# THickness for pants



## BeekeepingIsGood (Aug 12, 2012)

The problem with thicker is you will get hot.

It's very rare that I've been stung on the area of my body pants cover. I'd imagine something loose and baggy might be more useful than thick denim.


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## qarl (Jun 9, 2015)

Yeah.. .they are loose camo cargo pants with draw-string legs.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

Depends on how gnarly your bees are. Cargo pants might work. If not wear cotton sweat pants and cargo pants. Just layered so the stinger can not get to your skin is what you want.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

I buy pants that are not so thick, so I won't get too hot, but I buy them a bit extra long, so they will "bunch up" on my work boots, eliminating most gaps for bees to crawl up, and I get ones that will be a bit baggy, so there is not so much area where they are tight against my legs. Haven't had a problem with them stinging through.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I wear Carthart's - they are thick enough that most stings don't penetrate and are not painful if they do... and I love the pockets for my hive tool, phone, etc.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

I use the cargo Dickie's .............rarely get a sting thru them. I make sure the strings from my boots wrap around the bottom of the pants legs it keep the crawlers out (not just bees but spiders as well).......... Like all the pockets in the jeans...........
Whatevet you get make sure they are loose fitting so if get stung, the sting only penetrates the jeans, not the skin.


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## BeeMoose (Oct 19, 2013)

I wear loose fitting denim pants and bib overalls. 

During the fall last year I had a hive that was very protective of their stores and was attacked and stung in the seat about 20-30 times but none penetrated, thank God! I have no idea why they zeroed in on that area but I have a picture of the seat of my bibs with all the stingers sticking out of them.


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## jfmcree (Mar 10, 2014)

I wear denim jeans. The only problem I've ever had is occasional crawlers getting in under the ankles. I need to remember to close them off.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

I wear denim jeans and rubber boots No sting no crawlers. Not the handsomest of attire, But the rest of me makes up for it. :lpf:


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I use regular blue jeans and most times there's no problems, but on occasion, bees can and will sting right through them. Most of these stings are minor, but still are annoying. Just last night, the plan was to do a few things, but unfortunately this riled them up and I took several stings right through the jeans. Afterwards, I was sitting down (with the same jeans) and was "stung" by the stingers that were stuck to the jeans. If you're going for "sting-free" then go thicker than jeans.


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## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

I wear a full ultrabreeze. I adjust for weather as needed with what I wear under it......or not. Lol. The bees show no preference for color or brand of panties.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Dickies double-knee painters pants. White and cool. You will appreciate the double-knees, tool loops, tool pocket on right leg, brush pockets, and well...they are cheaper than anything I can get. Was a carpenter for many years and kind of got hooked on carpenter pants until I bought a pair of the 2-knee dickies painter's pants for beekeeping and now it's all I wear. $19.99 if you search around.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Just wear a good veil.
http://youtu.be/Z_BzPcrCt7E


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## StacieM (Dec 13, 2012)

In my experience, the thickness is less important than making sure that the pants are somewhat loose and not tight against your skin. I can wear thin jeans that are loose and never get stung through them, but I have been wearing fairly thick jeans that were tight and got stung through them easily.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

I use size 60 painters pants over my size 36 blue jeans up to about 110 degrees F. Jeans inside the boots, white pants tied with drawstring outside the boots. Not one dang sting since. 

I sewed pants legs onto my gloves, and now the only stings I get are when I forget the zipper on my veil is not beetight.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

Oh, and trust me on this one... Never work a hive with old jeans that have holes in the knees! :no:

I accidentaly did that one time and several bees flew through the holes and got caught inside my pant legs. The neighbors thought the ensuing dance moves where highly entertaining! :lpf:


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Painter pants for me but seeing I am a painter I live in them.,


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

As Stacie said, tight is the problem. Loose is the solution. They can sting right through blue jeans or canvas IF it's tight against your skin.


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## jdmidwest (Jul 9, 2012)

I like a Tyvex painters suit and shorts underneath. The stings are usually where a bee gets trapped in a wrinkle or fold in the Tyvex.


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

Never got stung on the legs and I just wear shorts.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Dan the bee guy said:


> Never got stung on the legs and I just wear shorts.


you'll get stung up the shorts & then the shorts will go inch:


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

I wear the Wrangler Carpenter Jeans. There pretty lightweight, baggy, and have a tool pocket on the right side. They cost under $20 at Walmart.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

I tend to get stung around the knees when my bee suit gets soaked with sweat, which was every time I wore it (the sweating, not the stinging) until I got a ventilated suit. A lot cooler and no stings. If I go to a jacket, I'll use the heavy canvas type work pants. I have a couple of hives that can get persistent in their attempts to sting.


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

clyderoad said:


> you'll get stung up the shorts & then the shorts will go inch:


It's good for my arthritis :lpf:


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## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

BeekeepingIsGood said:


> The problem with thicker is you will get hot.
> 
> It's very rare that I've been stung on the area of my body pants cover. I'd imagine something loose and baggy might be more useful than thick denim.


+1. I don't remember ever getting stung THROUGH the pants. I probably have taken 2 or 3 dozen stings in 4 years, and only one on the leg, when a bee crawled up my pant leg.


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