Cost of Uniforms

[OscarTango]

Just thought I'd post this. Thought it was interesting how much each costed, difference in programs, etc. All Cub/Boy Scouts include a short sleeve shirt with long pants. I used the Alameda Council, because it was first, and troop/pack/crew number 120 (random). Info from the BSA Uniform Builder:

 

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/forms.aspx

 

Tiger Cubs: $94.68

Wolf: $96.98

Bear: $96.98

Webelos (Green/Khaki): $140.64

Boy Scout: $148.64 (includes merit badge sash)

Venturing (M/F): $ 133.89

 

 

[Eagle92]

Nowhere in any HB does it say you cannot wear vintage uniforms.

[OscarTango]

Thanks, I realize that. Just wanted to post it, in case anyone wanted to know. Sometimes the vintage ones are better anyways.

[ScoutBox]

I have some of the older Scout Pants, But these don't have the side leg pockets. I wear them mostly due to the comfort, and better look at meetings. I like the Switchbacks but they are cut long. And the new Cotton pants are crap..

[perdidochas]

What you didn't mention is that the Webelos Uniform can be changed into the Scout uniform for only a couple of bucks. My oldest son wore his khaki shirt for a year and a half as a webelo, and a half year as a Scout. He still has several years left in it.

 

Also, start comparing the price of soccer cleats/shinguards, etc., and things don't look so bad.

[Eagle92]

You can get 3-5 years of wear with the blue uniform, just got to get it big. As mentioned once a Webelos gets a BS uniform, my recomendation is to wear the blue as long as possible, a few things converts it to a BS uniform.

 

I know my sons karate uniform was $80, and that was 2 items. Add another $40 for 2 silk screened t-shirts,a nd another $10 for the headband. The when another $75 for his test to get his belt. his uniforms will have costed $210.00

[resqman]

Older son plays sports. Uniforms for his team cost more than a scout uniform. Team replaces uniforms every 2 years with a slightly different uniform. Old uniform cannot be worn since it doesnt match. Cant be worn to practice because different practice uniforms. Just throw it away.

 

Scout son has been wearing his scout uniform for 3-4 years. Every meeting, outing, camping trip, high adventure, etc. Starting to pill in a few wear areas. No need to "upgrade" to new version of scout uniform just because a newer version is available. $100-$125 over 4 years vs. >$250 every two years.

 

Scout uniforms get more use for longer periods of time and cost less. No comparison. Outgrown uniforms can be sold to smaller, younger, newer scouts to help recoup some of the cost. Scout uniforms are a great deal.

[Stosh]

Hmmm... $140 for a BS uniform comes to $20/yr. If he outgrows it he can trade up with an older boy for a bigger size. I can think of a lot of things I spend $20/year on....

 

When I was doing reenacting with the Venture Crew, the boys were investing $800-$900/outfit. That didn't include a $450 gun. The shoes alone were $90 and they weren't Nikes either.

 

It's all relevant. I just read an article where a grade school cheerleader was kicked off the squad and the parents were upset. It surprised me that the uniform the little girl was expected to wear was over $150.

 

My boys all wear full uniforms and there aren't any complaints because we use a lot of Ebay items when we can get them.

 

There are some things I just can't get used to, like going to an ECOH last Sunday for a couple of boys and one wore blue jeans with a uniform shirt. The other boy went to National Jambo so he did show up with a full uniform. All the boys that showed up for the ECOH from that troop could easily be identified as to which ones went to Jambo and which ones didn't.

 

It always amazes me how much a fuss the parents make when they spend $2000 for Jambo and get bent out of shape because their boys need TWO uniforms!

 

The really sad thing is when I went out on a personal kayak trip this summer, I had difficulty finding suitable clothes for it. When I did come up with something I felt out of place because I wasn't wearing tan/green.

 

Stosh

[ScoutBox]

What's really sad is as an adult I have several uniforms. But I have boys who are wearing shirts too small for them because they don't want to invest in a new larger shirt. My sons shirt should last him.

