Uniform Prices going up.....

[desertrat77 1144]

I'm a big fan of ebay and thrift stores. Still alot of wear left in those old scout shirts. Some of them are fifty years old and still tough as iron.

 

As a UC, I wear proper uniform 100 percent. But my shirt was purchased in 1985, and is still clean, dry and servicable. Pants are a couple years old.

 

Somewhere along the way, scouting forgot the uniform was utilitarian...it was supposed to be tough enough to be scout proof. And affordable.

 

 

 

 

[scorpionace 10]

Hey has anyone noticed were most the uniforms are now being made??? From child labor camps in you gUessed it CHINA. Guess the big wigs need more money. We don't want them{CEOs of the BSA} to need a government bail out too huh.

[NealOnWheels 73]

They may be made in China but how do you know they are made in child labor camps?

[scoutldr 726]

Just got a newsletter from the council...they are going to hold the line on prices until the 15th. In stock items only. At least they're trying to soften the blow.

[scorpionace 10]

RESEARCH

[NealOnWheels 73]

Scorpionace,

 

Please show me your "research" that says BSA uniforms are made in child labor camps. I would really like to know.

[WilVick 10]

What was said earlier is true, once official always official. If I could still fit into the uniform that I wore in 1977 as a first year Camp Chaplain, it would still be okay...it is a uniform of the BSA. The fact that Scout Shops no longer carry the item does not deny the official nature of the uniform.

 

I understand the angst over four different CS caps. A pack in Simon Kenton Council has created their own pack cap. It's navy blue with the pack number and Cub Scouts embroidered in CS gold. It looks good and brings the boys through all phases of the program in that pack. Not at all a bad idea.

 

As for the cost of a pair of pants. I find it best to remind myself that these trousers serve a dual purpose with their switchback legs. I may spend $40.00 at my Scout Shop on a pair of cotton canvas pants, but they become shorts. I might find the identical color (or close enough for government work) at American Eagle, but by the time I add a pair of shorts, I've spent substantially more than $40.00.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Wil

[FScouter 24]

The money all goes into the same pot so what's the diff? All those in favor of raising the registration fee a dollar, in exchange for "fair" uniform prices, raise your hand.

[Lisabob 13]

***waving my hand***

[cimarron8889 10]

I'm in.

[CRK7376 10]

I'm livid about prices....rural and less well to do Scouts seem to suffer. Me being one of them. I do like the new polyester shirt, not crazy about the pocket on the sleeve, just like my military ACU. Pants good, but cost to much and way to long. I noticed new pants are out that require hemming, but got rid of the zipper at the bottom of the leg. Our recommendatons to new Troop members, get the shirt, a troop necherchief and maybe a scout belt. Don't start going for full uniform until young scout becomes fully involved and stops growing some. Having to replace an outgrown uniform 6 months after being purchased gets tough for many scout families, even with a trading/lending closet. I wish they had stuck with the old olive green uniforms, new materials of course. I'm just not an olive/khaki combo fan...

[Rythos 10]

I'm a Den Leader and a Committee member in my local pack and I just ran the updated numbers.

 

With my boy going from Tiger to Wolf it will run 32.00 to upgrade his uniform parts to the next level.

 

For a new Wolf Scout that joins our den it will run 12.00 to sign up plus 95.00 to fully uniform him.

 

If I was a parent without a strong personal attachment to Scouting my kid would be playing rec baseball or soccer at 25% of the cost of scouts.

 

I will not be surprised if the vast majority of our new recruits do not even make the attempt to get uniformed.

 

As it is the first thing I tell all my parents is to raid family members, ebay, thrift stores, and craigslist, long before they give a penny to the Scout Shop. There is no reason whatsoever that they need to price these items at this level, unless they are trying to drive their numbers down on purpose. If the bigwigs in Texas want to grow the problem they need to cut costs to parents, not keep bumping them up.

 

Rythos