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Who Among Us Wears a Smokey Bear/Campaign hat?


LeCastor

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In cool weather I wear an inexpensive (about $20) leather hat by Minnetonka. It's been all over the world and looks it. An airline pilot once offered to trade (I suspect it was a joke). I declined.

I also have several inexpensive (less than $10) straw hats, same style as the leather one, broad brim, that I use in the tropics. They ventilate nicely, keep the sun off, and best of all, they're cheap. One I leave in the Caribbean for my next return. And I travel with a potential replacement, just in case rats have made a nest out of the one I left. They last about 3 years before sun, rain, and travel converts them into compost. 

 

Like Stosh, I despise baseball caps. They don't protect against sunburn on the sides of my face and the 'bill' is usually not long enough to do what it's supposed to do either. I have never worn a 'campaign' hat but I do have a pith helmet from who-knows-what source...I can't remember how I got that thing...even worse than the baseball cap.

 

The best hat of all that I have is a Cricket Hat that I picked up on one of the islands. It has a really, really broad brim and it does everything needed quite well. But it's only stylish when standing with the other team members. http://www.worldcricketstore.com/acatalog/Greg_Chappell.html

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I wore my Smokey/Campaign hat this past Saturday for an event that our JASM prepared for our youngest Patrol.  It was a combination orienteering/first aid event where the PL was given a map of the area and coordinates to the location of a "mass injury event."  The Scouts were instructed to do triage when they arrived and then get work with the necessary first aid for each "victim," which happened to by members of our Venturing Crew.   :D

 

Oh, about the hat, it was very helpful because it was sunny day and it kept the glare down and kept my face and neck protected.

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I love my Smokey  :D I splurged and spent the 120$+ on the hat, pins, strap, shipping ... then got a rain cover from a cowboy store  :o  

Started making myself a nice press too. My parade hat  :cool:

Very rare in Europe, I took it along to New Zealand as well, where it is still in storage  :unsure:  

As a Cub and Boy Scouts in the 80s I had the baseball caps, still have them  :)  

On hikes I wear black or o.d. boobie hats, or watch caps when it gets cold. 

 

Oh and my boys told me I am not a Drill Instructor ... just to remind me ...  :rolleyes:  

 

Oh and 7 5/8 on the hat, 13 on boots ... 13 hat size? r u srz  :blink:

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Wearing a Campaign hat at more formal events like a camporee, jamboree, or even a court of honor is nice- looks sharp and traditional. But for backpacking and extreme outdoor activities (long hikes, rappelling) I think I prefer a military boonie hat. And for those who have heart attacks when they see cammie colored stuff on scouts, they do have these in OD Green which matches well with the scouting colors. For Cub Scouts, they also come in dark blue. We used these when I was a cub master in Ecuador- where the sun can be brutal.  They're cool, crushable, look good- retain their shape, are not expensive, are durable, and most of all, provide protection from the sun- all the way around so you don't get sunburned ears. - My 2 cents. 

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 And for those who have heart attacks when they see cammie colored stuff on scouts, they do have these in OD Green which matches well with the scouting colors.  

 

The Scout uniform is based on military field uniforms of that era, so folks really shouldn't be stressed about that. If they are might I suggest a tour through the Scouting lore materials. ;)

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The OD arrived when, during WWII, it was the only material readily available to BSA (which got special dispensation under rationing rules due to "war service.").

 

I know some Scouters go nuts over camo.  Not my cup of tea, but there surely must be somethings more important to worry over.

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  • 5 months later...

Down here in the south, the weather really doesn't go well with the felt hat.  However I do own and wear an official expedition hat with the Scouter pin on front when the weather is just right.  I rock that with an A12 USAF leather aviator jacket complete with a custom name tag that under my name reads "Scoutmaster  BSA" 

 

Now if only I could get away with a whip at camp...

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Down here in the south, the weather really doesn't go well with the felt hat.  However I do own and wear an official expedition hat with the Scouter pin on front when the weather is just right.  I rock that with an A12 USAF leather aviator jacket complete with a custom name tag that under my name reads "Scoutmaster  BSA" 

 

Now if only I could get away with a whip at camp...

 

Okay, I'm game..... isn't the expedition hat felt, too?  :)    It doesn't have the vent holes, is darker to absorb more solar energy than the vented, tan campaign hat.  I prefer the campaign hat in the summer and the expedition in the winter.

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Stosh,

 

Yep.  That's why I don't get too many opportunities to wear it.  Doesnt get that cold down here in Louisiana, at least for this transplanted northerner.

 

Okay, I'm game..... isn't the expedition hat felt, too?   :)    It doesn't have the vent holes, is darker to absorb more solar energy than the vented, tan campaign hat.  I prefer the campaign hat in the summer and the expedition in the winter.

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I wear a campaign hat for most indoor events or when we are out representing our pack/troop in public like Scouting for Food. For camping or hiking I wear the Indiana Jones hat. Keeps my head warm and protected. I never liked knit caps or baseball caps. I even wear a garrison hat mostly because "it looks snappy" to quote an old scout handbook.

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I'm under 55 and wear one. In my old council, only folks you saw with Smokeys were WBers, and BA22 and JLTC graduates. Wore one until I got my Expedition hat when I worked for supply. Since then it's a toss up.

 

Problem I have with the Smokey is that when I wear it, people assume I'm in charge.

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