Expedition Hat

[Rip Van Scouter]

NWScouter wrote:

 

The parts of the field uniform are:

BSA Long-sleeve or Short-sleeve

BSA trouser (long) or shorts

BSA socks or knee socks

BSA twill or mesh cap or campaign hat (troop option)

BSA web belt and buckle

BSA troop neckerchief (troop option)

 

The parts of the activity uniform are these:

BSA t-shirt or activity shirt (designed by the troop or Scout camp shirt)

BSA shorts

BSA socks or knee socks

BSA belt and buckle

BSA cap, expedition hat, or campaign hat

 

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Can the expedition hat be worn with the official uniform shirt while attending "activities"? After all, it is listed under "Leaders: Uniforms" on the Scoutstuff.org website and the text says "Approved as an activity hat for leaders and Scouts."

 

However, if you look at those two lists above, the uniform shirt ("BSA Long-sleeve or Short-sleeve") is not part of the activity uniform and the expedition hat is not part of the "field uniform". Does this mean that the expedition hat is NOT authorized to wear with the official uniform shirt? Better tell all the Scouts and Scouters who are now sporting them WITH their field uniforms at "activities" like campouts, hikes, camporees, training, etc.

 

Such a shame that the first decent headgear the Supply Division has come up with in over 50 years (and I am even including the red beret) should be limited to wearing with a T-shirt! Seems to me that if you wanted to limit any kind of cap to wearing only with the activity uniform it would be the one that closely resembles a Baseball Cap! And why go through the pain of specifying specific metal hat pins for youth versus Scouters (First Class or Universal emblems) if it is only for the activity uniform? I would love to see a troop in formation at a camporee, all wearing the expedition hat WITH their official shirts, but, alas, I guess this is not meant to be!

[KA6BSA]

Here in San Diego where a hat is more than just ornamental because it is easy to get a sunburn all year round, it is very common to see expedition hats worn with either field uniform or activity outfits. The expedition hat is so practical that few people here are going to make a fuss over this issue. Also many folks don't like to wear any pins on the front of their expedition hat from the experience of imbedding the inside clasp into the forehead when bumping into somethings like a tree branch.