Backpacking Merit Badge History

Earned through 2020233,724

Best year19938,864 earned

All-time popularity#100official, as of 2020#102by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1993. Peak year 1993 with 8,864. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

1982No data available

1983No data available

1984No data available

1985No data available

1986No data available

1987No data available

1988No data available

1989No data available

1990No data available

1991No data available

1992No data available

19938,864 earned#51 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

19967,800 earned#56 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

20007,038 earned#62 of 128

20016,175 earned#65 of 129

20026,582 earned#66 of 129

20036,026 earned#68 of 130

20046,572 earned#63 of 121

20055,092 earned#75 of 121

20065,003 earned#75 of 121

20074,974 earned#77 of 121

20085,005 earned#78 of 121

20095,003 earned#87 of 122

20104,377 earned#90 of 125

20114,445 earned#86 of 129

20124,878 earned#73 of 132

20134,114 earned#67 of 129

20144,169 earned#95 of 136

20153,973 earned#97 of 138

20163,963 earned#97 of 138

20173,498 earned#101 of 139

20182,295 earned#123 of 139

20194,079 earned#98 of 139

20201,640 earned#122 of 137

2021No data available#95 of 137

2022No data available#102 of 138

2023No data available#103 of 138

2024No data available#106 of 138

2025No data available#109 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#109 of 141" means the badge was number 109 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

19938,864#51 of 123

1994—

1995—

19967,800#56 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

20007,038#62 of 128

20016,175#65 of 129

20026,582#66 of 129

20036,026#68 of 130

20046,572#63 of 121

20055,092#75 of 121

20065,003#75 of 121

20074,974#77 of 121

20085,005#78 of 121

20095,003#87 of 122

20104,377#90 of 125

20114,445#86 of 129

20124,878#73 of 132

20134,114#67 of 129

20144,169#95 of 136

20153,973#97 of 138

20163,963#97 of 138

20173,498#101 of 139

20182,295#123 of 139

20194,079#98 of 139

20201,640#122 of 137

2021—#95 of 137

2022—#102 of 138

2023—#103 of 138

2024—#106 of 138

2025—#109 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Backpacking: workbook data

Printings (36)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	SKU	SA #	Notes
x	1983	March	9A	back-9a	15M	1983	3323
x	1983	November	9A	back-9a	15M	1983	3323
x	1984	July	9A	back-9a	15M	1983	3323
	1985	not made
x	1986	January	9A	back-9b-2	14M	1983	3323
x	1987	January	9A	back-9b-2	12M	1983	3323
x	1988	January	9A	back-9b-2	12M	1983	3323
x	1989	January	9A	back-9b-2	10M	1983	3323
x	1990	February	9A	back-9b-2	12M	1983	3323
x	1991	June	9A	back-9c-1	12M	1983	3323
x	1992	August	9A	back-9c-2	12M	1983	33323	730176333236
x	1993	December	9A	back-9d	10M	1983	33323	730176333236
	1994	March	9A	back-9d	5M	1983	33323	730176333236
x	1995	March	9A	back-9d	8M		33323	730176333236
x	1996	January	9A	back-9d	10M	1995	33232	730176332321
x	1997	September	9A	back-9d			33232A	730176332321
x	1998		9A	back-9e			33232A	730176332321
x	1999		9A	back-9f			33232A	730176332321
x	2000		9A	back-9f			33232A	730176332321
x	2001		9A	back-9f			33232A	730176332321
x	2002		9B	back-9f		2002	33232B	730176332321
	2003	not made
x	2004		9B	back-9g		2002	33232B	730176332321
x	2005		9B	back-9g			33232B	730176333236
x	2006		9B	back-9g			33232B	730176333236
x	2007		9C	back-9h-1			33232C	730176325316
x	2008		10A	back-1008b2			35863	730176358635
x	2009		10B	back-1010b2			35863	730176358635
x	2010		10C-1	back-1010b2			35863	730176358635
	2011	not made
	2012	not made
x	2013		10C-1	back-1010b2			35863	730176358635
x	2014		10C-2	back-1013b2			619696	730176357683			01268-AL
	2015	not made
x	2016		10D	back-1016b1			619696	730176357683			01042-AL
x	2017		10D	back-1016b1			619696	730176357683			00358-AL
	2018	not made
x	2019		10D	back-1019b1			619696	730176357683			358
x	2020		10D	back-1019b1			655139	730176351353			358
	2021	not made
x	2022		10D	back-1019b1			655139	730176351353			358
	2023	not made
x	2024		10D	back-1019b1		2024	35863	7301766615884	661588	300062768	358
x	2025		11A	back-1125		2025	35863	7301766615884	661588	300084988	358

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	8,864	51	123
1994
1995
1996	7,800	56	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	7,038	62	128
2001	6,175	65	129
2002	6,582	66	129
2003	6,026	68	130
2004	6,572	63	121
2005	5,092	75	121
2006	5,003	75	121
2007	4,974	77	121
2008	5,005	78	121
2009	5,003	87	122
2010	4,377	90	125
2011	4,445	86	129
2012	4,878	73	132
2013	4,114	67	129
2014	4,169	95	136
2015	3,973	97	138
2016	3,963	97	138
2017	3,498	101	139
2018	2,295	123	139
2019	4,079	98	139
2020	1,640	122	137
2021		95	137
2022		102	138
2023		103	138
2024		106	138
2025		109	141