Since 2003 there's been a new Apex Challenge T-shirt designed each year. Originally intended for the organising team to wear, there was so much interest from teams taking part that from 2004 an exclusive souvenir design is produced each year. How many have you got in your collection?
2013
Design: Pink Packing Slip
The inspiration for the 2013 T-shirt design was the sort of packing slip you get in an item which has arrived by mail order. On the front is the Apex Competitor motif and on the reverse the packing slip uses icons and text to highlight some of the qualities that you might expect to find in a typical Apex Challenge team member. The pink colour was chosen for the first time by a public vote on Facebook. Second choice was the orange but a variation of the T-shirt with an Apex Winner motif on the front was produced exclusively for prize winning teams.
2012
Design: Purple Crowd and Climbers
In 2012 we were keen to reflect the ten years since the Apex Challenge first began in the T-shirt design. The 'ten years of adventure' symbol on the back of the garment does just that and is shown above two climbers navigating a rock-face. On the front, crowds of scouts are in silhouette cheering with their arms in the air beneath a large Apex Challenge logo. The event web address also features on the reverse of the T-shirt. It's also worth noting that although the event logo was updated in late 2011, this was the first T-shirt to include the new branding.
2011
Design: Sapphire Blue Wordsearch
After 2010's graphical approach to summing up what the Apex Challenge is all about we decided to go for something completely different in 2011. We chose a stylised wordsearch packed with things associated with our events, some more random than others! Subtly integrated in the design were the letters spelling out 'Apex Challenge'. The T-shirts were printed in white ink on a bright sapphire blue background. Once more the reverse design was a symbol that combines our logo with the event's website address.
2010
Design: Bright Yellow Landscape
We were aiming for a bold design in 2010 that would get noticed from a distance! Printed on canary yellow, the specially commissioned landscape artwork on the front aims to show the range of activities on offer at many of our events and is printed in bright green, only the second time a colour of ink other than black or white has been used. The Apex Challenge lettering followed the latest styling from the Scout Association's own graphic design team. On the back is a symbol combining the Apex logo and website address.
2009
Design: Lime Green Footprint
The 2009 design saw a break from the circle motifs used in previous years. They were replaced by a bold black footprint and the wording 'Apex Challenge 09' and the event web address on the reverse. It was chosen to symbolise the tough outdoor nature of the Apex Challenge events and the sort of no-nonsense kit you need to take part in such a challenge. We've never yet used the same colour twice and lime green was another bold colour that we thought would stand out when it is being worn.
2008
Design: Red Apex Circles
Following on from the 2007 design we stuck with another circle motif in 2008, but this year breaking up the iconic Apex Challenge logo into four parts and hiding them inside circles. A fifth circle conaining a question mark was added with the year 08 represented in two circular numerals underneath, one of which also formed the dot of the question mark. The reverse design contained an 'Apex 08' design with the slogan 'Join The Adventure' underneath. The bright red colour is the brightest that has yet been used on an Apex Challenge T-shirt.
2007
Design: Dark Green Activity Circles
There was just one Apex Challenge competition held in 2007 because of the centenary celebrations, and so just one chance to get hold of the dark green circle motif T-shirt. It is also unique for another reason - it is the only Apex Challenge T-shirt which DOESN'T contain the event's year! Each of the four circles contains a symbol. The footprint, compass point, rope and question mark aimed to represent the range of qualities including strength, agility, mental capabilities, and other skills needed to win the event. On the reverse is a large Apex logo.
2006
Design: Blue Squares
2006 was the first year the Apex Challenge used the new 'Join the Adventure' slogan and it featured prominently on the front of that year's T-shirt design along with the event logo, the year and a design showing rows of squares interlocking. This complimented the design of that year's posters which showed interlocking squares of teams from previous years enjoying the range of activities at each of our competitions. The reverse of the T-shirt showed another Apex Challenge logo and the website address.
2005
Design: Khaki 05
A bold and simple design with Apex Challenge 05 written in yellow on the front of the T-shirt in the style of lettering you would expect to see on an American baseball T-shirt. The reverse showed an Apex logo and the website address. It was the first time the printing on the T-shirt has been anything other than black or white. A printing error also meant that those printed for the autumn event, while the same design, were on a darker green khaki t-shirt rather than the lighter brown khaki used at the spring event. Do you have both?
2004
Design: Navy Blue Traffic Light
The very first Apex Challenge T-shirt to be available for team members to order when they take part in one of our competitions. The navy blue design had 'Apex Challenge 2004' on the front with a traffic-light style motif containing part of a scout logo, part of an Apex Challenge logo and the word 'GO!' where the green light should be. On the reverse was the Apex Challenge logo in full with the website address and the tagline 'Yorkshire's biggest and most popular Scout competition.' To date, the scout logo hasn't featured on another design.
2003
Design: White
Though never available to team members taking part in either of that year's competitions, this basic white T-shirt was the forerunner of all the designs which have been created since. The white T-shirts showed an Apex Challenge logo and the event website on the front and were given out to members of the organising crew who were helping to run that year's events to make it easier to spot them. These have since been replaced by the navy blue 'Apex Crew' sweatshirts which are still in use at events now.
