Lisabob 13 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Various posters have been pointing out that there are used uniform options available for those who really want a uniform but don't want to, or cannot, pay full price for new items. With the popularity of the new switchbacks, I am wondering whether we will see a decline in the availability of gently used BSA pants available to scouts? Since the switchbacks seem to be of a thinner material, and since they could reasonably be expected to get more wear and tear (because boys who own them may be willing to wear them on a regular basis, maybe even to school and out in public), are you finding it harder to procure second-hand pairs? Just curiosity on my part. Our troop has a uniform bank available for scouts but we don't have any of the switchbacks at our disposal at this time. Link to post Share on other sites
scottteng 11 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I don't really think that the price is that much of a problem. We have a scout who proudly proclaims that his tennis shoes which he is wearing on a campout are $200 shoes but this same scout cannot afford proper uniform pants. It is all in where their priorities lie. I am starting to see switchbacks on E-bay. My son and I have had ours for over a year and they seem to be fairly durable. The boys tend to outgrow stuff quickly so the uniform closets should stay full. All of the old uniforms are still official as well and in my area Florida it makes more sense to buy up several pairs of old style shorts for camp pants than buying multiple pairs of switchbacks. For those of you in the frozen northland switchbacks lend themselves to layering much better than the old cotton/poly long pants. Link to post Share on other sites
skeptic 992 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 "How do the switchbacks hold up". With a belt or suspenders. Sorry, couldn't help myself. Link to post Share on other sites
Ohio_Scouter 10 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I bought a pair of switchbacks for Philmont last summer when they first hit the Scout Shop, and they have held up quite well. I didn't care for the nylon belt, so I used the regular scout web belt which works better for me. I think it's too early for second-hand pairs of switchbacks to be available yet. Link to post Share on other sites
ccjj 13 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I have had my first pair for over a year. The only problem I seem to be having with them is that they are starting to get little balls of stuff on the inner legs. I am not sure of the technical term for that. Otherwise, I enjoy them. I am the cub summer camp director and wear them all summer. I just had to get a second pair this year. ccjj Link to post Share on other sites
AvidSM 11 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 One scout in my troop has already worn out the knees on his pair of switchbacks. This makes sense to me since they are made of thinner material than the other pants. The material is also pilling - which is what you call those little balls of stuff on the inner leg, as ccjj mentioned. Seems to me they could make the material a little thicker in order to hold up against wear and tear. Link to post Share on other sites
kraut-60 10 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Lisabob; My son got his Switchbacks as soon as they were availble here in WI in Sept 2006. In addition to troop meetings, camp-outs and any other BSA events...I found him wearing them to school. I asked why he would wear them there..to which he answered "they're cool". This original pair has suffered a scorch mark on the lower right leg from what, he cant recall, and the seam in the crotch came unraveled (thread failure or diintegration?), but the material was intact and we had them mended. They were 18 months old at that point. He has since gotten a further 2 pairs as he spent last summer as a CIT at our councils summer camp. He has foregone wearing them to school as he is now a sophomore and cool no longer excuses the fact they are BSA uniform ( and I suspect others recognized the FDL on them and he retreated in favor of peer pressure). My own pair are holding up well...the nylon belt has twisted once or twice in the tunnel but I find the Switchbacks are the pants that perform well. With poly-propelene longies on underneath, they are very good to wear in the outdoors up here in Wisconsin winters...wore them during both this years as well as last years Klondike derbies..including tenting out... it got down to -5 degrees in 2007 and this year was a relative heat wave at 19 degrees. I wish I had had access to Switchbacks when I was at Philmont in July-August of 2006...the gander mountain stuff did well...but out of three pairs all had different features the Switchbacks had all together. Pair no.1-No lower leg zippers; Pair no.2-No cargo pockets; Pair no.3-No fly and only 1 cargo pocket(no not womens pants, fly fishing ones). I am adviser for a crew returning to Philmont in July 2009 and we are putting the Switchbacks on the "gear to get list" as the pants for the trip and the trail...less stuff to buy and they are functional, and they dry quick too, plus the lower legs when zipped off fit rather well in the cargo pockets with room to spare. We have seen "pilling" on ours, but overall they are wearing better than I expected them to, and my sons have been washed and dryed numerous times aand no discernable color loss or fading...my wife even got herself a pair to go hiking in and shes not a Scouter! I dont endorse anything I dont believe in, but I'll endorse these as they just plain work! Link to post Share on other sites
