DAVID'S & JORDON'S MERIT BADGE REVIEW

Jordon and David each have the goal to earn every single merit badge available. It's lofty, but if anyone can do it, it will be these two. With their help, we've put together comments and rankings of the merit badges available (along with the comments of a few of their friends as well). Badges are ranked 1-5 with 5 being the most difficult. You might also want to compare Mr. D's Merit Badge Review.

(see this list alphabetically, without commentary, here)

Level 1 - Easiest Badges to Complete (especially good for Scouts just starting out)

Art - (5) simple requirements that can be done in two hours' time.
Basketry - Can get expensive if you buy the BSA kits, but probably a lot more difficult to do on your own.
Canoeing - Definitely a summer camp badge. Have fun swamping your boat!
Fingerprinting - Easiest of the easy. There's a reason that so many of these badges get done. Do yourself a favor, though, and do this through your sheriff's office. Much more interesting.
Fire Safety - The hardest part of this badge is demonstrating the different fires. Otherwise, it can be completed in a couple of days.
Golf - Could be done in a single day if you already know how to play golf, or if you have a good instructor.
Painting - The only hard thing is tinting the white base; otherwise, this is a breeze.
Pottery - Some similarities to Sculpture; if you do this at a studio, you can likely do them together.
Pulp and Paper - Make your own paper. Great to do just before Mother's Day.
Reading - Takes awhile to finish, but is basically a library trip, a lot of reading, and some community service.
Safety - Easy except figuring out what to do for the Safety Project.
Sculpture - Wonderfully fun badge that can be earned in a day.
Wood Carving - Scout kits make it easy.

Level 2 - Not Too Difficult

American Labor - A lot to digest, but you'll learn something while doing it.
Architecture - A brief overview. Only difficult part is the interview with a practicing architect.
Bird Study - Actually a very cool badge to work on. A lot of requirements, but simple ones.
Cinematography - Hardest part is finding someone who knows what they'r talking about to be the counselor.
Climbing - It seems like most indoor climbing gyms now offer this as a one-day badge. Fast and easy for fifty bucks, or one step at a time on campouts for much less.
Coin Collecting - Money, money, money. Again, a lot to do, but all easy.
Collections - You can't use stamps or coins, but just about anything else will do! Almost in the Easy category.
Crime Prevention - You don't have to be Chuck Norris to fight crime. A lot of "discuss" that isn't too difficult.
Dentistry - The hardest part about this is making an appointment to see the dentist. It's an interesting badge, especially if you come prepared with a lot of questions for your dentist.
Disabilities Awareness - Close to moderate because of the visits involved. If you don't have a Scout with a disability in your troop, you'll need to call around.
Energy - Use the online module at emeritbadges.com to make this even easier.
Fishing - Requires knot-tying and actually catching fish, so the difficulty depends upon you.
Genealogy - Hardest part is interviewing family members and gathering all the information.
Graphic Arts - An easy one if you're computer savvy and artistic.
Leatherwork - Get a kit and you're pretty well set. You'll definitely need the book for this one.
Mammal Study - Almost easy. The best option is the photography one, since you can use those photos for Photography as well.
Motorboating - Easy if you are already 1st class. Otherwise, you'll have to learn the First Aid requirements and pass the swimmer test. On the water is the fun part!
Music - Difficulty depends upon which options you choose. Requires a concert.
Pets - If you have a pet and you're responsible for feeding it, this is super easy. Just make sure you keep a record for 3 months, and find a place to show it (or teach it three tricks, if it's teachable).
Photography - Perfect if you have a photography class; otherwise, you'll probably want to do a lot of reading to know exactly how the camera works. This is a fun badge. You can also combine it with other badges -- like the photo display for Citizenship in the Community or the Mammal Study badge.
Plumbing - You'll need to find someone who knows what they're doing, but if you can get your plumber to let you shadow him for a day, this is a good one.
Scholarship - Especially easy for homeschooled Scouts since you won't have to visit the principal's office. The 250 word report is the only pain.
Skating - If you already skate, this is only a matter of having your counselor watch. Otherwise, it might take awhile to learn the tricks.
Textile - Doesn't have to be girly. Textiles can also include fleece, wool, and cotton.
Theater - Be in a play, earn a badge. Kind of surprised to see this as a Merit Badge. Theater, but no chess? Which is more valuable? Not theater.
Weather - If you have a weather service office nearby, this can be very cool. The only requirement that isn't interesting or fun is that you have to give a 5-minute speech from an outline.

