Transitioning from Cub Scout to Webelo Uniforms

[Cubby's Cubmaster]

When do your cub scouts move from the blue to the tan uniform? Do they do it at the same time or when they earn the Webelo rank or both?

[Scouting Mom]

Most scouts I know of change shirts either when they earn Webelos, because they've run out of room and need somewhere to put the new badge, or when the other boys are moving up a rank (May or June) and they don't, they'll move up to the tan shirt.

 

Boys joining in the 4th grade should save the cost of the blue shirt and go straight to tan...no point in buying two shirts, when one will du. Of if a boy outgrows his shirt sometime in the 4th or 5th grade, no point in buying another blue shirt.

[fgoodwin]

The decision to go from blue to tan, or stay with blue, is up to the boy's family -- it cannot be dictated by the pack or by the den.

 

I've heard of some packs that require first year Webelos to stay in blue and don't allow tan until the second year, but I find no support for such a limitation in the Insignia Guide.

 

I don't have a Webelos HB in front of me, but I believe it states that the choice of shirt color is up to the boy's family.

 

Remember that the Webelos diamond may be worn on the tan shirt, but the Webelos oval may not be worn on the blue shirt -- the families should keep that in mind as they make their decisions.

[John-in-KC]

Mine didn't. He fit his blue shirt, he kept it through bridging.

 

 

[fgoodwin]

One more thing to keep in mind re: shirt color:

 

Webelos Scouts may wear a blue web belt with Webelos buckle with their blue uniform or with the tan & olive uniform. Or they may wear the olive belt with the tan & olive uniform.

 

If the family decides to go with the tan shirt and olive pants, they should remember that the Academic & Sports beltloops will only fit the blue web belt; they won't fit on the olive Boy Scout belt.

 

Some take issue with Webelos wearing the blue web belt with olive slacks, but the Cub Scout Leader Book specifically authorizes this combination under the section on Uniforms & Insignia.

[msnowman]

Wow - I'm chasing fgoodwin all over the place today. He's right - blue versus tan is a family choice and can be made anytime. In our Pack the new Webelos are usually thrilled to leave the blue shirt behind - they want to be The Big Guys, so most of them change shirts before they head off to Resident camp. However, we have had a boy or two stay in blue until he outgrew it.

 

If a parent asks what I would recommend (many do ask) I tell them that "unless it matters to Johnny, I wouldn't change his shirt and his patches until he outgrows his blue shirt". Some boys want the same color shirt as the rest of their den...other's like being unique but properly uniformed.

 

YiS

Michelle

[fgoodwin]

Also, budgets being what they are, I can certainly understand a family decision to keep their Webelos Scout in blue, especially if the shirt still fits.

 

Some want to go to tan as soon as possible, thinking they will need to change only a few patches when the boy bridges (especially if pack and troop share the same unit number). But parents should keep in mind that the tan shirt will be worn for 3-4-5 years, and that the shirt that fit when the Webelos was in the 4th grade will be very tight by the time they age out of the troop as high schoolers.

 

So some families delay the purchase of a tan shirt as long as possible, hoping it will last for the duration of the Boy Scout ranks.

[John-in-KC]

And it doesn't... trust me!!

 

EagleSon was not even 5' when he bridged.

 

When he went to Philmont on the mountain trek, I had just bought him an adult large shirt. He was a little small in that.

 

He's 6 foot something now, and boy do I wish Supply Corporation made a large-long shirt!

[ccjj]

My son wanted a tan uniform as soon as possible. Being a single parent at that time, he went to many trainings with me, and the trainers were all in full uniform. That was what he saw, and what he wanted. Plus, his blue uniform was getting a bit on the small side.

 

Our pack used to have a crossover/campout at the end of the year. On Saturday night we would have our crossover ceremony and all the boys would cross into their new ranks. On Sunday morning, my son just had to wear his new tan uniform, because he was a Webelos Scout now.

 

As for that uniform lasting, it didn't last too long before I needed to pass it on down to some other boy. My son has outgrown many uniforms during his time as a youth. Luckily, we have a uniform closet that I am able to get shirts from.

 

ccjj

[evmori]

The parent's choice? Interesting. I always thought it was a Pack decision.

[msnowman]

I can second or third or fourth the fact that 1 shirt won't last all the way thru Boy Scouts. Nephew's tan shirt as a Webelos was a Men's Small. He just moved out to a Men's XXL "because at least that stays tucked in".

 

YiS

Michelle

[John-in-KC]

Ed,

 

If the Pack makes the choice, then the Pack should underwrite the cost.

 

At the time, 75% of my disposable income went to my rent, mortgage payment on what was still our house, and child support. A dictum like that would have resulted in me taking his membership elsewhere, probably out of Scouting.

 

My opinion.

[evmori]

John,

Why should the Pack underwrite the cost? Did they underwrite the cost when you joined?

 

The reason I say Pack decision vs parent decision is for uniformity sake. And if you know going into the Pack that when little Johnny becomes a 2nd year Webelos he will need a new uniform then it can be planned for.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[rjscout]

I suppose a Pack could make the directive, but I like having the scout and his family decide. We do have some Webelos in blue and some in khaki. The regulations allow for that, so I don't see a problem. Sometimes the switch can add pressure for the scout who wants to dress like the Webelos who switched to khaki. Some boys want to go with khaki as soon as they graduate from Bear to Webelos. The switch seems like an issue to be worked out in the family, IMHO.

[msnowman]

evmori - you weren't being argumentative, but I thought it might be helpful to give you the actually verbage on uniform choice.

 

Webelos Handbook - 2006 printing, Page 29 (coil bound version) - "As a Webelos Scout, you may choose between two uniforms. One is the blue uniform you wore as a Cub Scout. The other is the uniform you can take with you into Boy Scouting-the tan Boy Scout shirt and olive green trousers. You and your family choose which uniform you'll wear."

 

(yes, my Webelos book is in the car...almost all the time).

 

I hope this helps clarify.

 

YiS

Michelle