Campaign Hat

[TxScout]

The campaign hat is an icon of Scouting. Norman Rockwell defined the way America thought about scouting. In many of his greatest paintings, scouts were never with out their campaign hats. But now, the use of campaign hats is extremely low among scouts. I think that scouts would enjoy wearing them -- a link to the scouts that have gone before. I think that the price for a scout campaign hat is the main reason nobody wears them. Why pay $100 for a scout hat when you can get one for $15. Many scouts can't afford the campaign hat at all. I think that the hat is a large part of scouting, and it should be made more accessible. For you adults who used to be scouts, what hats were around when you were scouts? It seems to me from looking at old pictures that most boys could afford a campaign hat. Was that so? What are your takes on the issue?

[fin24000]

Yeah, its like $120.00 to get the whole thing..... so as a scout who isent rich I would rather the Expedition Hat http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/Ite ... 3&item=637
as its only $35 and still looks really cool .....
Yeah I wish I could get a campaign hat but atleast they have Something elce fo under $120 .......

Aaron.

[wagionvigil]

Back in the 1960's they had a youth hat and an adult hat. The youth hat was half the price of the adult hat. When I served on Camp staff in the Late 1960's all staff were required to have a Red jac shirt and a campaign hat. Can you imagine requiring those today.
\By the way I still have my jac shirt and my campaign hats so they were a very good investment.

[jr56]

When I was a youth we had the olive hat that folded flat. When I became an adult leader, I had to get the campaign hat. I agree, I'm a sucker for tradition.

[TxScout]

Well, 6 out 8 of my patrol members have the Expidition hat. We earned the Honor Patrol Award and saved up so we could all get that and Switchbacks. But the campaign hat is still a more recognized icon. Was a Campaign Hat and Jack Shirt about the same material as it is today. Could y'all afford that very easily?

[vpalango]

In my troop, when I was a youth, it was only the SMs that wore the Campaign hat. The scouts wore the folded green hat. For me personally, I link the campaign hat to the SM.

When I was asked to take on this job for my troop, my wonderful wife bought me one for my birthday, along with a JacShirt.

I agree, the hat is a symbol of scouting for me, again for me, it's more an emblem of scoutmasters than scouts, but I do understand those who feel the boys would look good in them. In our troop, we started a tradition that the incomming SPL/ASPL gets an expedition hat. When they complete thier term, they get the hat pin to go with it, and "crown" thier successor with a new hat.

YIS,

[ronin718]

In the late 70's we had both the flat hat (known in the AF as a flight cap) and the ever-so-stylish red beret. I think I saw that beret in one of my old boxes of junk from my youth.

[TxScout]

Oh, I see. Was there not a time when the campaign hat was the only hat around? That's an excellent idea about the SPL getting a hat. I tell our troop about that.

By the way, I have a question and I didn' think it was big enough to start a new thread. Is it alright to wear a square neckerchief rather than a triangular one? Assuming of course it is folded and looks the same?

[riverwalk]

Yep, if it's official BSA issue, it's age isn't a factor. Of course you want to abide by your Unit's policies. Locally, several of us Scouters enjoy wearing older items to draw attention to the history, and collecting. As a neckerchief/slide nut, I preach about the uses of the neckerchief.

Yeah I also wore the garrison cap (flat one) in my Troop. It was neat in the way you could drape it over the belt when time to remove your cover. Of course it wasn't the protection (or image maker) of a campaign style.

[WeeWillie]

And how much do the latest sneakers cost?

As a Scout, my troop wore the campaign hat with the left brim turned up with 261 Numerals. That was 40 years ago and the hat cost $35.

[TxScout]

Yeah, I don't like when everybody says they can't aford a uniform and then walks around with the coolest iPod and cell phones. That doesn't happen in my troop. We're a great troop. But it happens with other scouts. I myself am really tight with my money. A scout is thrifty. But my parents are good about helping me out with uniform items. I just can't spend that much for a campaign hat when other hats are so much cheaper. The on'y option I can thick of is to buy a simalar style hat from somewhere else. But I hate to do that 'cause I want to support Scouting.

[fin24000]

Yeah to me that brings to mind scouts buying the OD pants that look close to the BSA pants form Walmart and same with the shorts.... it just shows who really cares about scouting and who wants to do something else more.....

[vpalango]

And how much do the latest sneakers cost?

As a Scout, my troop wore the campaign hat with the left brim turned up with 261 Numerals. That was 40 years ago and the hat cost $35.

Today the hat costs $94 (http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?ctlg=05NDC&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=UNIFORMS&C3=UHATS&C4=&LV=3&item=501CH) not including the hat pin ($3.50).

While I agree with some comments (and share the frustration) when people complain about the cost of uniforms. I certainly, at least in my situation, wouldn't even begin to start suggesting that we should make a $100 hat a required or even suggested part of the troop uniform at this stage. I'm focused on getting them all into full Class A uniform (i.e Shirt & Trousers), which is a struggle at times.

YIS,

[mommatoodle]

""Yeah to me that brings to mind scouts buying the OD pants that look close to the BSA pants form Walmart and same with the shorts.... it just shows who really cares about scouting and who wants to do something else more.....""

First of all, not everyone can afford all parts of the scout uniform. my one son does scouts several times a week and I can't afford more than one pair of scout pants...(I have more than one in boy scouts)...there are times when he needs that second pair of green pants....does my son not care about scouts? of course he does and so do I....before you say something "dumb" think about finances for some people.....

sorry to be on a soapbox....but my one son grew so fast this year that the pair of scout pants that swam in the waist and length needed to be replaced halfway thru the year....expensive yes...

[Mrw]

I have seen a kid grow 12 inches in one year. Not common, but it happens. Buying special uniform pants would cost a fortune after just keeping the kids dressed in the first place.

And personally, I would look completely ridiculous in a campaign hat, although I can wear a baseball cap without looking silly.

[Billiken]

And personally, I would look completely ridiculous in a campaign hat, although I can wear a baseball cap without looking silly.

At 6' 5" tall, so would I.

[DanMaker]

Yeah, its like $120.00 to get the whole thing..... so as a scout who isent rich I would rather the Expedition Hat http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/Ite ... 3&item=637
as its only $35 and still looks really cool .....
Yeah I wish I could get a campaign hat but atleast they have Something elce fo under $120 .......

Aaron.

They've moved things around a bit, but I think this is the hat:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/prepared-for- ... n-hat.html
This link is likely to work longer:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/catalogsearch ... dition+Hat

I wear the Expedition Hat every day in the summer. It's as comfortable as a hat can get and still protect from the sun.