Bee keepers footwear

[Barbie bee]

What do people use for footwear when out with their bees? My boots are dying and I need something sturdy and comfy! Any advice welcome!

 

[Niv]

I use wellies with thick socks. Can get a bit hot going but overall saves on ankle stings and wet feet!

 

[user 819]

Wellies or Rigger boots, riggers easier to get on and warmer for colder days. Screwfix for mine or Tool Station.

 

[drdrday]

I'll probably regret saying this at some point in the future when I'm hobbling around with a swollen foot, but I just wear my gardening clogs.

The legs of my bee suit are so long I can tuck them right down into my clogs. Not been stung there yet, although I think any bee would have a hard time getting me through the baggy trouser legs or the thick rubber clogs.

 

[thorn]

For messing about with the hives I wear Timberland boots, or if it's muddy, short wellies. Either way my trousers drape over them. I did once have bee get under the hem and crawl upwards. That was unfortunate. I was oblivious until I crouched down and my trousers tightened around her.

 

[madasafish]

Wellies with boot socks - the latter over my jeans so the jeans are tucked inside wellies.

Having been nuked by climbing bees up my legs inside jeans, never again.
(One less thing to worry about -( fit and forget).
BUT when taking off full nucs with risk of dropping them - steel capped boots. (I have had broken toes before - never again)

Been recommended these:
https://www.workwearexpress.com/portwest-steelite-neptune-rigger-boot?color=19

 

[E&MBees]

I'll probably regret saying this at some point in the future when I'm hobbling around with a swollen foot, but I just wear my gardening clogs.

The legs of my bee suit are so long I can tuck them right down into my clogs. Not been stung there yet, although I think any bee would have a hard time getting me through the baggy trouser legs or the thick rubber clogs.

I wore my clogs one day last year to inspect a colony. Never again. 10 stings to the ankle, it was so painful, especially at night. I always wear wellies now. Lesson learned the hard and painful way!

 

[pargyle]

Muck boots (or at least cheaper look-alikes) as the originals are now £75 a pop .... my lookalikes under £30 and still going strong at nearly 8 years old ...

Always trousers inside - the stretchy vinyl type tops fit comfortably around the tucked in trousers and I'd rather not have bees crawling up my legs ... rarely drop supers so less chance of them falling into the boots ....

 

[Swarm]

Rigger boots.

 

[philipm]

Cheap wellies from Screwfix (White ones) keep them just for working on the bees.

 

[PeaBee]

Muck boots or Altberg leather boots if its wet or cold. Lowa ' desert' boots for summer. No way could I wear wellies all day every day in the summer.

 

[Polymorph]

How strange, my current bees only seem to focus on forearms and head. So can wear trainers and tracksuit bottoms. I do remember other ones years ago which were ankle biters, but current lot don't seem to have this vice.

 

[The Poot]

Muck boots with thick socks, suit tucked into the wellies.

 

[robinharman]

Have used shorty Dunlop wellies for a few years - about £12 from EBay. Have recently been treated by HMRC to a pair of Hunters with zips down the sides. So comfortable and keeps the bees out over a full suit.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Rigger boots - just ordered a new pair as the current ones are starting to lose the soles. Tried a few over the years (cheap and more expensive) and they never seem to last much more than a season so I stick to buying cheap. The best Ive found so far is Porwest/steelite at under 30 quid and also unlined so no sweaty feet. The current pair I bought in 2019

 

[Newbeeneil]

Wellies or Rigger boots, riggers easier to get on and warmer for colder days. Screwfix for mine or Tool Station.

Exactly the same for me. Riggers easy to slip on and no chance of bees getting to my ankles! Mine are from toolstation.

 

[Anthony Appleyard]

If you are in reach óf Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire in England ( Stoney Middleton - Wikipedia ), I had made for myself at William Lennon's there a handy pair of hobnailed boots with steel toecaps.

 

[Nannysbees]

Wellies, made the mistake not wearing socks. Be the end of the inspection I was squelching and literally poured the water or of them when I'd finished, disgusting, lesson learned ( yet another one)

 

[The Poot]

Wellies, made the mistake not wearing socks. Be the end of the inspection I was squelching and literally poured the water or of them when I'd finished, disgusting, lesson learned ( yet another one)

Nice

 

[steve1958]

Wellies do the job well.
Though I would probably look for something else if I had lots of beehives