Tough
Cons: Only a few sizes
Sizing: Feels about right
Would recommend: Yes
Reviewed by Steve in London
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