Non-official uniform pants

[Lenae]

If we go out of our way to find pants that look nearly identical because the official pants don't fit, is that giving 100%? Is wearing the uniform pants that look ridiculous because they are the BSA official pants doing our best? That's what I'm trying to figure out. At this point, I'm leaning toward having a son whose pants fit over having a son who can't run and play (hardly even walk) because he has to hold his pants up the whole time.

[Stosh]

As it would seem people do it many different ways and have spent a lot of time dreaming up justification for doing uniforms in a wide variety of different, non-uniform processes. Yet these would be the first people to hop on the bandwagon when the advertized 100% beef burger wasn't 100% beef. Of course the fast food place "did their best" to get the 100% stuff, but there were corners needed to be cut to make it work. It looks just like beef, so no harm, no foul.

 

The only point I was trying to make was the honesty one promotes when it appears to be official when it is not. Just be honest about it. That's not something that doing one's best allows for any wiggle room.

 

I also find that the official web belts can cinch up to size to hold anyone's pants up. I went on a diet a few years back, lost a ton of weight yet wore the same scout pants throughout the process. Few extra tucks and overlaps here and there, but I kept my modesty in tact.

 

Stosh

[wmcrew]

take a picture of him for posterity in those pants, they will make an excellant memory at his Eagle scout slide show.

[Tampa Turtle]

If we go out of our way to find pants that look nearly identical because the official pants don't fit' date=' is that giving 100%? Is wearing the uniform pants that look ridiculous because they are the BSA official pants doing our best? That's what I'm trying to figure out. At this point, I'm leaning toward having a son whose pants fit over having a son who can't run and play (hardly even walk) because he has to hold his pants up the whole time.[/quote']

 

 

I used to do the all BSA uniform thing hard-core, I got the cubscout $wittchbacks when they came out which was tough because the boys grow so fast. It also seemed pretty heavy in the heat. With son#1 I used to buy parts of his uniform as he progressed as an incentive.

 

And then the BSA prices kept going up, quality going down (though the warranty is great and honored), and the stupid styles and colors kept changing every six months. They are not very uniform in color! So for boy #1 I went for the Olive Drab tactical pants (and got beat up on the boards here a little bit) and it has worked out great. Son #2 wears any BSA pants he can scrounge up and he has found a LOT of cast offs from wasteful families.

 

I miss the old 'made in the USA' shirts. That gear I have has held up very, very well.

 

I like the Tactical Pants in that the seat and thighs are roomy and reinforced. He also looks pretty good and also BTW got picked for flag at Fort Sumter a couple months ago, too!

 

The families uniforms are a bit stained and worn but even my (fussy) wife says she likes to see us at the Courts of Honor in that we look like we actually see some action!

[Stosh]

One of the things I like about just one complete uniform, my boys look "veteran" even when they aren't. My uniforms are rather threadbare in spots, patched a couple of times here and there, stains on the front, expedition hat a bit road weary and stained, but between my short and long sleeved shirts and 2 pair of pants, they have held up very well over the past 20+ years. One set or other has been at every scout activity I have ever attended. There's just something nice about a uniform that has had the band-box starch knocked out of it. Don't have a flat brim on my SM hat, either.

 

The only uniform that looks new is my 1910 reproduction uniform.

 

At the end of summer camp when the uniforms look their worst, it's kinda nice to get a visual on all the fun the boys had getting them that dirty.

 

Stosh