Which gloves to buy?

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froggy

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Hi, Iam just starting to buy clothing and equipment. my question is: There are all sorts of gloves on the market, from cowhide, goat skin, even latex ! which gloves should I buy? Iam currently reading a Bee book from the 1970"s, the author suggests starting without gloves ! that sounds CRAZY to me, thanks in advance Terry.
 
im on industrial marigolds at the moment! no stings so fare! usually use cheap washing up gloves as they get covered in propilys and rip.
thick ones u loose your dexterity.
 
Like the ones vets use to put their arms up cows bottoms???:icon_204-2:

Yeghes da


Not that long!



I was nosey at the dentist this week and asked whether his were sold as long or short cuffs as they seemed quite long but not as long as the ones I have just bought. It didn't mention it on the box though.

Find someone with a box full and try a pair of nitriles. They're much better than marigolds.
 
Currently my branch of Lidl has their disposable latex gloves. £5/box of 100
Cuffs are long enough to roll over my beesuit cuffs.
Look for the size guide on the side of the box.

I like them. If you have a nearby branch, well worth a try.
Their washing up gloves (2 pairs for £1) are also worth consideration.

I bought a pair of leather :eek: gloves with elbow-length gauntlets for £5 in last year's sales, and have found them surprisingly useful for when swarm collection has also involved elements of gardening. NOT for hive inspections, but convenient to have a pair available.

All that said, the Lidl disposables are my routine 'beekeeping' gloves.
 
Hi, Iam just starting to buy clothing and equipment. my question is: There are all sorts of gloves on the market, from cowhide, goat skin, even latex ! which gloves should I buy? Iam currently reading a Bee book from the 1970"s, the author suggests starting without gloves ! that sounds CRAZY to me, thanks in advance Terry.

Not crazy but if not approached with care can be painful :)

Many beginners kits include long cuff leather gloves but these have the major disadvantages of
1 interfering with your dexterity often leading to crushed and angry bees
2 getting saturated with sting pheromone which again upsets the bees
3 getting sticky with propolis and are hard, almost impossible, to clean
4 unless you are obsessive about leather care soon fall apart if you wash them.

They do have a use for hives from hell where any approach results in an entire regiment of suicide troops attacking with one aim in life - sting the intruder, but I would rapidly sort out hives like that and would wear latex over the leather for the odd time I had to resort to such use.
My normal wear is long cuff latex which are long enough to be tucked under my elasticated sleeve of my beesuit. Household marigolds are also suitable but once gummed up with propolis you have trouble getting it off, hence disposable latex or similar are very much cheaper in the long run, to say nothing of the hygiene advantages.
You might also consider elasticated wrist protector cuffs which can be washed.
 
I started gloveless in 2010.. still am.

I have nitrile and marigolds in my jacket as backup when dealing with nasty colonies- no need to suffer unduly.
Nitrile heavy duty from ECP under £10 per 100 box delivered free- recommended.
 
I saw those in Lidl should have got a box...I'm using Aloetouch long cuff milking gloves over heavy duty marigold type
 
Two pairs of Marigolds - last year I was stung once through one pair so took to wearing two.
 
1.bathroom marigolds...which have a longer cuff. They get washed after every visit to the apiary, just chucked into the everyday wash. Last for ages.
2.Milking gloves.
Both work for me
 
Great idea to put nitrile over marigolds as you can chuck them if gunked up...as I've just done.. otherwise soak marigolds in washing soda works a treat
 
I did try gloveless for my first month but I've discovered the nitrile gloves from the lab are completely sting proof ( they're needle resistant ) so I 'borrow' a few pairs of those. They're short cuffed but that doesn't bother me.
 
Great idea to put nitrile over marigolds as you can chuck them if gunked up...as I've just done.. otherwise soak marigolds in washing soda works a treat

That's what I do ... I find these blue nitriles sold for car mechanics etc. are just thick enough not to tear but thin enough over marigolds to retain the 'feel' that is so important .. stops the marigiolds getting gunged with propolis and you just peel off the nitriles and put on another fresh pair if they get sticky. Not had a sting get through this combination so far but have been stung though marigolds on their own.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Box-of-10...Gloves-/141461223827?var=&hash=item20efbef993
 
nitrile... just to keep your hands clean

Yeghes da

:iagree:

That or latex. Prefer bare hands, but you get so sticky so quickly that you cannot function and make mistakes.

Thin gloves keep you careful as well, if you have a habit of being heavy handed.
 

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