# Opinions on protective gear?



## NewtownBee (Jan 11, 2007)

I'm looking for various opinions on what protective hear I should invest in for this, my first year. It seems that the options are endless and varied, both in style and price. Any thoughts?
Samantha


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

If you have the $$$ get a Golden Bee suit.
Or contact MagMan here for a suit that
is simular in design, and perhaps better.

Be advised that Golden Bee has had a shipping
problem as of late. For that reason I would
be quick to recommend MagMans suit. But I
have not seen his yet. I own a Golden Bee
and if you do a search here for it you'll
find loads of info.

It is a close to sting proof as any suit can
get. The main plus is it breaths due to its
unique mesh construction.

Here's a link to MagMans Ultra Breeze:

http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000771


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## beecron (Nov 7, 2004)

Also judge your comfort level with working with the bees. If you aren't totally comfortable with them crawling on you or your skin (without stinging) save the money and stick to the minimum I say. I have been doing it about 4 years as a hobby in nothing but a vail. I wear latex gloves to keep the propolis off of my hands (and steering wheel). More often than not, I work them in shorts and a t-shirt (except for harvest time). If you have a real affinity to being stung at all, by all means, go for the suit. If you feel uncomfortable working them, it will probably lead to dropped frames, excessive hive disturbance and further problems. So I say, buy and dress to your comfort level. Save the unspent money for the hives you will soon be adding to your collection!


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## Ruben (Feb 11, 2006)

I bought the $39 bee jacket from Dadant last year which was my first year, and a pair of leather bee gloves. I wear sweat pants under a pair of loose kaikies(sp?). I was stung 4 time the whole year, once behind the knee when I did not wear the sweat pants, once on the back of the hand when I did not put on gloves, and twice in the back when I did not zip up my jacket all the way. I dropped a frame one time and they tried to eat me up. I counted over 50 wet sting spots in my Kaikies but not one got through the sweat pants.

This year I am wearing a veil and hat only. I plan to get more stings. I'm not so wooried anymore. I hear the Golden suit is #1 though if you are looking for the best.


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

Your first year should be a fun learning experience and it takes a while to get use to the sounds and bees crawling on you and yes sometimes getting stung. So invest in a full bee suit and gloves, you will progress at your own comfort level as you gain experience, you will soon find that you are working without gloves more and will get comfortable enough to eventually work in just a vale. You will know that your not worry about getting stung is when you get nailed you just say the bees name. (All mine are named Dammit). But having a full suit is a good thing to have on hand when you have to work a hive that has been molested by Raccoons or skunks the night before or the weather is not the greatest and they are trying to mug you. I have several full suits for the spectator that wants to see what beekeeping is about but most of the time I just ware a beekeeping jacket they are cooler and easier to get on and off.


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## Garry Forsythe (Dec 4, 2006)

I bought all the stuff when I first started. Most of it is now in the storage room someplace. Minimum gear is a good veil. Sometimes I work the hives without a veil, but I shouldn't.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I love my Golden Bee Products suit on a hot day. On a cool day I wear my jacket with hood from www.beeworks.com, I also like having a bug baffler hood in my pocket at bee meetings. It's small, light and handy.









http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfavoritethings.htm


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I started with a veil that came with a kit. It's actually pretty good. I then bought a jacket which is good on a cool day or when someone wants to see the bees with me. I get the veil, they get the jacket. I still tend to start without either until I get "reminded" by the girls. Still, only had a few stings last year. I hope to be more consistent wearing the jacket this year. Someday, I will make a good sized mistake and pay for my negligence!


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

What's your pain tolerance?

I started with gloves, veil and safari hat, long sleeved shirt and pants with the cuffs taped.

Now I don't wear gloves, (no more crushed girls), I wear the veil with a ball cap with the veil up until I feel I need it down, and mostly my sleeves rolled up and shorts.

I get stung every third visit or so. But I'm getting used to it! But the truth of it is that you can see better, manipulate things better, and you are more deliberate in what you do with minimum protection. And I think thats the key. 

Albert


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Serious work - Golden Bee Suit.
Light work - Bug Baffler.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

For the money, at about 40 dollars, I like the zippered jacket/hood from Dadant.

