# Suit VS Jacket



## jcolon (Sep 12, 2014)

This is my second year and so far I have been able to get away with a veil and gloves and double layer of clothing. 
With five hives this year and looking into growing in years to come, I am trying to pick better PPE. My main concern other than the heat, is being able to suit up quickly when I get from work and quickly take it off as well. What works for you? A suit? A Jacket? What brand? I have been looking at the natural apiary brand selling through amazon with good reviews. Would like to hear if anyone in the forum have any experience with them. 
Thanks.


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## JakeDatc (Apr 19, 2010)

I wear a jacket with a pair of Carharts for pants. i like the fencing veil vs round


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

I think the best choice to fit your needs described above would be a Ventilated Jacket.


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

The Natural Apiary brand I see on amazon looks the be just fine but will get really hot in the summertime or if worn for very long. If your budget only allows a cheaper cotton suit then so be it. I would personally spring for the ventilated suit or jacket like the Mann Lake, which will allow you to take your time and be comfortable. I would also go with the suit- cooler than wearing regular clothing and better protection. Round or fencing veil- personal preference.


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

I have the ultra breeze jacket and suit and use the jacket most of the time. I live in baggy shorts and it's not been a problem.. yet. But if I want to go into my hives when I KNOW they don't want me there, I throw on the suit rather than put on long pants.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I have a vented jacket. If there is a breeze it is nice. If there is not much wind moving I prefer my el cheapo pull over cotton jacket. The vented jackets are heavier with three layers of "mesh".


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## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

I have an ultrabreeze jacket that I generally wear with jeans. The individuals that are "concerned" usually go for the face; I haven't been stung THROUGH my jeans, so the only precaution I would suggest if you go with the jacket is to tuck the jean bottoms into your socks.


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

I bought a full suit when I first started, wore it once and gave it away. I also bought a jacket with a round veil which I still wear only if I know I'm going to be dong something that will really rile up a strong hive. Most of the time I wear my Bug Baffler hooded mesh shirt. I have taken only a few stings through the mesh, usually when I get a bee caught in a crushing situation like holding a box against my belly while carrying or lifting, but generally, the bees seem deterred by the mesh. The cost of this jacket with hood is only $38.00 and lasts for years if you are not tending bees in a briar patch or crawling under barbed wire to access the bee yard.

http://www.bugbaffler.com/collections/insect-protection 

I bought it originally when I moved to Maine so I could work in the garden during blackfly and mosquito season, which, for where I lived, was pretty much the whole period of time when the snow was melted and the temps reached above freezing. My first summer, I quickly realized that wearing it to work bees would make things simpler and cooler. I was working about 30 hives and 10 nucs then. The whole thing can be rolled into a ball and takes almost no room. The first one I bought got misplaced and I immediately bought another.

It only takes seconds to suit up. I wear it over a long sleeved shirt and always wear a hat to keep the mesh away from my face and wear gauntlet style goat-skin gloves over the sleeves. To complete the ensemble, I wear jeans and, when I remember, (i.e. seldom,) I tuck the pants legs into my socks to deter crawling bees. All in all, a sight that no photo can do justice.

Wayne

Disclaimer: While I sing the praises of this fine product and suggest that every beekeeper try it, I am not affiliated with the company nor receive any remuneration for my testimonials here. (I would however, shamelessly accept a replacement for my 6 or 7 year old jacket if the good people at Bug Baffler happen to look favorably on my years of promoting their outstanding product.


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## ggileau (Feb 19, 2013)

I love my vented jacket from Mann Lake! I find it as quick as just a veil alone. Sometimes I just pull the hood over without even zipping it when they are calm. It keeps them from getting behind my glasses, which kind of sucks. I have had a couple of very hot ones that required coveralls but other than that my jacket is great


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

waynesgarden said:


> Most of the time I wear my Bug Baffler hooded mesh shirt


Very interesting. I might try one of these. Looks like a winner for those 90+ degree days in the sun working the hives.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I don't recall the jacket I bought but it gets the most use. I only suit up fully if I have a real hot hive or if bears have made a visit or I have to work at night. While a veil is nice for quick visits when the colony is working, I generally am the most comfortable with a jacket. It's fairly lightweight, has pockets for queen cages, etc., and is easy to carry and store in the truck. The one I have now needs new elastic in the sleeves although I generally use velcro strips rather than bother with a real repair. It looks like junk between bee poop, honey, propolis, etc., but it works just fine. I'd like it a little cooler but I can easily live with it. It stays in my truck all the time during bee season since I can't always depend on just a veil doing the trick. That's my .02.


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## TroyDM (Jul 15, 2014)

Not sure what others have experienced, but I started w a jacket w attached hood. I was also wearing dark colored canvas overalls. Found that they always stung me on my legs or butt. I bought a pair of white dickies painters overalls to wear with my jacket. Have not been stung on my legs 1 time since. Dark brown vs. white? These overalls are much thinner than my other canvas ones. White is a bit cooler too when working in the sun. I’ll keep em. just my experience….


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

I now wear a white cotton long sleeve old dress shirt with a hat and a veil. Got tired of putting on the suit. Might spring for a ventilated jacket soon.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

I have a jacket, but most of the time I just wear an Alexander veil (like the one shown here), with a long sleeve shirt and some tan cotton pants.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

I have two jackets. 

My first purchase was the *economy jacket sold by Mann Lake*.










I use that as my spring and fall jacket. I like it just fine but I bought an *Ultrabreeze* for the summer. 

In the past eight years there may have been a time or two when I could have benefited from a full suit but I prefer being able to get the jacket off easily when it's hot and time to take a break... 


