Uniforms 🫡
Scouts wear a uniform to promote camaraderie and to show off their personal achievements. The uniform also teaches the value of being neat in appearance and encourages good behavior.
There is a formal uniform (“Class A”) and an informal uniform (“Class B”):
Class A: The Class A uniform varies by grade level but always includes an official Scout shirt with appropriate patches, a neckerchief, a neckerchief slide, a belt, and a cap. This uniform is worn for all pack meetings and some den meetings, and at certain times on campouts and overnight trips. Class A uniforms can be purchased in person at the Steve Matthews Scout Store, located near Parmer & I-35. Tell a clerk your scout’s grade level and they will help you get the right items. (NOTE: Our pack does not require the official shorts, pants, skirt, or socks. Some scouts like how these items look and get them anyway, but any appropriate bottom and socks are okay.)
Class B: Is just the Pack 421 T-shirt, which is to be worn at Scouting activities when the Class A uniform is not required, such as at some den meetings, certain times during campouts and overnight trips, and at informal pack activities. The pack t-shirt can be purchased from the pack online store and picked up at the next pack meeting.
PUT YOUR SCOUT’S NAME ON EVERYTHING!
Pack closet: The uniform is one of the more expensive costs in Cub Scouts, so our pack keeps a limited supply of hand-me-down uniform pieces available on a first-come basis. Reach out to a pack leader for more information.
Sizing: If you will be buying a uniform shirt new, it is best to buy a slightly larger size so that the scout can continue to grow in it for a couple of years. This is especially true for scouts entering 1st grade and 4th grade because the uniform shirt that a scout starts wearing in those years can be carried forward several years if the scout does not outgrow it.
Buying online: It is possible to buy Class A uniforms online from the national BSA Scout Shop website, but this is not recommended. It can be tricky to find the right items for your scout’s grade level (when you buy from the local Scout Shop a clerk will help you). Also, at the local Scout Shop it is possible for your scout to try on the items in a fitting room. As an added bonus, the local Scout Shop sells the shirts with some of the required patches for you, including one required patch (the council shoulder patch) that is not usually available online.
Patches & Awards 🏅
UNIFORM patches
Required uniform patches for Kindergarten (Lion):
N/A — Your Lion’s uniform is a Lion t-shirt!
Required uniform patches for 1st through 3rd grade (Tiger, Wolf, and Bear):
Red unit numbers: 4, 2, and 1
Blue den number (for scouts entering Fall 2023):
▪ 1st grade = “Den 8”
▪ 2nd grade = “Den 7”
▪ 3rd grade = “Den 6”Council shoulder patch for Texas “Capitol Area Council”
(this patch is already sewn on when shirt is bought locally)World Crest patch with optional ring
(this patch is already sewn on when shirt is bought locally)American flag
(this patch is always already sewn on regardless of where purchased)
Required uniform patches for 4th and 5th grade (Webelos and Arrow of Light):
Red unit numbers: 4, 2, and 1
Webelos Rank Colors
(a pin with colored tassels)Council shoulder patch for Texas “Capitol Area Council”
(this patch is already sewn on when shirt is bought locally)World Crest patch with optional ring
(this patch is already sewn on when shirt is bought locally)American flag
(this patch is always already sewn on regardless of where purchased)
Adventure Loops and Pins
Each den will work together to earn adventure loops (or adventure pins in the case of Webelos and Arrow of Light scouts). Adveture loops are displayed on a scout’s belt (sometimes we just refer to them as “belt loops”) and adventure pins are displayed on a Webelos “Colors” or hat.
Rank Patches
Every year, each scout will work towards earning their grade-level rank: Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos or Arrow of Light. Any new scout may also earn the rank of Bobcat whenever the enter the Pack. (Kindergarteners will earn this rank when they enter 1st Grade.)
The rank patch is worn on the left uniform pocket in a special configuration. Click here to see the correct placement (PDF).
OTHER AWARDS
There are several Awards Cub Scouts can earn as individuals. Summer camps, camporees, and special events might also include award or participation patches.
Read more about those awards here.
Sewing 🧵🪡
The best way to attach patches to the uniform shirt is the old-fashioned way: sewing them on by hand (with a needle, thread, and thimble) or with a sewing machine. Using “invisible” thread (available from JoAnn or Michaels) and a wide stitch pitch (5-7 stitches per inch) works best. If sewing is not your thing, you can have the local Scout Shop sew on badges for a small fee. Be sure to ask how long it will take because they send it out and sometimes it takes a while to get the completed shirt back.
Iron-on adhesives such as Badge Magic (and similar products) are sold in the Scout Shop and online as an easy way to attach patches without sewing. Many parents use this method, but like all shortcuts it comes with a tradeoff: After a while, the patches can start to lift at the edges and then additional work is then required to keep the shirt looking good. Also, if an ironed-on patch has to be removed (e.g., when the scout transitions from 5th grade to a Middle School-level BSA troop), the adhesive may leave a stain or permanent residue on the shirt where the patch used to be.
NOTE: Most patches in Scouting come with a plastic backing that is meant to provide structural rigidity. The plastic backing should not be mistaken as a built-in way to attach the patch to a shirt. If you try to melt the plastic backing using an iron, the patch might start to stick after a really long burn, but it will fall off in the next wash.