BSA needs a new jacket design

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I like my red wool jacket. It looks nice and is warm. The problem is the the BSA lightweight jacket. That nylon POS looks like heck and is about as utilitarian as a bent nail.

 

We need a new lightweight jacket. Maybe something like a Safari jacket in OD or khaki. Big pockets and either a half belt or a drawstring for the waist.

 

[Twocubdad 665]

I'd like to see a nice parka shell with a zip-out fleece liner and matching rain pants. I got a Columbia rig like this at Bass Pro Shop for about $125 (of course National would sell it for $300). I get more use out of the individual parts than I do wearing it all together.

 

Three years ago our Council was asked to participate in the opening ceremony for an NFL game. Nearly 1,000 Scouts turned out. All those Scouts in uniform should have been really sharp. Unfortunately, it was really cold and rainy so everyone was in their foul weather gear and we all looked like a bunch of gypsies.

[SR540Beaver 116]

twocub,

 

LOL Most of the scouting events I've gone to the scouts have all looked like gypsies....and they were in uniform....well, parts of it anyway.

[KA6BSA 10]

The BSA red nylon windbreaker I have takes on a whole new set of creases each time I use it or pack it. It is usually not warm enough, has a dumb collar that won't keep your neck out of the wind, and the snaps are stone-age primative compared with modern technical clothing. I have many memories of starting out with this flimsy coat and freezing my tail off by the time the sun went down on a Scouting activity.

 

So I bought a bright red North Face full-featured expedition jacket with zip out down liner, zip-on external gortex shell, sleeve vents, hood in roll-up collar, etc. It was a marked down 80% as a discontinued color because nobody wanted the bright red. Then I found that the little BSA emblem patch (that came lose in the pocket of the BSA red nylon windbreaker) fits right over the North Face logo! I sewed it on there and now I have the ultimate jacket that BSA will never sell at Scout Shop!

[Bob58 10]

Ahhhh! The safari jacket. You know the belted one that I wore for three years in the early 70's it was great! I don't remember a single visit from the uniform police though someone usually reminded me to take it off at the beginning of each meeting (and for the last year I was SPL) Yes the safari jacket could be just the ticket.

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Eamonn 61]

Well at least it is not that expensive!!

Eamonn

[eagle90 125]

I wish there was a non-wool alternative to the red "woolie". I am extremely allergic and cannot wear any wool whatsoever, so in 40+ years in Scouting I have never had a red jacket!

[Fat Old Guy 11]

There is an alternative to the red wool jacket, it is that really nasty nylon jacket. They used to sell a red poplin jacket and I'd love to find one.

 

The local OA lodge sells red fleece jackets with the OA emblem on the back.