Question 1

Is this jacket made in china or usa?

Accepted Answer

Helikon products are manufactured in Poland. As a guy that was once issued a US M65 field jacket, I know what is a good copy and what is not. As the manufacture of M65's ceased in the US when the US military introduced the ECWCS parka,  I've been looking for a good "knock-off" field jacket ever since. Until I stumbled across the Helikon M65's, my search had produced nothing but frustration. No commercially manufactured M65 field jacket that I looked at, including the much touted Alpha jackets, even came close to the real thing.But trust me, the Helikon M65's are as close to "GI Issue" as you're going to get. They are so good that I eventually bought a second Helikon M65 jacket, as well as several pairs of their accompanying M65 field trousers.As nice as the Helikon M65 field jackets are, they are not perfect. While the fabric is of good quality, it seems to be of a slightly looser weave than the original US standard 50/50 NYCO cloth, so they may not wear as well as the originals. The hood inside the collar is virtually useless, as it is made of very light fabric and is much smaller than those on original M65's, which were large enough fit over a steel helmet. The zippers are of reasonably good quality, but not up to the quality of the original YKK zippers. The main zipper also ends a few inches above the waist, which I found odd, but does not affect the jacket's serviceability. Most important, like all knock-offs, the Helikon M65's are sized a bit smaller than the original US GI-issue field jackets, so I would suggest ordering one size larger than you normally would if you want the capability to wear the jacket over additional insulating layers. In summary, the Helikon M65 field jackets are the best copies of the original US military-issue available and are offered at a very fair price. You won't be disappointed.

Question 2

Do they have Talls?

Accepted Answer

The people I bought the jacket from did not sell LONG sizes. I am 6 foot and 220 pounds. I bought XL. Mine could easily fit a person up to 6-2 or 3 and still fit nice.

Question 3

Does it come with a liner?

Accepted Answer

YES. The liner is easily removable.

Question 4

Did helikon change the nyco fabric on the m65?  my 4 year old helikon is stiffer and heavier than the new one which seems much thinner.

Accepted Answer

I'm not totally sure what happened but since the US DOD no longer uses the M65 Field Jacket, manufacturers feel free to play with the spec. So the material could very well have changed to a less expensive alternative. I know many of the M65's being made don't have the chest pockets sized properly anymore either. Really a shame because the Heilikon jacket I purchased several years ago was right to mil spec. Try contacting their customer service. They've always been pretty good in the past. They might be able to tell you what's going on.

Helikon Genuine M65 Jacket Black

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