momofkhm Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 My son just joined boy scouts and needs uniform shirt. When I was a kid, my mom would just go to JCPenny to get my brother a new shirt whenever he needed a bigger size. Is that not true anymore? And $45? Really? I will definitely be checking the second hand store someone in the troop said had a scout corner. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 And the pants....$40 and they need more than one?? We bought the shirt last year as a Webelo so we need pants now. And we are getting the pants with the attached belt...otherwise it's another cost. And the socks weren't cheap either. Someone is making a fortune on this stuff Today is free shipping on Scout stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Troops around here only require the shirts, not the pants, so that helps. The only reason my son had pants and socks, was because he had to have them to attend Jamboree. Buy your son's shirt a size or two larger- let him grow into it- that's another thing boys will do here, to save money. In 9 years of scouting, I have only bought ds 3 shirts, On was the blue Cub Scout shirt. He has 2 Boy Scout shirts, because he went to the last Jamboree and needed 2, otherwise, he would only have the one. Don't buy any of the uniform unless it is specifically required by your troop. And yes, check second hand shops, and ask older scouts if they have any hand me downs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Troops around here only require the shirts, not the pants, so that helps. The only reason my son had pants and socks, was because he had to have them to attend Jamboree. Ours don't require the pants either. They did not wear the official pants when they went to Jamboree. Stuck to jeans and regular shorts that they always wear. It was not a problem.They have a few pairs for Scouts to use for things like Eagle Board of Reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Ours Scouts only require the shirts, the patches, and some other paraphernalia, but yes, the stuff is CRAZY expensive. And they grow like weeds, so be prepared to buy more than one shirt over his Scout career and put the patches on more than once. Use Badge Magic....it's worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Buy your son's shirt a size or two larger- let him grow into it- that's another thing boys will do here, to save money. Our troop only bought the shirt also. We got ds a large, short sleeved shirt and he wore it through 12th grade. When its cold, they wear another shirt under it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 All our troops has uniform closets - I'd check their first. Or eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 It is expensive. Our troop has a hand-me-down practice, so check with the leader and see if they have anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted March 2, 2013 Author Share Posted March 2, 2013 Definitely check with your troop for hand-me-downs. That said, if an older Scout DOES offer an out-grown shirt, PLEASE consider givng the older family a donation. I get SO tired of it being assumed that all our expensive stuff should just be be handed down. We actually had a father suggest a "gear swap" the other day. Um, what's going to be swapped? My ds (5'11") can hardly "swap" with your 5'0" kid. What you want is a gear GIFT! As in, I take my $200 pack and hand it to your kid. Um, I gave your boys $100 worth of uniforms shirts and they THREW THEM ON THE FLOOR of your car! Let's see--take $150 boots that were only worn for a few months and I GIVE them to you? Yeah, I know little W*** showed up in the wrong footgear at winter camping, but I'm not sure how that makes it MY responsibility to clothe him. Hello! We live in a valley that regularly gets to -40--surely your kid already owns boots??? Sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. Scout stuff IS expensive--I'm well aware of that. I've had Scout parents castigate me for selling stuff. Well, I have to buy MY kid new stuff... Rant over, back to your regularly scheduled threads... What you say makes complet sense. At the rate ds is going, he's also going to be the 5'11" kid in the troop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I paid over $50 for each shirt. The pants were not cheap either. And now DS doesn't want to do it--I don't blame him though. Our troop was completely insane--the grownups were rude to the kids, the older kids treated the little ones like dirt, there were the "leadership" that punished the rest of them and screamed at them; the grownups were inappropriate, etc... So now I've got all these uniforms...trying to find a good troop that doesn't meet in the middle of the night and where the parents and kids are not so mean all the time. When DS turns 18 I guess I'll donate all the stuff somewhere--except his name is sharpied on the insides of all the pockets--I'll have to sharpie over it before I donate it... Did get 15 merit badges though...that was fun. Rambling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I want to encourage you to look at another troop--they're not all the same. But, like all groups of people, there will always be a few nutcases. As committee chair, I work very hard to weed out the nutbunnies. We had to have VERY hard meeting with a college-aged man last week. In our troop it's just one family and I'm easing them out. We'll see their younger son leave soon anyway. The entire leadership of the troop has come to the conclusion that Scouting is NOT for all and we can't sacrifice 15 boys for one nutbunny family. Look again for a good troop--they ARE out there! And when you find a good one, the boys have a blast... Signed, mom who just got to buy TWO complete Venture uniforms... Thanks for the encouragement. In that troop, the nutbunnies were the large majority. The moms would go on about how fortunate they were that they could send their sons with such good men. These were men who would make sexist inappropriate comments while on camping trips. The boys had a culture of talking about girls in non positive ways, of telling racist jokes, and of mistreating and punishing the younger ones--it was really bad. I mentioned the way the boys talked about girls to another mom, who got livid at me for trying to "control" the kids. (I hadn't told them anything-was checking with her to see if she was aware--she was!) I had thought that Boy Scouts was a "clean" place where they were learning good things... But I should definitely keep looking...I would love for DS to have a good Scout experience... Thanks for the encouragement--I will keep looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBS Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I feel your pain, OP. Excellent to find uniforms used. They LOOK used after 3 washings and wearings, anywho. I sewed, picked off patches, and sewed again, two boys thru shirts, covering 12 years of Scouting so far. Our troop is staying "uniform" in the old one, and finding it cheaply on EBay. Well, till younger son needed a 2XL. I did find a new one for just $20 though, a 3XL, and he's so happy to not have it come untucked all the time. Small pleasure. I made up a batch of red epaullete ribbons, and we're looking very traditional and frugal, (and uniform.) Uniform shirt, neckerchief and belt are required till First Class, then pants are added. I hugely encourage OP jhschool to do as others advise. There are several "flavors" of troops, too: Varsity, Venture Crew. Visit as many as you have to, on your own, then take him to the best couple or three. Don't join one thinking you'll fix stuff, join the one he likes. Let him chose what he wants to do. My rule was that the boys had to be in Scouting, but they chose their own program. More and more "merit badge days" events are cropping up, that parents register and take their boys to (with Scoutmaster permission, of course.) Most of all, volunteer in your troop. Scouting is an amazing program, I can't say enough great about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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