[BartHumphries]

I tell people to buy what they can. If nothing else, just buy a scout shirt. Then, each year, buy something else.

 

My hat is a nice one with leather from 1996. My pants are from 1998 (and have a faint white patch on the right knee from a carpet burn while playing "knee" football one night as an activity). I replaced my shirt from 1994 somewhere around 2003. Recently I bought a new belt and a couple pairs of socks. Take care of your uniform and it'll last you a long, long time.

 

The full dress uniform is for "show". I'd wear it to some activities at Scout camp, for our evening meetings, etc. For anything else (like camping, hiking, any other rough activity), I'd wear something else, like swapping out the scout uniform pants for jeans, wearing ordinary socks, etc.

 

"Recycling" a uniform is a great practice. Take care of your uniform and when you outgrow it, donate it to the pack/troop so that the Cub/Scoutmaster can resell it to a new boy at a cheap price. This lowers the price that a boy has to pay for a uniform and it also brings a little more money in to do more camping/merit badge activities.

[resqman]

"The full dress uniform is for "show". I'd wear it to some activities at Scout camp, for our evening meetings, etc. For anything else (like camping, hiking, any other rough activity), I'd wear something else, like swapping out the scout uniform pants for jeans, wearing ordinary socks, etc. "

 

Phooey. The uniform is for wearing. I wore the zip off pants every day for 8-10 hours a day for a week while at Northern Tier the last month. The pants are at least 2 years old and have been worn on every camping trip for the last couple of years. Wear them to troop meetings, campouts, and all other outings. No holes, no problems. Did get a little bit of pilling on the legs where I rubbed them with a canoe paddle for 8 hours a day for 7 days. The other adult on my crew also wore his zip-off uniform pants during the entire trip. No problems.

 

I wear my full uniform on campouts. 4 years as Den Leader and 4 yrs as ASM. The only damage is a small hole I snagged in the shirt getting something out of the car trunk. 3 weeks at summer camp, 1 week at Norther Tier, weekly den, pack, and troop meetings for 7 years, campouts, hiking, camping, etc. Just fine. A little chilly during the Feb campout but no problems. Dont be afraid to wear the uniform. The ASMs in our troop wear the full uniform at all events. No problems.

[Eagle92]

Wore my uniform at CSDC for a week, and when camping. The nylon switchbacks are nice for camping, get hot zip them off, get cold, zip them on. Lot better than the old material. Only problem i have is that the lower legs are a darker shade from wearingthe pants as shorts durign the summer.

 

 

[GKlose]

Our troop is a "shirt-only" troop (and it bugs me). When scoutstuff.org was blowing out older uniform styles last year (and I got some real bargains), I sent a link out to everyone in the troop. Not a single family jumped on the opportunity. Not even the kids that had outgrown their Webelos-era tan shirt, which were bursting at the seams. Not a single adult leader bought uniform pants (let alone short, socks, or hat).

 

I bought a second uniform, and switchbacks, and even a couple of activity shirts, which I think were awesome this year at summer camp when we had a week of 95+ days. I don't think I spent more than $50 for all of those together.

[ScoutBox]

My troop has the same problem, Shirt only, and the new SPL has decided that the boys can now wear just activity t-shirts to meetings now???????? Anyway, i wear a full uniform to every thing we do. I also sent out the link last year from the Scout Shop and NO ONE responded.

 

 

[Stosh]

Kinda have to make an observation here.....

There is THE uniform and then there is NOT a uniform. No one takes the field at a football game without THE uniform. No one marches in the band without THE uniform. To think that anything that is not a uniform really IS a uniform is fooling themselves because they aren't really fooling those who are in BSA and have an inspection sheet handy.

 

If I wear a BSA uniform I wear THE uniform. When I don't I don't try and pretend by wearing a BSA camp t-shirt and fool myself into thinking it's some kind of an "Official Class B" thingy.

 

Stosh