How do you shorten the new switchback pants ???

[fotoscout]

So I need to buy a new pair of uniform pants and I'd like to try the switchbacks. One problem, they will need to be shortened.

 

Some people have told me to shorten them at the zipper where you unzip them to turn them into shorts. Does this work??? Does anyone have a better idea ?????

 

Thanks

foto

[Stosh]

Are the shorts too long?

 

Are the pants too long?

 

If the shorts are too long, shorten at the zipper, but then your pants will be too short.

 

If the pants are too long, shorten by rehemming.

 

I'm assuming the new pants are sold by inseam measurements rather than the required hemming of the older pants.

 

Stosh

[fotoscout]

I think it would be cheaper to get new legs.

[scoutldr]

I can relate, foto. I have a 28 inch inseam and the switchbacks are at least 4-5 inches too long. The vertical zipper at the cuff makes hemming impossible, unless the zipper is re-set. Cost would probably be more than I paid for the pants. Last time I wore them, I bloused them with rubber bands (inside), like we used to do over our combat boots. We had this discussion once before, and there were several good ideas...one involved Velcro tabs that you could just cinch around your ankle. I don't know why the BSA has a hard time with clothing. THey are a vast improvement over the scout pants I have, but we're not all 6 foot 2 with 34 inch waists.

[scottteng]

Mine are XL 30 inseam the adult sizes are sold by inseam if yours are 4-5 inches long you got the wrong size. See if you can exchange. A good seamstress can probably hem the leg in the center of it and it will look similar to the existing seam where the leg zips to the shorts. All switchbacks should be tried on at scout shop the sizes are not as consistent as one might expect.

[BrentAllen]

I shortened my son's switchbacks, at the leg zipper (as opposed to the hem, or boot/ankle zipper). Have your son try them on and pull the lower leg material up until the legs are the correct length. Safety pin the material so the top edge of the fold of the extra material is just below the zipper. I used two safety pins, 180 degrees around from each other. Using a loop stitch, start at one of the vertical seams and work about 1/4 of the way around. As the leg diameters of the two parts you are sewing won't be the same, you have to "give & take" with the material to make it match up. Go to the other vertical seam and work around to the other vertical seam - you are now 3/4 of the way around. Then finish up the last quarter.

If you keep the loop stitch close to the zipper, the flap covering the zipper will also cover your stitching. To lower the legs, just remove the stitches.

It takes a little while to do it, but it's not impossible. My only sewing experience is sewing on badges.

 

One last suggestion - have your son try on the women's version as well - just don't tell him what you are doing. The women's fit some boys much better than the boy's. Once you cut the tags off, you can't tell which are womens and which are mens.

[SMDaveAZ]

I hemmed the bottom of the pants. With the zipper problem, I left it alone. The hem doesn't go all the way around and the zipper is folded over at the bottom, but you can't really tell unless you really look.

 

Also, definately try on a couple of different pairs at the Scout office. I bought a pair and didn't try them on and they were about 6 inches too long. I took them back and tried on another pair of the same "size" and they were only about 2 inches too long.(This message has been edited by SMDaveAZ)

[EagleWB]

You can take out the leg zipper, hem them and then put velcro where the zipper was. You can cut up from the top of where the zipper was to get enough room to remove the legs if need be. There was enough room in the bottom that the velcro worked on mine.

[flowerchild]

I agree with BrentAllen. I sewed my husbands and my sons pants this way and it worked great. At first I just basted them to see how it looked and felt to them. Then I went back and double stiched them since they seemed to pull out the basting very quickly when they knelt down. I really like these new pants as do my guys.

[acco40]

Men's pants are a minimum of 30 inch inseam (too long for me). Youth pants come with shorter inseams.

 

Does anyone know the difference between the womens switchbacks and mens switchbacks other than the womens come in shorter inseams?

 

Also, the switchbacks I bought had some quality problems (black loop came broken, etc.) They were a gift so not pre-check for me. I did hem them at the ankle folding cuff to the inside so the zipper would still function.

 

 

[fotoscout]

Acco,

 

At the sales clerk's suggestion I tried on the womens equivialent of the mens 34. It was VERY different, and very uncomfortable for me. Yes, they are supposed to be the same pants with a little more room in the "hips", but that was not the case.

[BrentAllen]

The women's have a little more room in the hips and seat. They button, zip and look the same as the boy's and men's. My son is tall and on the slender side, and the boy's were tight across the seat for him. The women's fit him much better.

[PeteM]

Wouldn't it be great if National would have some "extra" or replacement pants legs, so one could pick and choose the lengt that they need, or on another slant, if (read that as WHEN) the boys lose their pant legs, there would be replacements?

 

Nah, that would make way too much sense. Can't be done.

[Nessmuk]

I hope that we get green Scout/Scouter switchbacks like the Cub Switchbacks -- (hemmable) and different material.