Regardless of how many comment on "wearing nothing", its good advice to own a jacket. To be used in an emergency, loaned to a visiting guest, or a phone call about a "bee situation" of unknown details. Once you have a suit/jacket or whatever, then listen to all those who work bees without much on. But the best advice is to have a jacket/suit on hand, and then use it or not as you prefer.


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## cmq (Aug 12, 2003)

Good advice Bjorn.


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

I am a beginner - started last July. Since I didn't really know what was what, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something I may not like later. Add to that, I have long legs, and have yet to find a pair of coveralls that fits. "Floodwaters" and bees did not seem like a good mix!

I went with the basics: I got the pullover jacket/hood from Betterbee. In retrospect, if I had found the zippered one Bjorn mentioned, I probably would have gone that way, but I can live with the pullover style. I really like the hood zipped to the jacket. Easy.

Then got a cheap set of tyvek coveralls. Hot as all get-out in the summer, but virtually sting-proof. If I had more than 2 hives, I'd probably sweat to death, put for the price it's fine until I figure out what I want. 

I wanted all-over coverage. I'm new at this, and there is a LOT of comfort in having a full suit of some sort. Especially when you do something dumb and the bees are buzzing all over you.

Also got the goatskin gloves (which fit my small hands better, easier to work the frames without crushing bes under clumsy fingers.) and a couple of $1.50 sets of velcro leg bands. Wore an old pair of leather boots.

[ March 01, 2007, 07:07 AM: Message edited by: Hobie ]


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

I am one of the wear nothings,BUT, I have two complete suits, one white coveralls, a case of tyvek coveralls, and about 6 hat and veils. There have been instances when even a complete suit was not enough. Like bjorn says, you may not need it, but have it available anyway.

I don't expect my house to burn down, but I'm not going to be without an extinguisher.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I'll have to look into the tyvek coveralls. I still don't have any sting resistant gear for my legs. I do velcro the cuffs of my jeans sometimes, just in case. Iddee....did you say a case of coveralls. Are they disposable, like the kind painters wear?


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

If you are going to go with the minimum, I would suggest that you get a good pair of PF Fliers.

The best advice given by all the speakers on AHB is, RUN!


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

Ravenseye, They are disposable like you see the cops on the news wear when they raid a meth lab. They are chemical resistant, with elastic on ankles and wrists, and around the hood.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Thanks iddee...

Bullseye...I was thinking of KEDS since they make me run faster and jump higher. I'm showing my age!


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## IndianaHoney (Jun 5, 2006)

this was a double post


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## IndianaHoney (Jun 5, 2006)

Last year I bought a bee suit from Dadant. It was a suit, veil, hat combo. I got stung once, and that was in the armpit when I crushed a bee there. That’s a sensitive spot that sent me into a cursing fit. My mentor has been doing this more than 60 years. He gets stung about 2 times in every yard that he visits, about 20 yards. He uses a veil, a flannel jacket, with old man brown polyester pants and rubber boots. I laugh when I see him get stung and just grimace for a second, all except for the time he got stung on his pee pee, that got his attention

The moral of the story is:

Some wear a veil, some wear a suit.
To protect your feet, don't forget your boot.
But what about your fingers, you may need some gloves.
Getting stung on the hand, no body loves.

If you don't respect the girls, they'll give you a kick.
But wait a minute, what about your stick!
You may not think your groin may need a protector.
But you can easily get stung, right on the pecker!


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Good one IH!

I know a keeper that happened to. He said you can tell who your friends are when that happens.


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## indypartridge (Nov 18, 2004)

I started with a hat & veil, gloves and some white shirts I bought at the thrift store. One Christmas my daughter bought me a package of those disposable painter suits. I wear those when I think the bees might be cranky, or if I know I'm going to be in the hive longer than usual. I'd like to get a nice lightweight bee jacket, but I'm spending my limited bee-budget on getting more bees first.


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## flathead (Nov 1, 2006)

I have a Dandant zippered jacket with removable hood.

The veil, without modifications to the collar, will not stay away from the face and I have been stung on the chin area several times.


