The new uniform

[Gold Winger 9]

Amid rumors that a new uniform is coming down the pipeline which will generate $millions for BSA, I'd like to express my wishes.

 

Put the necker back OVER the collar and make the shirt necker friendly. By "friendly" I mean that when the slide is up properly, that you don't have a gap between the top button and the slide.

 

Encourage wearing of an undershirt with the uniform. It helps cut down on those nasty armpit stains and we won't have to see some fat guy's belly when his buttons are nigh unto popping. Also, an undershirt helps keep you comfortable in both hot and cold weather (yes, it really does).

 

Allow the necker to be worn with the activity uniform. BP included the necker because it is a practical piece of outdoors attire. It also would help identify a group of casually dressed boys as Scouts.

 

I have a big green, cotton, milsurp (Swedish, I think) necker that I wear when I'm hiking. It serves to mop up sweat, I've used it as a hat and bandage, it could be used to filter water, can also serve as a napkin (in both the American and British sense).

 

Just my random thoughts.

 

 

 

[HiLo 10]

Can't argue with those ideas Gold Winger.

 

Four years ago Australian Scouting moved to a radical new uniform. For all leaders and all youth levels it is now a navy shirt, with the youth shirts having the yoke (the bit over your shoulders and on top of the (short) sleeves being in the color traditionally associated with that age group in Scouting. The shirts come in two styles, button up, or a more casual polo shirt. Leaders tend to choose button up, youth members the polo shirt.

 

The navy color conceals armpit stains well. The necker and slide (we call it a scarf and woggle) seem to sit in pretty much the right place on a diverse range of body shapes. And yes, our neckers are a (mostly) cotton fabric and quite large when unrolled, allowing many other uses in emergencies of major or minor kinds.

 

Despite the concerns of some, the known universe did not come to an end. Membership numbers are increasing. Uniform costs came down.

[Gold Winger 9]

I can't imagine why anyone would pick a dark blue shirt in a land as warm as yours is. I gave up umpiring baseball when I was told that I'd have to give up my powder blue shirt for and stand in the sun for eight hours in a navy blue polyesther shirt. Hey, if it works for you . . .

[HiLo 10]

The dark blue was probably seen as better for hiding the dirt. And it's not proper Scouting if the Scouts aren't getting dirty!

[Crew21_Adv 25]

Fellow Scouters and specifically HiLo,

 

 

I like our current BSA uniform. Also, the most recent activity shirt, the newest activity turtleneck and action slacks seem to be an perfect for outdoor events.

 

Darnit, I could not have planned the timing worse. In 96, Just a month after I picked up my authentic Scout Australia Outback Bush Hat, my Scoutmaster I worked with, comes back from the Philmont Training Center with the new BSA Expedition Hat. I still wear my Australian Scout Bush Hat from time to time. But the BSA expedition hat does seem to more forgiving in the outdoor weather and conditions.

 

Coming back to 2007, for the past few years, I have been looking at my Snowgum's catalog and thinking the Scouts Australia are geniuses!! A common activity shirt which separates the program levels by their the color of the shoulder. HiLo, you read my mind.. lol

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[scoutldr 726]

I just took a look at the Scouts Australia website to see the uniforms...which I didn't find. I did notice a few things, however...

 

- Co-ed

- Division by age levels Joeys, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Rovers

- Cub scouts rappelling! (apparently "age appropriate" has a different definition down under!)

- Rovers goes to age 26

 

Maybe BSA could learn a few things...

[HiLo 10]

For those interested, a few pictures of the Australian uniform are on my state branch web site:

 

www.vicscouts.asn.au

[moxieman 11]

scoutldr,

 

I've been preaching that in my part of the country for years, but point ing to Scouts Canada's program instead (which is very similar to Australia's except their program for the youngest set is Beavers instead of Joeys) since it's a short drive from where I am.

 

 

[Gold Winger 9]

Cod-ed, co-ed, co-ed.

 

Why is that whenever grils can't get their own program running right, they want to horn in on whatever guys do?

 

I haven't once heard about boys wanting to join GSUSA. Why? Because GS has problems recruiting girls.

 

Men only gyms? They get picketted. Women's gyms? No man wants to set foot inside.

 

Boys only sports? Not allowed. Girls only sports? That's only fair, isn't it?

