A Quick Guide to Uniforms

This document aims to briefly explain uniform practices in Trail Life Troop NC-613. The typical new youth trailmen will purchase:

1. A button-up official troop uniform shirt
2. Shoulder loops relevant to the program level
3. A handbook, either from the Trail Life USA store or from the troop.
4. A t-shirt, either a troop t-shirt from the troop or a level-specific t-shirt from the Trail Life USA store

Regular Uniform ("Class A")

The regular troop uniform (sometimes called a "Class A") is the Trail Life button up shirt worn by all ages. There are matching pants available (plus belt and socks), although most youth trailmen wear clean jeans, khaki pants, or outdoor-style hiking/fishing/etc pants. Sweat pants and other athletic pants/shorts should not be worn with the Class A uniform.

Purchasing

The Class A button-up uniform shirt is purchased directly from the Trail Life USA store, as well as other components such as belt, pants, hat, shoulder loops, and lanyard. Note that the Trail Life USA store as fixed rate shipping, which makes ordering multiple items at a time desirable.

Hats

The Tri-Color Hat sold by Trail Life USA matches the uniform, and can be worn as part of the uniform. However, a hat is not an official uniform component and is not required.

Lanyard

Youth Trailmen are welcome to wear a lanyard with their name card printed from Trail Life Connect. This is not required in our troop and most do not do so. Note that adult volunteers and leaders should have and wear a lanyard.

Shoulder Loops

Trail Life uses Shoulder Loops to distinguish the various levels in the uniform. We encourage all members with Class A uniforms to wear these loops. We maintain an inventory of Navigator, Adventurer, and Adult loops available for resale at troop meetings if a pair was not purchased with the Trail Life USA uniform order.

Informal Uniform ("Class B")

In some activities, troop members will wear the troop's t-shirt as an informal uniform. There is a shirt for each of the three program levels. These shirts are purchased from the troop at a meeting.

Leader / Volunteer Uniforms

Adults directly leading youth typically wear the same Class A uniform as the youth trailmen. Adults will occasionally wear a polo coordinated to their level. Registered adults not actively serving with the youth usually wear a lanyard without a uniform, or with a less formal trail life shirt.

Other Store Items

The Trail Life USA Store has flat-rate shipping. When ordering a uniform, consider the handbooks published by Trail Life USA:

• Navigator & Adventurer Handbook (6th-12th grade). The troop bulk purchases this important item, so members can also purchase from the troop at any meeting.
• Woodlands Trail Handbook (K-5th grade). The troop as of September 2023 has the prior edition at clearance prices. We will eventually have the new book available for sale.
• Parent and Leader Guide This is an optional book that provides a reference targeted at both parent and leader, which provides an excellent orientation to the ministry program.