Bulgarian IKE Jacket with Holster

Bulgarian Army Ike Jacket

This is a waist-length field jacket issued by the Bulgarian Army, with a holster pocket sewn inside the front panel so a handgun rides concealed under the shell. Ike jacket is the common name for this short cut, after the cropped field jacket associated with General Eisenhower. It ends at a fitted waistband instead of hanging over the hips, so it clears a belt and sits neatly under a pack's hip strap. Collectors of Eastern Bloc uniforms, reenactors and anyone who wants a plain olive drab work jacket with a hidden carry option will find a use for it.

Features

• Internal Holster Pocket — A shaped pouch inside the jacket front holds a handgun, with a buttoned retention strap across the top and a webbing loop beneath it.
• Waist-Length Ike Cut — The jacket stops at the waist on a banded hem, keeping a belt line and holster area free.
• Two Buttoned Chest Pockets — Patch pockets on each side of the chest close with button-down flaps that keep contents from falling out.
• Shoulder Epaulettes — Buttoned straps across each shoulder, originally used to carry rank insignia, also hold a strap or glove in place.
• Button-Through Front — A single row of black buttons runs from the waistband to a fold-down collar that also buttons closed at the throat.
• Buttoned Cuffs — Each sleeve ends in a cuff that buttons snug at the wrist to keep out wind and debris.
• OD Green Shell — The outer fabric is olive drab, the muted military green that goes with most surplus and outdoor kit.
• Genuine Bulgarian Issue — This is original Bulgarian Army clothing, made for the country's armed forces rather than for the retail market.

Original Issue Layout

The interior is lined in a lighter khaki fabric, and a second row of buttons inside the front placket sits behind the outer closure. The holster pocket is stitched to that lining, so nothing about it shows from the outside when the jacket is buttoned. The layout is the same as it was when the Bulgarian Army issued it, which is what gives the jacket its value to collectors and to anyone kitting out a Cold War era impression.