Tiger Uniform Change

[Twocubdad]

Does anyone know the official date of the Tiger Cubs' conversion to blue uniforms? I assume that this year they are still in the orange t-shirts, but want to double check before I start sending folks to the Scout shop.

[tdyer56]

As far as I know, there is no offical date at this time. National finished it's contract with the company making the orange Ts and the warehouse is full of them. Local councils will start wearing the blue uniforms when the orange shirts are gone.

 

Tim Dyer

[ScoutNut]

National just started a brand new Tiger program last year. This program includes a belt totem (no pocket on t-shirt) with a place on the back for the Tiger rank badge to be displayed. It also includes a Tiger Cub Handbook. Featured prominently throughout this brand new handbook (including on the cover) are pictures of Tiger Cubs in their uniform. Their ORANGE uniform. On page 11 of the brand new Tiger Cub Handbook is a description of the OFFICIAL Tiger Cub uniform. Yup, it says: "The uniform for the Tiger Cub is the official Tiger Cub orange T-shirt with the Tiger Cub emblem on the front. The official Tiger Cub cap and blue web belt with a Tiger Cub buckle are optional." If you look in this years BSA catalog you will also see this listed as the official Tiger Cub uniform. Nowhere does it say that the blue uniform is even optional for Tiger Cubs.

 

With all of the time and money that National has spent on the new Tiger Cub program and its materials, I can't see them changing it any time soon.

 

 

[tdyer56]

While the orange shirt is the official shirt at this time, it is no longer being made. After the supply is depleted, the Tigers will wear the blue Cub Scout shirt with an orange neckerchief and the current hat. Tigers are no longer a seperate program than Cubs.

 

Tim Dyer

[ScoutNut]

To put to rest the Tiger uniform rumors for another year, here is a copy of a post, on a different forum, from a Scouter who just returned from the Philmont Training Center:

 

 

"I specifically asked a detailed series of questions of National reps during our Thursday "Fireside Chat" about whether the rumors about Tigers in blue uniforms was myth or reality.

 

The panelists in question were Bill Steele, Associate National Director of Cub Scouting, Diane Cannon, Program Committee Chairman, National Cub Scout Committee, and Jim Head, Scout Executive for Pee Dee Area Council, South Carolina.

 

Here is their summarized response:

The rumor about blue shirts for Tigers is just that, a rumor. This was confirmed by contacting the National office. There is no test market for blue shirts, also confirmed by contacting National.

There are no plans to test market blue shirts, also confirmed by contacting National. A few years back, a survey was made of leaders and parents to investigate the possibility of moving to blue shirts for Tigers, and the response was

overwhelmingly against it. At the same time, rumor surfaced about the contract for the manufacture of the orange shirts coming to an end and not being renewed. They seem to think that this is where the whole idea started.

 

In no uncertain terms, there are no plans or even thoughts of putting Tigers in the blue shirts."

 

 

Somehow this rumor gets started every year about this time. I hope this clears things up, for another year at least!!

 

Nut

[Bob White]

My information is the same as Scoutnut's. The orange shirt will continue to be the uniform of the Tiger cub. There is an orange neckerchief but it is for the Tiger Den Leader to wear.

[CubsRgr8]

I M H O!

The or-ange shirt has got to go!

 

Seriously, national needs to take a look at this and get with the program. Just ask the boys! Seven year old boys WANT to wear Cub Scout blue, not Tiger orange. With the growing emphasis on Webelos wearing tan (and their new oval emblem, making it impossible to continue to wear their earlier ranks), and the new Tiger book that looks just like the Wolf and Bear books, and the fact the Tigers are supposed to be considered a regular den (and have their own den leader), it makes perfect sense for Tigers to wear blue.

 

Also, check out the story in this month's Boys Life (or is it Scouting?) about the NYC Cub Scout in Pack 80. Great story, great photo, hmmm. What's that? He's seven years old, wearing a blue uniform, with an orange Tiger hat!