LaurieBear 10 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I have my pair of switchbacks, my son outgrew his first pair... we did hand them down! The switchbacks my son got this year are different than last years. They're darker, the pockets are shaped a bit different and the material feels a little more heavy. These pants are great for summer and winter. wore them all last summer at camp and I actually wore them a few times outside of scouting as well. My son has worn them to school and doesn't even bat an eyelash, could be because there are 6 scouts in his immediate class! Link to post Share on other sites
Gold Winger 9 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 " I am not sure of the technical term for that." It's called "pilling." Link to post Share on other sites
raisinemright 13 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 My wife just about choked me when I dropped $40 on a pair of pants for an 11 year old, then told him to wear them on our backpack merit badge trips. She's completely changed her tune though. They hold up great. 2 weeks ago, he tripped in the parking lot at the troop meeting during a snowball fight and bloodied his knee up. He didn't even scuff the pants. Problem is that the little brat keeps growing so I gotta buy another pair soon. Link to post Share on other sites
Gunny2862 11 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I have my first tear in my Switchbacks. Going to have to duct tape the corner of that table, and sharpen my knife because the table was sharper than the knife. It was easily mended with the iron on patch from underneath, couldn't match the color but figured the pocket was black and used black patching material. If you didn't know you can't see the fix. Other than that the one pair seems to be doing fine with 10 months of camping, a summer camp, several hikes and a couple of backpack trips and 1-2 times a week wearing them on average. Some pilling but it's minimal and not really an issue. I'm buying another pair for summer camp and to have a "better" pair - 'cause I'm still going to put them to hard use. Link to post Share on other sites
msnowman 10 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Nephew is on his second pair of Switchbacks. He got his first just after they came out (was that really Aug, 06?). They had some pilling but were holding up okay until NYLT. He jabbed a hole in them (stick on a hike) early in the week and kept futzing w/ it until he got home. It has been patched and the pants are still servicable (after all, a Scout is Thrifty). These are now the "camp and crap" pants. I bought him new ones for Christmas which are the current "ceremonial" pants...at least til both pairs head off to summer camp. Yea, I know - that's the adult in me...only wanting to see one pair of pants in tatters at time. YiS Michelle Link to post Share on other sites
NeilLup 13 Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Hopefully, the idea of the secondhand uniform exchange for switchback trousers will become obsolete. Those trousers do seem to hold up pretty well. However, if the Scout wears them to more than just Scouts (school, other activities) then hopefully, they will wear out just about the time that they are outgrown. The uniform exchange is important for uniforms that get outgrown long before they are worn out. So let's wear those switchback trousers everywhere. Wear 'em out. Best wishes, Neil Lupton Link to post Share on other sites
Joni4TA 10 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I bought my son a pair of switchbacks that he got on Christmas. He wore them 2 days later for the first time, to a Skating MB. He fell down in the pants, and they immediately got a hole that nearly resembled a burn in the fabric, just from falling down in a roller skating rink! I would say they are not made very well at all for that ridiculous price, and certainly don't wear them when you are going to be doing heavy duty "boy stuff." He wore them again for a 20 mile, 3 day hike a week later. For the hike he said they were fine. But he didn't fall down in them again. Not very sturdy pants in my opinion! Link to post Share on other sites
Gold Winger 9 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 "hey immediately got a hole that nearly resembled a burn in the fabric, just from falling down in a roller skating rink!" The friction may have melted the fabric. Score one for synthetics! Link to post Share on other sites
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