Some random thoughts on a Repro Propper M65 Field Jacket

[Manchu Warrior]

I was in a thrift store today and got all excited when I spotted what I thought to be a Vietnam War era OD green M65 Field Jacket. It was nice and crisp and new and I was a little disappointed when I opened the jacket and spotted that colorful Propper tag and I was even more disappointed when I spotted made in China printed across the tag. I have never purchased any repro stuff but I figured it was so clean and felt as if it was well made, and at $10 the price was right. So, I figured I buy it and take a chance on ebay with the reenacting community.

 

When I got home I did a little research and honestly I am bit puzzled by what I found. I found info on another forum about comparing the quality of Propper field jackets with Tru Spec field jackets. The post were from 2011 and they claimed that Propper stopped making field jackets three years earlier when the US military went to Gore-tex jackets as the primary outerwear. That statement made no sense to me for several reasons. First because I was issued a Gore-tex jacket in all the units I was in. For what ever reason it was a controlled item and had to be turned in when we PCS'ed. Secondly, I was issued three field jackets while I was in army and when I got out one was still brand new with the tags on it. So, why would anyone in the military buy a made in China field jacket when they would have been issued real ones? So, why would it have any affect on what Propper was making? But who knows how true the information was and those were just random thoughts. What really surprised me were the prices on some of these jackets.

 

Don't get me wrong because I can understand someone that is reenacting spending some money on a repro OD jacket or even some of the fine looking repro M43 or M41 jackets I have seen. But what really surprised were some the prices paid for the repro Woodland pattern jackets. Some of them were in the $80 range on ebay and there asking between $70 and $110 on most web sites. My question is why? When there are so many made in the USA military issued originals available at a fraction of the cost. I myself must have at least thirty Woodland field jackets and most of them are in decent shape. Or I am missing the point and I should start buying all the Woodland pattern field jackets that I see in attempt to corner the market?

 

[dan_the_hun84]

Keep looking, they turn up. I hit 4 shops weekly, last year nil...this year I nabbed a mint size Medium with its liner and a lightly used large,

As for why...well I know M65s are pretty popular in Europe and Asia, hell even buzz rickson makes a WAAAY overpriced M65

[El Bibliotecario]

I, too, am bemused at the price of reproduction items. As to your questions, I can only speculate from personal experience. I have no memory of commerical knockoff M65 field jackets during the time they were issued--they would not have been competitive with issue items available from QM clothing sales. I don't recall what the M65 field jacket sold for during its lifespan, but to give you an idea, I bought a new pair of issue boots in the mid '60s from QM clothing sales for under $5. As late as the '80s, when I grudgingly purchased a woodland camouflage field jacket to keep up with the current fashion, I paid only $30 or $40.

 

I would speculate the M65 reproductions are marketed to the wannabes who like to play army but would break into tears at the sight of an NCO's frown.

 

To make you feel really bad, when I was a young punk I bought an UNISSUED M43 field jacket from the surplus store for $5.