Should the boys wear their uniforms on a overnight camping trip?

[pack330]

I'm apart of a new Cub Scout Pack and we are going on our first camping trip. It's only going to be 24-hours because we have Tiger Cubs. I don't want parents mad because their child got their new uniforms a mess. I say "the more messy they get the better". Should we have the leaders and boys wear their uniforms?

[k9gold-scout]

Wear the uniform going to and from camp. When you arrive at camp change to a class b (if you have them) type uniform. Or just white shirt and jeans. Have fun and be safe!

[fboisseau]

My suggestion is to tell the parents to bring the scouts uniforms for any opening, closing and campfire events at the campout. As for the rest of the day I would suggest a pack t-shirt if available, if not regular play clothes.

[tdyer56]

My suggestion, Have the scouts wear their uniform to and from the camp. Once their, they can change into other clothes. This is what we do when taking our pack camping.

 

Tim Dyer

UC

[yaworski]

It strikes me that today's kids cannot differentiate between clothes that they can get filty and clothes that they cannot. Way back when, we used to play football after church in our "Sunday go to meetin' " clothes. Oddly, we remained clean because we knew that we need to remain so. What has changed?

 

In any case, you should wear your uniform for travelling. BSA says to do it to take advantage of the good will that we have built up over the years. People treat scouts differently then they treat "just kids." Take advantage of it.

 

 

[Bob White]

Depends on where we are going, what we will be doing, what the weather is...etc.

 

We always have or uniforms handy, but we don't always have them on. I get a kick out of units who make the scouts wear their uniforms in the winter when no one sees them and they have little or no insulation value. There are times to wear the uniform and times not to. We played in our "Sunday best" sometimes too, but my parents or another adult never "made us" do it.

 

Bob White

[pack330]

Thanks for all the ideas. My Tiger Cubs who will be Wolfs by the time we go on our camping trip will be wearing their new uniforms for the first time. Maybe it would be a better idea to have them wear their old Tiger Cub t-shirts?? Can they do that?

[Bob White]

I see that as making boy scouts wear cub uniforms as work clothes. These boys are going to be excited at having moved on to the "older" ranks. A better solution would be to get some fabric paint and have them bring in t-shirts to a den meeting so they can make their own den shirts, to wear when the dress uniform would not be appropriate.

 

Bob White

[Double Eagle]

Uniforms have there place. At an opening or closing or dinner is best. Class B (pack shirt or scout activity shirt) is good for the rest of the day. I seem to never scout in the good weather. With either snow or rain, we rarely see the uniforms. An armband with the patrol or den name is great. Just wear it over the raincoat or jacket.

Scouting overseas, we have to weigh the wear of the flag and uniform with traveling to and from events. In Europe, we have to watch our size of group and how not to be identified as a terrorist target. Sad but true.

We did wear our uniforms while traveling on the train to and from Switzerland.

 

 

[Chippewa29]

In our troop, we have the kids wear uniforms for meals. They arrive at camp Friday night in uniform, then change once camp is set up. Then, they wear their uniforms for breakfast in the morning and can change for the days activities. Then, in the evening, we "dress for dinner". It seems to work out ok. We get the unity of having the kids wear their uniforms, but we've found that they look better when worn in limited doses. Some kids, if they were the uniforms all weekend, will have them such a mess by the time Saturday evening comes around, they definitely need to change.

[evmori]

For weekend camping trips, we rarely take our class A's unless the schedule dictates we need them. We do require the Scouts & adults travel in their class B's. In our case, that would be our Troop 1 t-shirts. When we go to summer camp we do require all in attendance to bring their class A uniforms.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

Happy 4th of July!

[LauraT7]

We require our boys to wear uniforms while traveling. If a boy "forgets" his uniform, well then, we have a few outgrown, hand-me down uniforms with troop insignia and no rank patches in the store-room at the church - ALL troop members, including ADULT members (not parents, but all registered troop members)MUST wear a class A uniform.

I'll tell you, that storeroom is an effective tool - only twice has somone "forgotten" his shirt, and had to wear one from the storeroom - the shirts in the storeroom aren't bad - but nobody wants to wear them!

 

At camp, non-BSA approved fundraisers, summer (outdoor) meetings, and various other events, our troop T-shirt is acceptable wear.

 

At Camp Lowden, where our boys have gone to summer camp for a number of years - the camp program requires class A's for morning flag and breakfast, and again for dinner. The troop requires the troop t-shirts for the rest of the day / week.

 

One idea is to wear your class A OVER your troop T - and peal off the class A when you get messy or need a quick change. But when it gets to be 90+ degrees and humid - that's not a good idea.

 

cold weather uniforming is a problem - no one sees the uniform under coats and they are NOT warm. I have seen some nice ski hats with BSA patches w/ troop numbers that work well, though.

[Troop340bsa]

Normally, the scouts wear their uniforms going into camp and change after they get to their campsite.

[SmT206]

We require the uniform when traveling to and from camping trips. It makes things a lot simpler when keeping a group together at rest stops/meal stops as well as giving visibility to the public. Remember, we are trying to develop a team and the uniform helps to form a bond.

 

As for the boys not knowing what they can get dirty and what they can't, this comes with training. Spend more time teaching and less time complaining about what the boys can't do.

 

Of course we do take the uniform off when we arrive at the campsite, for boys that don't know this, try a little reminder. A little guidance goes a long way or maybe my boys are smarter.... You gotta be kidding