My next PPE purchase would be rubber boots. More for avoiding Deer Ticks than bee stings, although my ankles have been attractive targets for the bees at times....


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## Pete O (Jul 13, 2013)

Ultra breeze jacket/veil, no gloves, long pants.


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## Victor (Apr 11, 2015)

I started off with a full suit, but it soon became inconvenient to have to go through the hassle of putting the whole thing on every time I wanted just to do a quick check, e.g., syrup level. I then moved to a jacket and that has helped a lot. The only problem is that, once, a couple of bees managed to crawl up my legs under my jeans! Those couple of stings taught me to tuck my pant legs into my socks and it's been fine ever since.


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## wirenut501 (Apr 29, 2013)

What works for me is exactly what you are doing.Our year is almost over and i worked my 15 hives with a hat and round veil, short sleeve carhartt work shirt,levi bluejeans.Its just what ever works for the individual.I know a older man that has been working bees for 50 years and NEVER wears any protection!


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## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

Mike Gillmore said:


> Very interesting. I might try one of these. Looks like a winner for those 90+ degree days in the sun working the hives.


+1! I googled it - the photo on Amazon certainly shows it to be a cool piece of apparel. The model in the photo is wearing a baseball cap, which is a good idea to keep the fabric away from the face.


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## homesteader824 (Jun 9, 2012)

If I'm not going to be in the hives for an extended period of time, I wear a long-sleeved white shirt one size larger than what I would normally wear. I also wear a veil with drawstrings and gloves with gauntlets. At first I wondered about bees getting in between the buttons, but none have yet over the last four years. If I'm doing major operations or have a hot hive, I wear a regular pair of white coveralls, but they are hot.


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## NewBeeinKY (Jan 13, 2015)

I have one jacket with an attached hood. I usually just wear that with jeans and sneakers and gloves. I can't imagine suiting up fully to mess with my singular hive, though I'm sure I will eventually get more hives, and might look into a suit, then. I've never been stung through my jeans, though, so either they work well enough, or my bees just aren't that interested in stinging me (though I did have one sting my cell phone case, the other day).


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## mcon672 (Mar 5, 2015)

I have an ultra breeze jacket that I feel really protected in when I wear it with just jeans and t shirt. Worked great for a really big cut out and once in the spring when I open the hive and it just went totally ballistic on me. However, I think that it is too much for most instances (but still necessary to own for the times that you do need it). I have now switched to wearing this $25 hat from Amazon, jeans and either a long sleeve shirt or t-shirt. It folds flat, is lightweight and has elastic pieces that go under your arms to hold it snug around your body. Not impenetrable but good enough for most work. Personally I think a suit is overkill and unnecessary unless you live in a AHB area or react negatively to stings. The ventilated jacket can get hot and sweaty enough (if there is not a breeze) I can't imagine what it's like in a full suit.http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00P4...rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2068141862&pf_rd_i=mobile#


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I normally do fine with a cheap jacket on bad days and with nothing most days. However last spring I had the meanest hive in Montana. The day I did inspections in that yard, i had the three mediums unstacked and every time I bent over, Both cheeks got zapped thru my blue jeans multiple times! No choice but to grin and bear it while putting the hive back together because my full suit was not on the truck. A couple weeks later when my queens came in I had my full suit on to find the mother of all those mean workers and break the bad colony into three manageable splits. 

Sometimes there is just no substitute for a good full suit.


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## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

With AHB around I never know what I might open up, so I use a full Ultrabreeze suit. I generally wear a swim suit and light tee shirt under it. It is much cooler than any long pants and shirt. It takes longer for the smoker to be ready than to zip the suit on. It weights less than the cotton suit I've used and doesn't get significantly heavier soaking up sweat as you play like solid cloth.


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## kingd (Oct 31, 2013)

I have both,The jacket for light stuff and the suit for tearing into the hives.

The suit is a square veil and the jacket is a round one.
I do not like the round one,too hard for me to see eggs and stuff.
I have been stung through my jeans,jacket, and suit,I am looking into the ultrabreeze for my next outfit.


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## GarfieldBeek (Jan 12, 2015)

I started with a ventilated jacket. I live in south Ga. The heat and humidity is terrible. The jacket had some drawbacks. The one I bought was a little short waisted on me and tended to ride up exposing skin that didn't need to be exposed. To me the ventilated suit is the way to go because even though it is thick it lets air through and I can wear shorts and the t shirts that wick sweat away. The ultrabreeze is expensive but it seems so much better made than the ventilated jacket that I first bought I consider it worth the cost.

Getting into the full suit is very easy using the full length zippers on the legs. I wear boots and putting the suit on over boots is not a problem at all.

I have a "bug jacket and pants" that I occasionally throw on for a quick stop by the hives. I've almost quit using it though. It's almost as difficult to put on. For some reason, the single layer of screen makes me hotter than the Ultra breeze and I always get stung if the hive gets angry. They always find a place where the mesh is tight against my skin and let me have it.

Also, there's been a whole thread on here about washing Ultra breeze and problems in removing the hood since the tags say don't wash it. Mine gets washed at least once a week with the hood on.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

If you will be expanding your apiary, get both a jacket and a jumpsuit. You'll use both, and you'll have visitors at times.

I'm a breeder, and they don't like queen rearing days too much, so I get stung a lot. I'm OK with it. I have no problem suiting up in riot gear for a long day in the heat. Like stings, I just figured it comes with the territory. A beekeeper? Better drink up a tall mug of tough guy and git 'er done. It's hot, sweaty work. Take your breaks in the truck, where the pi$$y ones can't get at you.


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