Best bee suit under £50

[Karen Bush]

I have a basic STBK suit (£30). Never been stung through it, and after three years nothing wrong with the suit itself, and it washes great. I did replace the hat and veil this year because the mesh developed a small split. However, at just £8 for a new hat and veil, I'll happily stick with my cheap suit and replacement hats for as many years as I can.
Would be great to be able to find a source for good quality woven mesh so that I could replace this myself, but so far no luck.
I understand why people might want a ventilated suit if they have lots of hives, but for less than a handful myself it's not really an issue for me.

window/door insect screen sets from Lidl work well as material for replacing mesh on hoods,,..make sure you get the black one though...

 

[Moobee]

I think the best suite I have is from bb wear with a fencing vail.
I have two sbk suites but the vail material is thin and starting to fray a bit.
Sbk suite £50
Bb wear £165
I would again buy the bb wear as I can see its going to last for a longer time hopefully a few years rather than just a season or two.

I love my BBWear suit. No stings through the suit yet and it’s not uber thick like some of the cheaper ones. Buy cheap, buy twice as they say…

 

[Moobee]

I understand why people might want a ventilated suit if they have lots of hives, but for less than a handful myself it's not really an issue for me.

Have you hit the menopause yet??

 

[drdrday]

window/door insect screen sets from Lidl work well as material for replacing mesh on hoods,,..make sure you get the black one though...

Thanks for the tip. Is it woven and longer lasting than the plastic mesh though. I was just going to replace it on my existing hat, but without upgrading it to something better it seemed easier to simply get a whole new hat for £8

 

[drdrday]

Have you hit the menopause yet??

Nah, not yet. Maybe I'll change my mind in a few years

 

[Moobee]

Nah, not yet. Maybe I'll change my mind in a few years

It’s certainly challenging on a hot day…..!

 

[Karen Bush]

Thanks for the tip. Is it woven and longer lasting than the plastic mesh though. I was just going to replace it on my existing hat, but without upgrading it to something better it seemed easier to simply get a whole new hat for £8

its not plastic mesh, but a woven type, soft and flexible....the plastic mesh split on the side panels of my astronaut style hood, and it was those that were replaced about three years ago...so far no issues......however it was a bit of a faff to do.... I think the Lidl mesh was about £4....but only used a fraction of what was there,,, have used it on a round hat to make an anti-fly veil for other half when strimming, which was a lot easier....

 

[Nige.Coll]

STBK does a professional range suit. £49.99 and comes with 2 veils.
The suit sizes are small though where I am an xl in a sherriff I am a 3xl in these.
I won't be buying another sheriff suit again. The last one is knackered after a couple of years, zips broken and elastic gone on ankles.
£237 for a suit is quite frankly taking the p.

 

[Patrick1]

I hade a Sheriff suit for a number of years, had cause to send it back twice they repaired free of charge didn’t even charge me the postage, £50 suits are available, the site rules do not allow me to say who has them for sale

 

[Swarm]

Please play nicely by the rules then, anyone else saying that and none of us would be any the wiser.

 

[The Poot]

I’m still impressed with my Sherriff suit after 7 years of use.
I bought Sherriff because on my association apiary days I met two ladies in less expensive sits, which after six months had cracked veils.

 

[Patrick1]

Please play nicely by the rules then, anyone else saying that and none of us would be any the wiser.

I am trying my best to “play by the rules” sometimes its difficult to comment without association, my intentions are to help beekeepers in a private capacity, nowhere in my profile does it suggest who I am, the moderators started asking me to comment in my professional capacity to, now it would seem every time I comment it is taken as being on behalf of my company and it is not.