Bee Jacket recommendations

[Digestive]

My current jacket and veil is a little on the small size (I inherited it before anyone asks) and I’m looking for an inexpensive new one.

Can anyone recommend where to look?

Have bought clothing from one particular website (think. .....the beekeeper) before the quality was not great and items had to be returned.

My suit has a veil rather than fencing style and I’m considering going for one of these...are their any benefits/negatives to either style?

 

[WoodenBeam]

I’ve always been a great advocate of BB Wear, never had anything other than a fencing style veil & no intention of changing.........
Now on the second suit after 15/16 years of using that said the second is kept for a spare. These are washed at 60 degrees & then tumble dried usually (inc veil tucked inside suit).
If a member of a local beekeeping association you do usually qualify for a discount but enquire with them or your association.

 

[enrico]

My answer is always the best you can afford from a reputable source. Tried hat and square mesh and fencing veil. Prefer the hat but both adequate.

 

[DRam]

I bought a 'budget' bee suit at the BeeTradex last year but recently when working with a grumpy hive I discovered that I could be stung through the bee suit which was then making me nervous and I was not enjoying the beekeeping experience.

I have now purchased a 'virtually sting proof' suit from OldCastleFarmHives. It looks a bit futuristic, but it is very cool to wear due to the design, but most importantly I feel extremely confident that I will not get stung, so inspections are far calmer and more enjoyable.

 

[polomadh]

Sherriff honey rustler jackets are brilliant, and last forever. if you are not in a hurry, keep an eye on eBay, quite often see almost new ones, going for considerably less than a new one.

Fencing veils are much better, imho.

 

[madasafish]

Just bought one of these:
https://cornishhoney.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=964
Under £55 delivered.
Excellent quality.
Highly recommended

 

[Malcolm Stamp]

I have several suits and the one I favour most of all is a jacket with a shield veil that I got from,”Simon the Beekeeper” for £20. Great quality, nice zips and the veil is easy to see through. While you are at it buy some of his lovely soft leather gloves. Haven’t worn mine yet but they are lovely.

 

[Digestive]

I have several suits and the one I favour most of all is a jacket with a shield veil that I got from,”Simon the Beekeeper” for £20. Great quality, nice zips and the veil is easy to see through. While you are at it buy some of his lovely soft leather gloves. Haven’t worn mine yet but they are lovely.

Thanks, to be honest I have a suit and gloves from there and I’ve had to be sent replacement gloves as after only wearing a few times due the stitching has coming apart.

Hence looking for somewhere else to buy a jacket from!

 

[drex]

Personally I hate leather gloves. The pair given to me free with my original suit are only ever used on really vicious bees. The gloves are not easily cleaned, retain alarm pheromone, and give me no feel for what I am handling. I use marigolds

 

[bingevader]

I’ve always been a great advocate of BB Wear, never had anything other than a fencing style veil & no intention of changing.........
Now on the second suit after 15/16 years of using that said the second is kept for a spare. These are washed at 60 degrees & then tumble dried usually (inc veil tucked inside suit).
If a member of a local beekeeping association you do usually qualify for a discount but enquire with them or your association.

Made in Britain, quality gear.

 

[pargyle]

There was a very extensive thread not that long ago which discussed in some detail the various suits available...might want to have a look though that. You do get what you pay for but a lot of people have been very happy with the ventilated suits/jackets from old castle farm hives ... nice quality, comfortable to wear and virtually sting proof ... middle of the price range... good starting point to have a look. Veil or hat? No distinction just personal preference about what suits you best ... try both and send back the one you don't like as much... good thing about internet shopping is you can send anything back ...

 

[user 819]

When one say's inexpensive, quality of product may be not as great.

STBK or maybe BeeBasic.
Beebasic Camo smock £42 with hat/veil is quite good albeit a tad on the heavy side and one can get very warm.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My current jacket and veil is a little on the small size (I inherited it before anyone asks) and I’m looking for an inexpensive new one.

Can anyone recommend where to look?

Have bought clothing from one particular website (think. .....the beekeeper) before the quality was not great and items had to be returned.

