# Jacket vs suit



## RRomanko (Jul 27, 2012)

I am looking at a ventilated suit. I ordered a ventilated suit from Pigeon mountain but found out that they are out of stock. They do have my size in a jacket however. How much more protection is there between a suit vs jacket with jeans? When I worked with bees while growing up, we just used long pants, long sleeved shirts, veil and gloves. So now that I am alot older, I think that a jacket and jeans should suffice. Any suggestions?

thanks
rich


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## toekneepea (Jul 7, 2010)

I'm a lot cooler wearing a suit than I am wearing a jacket. I developed an allergic reaction last year, so I feel better wearing the suit too.

YMMV.

Tony P.


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## debtfreedave (Apr 1, 2012)

I have both and have used both. Love my suit! Never been stung through it. The legs on my suit are baggy, even when I bend over or squat. With jeans or khakis i used to get stung because they were a tighter fit. Also the suit has elastic at the bottom of the legs.

Just a personal preference.


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## bruce todd (May 11, 2010)

Jacket works fine for me. I rarely get stung on the legs. But it does happen from time to time. Today was one of those times.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

I'm old and I have a jacket. It's more convenient and less material I have to stuff in my bee bag. Only been stung once through the jeans. They go for upper body targets mostly,


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

I have the suit from them and love it but hate putting it on over boots. I will buy their jacket and wear it happily when my suit wears out.


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## djdup (Jul 5, 2012)

I have both also and I mostly use the jacket for quick trips to the bee yard. For me the jacket is a lot cooler. I have never been stung with it on.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Rich, I'm a newbee that's had bees since last December. I started with a heavy long-sleeved white shirt, helmet, and veil. I bit the bullet right before the imported ventilated jackets started hitting the markets and bought a Golden Bee jacket. The jacket has been great (cooler), though the white shirt and helmeted veil worked well. One thing I did buy were the little velcro straps that you wrap around your ankles to keep the bees from going up your pants legs. I wear the straps probably 50% of the time (I don't always remember them!  ). Jacket, jeans, and tennis shoes...so far the lack of wearing boots hasn't stung me.  If you were in the deep south in AHB territory I would probably throw some thoughts of getting a suit at you but being in PA I would opt for the jacket...my opinion. 

Best wishes,
Ed


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

I wear this, shorts and glasses. I like this design because it goes on/off in a flash, just right for a few hives, even on a hot day. The elastic in the cuff went limp after a month, but I don't mind. The shirt and veil will work too, that is what I use when I have interested friends or grandchildren over to look see.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

I have a jacket and a suit. I like the suit because I can wear shorts under it like some of the others.


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## avesterfelt (Jan 31, 2012)

I have a suit for cutouts or anything major (IE extracting) Like it because it keeps me and my clothes clean. Otherwise when I work my hive, I just wear a veil and whatever I happen to be wearing. My wife was making fun of me the other day, it was hot, and I was in sandals & shorts, no shirt, gloves and veil. But I dont get bothered my the stings as long as I keep them off my hands and face, I could care less if I get stung. (well of course you know where doesnt feel good either)


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I have a Mann Lake jacket - it's ok, just have to remember to make sure it stays in place when you bend over so bees don't crawl up your back (which they WILL do). I wear jeans with it normally, or sometimes white painters pants and either tuck the pant legs into the boots or use elastic straps to seal the legs. Bees like upper body targets, but yes, they will sting through jeans if you make them angry enough. I have used this set-up with "Africanized" bees too, though that is usually when I wear the painters pants.


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## RRomanko (Jul 27, 2012)

Since Pigeone Mountain would not have any suits in for at least a couple of weeks, I got the jacket instead. Hopefully that will be okay, we shall see.


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

I've had the Ultra Breeze jacket for a couple of years. Jeans are totally fine. Haven't been stung while inspecting since purchasing..knock on the proverbial wood! The jacket is nice because I can just stop by a yard, take off my outer shirt(I wear an undershirt 100% of the time), throw on my jacket and go at it. The full suit, for me, would be a hassle to take off my shirt and pants to put on. The suit would, also, make things too warm if I chose to throw it on over my long pants. Just my two cents...


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

Back in the 70s & 80s my then-wife was the beekeeper. I was her helper. I don't remember what she wore but I wore jeans, shirt and veil.

I bought a suit when I got back into beekeeping after moving to Maine 6 years ago, but ordering one online apparently required knowing the secret code, the secret password and the secret handshake if you wanted the right size. I knew none of them so what I ended up with was a suit way too small so I gave it to my daughter. I bought a jacket and veil and used that the first year.

Second year, I planted a garden and almost gave up working it due to the black-flies and mosquitoes. Then I found the Bug Baffler and have been working bees in it ever since. (And the garden.) I ordered just the mesh jacket and wear it over jeans, whatever shirt I have on that day and a ball cap which holds the veil portion away from my face. It is reasonably cool on a hot day. Certainly much cooler than a jacket or full suit. I may have gotten stung through it once that I can remember. I sometimes get stung through my jeans but usually it's because I've caught one between the fabric and a box I'm lifting or I bend down to lift something and pinch it.

I'll sometimes wear the jacket if the weather is chilly or I know I'll be doing something to a number of hives that I know is only going to make them mad.

The Bug Baffler balls up very small and lives in the 5 gallon bee-tool bucket. In fact, it can ball up so small, I lost my first one. 

Wayne


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## linn (Nov 19, 2010)

Hi Everybody,
I bought a full suit this summer from Brushy Mountain. I call it my "wimpy suit." I wear peddle pushers and a short-sleeve cotton shirt under the full suit. I do not get any stings. I also wear dish washing gloves secured with over-sized elastics from Staples and muck boots. I think a full suit is a good idea-especially when working the hives outside the 10 am to 2 pm window or alone. I mean a lone veil is good as is a jacket. It all depends on what you are doing. 
Linn


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

With the money from the honey sales this year I am going to buy a ventilated jacket. I currently have the regular Mann Lake jacket which is fine when its cool, but this summer has been horrific and there is nothing like paving in the hot sun all day and then going to the bee yards to feed and sweating twice as much!! I have just the veil and will use it and a long sleeved shirt until it cools down. 

Ive never been stung through the pants, but I have had bees crawl up from the bottom, a quick pinch later and that drama is over!! As for gloves, I have to always wear them as my hands are extremely sensitive to bee stings and are about the only place on my body that swell up really bad. I just get the goat skin gloves and have not had a problem with not being able to work hives carefully.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

The Mann Lake ventilated jacket is nice. I don't know how I survived the heat before I got it. I've re-queened several hot hives, no stings.


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## RRomanko (Jul 27, 2012)

UPS dropped the jacket off this monday. I plan to do some inspections this saturday with it and see how it goes. I tried it on, it is an xl and has quite a bit bulk to it, but luckily nice and tight at the bottom so hopefully I wont have anything crawling up. I will follow-up once I get more info.


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## Rex Piscator (Oct 12, 2010)

If you go with a jacket; do tuck your shirt into your pants!!! I seem to always get some 'burrowers' who find that space under the shirt a good place to hide...


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