New Leader Uniform Questions

[mpaull]

HI All, I have recently moved into a 'uniformed position' with my son's local Cub Pack and I was pondering the multitude of options on Scoutstuff. I would be very interested to hear opinions on the uniforms, especially on the variety of pants that are offered. Is the $49.99 pair (Centennial Switchbacks Uniform Pants) really that much better than the $19.98 pair (Switchbacks Official Uniform Pants)? Is this (Centennial Boy Scout/Male Leader Supplex Nylon Uniform Shirt) the standard shirt for all levels? I hope to continue my connection with Scouting as my son moves up through the levels and don't want to keep buying new uniforms. Thanks for any advice.

 

p.s. I'm 6'3", 235#

[Basementdweller]

The $19 switchbacks are the old color. I have a few pair of them and they are great, I like the zippers on the bottom of the cuff so you can remove the pant leg with out taking your boot off.

 

I like the Supplex nylon It drys faster and wicks moisture better when your outdoors.

 

the new canvas pant has some sort a two piece waist band and I find that it rubs my sides and I get hot spots where the fabric, elastic over laps

 

 

So if having the old color isn't a big deal to you, save yourself $30 bucks.

[mpaull]

@ Basementdweller - thanks for the reply. Having the old color isn't a big deal to me (the savings is). Would the color be a big deal to others? Don't want to create a stir. If the old ones are being phased out, will I end up having to buy a pair of the new color in a year or two anyway?

 

Thanks again,

 

Mike

[UCEagle72]

A scout uniform is never "replaced." All uniforms are valid to be worn.

[Basementdweller]

I have a number of pants and they have held up well

 

 

I would hope the other scouters in the troop would appreciate that the fact you had actual scout pants irregardless of old vs new color......

 

Of course there are the self appointed uniform police.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

[Eagle92]

M,

First welcome to the forums. Second Congrats on becoming a uniformed leader. Yep it's hard work, but it is SOOOOOOOOOOO worth it.

 

In reference to uniforming. Once official always offical. that way BSA still maintains copyright or patent protection over older uniforms and prevents them from being abused.

 

I wear a Centennial LS supplex shirt with the First Generation, older ones on sale now, Switchbacks. No problems, just a different shade of green as mentioned. In fact when the CUs came out, it was said that you could mix and match the CU items with the older Oscar De laRenta (ODL) items.

 

Just make sure to get the red and white numbers and when trained the red and tan trained strip. Lots of confusion on that as national really screwed up with the release of the CUs. Took them 9 months before releasing the new uniform regs, and you still have literature coming out of national with the wrong stuff. best example is CM Fast Start with the CM wearing red numbers, and a tan and green trained strip.

[Greaves]

I would like to mention that national has come out with female leader shirts--without the bellowed pockets on the chest.

 

this is a move of which I approve. I have a shirt with the bellowed pockets, and it's hard to imagine a less flattering look. (I donated it to the Pack--I wear a previous shirt, one of the Oscar de la Renta ones, that I found at the Salvation Army store.)

[Eagle92]

greaves points out a good thing, use your resources to get older uniforms if you want. you'd be surprised at what you will find, not only shirts but patches too.

[T2Eagle]

If you look deeper into the $19.95 Switchbacks it's more a "clearance" item then anything else. There are limited sizes available. If they come in your size buy them.

[mpaull]

Thanks again for all the replies - I'll definately make a trip to the Salvation Army store in the near future. Quick question to Eagle92 - you mentioned specific colors for numbers and the "Trained" patch. Does that mean any of our Leaders, myself included, that become 'trained' in the Centennial year can't wear the Centennial "Trained" patch on the older shirts?

[mpaull]

Thanks again for all the replies - I'll definately make a trip to the Salvation Army store in the near future. Quick question to Eagle92 - you mentioned specific colors for numbers and the "Trained" patch. Does that mean any of our Leaders, myself included, that become 'trained' in the Centennial year can't wear the Centennial "Trained" patch on the older shirts?

[Eagle92]

Good question. IMHO, national screwed up royally by placing a pocket on the left sleeve, shrinking the trained strips, and having 2 sets of colors for unit numbers,and this is causing uniform problems. But I digress.

 

Answer: There are now 2 "centennial" trained strips, the red and tan for CS leaders, and I am assuming Venturers and Venturing leaders (the "green shirts" as they are sometimes called in my district), that came out in late April/early May last year, and the tan and green ones for Boy Scouts and Scout leaders which came out in August 2008, and for about 8-9 months were the only trained strips available. CS leaders are suppose to wear teh tan and red "Centennial" strip, not the green and tan "Centennial" trained strip" Only difference between the old trained strip and the red and tan centennial trained strip is the size; they shrink it to fit on the sleeve pocket flap.

 

As to mixing an matching items from the old uniforms and the new uniforms, lots of discussions and debates, and national hasn't really helped. You see when the CUs came out, there was no Insignia Guide, and as we now know, LOTS, stressing LOTS, of errors with the info that came out in reference to CS leaders.

 

Now national did say you can mix and match uniform parts. BUT they didn't define uniform parts. Some said that insignia, loops, etc are not uniforms parts so that the CUs must have new insignia and loops, but you could wear a new shirt with old pants. And vice versa, i.e. old uniform shirts must have old insignia. HOWEVER you have those that say that insignia IS a uniform item, and the older items can be worn with the CUs, i.e red loops and numbers on a CU, and tan and green numbers and green loops on the old shirts.

 

I am in that school of thought,i.e insignia can be mixed and match as they are uniform items. When I do join a troop again, I'll probably stick with red and whites on my old uniforms, and green and tans on my CU as I bought the trained strip and green and tan number a week prior to national coming out with the updated regs. for CS leaders.

 

And as you can guess from my post, this is a pet peeve of mine.

[Eagle92]

Forgot to add links to uniform stuff

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/forms.aspx gives a bunch of documents

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/UniformEssentials_kwFINAL.pdf

 

this file shows what all the uniforms, save sea scouts, are suppose to look like. There is still an error on the female leader sheet in that they do not include the the red and white number info for CS leaders, but hey at least they no longer mention female leaders needing a MB sash.

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/34048.pdf

 

Leaders' inspection sheet. it's accurate.

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/Male_Leader_Checklsit.pdf

 

Male leader checklist, pretty accurate save the MB sash info.

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/Female_Leader_Checklist.pdf

 

Female leader checklist, pretty accurate save the MB sash info again.

 

EDITED; sorry the CS books showing on the forms are the old ones.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[mpaull]

A few last questions - are there any issues of shrinkage in the laundry? do they fit as they say, ie., is an XL really an XL? I've noticed sometimes, especially with clothes made in Asia, that their concept of XL doesn't really match the North American one.

 

With thanks to all for the feedback,

 

Mike

[Eagle92]

My advice is if it's the Older uniforms made in America you will be good to go on size. My made in Communist China generation 1 Switchbacks were large. I bought them from national when they were on sale, and being told that they run big, bought the Ls and XLs. L are big and I have a 38" waist. XLs swallowed me. Luckily I was able to sell one pair of XLs. Anyone want a pair of Switchbacks, XL waist 32 length, only $15 plus shipping