Sting Proof Bee Suit

[beeno]

Unless it is an "Asian Hornet" suit you can get stung through it, but if you wear jeans, jeans shirt material top, baseball cap to protect head and keep veil away from face and double Marigolds you are unlikely to get stung. Gets very hot though!

 

[ChrisS]

I've had a BBWear Ultra bee suit for a year and I'm very impressed. It's expensive but comes with a 5 year warranty. If it lasts 10 years, that's just a few jars of honey to be sold each year. It claims to be 'the most sting proof bee suit on the market' and 'tested against asian hornets'.

No AH here (yet) but I certainly haven't been stung through it. It has been very comfortable during the long hot summer, especially when harvesting my early potatoes right under the bees' flight path - bee suit essential! Best of all, it's made by a British company in the UK.

I have no connection with BBWear other than as a very satisfied customer.

 

[Amari]

Two questions:

1: What sort of zip around the veil does the Sentinel and BBWear Ultra have? I bought an OzArmour suit two years ago but have not used it after the first couple of times because the zip closing arrangement at the front of the neck is too complex for me. The two zips overlap each other when closed and I can only manage to get this right with the help of a mirror. That's no good in the field if you need to put on reading glasses/take them off when driving to next apiary. [the zips on my standard BBWear suit meet in the middle and any gap is sealed with Velcro]

2. It's decades since I relied on a bee-jacket and veil only. How do you stop bees crawling up inside the suit from the back when you bend forwards? This happened frequently and I never felt safe.

 

[Beegarden]

I tend to get stung on the hands only- touches wood- (except when I rushed out one day between showers without checking the zips properly). I reacted badly the first time I was stung on the hand and bought Bite Away from Amazon; its a pen-sized tool which zaps the bite and denatures the protein, either reducing pain and swelling or stopping it straight away. The pad is placed on the sting and the area is heated intensely for 6 seconds. It mustn't be used on the face unfortunately. Good luck Pansypots, whatever you choose.

 

[drex]

@ Amari. My sentinel veil zips meet in the middle with a Velcro flap on the outside that goes over them once closed. Really pleased with mine, even if a bit bulky when putting it on ( a result of the three layer sandwich). If you go on a crash diet you are welcome to trial mine.
When I bought mine I was advised to get one size too big, and glad I did, but looking at their website they may have rationalised that - I would enquire direct if you are thinking of getting one

 

[Amari]

@ Amari. My sentinel veil zips meet in the middle with a Velcro flap on the outside that goes over them once closed. Really pleased with mine, even if a bit bulky when putting it on ( a result of the three layer sandwich). If you go on a crash diet you are welcome to trial mine.

Tx ++ Drex. That sort of zip would be fine. I fear that I'm no slimmer than when we last met c. 3-4 years ago
I could never match your svelte Adonis appearance...
I'll look into the Sentinel. I've had a bad wasp season here.

 

[Swarm]

One thing, it may be bulky but it's very light. My Ozarmour is twice the weight.

 

[tom8400]

Yes I did mean the sentinel, as others have said if you just stand like a lemon you probably won't get stung but once you start moving about lift and placing supers that's when you will unless you have a layer underneath.

The gloves again brilliant no sweaty hands and wrists but I have been stung through them many times if no disposable gloves underneath it's a guarantee if the bees get stroppy.

Suit is fine just be careful around legs, don't bother with the gloves, use leather or the pvc type. And gauntlets if in t shirt so you cover arms to t shirt, should be sting proof then.

I would try the oz armour next as I think the rubbery mesh is more likely to hold them back I just felt it may perish over time hence the purchase of sentinel and it was cheaper. Bees get stuck on the sentinel too.


But in all honesty don't keep vicious bees there really is no point, these suits sell because they keep you cool and you won't be a dripping mess after not because you won't get stung.

