B-P said, in what is probably his most-quoted writing about the uniform, “I don’t care a fig whether a Scout wears the uniform or not so long as his heart is in his work and he carries out the Scout Law.’‘ However, this quote is out of context, as B-P goes on to say, “But the fact is that there is hardly a Scout who does not wear the uniform if he can afford to buy it. The spirit prompts him to it.”

Scouting uses the uniform both as the great equalizer between youth from families of modest means and those who are well off. The uniform, apart from erasing any class distinctions, also fosters the spirit of belonging into a single society in which all members are equal to one another and responsible to one another. It gives the scouts a sense of pride of belonging to a worldwide movement.

BPSA-US Scouting Uniform

For a detailed reference on the pieces of our uniform, BPSA refers members to the adopted 1938 PO&R document. This document describes the proper uniform, and any options, for each section of the association. BPSA currently does not have a sole supplier for uniforms. However, we will provide a set of resources, retailers and online stores that carry those pieces that match the uniforming standards set forth in the PO&R document. We also realize that uniforming in other scouting organizations is typically expensive, and so we try to find resources with the idea of keeping the cost down as much as possible. BPSA also wants to give local scout groups some flexibility, given this situation, on providing for the proper uniform for their scouts. As long as the style of the PO&R is adhered with, the choices of colors for the uniform shirt and pants is a decision for your local group.  This section will list the approved and required uniform pieces for the Otter, Timberwolf, Pathfinder and Rover sections in the association. At the end of this section, we’ll provide a list of retailers and outlets where you can find each of the individual pieces as well.

Click the image below to view a larger version of the badge placement locations.

Otter Section (provisional):

• Hat:  baseball-style cap with the Otter Badge centered on the front, of approved color: red
• Shirt: long-sleeve jersey tee with no collar, sleeves rolled up or down, of approved color: red
• Pants: Either long-style cargo pants or shorts of an approved color: dark blue, khaki, green or gray
• Necker: 32″–36″ square neckerchief of the group’s color(s), worn with a ring or slide (“woggle”) at the throat
• Socks: any plain color (not white)
• Shoes: brown or black

Timberwolf Section:

• Hat:  baseball-style cap with the Timberwolf Badge centered on the front, of approved color: navy blue
• Shirt: long-sleeve jersey tee with no collar, sleeves rolled up or down, of approved color: ash gray
• Pants: Either long-style cargo pants or shorts of an approved color to match hat color: dark (navy) blue
• Necker: 34″–36″ square neckerchief of the group’s color(s), worn with a ring or slide (“woggle”) at the throat
• Socks: Knee length, worn turned down at the knee with green tabbed garters showing on outside with shorts, of approved color: dark blue, khaki, green, or gray
• Shoes: brown or black

Pathfinder Section:

• Hat:  Khaki/olive/brown campaign style, flat-brim, four-dent hat with leather band on the crown. A beret, green or red, is also permitted with appropriate metal pin or patch on front.
• Shirt: Safari/Bush-style long-sleeve work shirt with two front pockets (flap w/ buttons) and optional shoulder epaulets in slate (medium) gray, such as the Dickies Long Sleeve Work Shirt in Silver (not charcoal).
• Pants: Either long-style cargo pants or shorts of an approved color: dark blue, khaki, green or gray
• Belt: Khaki, brown, dark blue webbing belt.
• Necker: 36″ square neckerchief of the group’s color(s), worn with a ring or slide (“woggle”) at the throat.
• Socks: Knee length, worn turned down at the knee with green tabbed garter showing on outside with shorts, of approved color: dark blue, khaki, green, or gray.
• Shoes: brown or black

Rover Section:

• A Rover wears the uniform of the Pathfinder, as laid out in the previous section, with the exceptions that the shirt be dark (forest or spruce) green with shoulder epaulets, the garter tabs are red instead of green, and neckers may be 37″ instead of 36″ square. A couple of good shirt options that would need no modifications are the Cabela’s Safari Shirt for men (in Forest Green) and/or the L.L. Bean Cotton Poplin Field Shirt in Dusty Olive for women.

Further Notes:

Otter & Timberwolf Shirts & Hats: ShirtChamp.com offers both for less than $10 (including shipping). Click here for hats and here for the recommended shirts.

Colors: As a traditional scouting association, BPSA wears the traditional uniform, following the guidelines put down in the 1938 PO&R. We give our local units some flexibility, but the above specifications and the PO&R should be adhered to as closely as possible. The colors should be from one of the approved colors noted in the sections above (though various shades can be considered, e.g. green could be forest green, olive green, etc.); but the tones should be subdued, earthy and in harmony with the traditional uniform styles approved by B-P in the PO&R.

Neckers: The design of the group’s neckerchief is again in keeping with the traditional necker designs. Patterns on the necker are discouraged and solid tones that are in keeping with the outdoors and natural surroundings should be selected. Our provider for 32″–37″ square neckers is Zone West (our contact person there is Gloria Gager). For an appropriate set of design ideas and colors that are in keeping with tradition and the PO&R, please see ScoutNeckers.com—which allows you to design a necker online using various traditional patterns and colors. Also, see Inquiry.net for a how-to on making a traditional square necker.

Coming Soon – We’ll be providing a list of suppliers, retailers and shops where our local units can order each of the uniform pieces in keeping with the above requirements and the PO&R. Also, we’ll provide some reference photos for each section and a template for appropriate badge placement for each section as well.  Use our contact form to let us know if you have questions or other ideas or resources regarding the traditional uniform!