Level 3 - Moderate Difficulty

American Cultures - A really interesting one. Time ranges depending upon your choices. Requires visits.
American Heritage - A lot of requirements that are best done one at a time.
Animal Science - Easy if you live on a farm; otherwise, trying to convince Mom to let you raise a chicken might be somewhat of a chore.
Archery - A good camp badge; otherwise you'll need to find an archery range.
Astronomy - The visit or Star party is some work; otherwise, this is mostly things out of a good astronomy book.
Athletics - Takes 4 months in a sport, and you can't use the same one that you do for Sports.
Aviation - Building the model is the most difficult part, but at least the badge has interesting requirements.
Backpacking - If your troop is active in backpacking and camping, this shouldn't be too hard. Otherwise your patrol might need to schedule a few weekends out.
Communications (E) - Basic common sense. Easy if you've already done public speaking. Can be a lot of fun with the right group.
Composite Materials - Hard part is finding a qualified counselor; some of the troops do neat things like make skateboards.
Computers - Ranges from 2-4 depending upon who is teaching it. If you spend a significant amount of time on the computer already, shouldn't be too hard.
Cooking - Open right away, since you'll do most of the requirements while camping.
Dog Care - The three months is what makes this moderate. Otherwise, it's normal chores.
Drafting - Not sure yet (don't know anyone with the badge), but doesn't look too hard.
Electricity - If you have somebody helping you that knows what they're doing, this isn't too difficult. It's very interesting, and a fun badge.
Electronics - Not so hard if you're already familiar with electronics; if you're coming in blind (like me, David), it takes a bit more work to fully grasp.
Environmental Science (E) - A lot of observing involved. Otherwise, not terribly long or difficult.
Farm Mechanics - Again, finding a good counselor for this who has a farm is the hard part.
Fish & Wildlife Management - Requires a visit and building a bird feeder, but everything else can be done inside.
Fly Fishing - Not as easy as you think! Requires knots, proper technique, and catching two fish. If you can, combine it with Fishing since they overlap.
Forestry - Because of where we live, this is *almost* in the Easy category. Requires visits and a lot of collection and identification, but is a great outdoorsy badge.
Gardening - Requires a visit, and growing a garden. Depending upon the color of your thumb, this could be very difficult or very easy.
Geology - This is good to open before you do Earth Science, or see if you can get a geologist at a museum to volunteer to be your counselor.
Horsemanship - To really do this right, try taking lessons for a few months.
Indian Lore - If you live near a reservation (like WE do), this can be pretty easy! The only thing that moves it out of Easy is needing to teach other Scouts or give a presentation.
Landscape Architecture - What makes this more difficult than some is finding a landscape architect that you can shadow.
Law - Requires interview and visit. Just make sure you're not being charged $160/hr.
Model Design and Boatbuilding - Depending upon your dexterity, could be very easy... or not.
Nature - Takes a long time because you have to keep ants for a season, but a well-designed and thorough badge.
Orienteering - Not too hard if you have an Orienteering club in your area. Otherwise, you'll get a lot of practice setting up your own.
Personal Fitness (E) - Not difficult, just takes effort and a long time to do it.
Pioneering - Knots, knots, and more knots. This is a lot of fun, especially if you can do it at a Camporee.
Public Health - Easily one of the least favorite badges. Requires a visit to a government health agency, plus you might not agree with everything that's in the book. If your parent is the counselor, that's the best way to go for this.
Public Speaking - Requires being brave enough to talk in front of people.
Radio - If you use the online module, this is pretty easy to understand. Requires a visit. Do this at the same time as the Electronics badge.
Railroading - Requires a visit, but everything else can easily be done at a model railroad club or show.
Reptile & Amphibian Study - Creepy crawlies :-). Hard part is getting Mom to let you keep one for a month.
Rifle Shooting - A great badge! Don't forget to review the safety aspects thoroughly, then have fun!
Rowing - Gently down the stream... It's the CPR requirement that puts this in the moderate category.
Small-Boat Sailing - Best done at camp. Capsizing the boat is the most fun.
Space Exploration - Shoot off a rocket! A lot of reading, but once you know what you're doing, the rocket is the best part.
Stamp Collecting - Fun badge. The only thing that makes this moderate is trying to find an expert to go to a show with you.
Traffic Safety - The photos of the wrecks were gruesome, but the actual requirements are far less than the state's drivers' exam books.
Truck Transportation - No, you don't get to drive one. But it does require a visit to a truck terminal.
Veterinary Medicine - Requires a vet visit; a good one to do if you're taking in your pet anyway.
Watersports - Getting up isn't the problem, it's jumping the wakes that might give some difficulty.
Woodworking - Easier if you have the tools; otherwise, you'll need to find a place that will let you work on projects. If you have Shop in school, should be a cinch.