My suit has a veil rather than fencing style and I’m considering going for one of these...are their any benefits/negatives to either style?

I swear by Lyson from Abelo. After a few years I threaded a few pence worth of fresh elastic through the cuffs but that's the sum total of maintenance mine needed.

 

[Apiarisnt]

Thanks, to be honest I have a suit and gloves from there and I’ve had to be sent replacement gloves as after only wearing a few times due the stitching has coming apart.

Hence looking for somewhere else to buy a jacket from!

Simonthebeekeeper for suit / tunic / jacket; yes. Very good value and no problems (so far)

Leather gloves? A very definite no. They uniquely combine everything that could be wrong. They harbour disease. You cannot wash them (properly). They hang on to alarm pheromones attracting hostile bees. And you lose tactile contact with your hive, with your frames, with your bees. Even the NBU is against them: Beebase - Beekeeping information resource for Beekeepers

 

[Digestive]

Thanks for all the advice....having had a look around and in need of one quite quickly...I went for one on flea bay....

Ordered last night and arrived this morning...1st impression is it feels quite ‘premium’ and comfortable but let’s see how it performs in the next few weeks....

 

[drex]

Good for you. I was helping out a fellow, beginner beekeeper recently who had a suit with a similar looking velcro closure to yours. Suddenly he cried out about bees in his hood. The Velcro bit did not seal where the Zips met and I assume that is how the bees got in. His wife said she could do a simple modification.

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for all the advice....having had a look around and in need of one quite quickly...I went for one on flea bay....
View attachment 26442
Ordered last night and arrived this morning...1st impression is it feels quite ‘premium’ and comfortable but let’s see how it performs in the next few weeks....

You will know quicker than that ! I have a cupboard with about 6 cheapish bee suits in that have accumulated over the years... the elastic fails, cheap zips fail to fasten, inadequate velcro covers let bees in, the material is thin enough to let bees sting through, the veil fails the first time it is washed.... you name it I've seen it ... they have all been patched up and they come in useful for apiaries visits but my goto jackets are my old castle hives ones (I have two) and my full suit is a BB wear one that is getting on a bit now but only rarely gets used - with my bees a jacket is adequate... good luck ... hope it lasts but at least it should get you through the first season ...

 

[drdrday]

I know that everyone says to get the best beekeeping suit you can afford, but I caveat that by saying the best you can afford as a beginner. If you're fairly confident around the bees, and therefore don't need to feel bombproof (beeproof?), then I think there is an argument for getting a cheaper suit to start out with. Who knows, you might find out 6 months in that beekeeping isn't actually for you. Or you might not get on with a fencing veil and want to try a hat instead, or would prefer a full suit to a jacket etc.
My cheap £30 STBK suit is still doing fine in my third year.
Of course, that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider spending all of my honey profits on a 'beeproof' suit costing 10 times as much now that I feel much more confident about what I like/don't like in a suit, and more importantly that I don't envisage giving up the bees any time soon.

 

[Malcolm Stamp]

Personally I hate leather gloves. The pair given to me free with my original suit are only ever used on really vicious bees. The gloves are not easily cleaned, retain alarm pheromone, and give me no feel for what I am handling. I use marigolds

I think you are very sensible. I don’t wear gloves at all normally and it’s surprising how little notice bees take of your hands. Vinyl gloves are for stroppy bees and the leather gloves are for Armageddon which I hope never comes.

 

[Amari]

I bought a 'budget' bee suit at the BeeTradex last year but recently when working with a grumpy hive I discovered that I could be stung through the bee suit which was then making me nervous and I was not enjoying the beekeeping experience.

I have now purchased a 'virtually sting proof' suit from OldCastleFarmHives. It looks a bit futuristic, but it is very cool to wear due to the design, but most importantly I feel extremely confident that I will not get stung, so inspections are far calmer and more enjoyable.

Wore my OCF ventilated bee suit for about the fourth time yesterday and got stung through the veil (fencing style) on the cheek. Never happens with my standard BBWear suits. Maybe I'll have to wear a baseball cap underneath.