Alpha IndustriesM-65 Field Jacket - Classic Oversized Military Field Coat

Want an M-65 that is as good or better than your service issue? ....... then just buy this ......I wanted a jacket for everyday, outside wear .... I already have and love my Arcteryx, Mountain Hardwear, and Patagonia jackets and inner layers ..... I wear them to work, bicycling, and hiking .... I needed a jacket to shovel snow with, to wear to the HD and L's DIY stores, to wear out 'checking the fence line' ..... and maybe something to wear during the Zombie Apocalypse .....this is that jacket .......I loved my USAF issued M-65's .... They fit well, was VERY comfortable, and seemed practically indestructible ..... any snags or scuffs it did receive, just added to its character ...... after retiring from the Air Force, my only issue with the jackets was they were OD and Woodland Camo ...... In the Civilian world, I didn't want to look TactiCool, homeless, or a "prepper"...... so I purchased this Alpha M-65 in Black ......Side-by-side, the touch, feel, and weight of this Alpha is identical to my service issues ..... the placement of 'most' of the buttons ..... identical .... the buttons inside the cuff for the liner ... identical ....... the length, placement, and material of the zippers, both the front and hood .... identical ...... aside from the color now being Black, I could have sewn rank on this and worn it during muster ......There are a couple of differences though ..... but are not apparent from the outside ...... the manufacturer has added two inner chest high pockets ..... one being square with a Velcro closure and one with a diagonal zipper closure ...... neither being very largo, but convenient for a cell phone or passport and such ...... the second difference is the placement of the lowest set of interior buttons .... they are spaced to attach the Alpha ALS liner vs. the GI version ..... you can still attach a genuine GI version, but you will need to sew in a couple new button holes in the liner, evenly spaced from the upper two button holes ..... the Alpha ALS liner has been redesigned and meant to be worn by itself as well as used as a liner ..... the Alpha ALS liner won't handle the lower set of buttons as on the original M-65 without looking 'goofy' in appearance when worn by itself ......Sizing is as expected ...... 'as expected' meaning that you are aware that military sizing for the M-65 runs big ...... I am 5' 8" and 200lbs ...... and I have a bit of a beer belly since leaving the service .... the 'medium' fits perfect .... it doesn't look like I am swimming in it ...... yet I have plenty of room for the matching Alpha liner, or the original service issue liner ..... I can also wear my fancy inner layers such as the Mountain Hardwear Monkey fleece or the Arcteryx LT hoody and still feel comfortable ..... snugger, but still comfortable and warm ..... I will probably still purchase the matching Alpha liner or a genuine issue liner as again, this is an everyday jacket .....I have seen the reviews complaining about the material, workmanship, button placement, and sizing ...... but seriously, I don't know where they are coming from ...... did they mistake their purchase for this Alpha version? ..... there are other M-65's being sold on Amazon .... some are advertised as being identical to a GI jacket ..... but none are as close to the original as Alpha Industries ...... Google the web forums for 'the best M-65' and Alpha ranks the best for your money ....... heck, Alpha was one of the original makers of the M-65 back in the day ......One more thing on sizing .... as much as you want to order your typical size in jackets, trust me and order one size smaller ...... if you typicall wear a Large and your order a Large, yes it will fit ..... but it will 'hang' on you .... the shoulder seams will have dropped down to your upper biceps .... you will be able to wear 'lots' of layers underneath ..... and the arm cuffs will be to your finger tips ....... remember, at least, one size smaller .... if you don't plan on wearing ANY inner layers .... two sizes smaller will give you a good looking, snug fit ......This is a great jacket ..... and I love it in the color Black .......

Sold by: Amazon.com Services, IncPrice $106purchase date: September 2016I can't comment on the durability of the stitching because I just got this today, sold by Amazon.com. The fabric seems strong. The coat is sewn together very well. There are no messy places either with the stitching or the way pieces fit together. Very symmetrical overall. The snaps all line up and function properly. The buttons seem secure. The zippers all function properly. The Velcro on the collar is completely adequate and properly positioned. The Velcro tab on each cuff is kind of small -- it would help if it was a little longer, but it works -- and the part it sticks to is large enough. There are two inside pockets, one that closes with Velcro and one that has a zipper across the opening.I'm barely 5'9". I weigh 170-175 lbs. Athletic build but not pumped muscles. No beer belly. Just very average.Reviews of people my height and weight or slightly taller and heavier say everything from a small was too big, or just right even with a liner, to a large is actually what you do need. I ordered a small first. It was not too small to wear, but it was snug with no liner and only a t-shirt. I asked for a medium instead. It was only very slightly larger. I can wear the medium (no liner) with a sweatshirt (hoodie, whatever) under it, but if I knew the sizing of another replacement would be consistent with these two I tried, I would prefer to have gotten a large per size charts on the product info page and the Alpha Industries chart provided in a reply to a customer question.That person from Alpha Industries said to get one size smaller than your measurements. Some people say go two sizes smaller in reviews. Some say get the size you measure for. So there is no way to know for sure before it gets delivered, I guess. I might get a large now, and receive something way too big, so I'm going to keep the medium and try to avoid shrinking it when laundering it. But I would rather have a large if it was sized consistently with the two I received so far.[Update May 2019] I used this for three winters now. It has held together very well. No loose threads or thinning of material anywhere yet.