The BSA Centennial Uniform Design for the latest boy scout uniform came out in August, 2008. The colors are pretty much the same so new uniform pieces can be transitioned as old ones are outgrown. A big difference is red shoulder loops and unit numbers are now forest green. The uniform is promoted as more versatile and wearable in the field instead of just for meetings. I do think the new boy scout baseball-style cap is a big improvement - I bought one myself and it looks great! The switchbacks pants are staying around but with a few changes. There are two styles, heavier and lighter. Update 10/2012: The zip-off pants I purchased in August, 2006 are finally about worn out. I've worn them over 6 years on over 60 weekend campouts, backpacking over 400 miles on 8 treks, 6 weeks of summer camp, and uncountable troop and district meetings. I also wore them all 1.7million steps of my 800-mile, 43 day hike of the Arizona Trail this spring and my 13-day 250-mile Superior Hiking Trail trek in September. My BSA baseball cap changed color from my sweating, and possibly the sun. Starting out green, it turned a mottled tan/green - I actually think it looks better but it finally wore out after almost 6 years. I've got a brand new one for my next hike.

Placement of insignia on the uniform is important. The Uniform Inspection Sheet has insignia placement guides. There is also a Male & Female Leader Uniform Inspection Sheet. If you wonder where a patch goes, it is probably a 'temporary' patch. See Scouting FAQ page for help - they can be displayed on a blanket, vest, wall display, shoebox, or the back of the merit badge sash. See the BSA Insignia Guide for more information on uniforms, patches, and such. The Scouting program in America has always included uniforms for its members and volunteers to identify members and show they are part of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouts and leaders should wear their uniforms to all patrol meetings, troop meetings, and scout outings. The tan and green Boy Scout uniform is a well-known symbol of American scouting. All scouts in the program wear the same uniform with the major differences being the badges each scout has earned and the troop specific neckerchief. Most scout troops also have an activity uniform which is often a t-shirt customized just for the troop. Activity uniforms are worn for work projects, sporting activities, and other events in which the dress uniform might get damaged. The official dress uniform is commonly referred to as the 'Class A' uniform and the activity uniform as 'Class B' even though these are not correct BSA terms. The best place to buy customized scouting t-shirts is the ClassB.com web site. ClassB.com is an official licensee of the Boy Scouts of America and is actually run by a few Eagle Scouts.

Each scout belongs to a patrol within the troop. To foster patrol identity, each patrol chooses a Patrol Patch and creates a patrol flag, name, and yell.

Sashes and Such
The BSA Insignia Guide discusses all the uniforming, patch placement, and other insignia use.
Merit badge placement on the sash is up to the scout. The badges can be displayed in rows of two or three, starting three inches down from the top of the sash.
There is no required ordering of badges. The scout can put all silver-bordered Eagle-required badges first, followed by green-bordered elective badges. Or, he can display them alphabetically, or by favorites, or by color, or in the order earned (which is most common).
When the front of the sash is full, additional merit badges can be displayed on the back or on a second sash - but only ONE sash is worn at a time. A second sash is NOT worn over the shoulder or tucked into the belt. The same is true for Order of the Arrow sashes. The scout wears either a merit badge sash OR OA sash, but not more than one sash at a time.

These two sashes show merit badges in rows of three. They belong to my two Eagle sons. One has all his Eagle-required badges on top, the other just has them as earned.

Boy Scout Uniform Costs
shirt	neckerchief	slide	shoulder loops	cap	belt	zip-off pants	socks	handbook	total
$25-$45	$5-$10	$4	$2.50	$13	$0	$35-$50	$6	$10	$100-$140
(BSA zip-off pants give you long and short pant uniforms, plus a belt) Uniform Patches
World Scout Crest Emblem				$1.50
Council Strip				$1.50 - $6.00
Troop Number				$3.60
Patrol Emblem				$2.00
Useful Items
Scout Handbook Cover - $10
Scout Requirements Book - $5
Sewing Kit - $5

Retrieve a list of Scout shops and distributors in your area at this Scout Store Locator

Boy Scout Uniform Savings

• Have your scout earn his uniform or part of it.(it might last longer, too)
• Purchase only minimum required items in your troop.
• Check with your troop or district about a Uniform Exchange where you can pick up or drop off uniforms.
• Buy used Boy Scout items at local clothes store.