Level 4 - Difficult or Very Time-Consuming Badges

Auto Mechanics - It's a lot to remember, and most of the requirements are "demonstrate".
Bugling - Unless you're already used to playing a brass instrument, the required calls are fairly difficult to master. You can use a trumpet instead (easier). Still have to serve as bugler for three months in your troop.
Camping (E) - It's not the actual camping, but the 20 nights and making sure some of the campouts fit the specific requirements. Open it as soon as you join Scouts.
Chemistry - Tedious for those of us who don't like chemistry. Requires a visit. Not as difficult for science geeks.
Citizenship in the Community (E) - Requires interviews, visits, and a public presentation. Yes, if you do it RIGHT, this is a hard badge. If you just want to get it over with and don't really care about learning something, you can probably do it in three weeks. Need (8) community service hours.
Citizenship in the Nation (E) - Make sure to allow sufficient time to really go through the Constitution. A good badge to do with your American Goverment class. Requires visits. (Jordon and David logged 36 class hours each for this badge!)
Citizenship in the World (E) - *IF* you do it right, this should take a few months to complete. I know some camps offer it in a day, but what are you really getting out of it in a day?
Cycling (E) - The requirements aren't that difficult, but it does require 7 different rides, including a 50-miler with time constraints. If you can't swim very well, this is a good alternative.
Emergency Preparedness (E) - The best way to do this is to pair up with your local government emergency management division, so that you can do a real drill with them. This badge takes a lot of planning to do on your own.
Engineering - A litte dry, but if you have the right counselor, the hands-on part can be fun.
Entrepreneurship - Requires interviews, reports, but the hard part of this is running a business.
Family Life (E) - Could be a (3) if you're a self-starter. Otherwise, it just seems to take forever.
First Aid (E) - A lot of requirements, but interesting. Taking a CPR course and a First Aid course will get most of the requirements marked off.
Hiking (E) - The hard part is the 20-mile hike. Takes awhile to get in the (5) 10-milers, but enjoyable.
Home Repairs - A lot of different things involved. You might do this as a group, and offer to repair a senior's home in your area.
Insect Study - Would be easy except the mounting of 50 bugs. A lot of fun.
Journalism - Watch tv and get a badge. Not really, but you do have to watch the tube or read a paper. The television option is especially fun. Requires a vist and interview.
Medicine - A lot of "discuss" and "tell", but also requires a doctor visit and medical volunteer hours.
Metalwork - Can get expensive, depending upon which option you choose. The work doesn't seem that hard, but it's finding a metalworker to supervise and teach that might be a problem.
Nuclear Science - Learn how safe, efficient, and inexpensive nuclear power is. Requirements vary, but hopefully include a vist (difficult post 9-11).
Oceanography - Requires a 500-word report or a 5-minute speech. Yuck. Otherwise, very interesting badge.
Personal Management (E) - Time-consuming, but not overly difficult.
Plant Science - TONS of requirements. The "Field Botany" option is a lot easier than the other two.
Salesmanship - A good one to do if your Troop does any kind of door-to-door selling (popcorn, anyone?)
Shotgun Shooting - The hard part of this is getting a good enough score to pass. Otherwise, it's a blast.
Snow Sports - If you don't already ski or snowboard, the level of proficiency might take a little while.
Soil and Water Conservation - This is a fun one, but there's a lot involved including visits and written reports.
Sports - Not difficult, but you have to be on two different sports teams for a season each in order to qualify, so it can take a long time.
Surveying - The badge isn't difficult -- but finding someone who really knows what they're doing is.
Swimming (E) - A lot to learn, but it's one of the most important things here.
Whitewater- Someone want to explain how a "Class I" river qualifies as Whitewater?? Good one to do at the same time as the BSA Kayak Award. Difficult because you have to have CPR card and Canoeing badge (or Kayak BSA) to even start it.
Wilderness Survival - The ultimate Boy Scout badge. Every single Scout should prepare for and earn this one. Should be one of the Eagle-requireds.

Level 5 - For the Die-Hard!

American Business - Another one requiring a business, and no, you can't use the same three months for different badges. Lots of visits and reports. Good if you have a high school business course, though.
Archaeology - A lot of requirements, a lot of work, a lot of written reports, plus you need to be able to find a dig to volunteer at. Who does these?
Lifesaving (E) - There's a reason this takes the whole week of camp, but it's an invaluable skill to have. If you already have First Aid and Swimming badges, and your CPR card, would probably be in the Moderate category.

Want to see how our list stacks up with how many badges are actually earned? See the 2005 statistics here. #1 badge earned? First Aid. That's a required one, so not too surprising. Wondering what the #1 non-required was? Leatherworking. A whole lot of camp mocassins!

See what we've earned so far on the Virtual Merit Badge Sash.