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## IndianaHoney (Jun 5, 2006)

Bill

If any of my friends get stung there, and then ask for my help, I'll gladly let them remove me from their friends list


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## bbbbeeman (Jan 13, 2007)

*bbbbeeman*

yes when you are a newbe you need full protection , to get use to working them, in 1959 i helped my dad ,who wore full protection ,the summer was hot and the bee suit was the first thing to go. a few weeks later the gloves and now shorts and a tee shirt.but if the bees are upset or something is wrong in the hive i will use the veil and cloth gloves. when i am working with the bees i keep a spray bottle of the liquid smoke ,<that you buyin the food store>and if i get stung i will mask the sting pheromone with it ,if i have a large job in the apiary and it takes a longe time i will rub the L-smoke on my hands and head, this work very well, just work your bees slow , quick movement will get you stung, there is nothing more relaxing than working the bees on a nice warm day. good luck rock


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

I like Brents post personally. Protect yourself to the max. to start and as time passes, you may tend to take short cuts. Me, I work on them in shorts and a t-shirt, and a veil. No gloves. Except during harvest, then I put on a long sleeve shirt and pants.

I used to work on them in shorts and t-shirt and veil during my lunch hour. I was too lazy to take my black socks off....after years of getting stung in the ankles, I started taking the socks off and going without, and low and behold, the girls stopped stinging me. Wear Light colored clothes in any event.


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

I like the tyvek coveralls. They're cheap if you buy them somewhere besides a bee supply house. I get them for 6.50 each at Lowes.That is for disposables, but one pair lasts me several months.


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## suprstakr (Feb 10, 2006)

Comfort is my goal and of course check my bees with just a veil on cloudy days and no veil on sunny .Now home hives are no problem , but I'm going to dabble at bee removal and those girls are not kind , so for comfort golden bee-suit was my choice ordered in Jan this yr. and got in march ' didn't even had to call them. Tried it on a warm day and was very much pleased . It does not matter what you wear just as long as you are safe and comfortable .


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## Kevin M (Aug 11, 2006)

I wear my full suit and hooded veil once i'm under the inner cover....This is only my second spring,one hive... Last summer i was trying to put a bee robbing screen on, fully suited and caught about 15 stings...
It was hot out, i only had underwear on under the beesuit, no more...! Now i wear pants and a shirt under my suit..
I also recall a very active and experienced member here saying," I've had hives of bees try to kill me"
I love my Italians, but know as a newbie, i could find myself in a ugly situation at anytime when i'm messing around my hive. People do get stung to death, i don't fear my bees, but i do respect there space...and suit up to protect myself...


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

I have a suit with the elastic ankles. A big pain because you have to remove shoes and re-tie. I would prefer a zippered ankle suit.


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## Bee (Jan 17, 2007)

Take out the Elastic and add a Zipper


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## Joshua2639 (Apr 2, 2006)

Last Year was my first year and I had already gone past my budget as well. We Picked up some painters suits for $6. They worked fine, except when they got too close to the smoker. We melted holes the size of a basketball in our painters suits. Anybody have this problem with the Tyvek?


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Huh ?? Add a zipper? Ok, Why didn't I think of that.


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

Joshua2639 said:


> Last Year was my first year and I had already gone past my budget as well. We Picked up some painters suits for $6. They worked fine, except when they got too close to the smoker. We melted holes the size of a basketball in our painters suits. Anybody have this problem with the Tyvek?


No...I don't let the smoker get close to the suit The tyvek "painter's suit" and the tyvek suit that Dadant and others sell are the same. Are you sure you got the tyvek? Their is also a poly one that does melt easy.


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## Joshua2639 (Apr 2, 2006)

*Just be carefull with the smoker...Why didnt I think of that*

No I did not have the Tyvek suit, I had a painters suit from the local paint store. I think I will try the Tyvek suit this year... and practice smoker safety.

Josh


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

You can get the tyvek at lowes or homedepot, but it is cheaper if you buy them from a PPE distributor. The packages say poly or tyvek on them usually and I have looked at a bunch of places and they all look the same to me. Cost range is $4.50 to $80.00 or so depending on what they are labled as.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

It depends on where you are. In Texas it's hot and I always wear a full suit with zippered veil that I got from Brushy when I first started. I know alot of people that work bees in less gear, including friends around here, but I don't trust the bees in this area. I have seen enough hot hives to appreciate the full suit and a hat/veil that protects my face. My suite has elastic and zippers at the ankle (good design) and elastic at the wrist. I'll probably eventually upgrade to a Golden.


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## Bee (Jan 17, 2007)

How do the tyvek coveralls hold up in wet weather?


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