Baltimore Area Council to Pilot Alternative Field Uniform

[SR540Beaver 116]

It looks like the Baltimore Area Council will be piloting an alternative field uniform concept developed by Baltimore based Under Armour. My guess is that it would be based on UA's tactical gear. Specifically their Covert Ops shirt with two chest pockets and their Gen II pants with seven pockets.

 

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/07/31/baltimore-area-council-to-pilot-alternative-bsa-under-armour-field-uniform/

 

http://www.baltimorebsa.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?orgkey=2271&itemkey=1385

 

http://www.underarmour.com/shop/mens/tactical

[SR540Beaver 116]

My second guess is that it won't attract kids who don't wear the uniform (which is the stated goal) and it won't look good except on folks built like olympic athletes.

[Nike 94]

No. No more uniform revisions until my son outgrows the one he has.

[SR540Beaver 116]

Heck, our SM is one of those with a closet full of the ODLR uniforms and says he will buy the centennial uniform when they pry the old one off of his cold dead body. So we have folks clinging to their old uniform over the new and now we have the possibility of yet another new uniform.

 

So much for being "uniform". We're going to end up looking like a banana republic army. (This message has been edited by sr540beaver)

[nolesrule 58]

Nah, they'd have to contract with Banana Republic for the uniforms. I think Columbia would be a better fit.

[Eagle732 27]

Went to Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation for summer camp two weeks ago, this is Baltimore Area Council's camp. All the staff were wearing Under Armour class "B" type shirts with the camp name on them. I just figured they were a donation from UA since they are a Baltimore based company. By the way BCMSR is a great camp!

[xlpanel 10]

Underarmor looks good on anyone that doesn't have a big belly. Maybe the UA uniform will motivate some to lose weight?

 

I would pay above $100 to get one of these right now.

 

And so much for the new centennial uniform, eh? It was a failure.

[Eagle92 110]

I think it's a bad move for two reasons. #1 it reminds me of national's attempt of a field uniform in the 1990s. Wasn't popular as it was viewed as anotehr expense. We need 1, repeat ONE, field uniform. What about those scouts that units use this alternaticve uniform, but when they go to national events like Jambo or NOAC will need a Field Uniform, not the alternate.

 

Secondly this line has me concerned The initiative is an effort to appeal to kids who represent a diverse, varied cross-section of America youth. The field uniform will have a look for todays adolescent and teen age youth who may not want to be seen in public in a traditional [emphasis added] Boy Scout uniform

 

This worries me b/c it sounds as if national is gonna reattempt the 1970s all over again I know we lost alot of folks with the"new Scouting" of the 70s, and was very fortunate to come in with GBB's handbook and the traditional program. this really sounds as if they are gonna try it again, and it will hurt. Kids that go into scouting want the adventure and excitement, even the little ones. Heck the pack I'm with is hearing compalints fromt e4h Cubbs that they want to camp more Heck my own Tiger is bugging me about when he will go camping again, esp at a council camp You take the outing out of scouting and our numbers will truly fall, instead of fall from inflated figures

 

In reference to the Centennial uniform, look on the inside back cover of the New handbook, and you will see the emblem placement was not revised to show a smokes pocket. Could national be listening finally?

 

 

[Hal_Crawford 15]

I take some comfort that they are doing a trial in one council rather than just implementing a new uniform nationwide because it seems like a good idea.

 

Hal

[AlFansome 10]

Eagle92-

With regard to the back cover of the handbook...

 

Check out the inside front cover....yep, the old ODL uniform! (the button is visible on the pocket).

 

Looks like one year lead-time wasn't enough to get the current artwork in the handbook.

 

 

[Eamonn 61]

What a wonderful idea.

At last something that the youth might want to wear.

 

I'm kinda like the SM SR540Beaver talks about.

I have not bought the new style uniform, because I have way too many of the old style and I don't very often wear a uniform.

Being as I'm a thin little fellow I don't think the shirt would be a problem, just not sure how well it would go with the white hair?

Ea.

 

[GernBlansten 10]

The problem with the centennial shirt for me is it looks too much like the ODR, although they did make progress on muting some of the obnoxious trim pieces like the red epaulets and unit numbers.

This proposed UA uniform sure looks good in its civilian form. However, I will withhold judgement until I can see just how much bling the BSA will hang on it. If they dodad this up just like the centennial, its not an improvement.

BSA needs two uniforms, field and ceremonial. Field is required but field functional, ceremonial is optional and garish.

[Eamonn 61]

OK I know that cotton kills!

But the truth is that as a parent, I'm not going to send my kid out to play around in clothes that cost more than anything else he owns.

I was OK with the $38.00 shorts, shorts are shorts and as a rule don't come to much harm.

But when it came to doing stuff, like caving, climbing trees, or other "Boy Type" stuff. He wore a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Jeans that cost under $20.00 and less if they were on sale.

When I walk around our Council Summer Camp during the day, I don't see Scouts in any type of shirt other than a t-shirt.

In winter, when Scouts have a coat on, it's hard to know what they have on under their coat.

This talk of an activity uniform is lost on me.

Unless of course we can come up with something that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (Under $30.00 for the complete uniform?) Still I think most parents are going to send their kid out to "Play" in clothes that they see as "Play Clothes".

Mr. SM, might be able to send the message that for some activities some clothes are not the best of ideas.

But... Even trying to get parents to send kids with the right footwear is an uphill struggle.

 

Many years back the UK Scout uniform went to a Dress Uniform, looked great in the Scout Hall, but wasn't much use for anything else. I t was a real pain to look after at camp.

So they came up with an activity uniform. Green shorts and a green short sleeved shirt. They gave this outfit to the guys who worked for the Scout Association at the time. A good pal of mine got a couple of sets that he refused to wear, so he gave them to me.

I wore them when I came over here the first time.

I looked like a little green pixie.

But something must have worked! The outfit highlighted my sexy knees, HWMBO must have been impressed as she fell for me and ended up marrying me!

Eamonn.

(I still have the shirt - 32 years later!)

 

[John-in-KC 311]

E,

 

More importantly, you also have the bride!

 

UA does make non-formfitting stuff. I have a polo from them. Not bad. My problem is that if cotton kills, so does polypro. It's 100% hydrocarbon.

 

Wool is the material we need to work with. Sigh.

[Gunny2862 11]

Yeah and that 69.99 shirt before BSA logo-ing is going to be purchased by about 5% of my current troop - ain't no way.

 

After all the work we put in trying to build a culture of uniform BSA may actually finish by pricing us out.

The Centennial is at the high end (tipping point)of the price point already.