Scout Headwear/Stetson Hat

As we all know, Scouter's have no headwear that is officially recognized as part of our uniform here in Canada. Many Scouters (leaders) have worn their "Stetsons" or "Campaign Hat" to different official events, (myself included) whether it be parades, B-P week events, etc... Personally, I feel it would be nice to officially recognize this type of hat for certain fuctions that we are involved in. What are everyone's thoughts about this?

Scouter Lyndon: As we all know, Scouters have no headgear that is officially recognized as part of our uniform here in Canada. Many Scouters (leaders) have worn their "Stetsons" or "Campaign Hat" to different official events, (myself included) whether it be parades, B-P week events, etc... Personally, I feel it would be nice to officially recognize this type of hat for certain functions that we are involved in. What are everyone's thoughts about this?

I have seen the Stetson worn on many occasions although it, as any other headgear, is no longer officially recognized for wear today. I have never seen, nor heard of, anyone being reprimanded for this crime In fact to the best of my knowledge and belief there are NO uniform police in Scouts Canada; and certainly judging by some of the varieties of dress being used, even on official occasions, there never have been and never will be any Scout uniform police.

{For the record, I still have my 1956 RCMP Beaver Felt Stetson (RCMP Stetsons were prized very highly by Scouters in those days, and looked really cool ) that I wore when I began as an ASM at Shaare Hashomayim in 1956-57, and I won't say it never gets out of its rack . }

Oddly enough this very topic came up two days ago in a conversation of mine.

I think that Scouts Canada could make a small fortune if they offered the Stetson in their stores. They have the distribution channels to offer it coast to coast, making them possible the only major offerer of the product.

They can leave the current policy as such, no official head gear, but when outdoors, it is just smart to be wearing a hat. Scouts Canada sells lots of other clothing and gear that is unofficial, why not Stetsons?

Nick

Perhaps a suggestion for Alan Mimeault

As a matter of fact, I have been 'reprimanded' (well, admonished, really) for wearing my Stetson. I went to a Regional Scouter's meeting and I was told "that's not part of the uniform...you shouldn't be wearing it." I pointed around the room to the two dozen or so miscellaneous ball caps, tilley hats and other headgear, and responded "Why are you picking on me?"

The response was an unitelligible grunt...I continued to wear my Stetson to those meetings, and continued to receive the evil eye from the Regional Commissioner, but she never said another word to me.

And don't get me started on my socks!

>And don't get me started on my socks!

I'll bet they are navy blue knee socks with a forest green band around the tops

I'll have mine on at our Troop meeting tomorrow evening -- they look so much better with my green shirt.

YiS,
John

While I don't have any problems with the Stetson as there is no official head dress of any kind; I DO have a serious problem with "green shirts" and "gree topped blue socks" as there is an official dress uniform. Wearing the other uniform, which I would prefer if I had a choice, is only sending the wrong signals to the Youth. My €0.02 for what it's worth.

I was once told the reason Scouts Canada no longer has an "official" headgear is because they would then have to supply it and the cost exceeded demand/desire.

Perhaps a way around it is to create a "sanctioned" headgear in BP&P. This way Scouts Canada can have some control over what is worn while not having to supply it. Sanctioned headgear could include: Stetsons, berets, Scouts Canada baseball caps, toques and/or bush hats. It would create at least a semblance of uniformity rather than the haphazard looks that we now have.

>I DO have a serious problem with "green shirts" and
>"green topped blue socks" as there is an official dress uniform.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that this is part of a history-themed meeting. We will watch the video "Scouts! [the rise of the world Scout movement]". If we have time after that we’ll watch the much shorter video "B-P, Chief Scout of the World". And we’ll couple that with a quiz on B-P and Scouting history. After that we’ll consider Voyageur Citizenship requirement 8 to have been met. Even a cursory watching of the videos will give the Scouts a better sense of our history than the woeful page or two in the current handbook.

I don’t wear the old uniform as a regular practice. But it certainly does generate reaction when I do

YiS,
John

That sounds like a great idea John. I still have my old KS uniform, wonder what a sensation that would cause (IF I could still wear it )
I still have my old "Greens", maybe use it for a theme next year. I like your idea but it is too late for me to "steal"for this year

With my previous Troop, we wore the old green shirts for our "camp uniform"...I've got about seventy of the old shirts in assorted sizes. We wore them completely unadonred except for the Troop badge and neckerchief. The Scouts thought they were great. And we turned some heads.

I've done myself up in the full green shirt, green-topped socks stetson and staff at a couple big camporees...it gets a lot of people asking for my picture.

...when outdoors, it is just smart to be wearing a hat.

This is what I found strange when I got involved as an adult a few years ago. I am not so concerned with the style of hat (modern vs "classic") but in this day and age it is almost considered child-abuse in some quarters to send a child outside without sunscreen and a hat. As an outdoor-oriented organization the idea that we require a fancy shirt but not basic protective headgear seems insane.

Sorry to hijack the thread/posting for my little rant.

Back to the question: I think wearing the stetson should be at least an official option. There are lots of online sources (BSA, WOSM, Private1, Private2, etc) so all Scouts Canada would have to offer is an appropriate hat badge.

Edit: Or how about this fantastic hat for leaders from the BSA Store:

Unfortunately even the "Stetsons" offered by WOSM in their store are NOT Scout Stetsons so as B.-P. introduced for OUR uniform and his constabulary. Most of the "Stetsons"being offered (with the exception of the BP [that other association ] Quartermaster) are "punched"in the wrong places and have the 4 wedges at N, E, S, and W. and not at the NE, SE, SW, and NW as they should be. Compare the pictures in any of our Scouting Books with what they are offering on the internet. Our "Stetsons"should be shaped as the RCMP Stetsons and NOT as the Smokey the Bear stetsons.

I always liked the Stetson "look", but I proudly wear my Tilley informally. The Tilley is rugged, practical and a Canadian product. Scouts Canada offers a 'bush hat' which is cheaper than the Tilley and bears the Scouts Canada insignia, but I wouldn't want it or the Tilley to become 'official' headgear.

On the other hand, I'd hate to be told that my practical, bush-tested hat isn't 'regulation'.

Hathi,

Technically your Tilley isn't "regulation" since BP&P specifically refers to the "bush hat and touques" sold in Scout Shops.

However, the Tilleys you and I wear are a much better quality than the bush hat and will last much longer (and have a replacement guarantee from Tilley - which I've used once already).

At the moment, as much as any of us may favour a particular type of headgear - stetson-style, beret, Tilley, baseball cap, etc. - Scouts Canada doesn't seem to want to re-introduce an "official" headgear into BP&P.