 

[ChrisS]

BBWear veils have 2 zips that start at the back and come round the sides, meeting at the front. There are velcro patches at back and front to cover the gaps where they meet. Very easy to use, but you must remember to close the front velcro after zipping up your veil. You only ever forget once - the experience of a worker crawling up the front zip and appearing inside the veil is never forgotten!

The BBWear Ultra is made of a different material than the other mesh suits, and bees never seem to get stuck on it.

 

[Ringlander]

I've been using a Sentinel Full suit for a year, while not absolutely 100% sting proof it is very cool in hot weather and in my opinion the best price/protection/practicality compromise out there. As other have said they can get you wherever the suit is stretched and once they have learnt the trick they make sure the others know where to aim.... However the stings are never severe, I guess they can only just get the tip of the sting in to your skin because of the thickness of the material. The gloves are comfortable but I used them without disposables over the outside and they very quickly got gummed up with propolis to the point that they couldn't be cleaned satisfactorily and had to be abandoned. I've now moved on to marigiolds with disposables over the outside to keep them clean. I have had bees get inside the suit from the rear of the hood, the velcro flap is open at the sides and the little devils get in there and squeeze past the butted up ends of the zip. My buddy watched the whole process with glee! A bit of duct tape over the inside of the zip when the hood is put on has stopped them though.

 

[philipm]

One place I always used to get stung is on the wrists where there was sometimes a gap between gloves and suit cuff ,Sleeve protectors sorted the problem.The only time I get stung now is when I have a senior moment and forget to zip the hood up.

 

[Pansypots]

Thanks for these helpful replies. Looks like I’ll be going for the Sentinel, just can’t afford the BB Wear suit; furloughed, reduced hours, furloughed again and now facing redundancy . Problem is I’m only 4’11 and let’s just say a similar build to Dolly Parton By the time I get one that fits ‘in the right places’ it’ll be a foot too long So I guess I’ll have to get a made to measure (again!) so that’s another hundred quid! Hey-ho, such is life.

 

[elainemary]

Have a Sentinel suit and jacket. Jacket not secure enough round the bottom even when using the drawstring so can let bees in. The suit though is very good and not been stung. Veil quality not brilliant, had to replace once in 1 years use. Definitely need to remove and wash by hand vs zipping it inside the suit. Found customer service v good - they offered to send a replacement FOC.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Definitely need to remove and wash by hand vs zipping it inside the suit.

I think the mistake most people make when washing veils with beesuits is that they don't disable the spin dry bit in the wash cycle. I always wash my suits and veils but omit spin dry, remove the veils and hang them up to drip dry then just put the suits back through the spin cycle.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have washed my Sherrif and BB suits around 60 times with the veil tucked into the zipped up suit. I’ve used any old washing liquid that I happen to have and spun them dry.

 

[Swarm]

Surprised at the veil quality comment, Elaine. My friend has a Sentinel and I was well impressed how clear it was, very similar to Sherriff clear view I thought, Much better than my Ozarmour which seems to catch the light, same with my BBwear suits but I put that down to the age of them

 

[pargyle]

Surprised at the veil quality comment, Elaine. My friend has a Sentinel and I was well impressed how clear it was, very similar to Sherriff clear view I thought, Much better than my Ozarmour which seems to catch the light, same with my BBwear suits but I put that down to the age of them

I agree ... veil in the Sentinel is the best of all my bee suits ...

 

[gmonag]

Early Sentinels had plastic veils. They have been improved now. My first one split and was replaced FOC with the new version - made of Kevlar!

 

[pargyle]

Early Sentinels had plastic veils. They have been improved now. My first one split and was replaced FOC with the new version - made of Kevlar!

Ahh... that's why then ... mine have the Kevlar ones - really nice veils

 

[madasafish]

I wear a cheap £35 10 year old camo jacket. Never been stung through it. Single layer quite thick...Usually T shirt underneath.
Inside the jacket #1 ? Yes
Around the waist below the jacket? yes
Inside the veil?#2 Yes

#1 elastic worn.
#2 veil not properly closed.