(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

[sctmom]

I like the orange shirt. I don't remember any of the first graders caring which shirt they wore, until they got their Bobcat. Then wearing the blue shirt was special, just like getting to move into the brown shirt. I think it works out about right with the growth of most boys-- orange for one year, blue shirt will fit for 2 years sometimes 3. I'm not real happy with the forcing of the brown shirts at 4th grade.

 

[Sdriddle]

Our district scoutfitter doesn't even have the orange shirt anymore. Tigers wear the blue. I am going to provide "experienced" t-shirts to our incoming Tigers (including my son) to reduce the initial cost to sign boys up. When the den gets ready to earn their Bobcat toward the end of the school year, I would like to have the parents present the blue shirt at the same time which will get them ready for day camp and other summer activities as a wolf. We'll see if that is how it works out.

 

I agree with the post about how long a boy can wear a shirt. YOu will have to buy two blue shirts if they start wearing them as a Tiger unless you but really big and take them up yourself.

 

Sheila

[sctmom]

Sdriddle, Our pack always included Tigers as part of the pack anyway. Most parents got their boys the blue shirt in the spring when the boy earned his Bobcat. I don't think they wore them to Day Camp because the day camp here requires a certain t-shirt, but they did wear them to the end of the year Pack Campout/Crossover if they had them. At that time they were also given their Wolf book and neckerchief. Seemed to work well.

 

[ScoutNut]

Sdriddle - I would have a talk to your District Scoutfitter about stocking the correct uniforms! You can order Tiger uniforms from the National Distributor on-line:

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/

 

You might also try local garage sales and putting a note in your local paper asking for donations of gently used uniforms!

 

Our Tigers have always loved the orange shirt. It makes them feel so special. Then, as the year goes on, they start to look forward to the blue uniform and receiving their Bobcat! When they are in the "Cub Scout Blue" they then have Webelos to look forward to, with all of the new challenges that brings. Once in Webelos, especially 5th grade, many boys go into the tan uniform because they simply can't wait to start looking like a "real Boy Scout"! It's progression, and it's what (hopefully) keeps them coming back!

[Twocubdad]

I think the orange shirts are fine and have never heard any complaints from the Tigers. In fact, my younger son used to get mad at me for wearing my full uniform (as Den Leader) to Tiger Den meetings. He wanted me to wear an orange shirt like he did.

 

I do, however, wish they would improve the quality. By year's end, half the boys have gaping holes in their arm pits or the collars half off from where the seams come apart.

 

We give our Webelos a good bit of latitude as to when to go to the tan uniform. We tell the parents to stay with the blues as long as they fit. All the boys make the change by the end of the year, but most by Christmas. It's therefore usually a moot point, but we ask that all the W2s have tan uniforms as part of the transistion to Boy Scouts.

 

One thing I've found that the boys don't like is giving up all their Cub advancements when they go to the tan uniforms. I know it isn't official, but many of our boys wear their Cub badges with the tan uniform using the diamond-shaped patch holders. Seems to be a fair compromise.

[Twocubdad]

By the way, thanks for the update, ScoutNut. I'm sure I read about a pending uniform change on Virtual Cub Scout Leader Book more than a year ago, but I suppose they must have been mistaken. I think BSA promotes the rumor mill by doing a generally poor job of communicating with the rank and file. (But that's another thread.)

[Bob White]

I tip my scout hat to tdyer56, I learned today from BSA supply Division that the orange Tiger shirt will indeed be replaced by the Blue Scout shirt some time in the furure.

 

Please don't stop using the orange shirt though. it would be financially irresoponsible of the BSA th make the move if it meant having a large surplus of Tiger shirts left over. Once inventory is at a low enough level the switch to blue shirts will be made. Until then the official and correct uniform for Tigers is the orange t-shirt.

 

Sorry I doubted you Tim,

Bob White