Uniforms for Committee Members

[Eagle94-A1]

Older uniforms are much better. Ebay is your friend.

[qwazse]

3 hours ago, mrkstvns said:

I would be particularly interested in knowing the costs for scouts in Indonesia.

According to the Wikipedia page listing all those 170 members, it appears Indonesia is the country with the most active scouts at over 21 million (about 10 times more than BSA).  I don't believe Indonesia is a particularly rich country, so how the heck do that many young people  afford uniforms?

I spent one morning on Mt. Jack with an Indonesian contingent (mostly female) making sassafras tea for their leader. They dressed sharply -- even for what I think was their activity dress. Uniform hijabs for the muslim girls. I was talking to the contingent leaders, and they were interested in purchasing BSA literature (which, sadly the trading post had none of).

I think neat dress is a priority for most of them. It's one thing that the scouts can control. One leader who I talked to had lived through the tsunami and now has concerns about seemingly perpetual martial law and subsequent corruption. Another leader was at a University teaching psychology and is trying to figure out the rise in boyfriend/spousal abuse of academic women (the thinking/hope being that educated women would be less vulnerable).

[ParkMan]

13 hours ago, Mrjeff said:

Where did the "FUN" go in scouting? Uniforms are important. But they are also EXPENSIVE. 

Uniforms are not really that expensive.

• Shirt - $37
• Pants - $40
• Belt - $13
• Socks - $8
• Patches - about $10

A pair of Levi's Jeans are about $40.  A shirt is generally at least $30 these days.  I just bought some clothes at Duluth Trading Co. and paid $50 each for pants and a shirt.  

Sure, these are not Walmart or Target prices - but they are not really all that expensive when you look around at clothes these days.

[Eagle94-A1]

14 hours ago, ParkMan said:

Uniforms are not really that expensive.

• Shirt - $37
• Pants - $40
• Belt - $13
• Socks - $8
• Patches - about $10

A pair of Levi's Jeans are about $40.  A shirt is generally at least $30 these days.  I just bought some clothes at Duluth Trading Co. and paid $50 each for pants and a shirt.  

Sure, these are not Walmart or Target prices - but they are not really all that expensive when you look around at clothes these days.

For some of us, the prices you list are expensive. Thrift stores, yard sales, craigslist, etc is where the wife and I shop.

[ParkMan]

10 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

For some of us, the prices you list are expensive. Thrift stores, yard sales, craigslist, etc is where the wife and I shop.

As does my wife.  We're not made of money and most certainly don't want to spend more than we have to. 

Not in any way to challenge your perspective here.  It just feels like I see these uniform threads and everyone says - uniforms are way too expensive.  .Yet, when I look at the prices, they are no more expensive than a lot of mid-tier clothing.  If the shirt or pants was $60, then yes -  I'd say they are expensive.  Sure, I'd love to pay $20 for a pair of pants - but since the BSA doesn't have Walmart volume I fear what would happen to the quantity.  For something that lasts we a few years and I wear weekly for Scouting (if not more), I don't think I'd want to see the reduced quality from shaving $30 or $40 off the price of the uniform.  If the uniform lasts me 3 years, that would net me about a $1 a month in returned savings.  I'm fine paying a $1 a month if the uniform lasts me a little longer. 

[desertrat77]

If not the actual cost of the uniform, it's the quality one receives for the dollar spent.  Real or perceived, many view the BSA uniform as ill fitting, poorly styled, poor quality, and low value for the dollar spent.

[mrkstvns]

Folks who find scout uniforms expensive should be aware that Scout Shops are offering a 25% off sale. (https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2019/08/19/unprecedented-scout-shop-sale-on-uniform-shirts-is-too-cool-to-miss/)

I went to the 25% off sale and it was great. I got a pair of khaki pants with one long leg and one short leg.

[Eagle94-A1]

@ParkMan,

 

I hear ya. But sadly the new uniforms are not made as well as the older ones, and for the quality they are not worth the price. I bought a CU shirt brand new, and letters started coming off. Wife had to embroider "Boys Scouts of America." Oldest son bought a pair of pants, and within 3 months they were ripped in the seam. Scout Shop didn't want to take them back because of "normal wear and tear" until I showed them the receipt, discussed how the tear was a seam and not in the pants, and that I wanted to speak to the manager about their "lifetime guarantee." Middle son's Cub Scout pants ripped in the seat after about 2 or three months.

Compare that to the older pants. I have 20+ year old pants and shorts that I rotated wearing on a daily basis for 5 summers of staffing, and 2 years working at the Scout Shop. Still in great shape and i even handed down a pair of shorts to my son. And don't forget the 40+ year old shirt I use for camping.

 

[HashTagScouts]

1 hour ago, desertrat77 said:

If not the actual cost of the uniform, it's the quality one receives for the dollar spent.  Real or perceived, many view the BSA uniform as ill fitting, poorly styled, poor quality, and low value for the dollar spent.

Come to Venturing.  They've redesigned the switchbacks for the 3rd time in 5 years, and they are still awful.  If they would design them the same as the fabric/style as the green ones, just in gray, we'd be golden.  I have just got to the point that I don't want our Venturers wearing the "official", I tell them to go to any store and find gray shorts and/or cargo pants.

[ParkMan]

I'm not here to defend the BSA.  Both my son & I have had plenty of uniforms over the years.  Only real problem I've had is the letters did peel off if I ironed them. They went back to embroidered letters and so that doesn't seem to be a problem.

Clearly we all want to spend less, get more quality, and have them fit great.  That's a no brainier and you'll get no argument from me there.  For a $37 shirt and a $40 pair of pants, they seemed to work fine for us.

[Eagle94-A1]

58 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

Come to Venturing.  They've redesigned the switchbacks for the 3rd time in 5 years, and they are still awful.  If they would design them the same as the fabric/style as the green ones, just in gray, we'd be golden.  I have just got to the point that I don't want our Venturers wearing the "official", I tell them to go to any store and find gray shorts and/or cargo pants.

 Original canvas shorts were based off a brand sold at REI, sorry don't remember which.  Wish I would have gotten them there when they had their Memorial Day sale because it would have been cheaper ( plus i could have used my dividends). But that was in 1999, before the original official shorts came out, and I didn't know. Those suckers were so comfy,  I literally wore them out. Could wear them and no one realized they were "Scout" shorts.

I have heard a lot of complaints about the newer switchbacks, so I have gotten another pair of gray shorts. Thankfully the comfy pants still are good shape.