Pack 345 San Francisco Join us

What to buy, what to skip

The uniform

Some units insist on every last piece. We don't — we want scouting to be affordable for everyone, and we lend out used uniform parts for free.

The uniform is a place for scouts to show off what they’ve earned and which pack and den they belong to. Each scout has two, and the event description will tell you which one to wear.

Class A
The formal uniform, worn to pack meetings, service projects and ceremonies. Buy it at the Scout Shop — or borrow it, free, from our Uniform Library.
Class B
The Pack 345 t-shirt. Your scout gets one free when you pay their first year’s dues. Extras are $12 in youth and adult sizes.

Check the Uniform Library first

The pack keeps a lending library of gently used uniform parts, free to any family who needs them. Email pack345sf@gmail.com before you spend money. And when your scout outgrows something, please donate it back.

Tips that save real money

  • You don’t need the official scout pants. Any pants, shorts or skorts in the right color for their rank is fine. We’d rather you skip jeans with a Class A shirt.
  • Cold day? Any long-sleeve shirt underneath the uniform shirt, any color.
  • The neckerchief is optional — and your scout gets the purple Pack 345 one when you pay their first year’s dues.
  • If it was ever a valid uniform, it’s still a valid uniform. That’s an actual BSA rule. You do not need the latest shirt design or patch set. Hand-me-downs are perfect.
  • Badge Magic works if you don’t want to sew. Sewing is better, but nobody is checking.
  • Uniform pieces and camping gear make excellent birthday and holiday presents — for the scout, and for the Scouter in your family.

Get the right council patch

You need the Golden Gate Area Council shoulder patch — not the Pac-Sky Council one. Tell the Scout Shop you’re with a San Francisco unit and they’ll sort you out. It’s only sold in the physical stores, not online.

Where to buy it

  • Peninsula Scout Shop, Foster City — the closest. Palo Alto is second closest. Both will take a phone order for pickup, will mail for a small fee, and will sew your badges on for you for a small fee.
  • San Rafael, Pleasanton and San José are the next closest shops.
  • scoutshop.org — most items are available online, but not the council shoulder patch.

Sewing it yourself?

Pay close attention to the official Cub Scout Insignia Placement Guide before you start. It is no fun to redo the sewing.