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a new-new uniform shirt


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Wood,

 

1) WELCOME TO THE FORUMS.

 

2) the pocket on the sleeve,formally know as the Tech Pocket, but commonly known as the "Smokes Pocket," has only been around since August 2008 when the CUs came out.

 

3) If national could make the neckerchief an optional uniform item for boy scouts, despite it's usefullness, and being around since 1907 and Brownsea Island, since 1972, as well as the National Sea Scout committee getting rid of such traditional Sea Scout uniform items like the unit numbers on all shirts, CSPs and other insignia on working uniforms, and the First Class Anchors, aka Bugs, on covers, all of which date back to the 1920s, then you know nothing is sacred uniform wise. heck even advancement wise. I had the National Director of Venturing tell me and 20 other new DEs with years of experience in the program, that the Eagle Scout Award was being replaced with the new Venturing Silver Award as the BSA's top award. Shoulda seen the frenzy that ensued.

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The old Camp Freedom was great, good program, and I'm sure people still talk about the lecture you would get that if you were walking to the pool and walked through the farmer's field you'd pay a huge fine. I don't think anyone really thought it would happen, but we wouldn't have done it any way. Or Gizmo, the little stick that got passed around by sneaking it into people's back pockets and it you got caught with it at the dinning hall, the staff would make you do something in front of everyone. I had to sing "I'm a little Tea Pot" with the motions...but I guess now a days you can't do that because it's hazing.

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There's word going around that the New Camp Freedom will not be used in the future for Scout Summer Camp. No Pool.. and it's too small. So Camp Alpine, and Garmish are taking up the slack in the future..

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so this thread wandered off of the orignal topic, got distracted by a special order shirt. Was their officially any changes to the uniform mentioned at the National Meeting, or will the topic wander until next year?

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I had an interesting conversation with one of the employees at out neighborhood Scout Shop. Actually we were talking about the new Venturing shirt, but I think it applies here as well. It seems that lately the changes in uniforms arise from changing suppliers and not from any real need to change the style or satisfy functional requirements (or at least that's what I got out of the conversation). Have any of you encountered similar observations?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looked at one of the new micro fiber shirts at my old Scout Shop (yes I quit, couldn't take the BSA Supply crap anymore). Whoever thought these things up is nuts. The back vent is definitely not lady friendly. The first words out of my 11 year old son's mouth was ladies couldn't wear them because their bras would show. The back vent is abolutely idiotic. We had complaints in the store when I was there about the new Venturing shirts and women have bra issues with them. The new BS shirt is even worse. At least the Venturing shirts didn't have a roll up back flap.

 

The back flap doesn't even roll up it just flops up with a swiss tab type affair an inch or so. The material is absolutely creepy feeling too. My 2 kids said they's never wear something that feels like this stuff. The 2 staff members in the store said that even though they get a free set of micro fibers (to show the new stuff) they won't wear them unless they are forced to do so.

 

Personally, I don't think the material will last a week at camp, let alone a couple of years of regular unit wear. They are more expensive than the current nylon stuff too according to the store staff.

 

Poly/wools are a better choice than this crud. And I'm not a fan of dry clean stuff. If ist Scout wear it should be wash and wear, durable and affordable.

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my wife and I both have the crew shirt and don't have a problem. I am going up tomorrow and check it out for myself....

 

I am excited to have a shirt that just might breath a bit. Well I am going to buy it if they have it in my size........I will have a report after summer camp next week.

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Its wonderful as advertised! Both pockets have inside buttons with small velco tabs on each end of the flaps, the BSA is secured better to the shirt, the US flag is back to the old ODL style, the smokes pocket is gone, the back IS vented, tails are longer, the material is very comfortable I cant wait to wear it to my first commishs meeting this week.

 

AFA the lady concerns the rear vent is covered, dont know why bra straps would be showing? And even if a peek of a strap should sneak out, is this something that really concerns anyone? Why? The venting will be greatly welcomed in the heat and might just make this shirt useable for more than the ODL is for ceremonial and meetings. Not really concerned about what some shelf stackers think about it, I want to know what an active BOY thinks about it and if it helps one smidgen to increase wear by the BOYS, then it's a great step forward. Wow, lets keep focus here, shall we?

 

The material is much more comfortable than most shirts I own and will be way cooler in the heat. Yeah, the cost is a little higher, but this is the first shirt Ive bought in about 10 years, so Im very impressed with the difference with what I had been putting up with and have absolutely no qualms about an extra ten bucks or so. Oh and I machined washed it last night. Came out daggone near dry already. Did I say I love it yet?

 

Sheeze, some people are just never going to be happy, I guess

 

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JT,

 

Please do not discount the "shelf stackers." I worked for national supply once upon a time and the national supply sales clerks are a valuable resource in a variety of things.

 

Most have some sort of Scouting background, whether as a youth, leader, or both, so they can help get people what they need. I have worked with and met supply clerks who were Eagle Scouts, earned the Venturing Silver, WB beads, etc.

 

In regards to the uniform, I'd really listen to them. They are required to wear the uniform every day, and their uniforms get alot more wear and tear than most scouts' uniforms. Wearing the uniform 40 hours a week during the school year, and about 96 hours a week at summer camp, you can tell alot about the uniform.

 

As for how the material will stand up, unfortuanltey only time will tell. But more than likely it will be either A) a summer camp staffer, or B) a Supply Shop sales clerk who finds out. I know I went through 3 pairs of scout pants in a year due ot the poor quality of the pants at the time.

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Fair enough, E92; but conversely, one of my routines during my road warrior days was to map out Scout shops everywhere I went to pick up local CSPs and flaps if I could get them. I guess I hit at least 50 of them. I would agree that many staffers are familiar with Scouting, but easily as many were clueless about Scouts or way beyond their ability to do any real Scouting on their own and build personal experiences with new uniforms (ie: age or obese).

 

Wear in the air conditioned office may get daily wear, but isnt going to be the same as in the field under all kinds of weather conditions by a rough and tumble 12 year old or active leader. Maybe other councils have store employees working at camp, Ive not experienced that. I do know they are a central point for feedback and quality problems, but also know their bias is to sell. The local store manager at my council was a great help in many ways over many years and actually became a friend, but the guy never saw a Scouting event in person. YMMV.

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I don't know about council stores, but in the national store I worked at, space was at premium and we were all over the place: on the floors, climbing ladders, etc in orde to store and get to merchandise in storage. While most work was done inside, sometimes we did go outside and unload palates of the big rig delivering merchandise, and that was done in the cold rain sometimes.

 

As for summer camp, that was a pilot program that national did, sending out employees. Don't think it was a big hit.

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I am pleased with the shirt....sewing patches to night.....I am curious if it will keep me cooler.

 

I like the button hole to keep the do dads on the buttons. I like that the cigarette pocket is gone. The Flag is patch again and the BSA over the pocket is stitched instead of embroidered. I will let you know how it wears....going to summer camp next week.

 

 

As pointed out, who cares if we see some bra straps. just so long as they don't mind seeing my hairy back.

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