 

Guys need to spend time with guys and girls need to spend time with girls. Unfortunately, women follow the rule "What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine."

[MarkS 11]

I guess the BSA just thinks that boys and girls are more capable of getting along from the ages of 14 thru 21 than from 7 thru 13.

[Crew21_Adv 25]

Fellow Scouters,

 

 

In addition to HiLo's link, which shows the Australian Scouts in action at jamborees and camporees. Here is a good link to Snowgum's Store in Australia.

 

As I understand, the Australian Scouts do not have a National Supply Center as we do, but they contract out to suppliers (as BSA National Supply previously did with J.C. Penny's years ago).

 

I don't know if they have an off-shore manufacturer, or how much the price mark up is. But as you view the basic shirts, the price demonstrates a dollar sign. But that is suppose to be the Australia Dollar. Currently 1 USD equals 1.15 AUD.

 

Snowgums is a recreational outrigger store, but has a corner established for Australian Scouts merchandise. Here is a good image of their activity uniforms on their page.

 

http://www.snowgum.com.au/Portal_Content.aspx?res=613&mainMenuName=SCOUTS&subMenuName=OFFICIAL+UNIFORM

 

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Eamonn 61]

I have no idea what "The" new uniform will look like or if there will be a new uniform?

I wonder if it might be a really practical outdoor uniform?

This might be a little expensive?

I recently stopped wearing Cotton T-shirts and went to a "Cool-max" Shirt. I can buy a pack of six Cotton shirts for less than I pay for one "Cool-max.

I wonder if it will be something that our youth members might like to wear?

This might be a mistake, as trends and styles change a lot.

I wonder if it will be Parent friendly?

Something that Mom can pick up at a store and maybe buy on sale?

I'm thinking of pants like Dickies and maybe even a shirt made by Dockers or a company like Dockers.

Talking about style.

Is it going to look like something that workers in fast food service might wear?

I'm thinking that no way is it going to be any sort of camo!

Likewise I kinda think that there isn't going to be any feathers or plumes!

The neckerchief or scarve does seem to be fairly well accepted as a sign of Scouting world wide.

I wonder what would happen if we did away with all the other pieces and just went with the necker? (No I'm not saying nude Scouts!!) But let the Scout choose what pants and shirt. Rank could be shown by different colors, sashes could be worn at formal events.

Oh heck!! Seems like a lot of work.

Let's just go with what we got!!

Ea.

[WVCubDad 11]

Along the lines of Eamonn's post - I was a Royal Ranger growing up and at that time (not sure what they're doing now) our uniform was khaki shirt (SS/LS) and khaki pants. These were usually Dickies work clothes with the tags cut off. Despite being readily available and possibly reasonably priced, we still had the problem of kids only being uniformed from the waist up.

 

And for some strange reason we also had a beret, although it was navy blue unless you went to JLTC and then it was airborne maroon with a silver tepee badge sewn on to it. Fortunately there was also a ball cap as an approved headgear and that's what I wore both as a youth and for the short time I was an adult leader.

 

I know the RR program has radically changed from what I knew and I don't know what the new uniforms look like.

 

YiS,

 

John

Assistant Cubmaster

Pack 13

Shenandoah Area Council

[HiLo 10]

No Eamonn, it shouldn't be camo, and WVCubDad, a strong push with the Australian uniform was to move away from anything with military connotations, and that meant not khaki. This isn't being negative about the military, just saying that Scouts is not the military.

 

After nearly four years, the new Australian shirts have now gone through a full cycle, at least for the rapidly growing kids, and seem to wear very well. Price is around $25 (US dollars) for the simpler shirt. Not bad for something that will last three to four years.

 

I don't have one handy to check, but I suspect they are made somewhere in SE Asia. Perhaps not the way I'd prefer, but that's the modern world.

 

To expand on what you're seeing though, and to probably shock the uniform conservatives (it did here), the shirt and scarf IS the uniform. No particular pants are prescribed, although dark blue/black (not jeans) is suggested. A lot of Australian kids wear black casual pants as part of their school uniform, so that's a popular option. Oh, and it's not the activity shirt you're seeing on those web sites, it's THE shirt. There is no separate dress uniform.

 

[evmori 11]

Sorry. The only time I wear an undershirt is when I'm gonna be out in the cold then I layer.

 

Neckers are nice for formal occasions. Other than that, they get in the way.