Mil-Tec US Tactical Bomber Flight Jacket Dark Coyote

Top quality jacket looks extremely smart. Feels good on and plenty of pockets

Great quality and fair price. Although the fit is snug so be careful on sizing when ordering.

Beware! This is definitely not one of those baggy throwbacks from the 20th century — when the fit was so enormous you could slide both arms into a single sleeve and still have room for a third; and when the fit across your chest was at least 12" inches larger than your actual chest measurement. By today's standards, those jackets should be reserved for Coco the Clown.

By contrast, the build of this second-generation tactical jacket from Mil-Tec is an inspiration (be careful to avoid the first generation with its looser fit). It lifts the entire look with a contemporary, slimmed-down silhouette (without being skinny or restricting) that is complemented by a modern funnel neck (which you must never fold down unless you wish to look foolish). I actually find it still a touch roomy around the chest and shoulders compared with my best-fitting outerwear (despite opting for my minimum-fitting size), but in my opinion it's far superior to the now clichéd look of those baggy MA-1s. Get rid! Seriously. No offence intended to the ardent fans of that last-century look, but we've moved on from it being a classic wardrobe staple to it looking tired and dated.

If you want a good fit, you'll need to be mindful of the armpit-to-armpit measurements. I enlisted the help of the lovely Gemma from Military Kit's Support Team. She kindly measured three sizes for me across the armpits, which, in my opinion, is the proper way to gauge likely fit because you can compare it to coats/jackets you already own.

Small = 23" pit to pit
Medium = 24" pit to pit
Large = 25" pit to pit

I went for the Dark Coyote, thinking I would mix up my wardrobe with a mid-tan colour. Upon receipt, however, I discovered it is relative shiny in bright light — making it look like I'm wearing GOLD! Hmm...not quite as I imagined it, but the jacket is otherwise spot on. The two front-zipped pockets run as far as the under-arm, so you can carry a week's shopping and still have room for your gym bag. OK, maybe not that large, but they are bigger than any pocket I've ever had before — with heaps of space for dog-poo bags, keys, phone, and other sundry items.

One criticism I've read elsewhere is that this jacket has no padding to make it a true winter option. That may actually be an advantage, however. If you get the sizing right, there's plenty of chest capacity to layer up underneath with a fleece or gilet on those cold winter days (I've dog-walked when it was 0C outside by adding a thick fleece layer over my shirt), meaning you can turn it into a three-season jacket instead of a more limited item that becomes too hot on those warmer spring and autumn days (by ditching a warm mid-layer).

In my opinion, the cut is great, and the outer shell is more robust than any MA-1 I've ever encountered. I mean, it's surprisingly heavy-duty, which serves to keep out the wind and rain. One final point: wearing gloves with velcro fastening is a problem, so avoid! The velcro will quickly snag on the cuffs and create a fuzz (which fortunately I noticed before any lasting damage was done), so it's best to wear gloves without velcro if you wish to preserve those cuffs.

All in all, it's a win! And I'll consider trying a size down in a different colour after I've settled into it in a few months.

Thank you, Military Kit!

Efficient good product