What makes the best beekeeping jacket? The following post with expert advice will help you get a durable bee suit without splurging money.
Getting close and personal with aggressive bees is quite a dangerous job. Whether you are a beginner or an expert beekeeper, you are prone to bee stings. So, shopping for the best beekeeping jacket is vital.
The best suit will provide you excellent protection from bee filtration and keep you cool under hot weather conditions at the same time. The below post with detailed reviews and buying guide will help you solve the problem.
Best Beekeeping Jacket Buying Guide
There are many options for bee protection products available on the domestic market. Or you can choose one from the best beekeeping jacket in the UK. For beginners, the detailed guide below can help you to get a quality one.
Sting Protection
Certainly, durable and high-quality material is the top priority of a bee suit. Your job is working with beehives so getting stung is inevitable. But let’s imagine that sting multiplied thousands of times.
Thus, to erase your worry about being attacked by bees, it is vital to purchase a jacket with strong protection, made of three to multilayers.
There are many brands offering plenty of materials and designs for you to choose from on the market. However, it is better to pick up reputable providers, such as to get quality products and customer services.
Ventilation
Another important thing is the air circulation of the suit. Dressing with many layers in hot and humid weather makes you feel like being tortured without the suit’s ventilation.
The product constructed with ventilation panels will make you feel much cooler and more comfortable working with bees. For this reason, you might want to go for the one-feature aerated or mesh fabric.
Flexibility
Always remember you’re looking for workwear. So it should be capable of helping you bend and carry things or grip the tools in comfort. To protect from bees, beekeepers have to wear bulky suits.
Choosing a suit having one or two sizes up enables you to do your job without hassle. There is no need to worry about ripping, riding up your suit, and revealing your skin to the bee attack.
Besides, consider those with elastic waist or wrist for better flexibility.
Veil Types
Veils are built in most beekeeping suits today. They are parts of the suit that protects your head and face from bee stings. Normally, they are constructed of breathable mesh to offer full protection and a clearer view.
There are three basic veil types, rounded veils, collapsible veils, and fencing veils. Among them, the round veil is the best for keeping the bees far away from your face, but it’s also the bulkiest one.
Whereas collapsible and fencing types are more removable and easier to store and wash. If you opt for these, we recommend you wear a ball cap underneath the veil or purchase the product with two veils for the maximum bee-proof.
The suit comes with extra zipper closures that are ideal solutions for easy put on and off.
Seals
It is better to have a suit with strong zippers and elastic around positions like wrists, ankles, and waist. This help keep your suit stay when you’re moving around; thus, unfriendly bees can’t sneak in the suit.
Always check the suit opening before coming through the beehives, and ensure that it is not too loose. The seals can come with adjustable Velcro and zippers in some protective gear for extra sting proof.
Top 5 Best Beekeeping Jacket Reviews
Here are the five best beekeeping jackets with outstanding features!
1. Ultra Breeze Beekeeping Suit SUIT12_LARGE – Best For Overall
We would like to introduce you to the best jacket for beekeeping from Ultra Breeze. Prepare to be surprised by its distinctive features, which give it an edge over other competitors.
While putting on conventional bee suits, you will have difficulty bending or reaching out. But this is not the case with this product. Every move is smooth and easy while you work with bees.
It provides optimal protection against bee stings, thanks to the thick three-layer fabric. Don’t worry thick layers will wrap you up with sweat and heat. This fabric is ventilated mesh, offering great breathability even in hot and humid conditions.
The integral hood protects you much better than a separate helmet and veil. It is truly well-made and can fit you well.
In addition, the heavy-duty YKK brass zippers are designed to cover the entire length of each leg so that you won’t have to take off the boots when changing. The elastics in the ankle, wrist, and waist positions help with keeping the bees out.
There is no need to spend lots of effort washing the product since the suits and jackets are machine-washable. And the hood just needs a little care with hand wash.
The product is a sure bet for beekeepers who want a resilient and ventilated suit. Though the price is a bit high, it provides exceptional functions, so you won’t regret buying it.
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2. Oz Armour Beekeeping Suit – Best For Head Protection
Next, the runner-up of the best jackets for beekeeping competition is the Oz Armour suit with durable material, double head protection, and easy movement.
This suit is made from high-quality and light fabric mesh with multi-layers, supporting air ventilation and eliminating unwanted stings simultaneously.
The highlights of this suit are its fencing hood and a round-brim hat. The item doubles the layer of head protection, but it won’t interfere with your sight due to the great visibility mesh. Also, the multi-layered hat and veil will maximize sting proof while still keeping your vision clear to work.
There are elastics and Velcro on the suit’s wrists and ankles that enable you to move around in comfort. You can work effortlessly while tending to the bees.
The item comes in many available sizes ranging from extra small, and medium up to extra large. Thus, it can fit you well no matter your weight. The tip is you can wear a layer of clothing underneath as long as you pick one size up when purchasing.
There is one improvement in this product is the sizes since they are not very consistent sometimes.
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3. Forest Beekeeping Supply Beekeeping Jacket FB-555 – Best For Budget
We have good news for those on a tight budget. The Forest Beekeeping Supply’s jacket is the most budget-friendly among our recommended products.
Despite the cheap price, this jacket still comes with great protection and ventilation that can satisfy you. Coming with the thick and sturdy foam fabric, you can believe in its protection against bee stings.
Even better, the item is lightweight, only one pound, and specifically designed with vented mesh for high breathability.
Also, it is the perfect choice for those engaging in outdoor beekeeping since it allows for easy movement due to the wide elastic around the waist and wrists, along with thumb loops.
Its signature features are large and secure pockets with velcro spots for putting tools. Thus, you won’t need to move back and forth to your toolbox. Besides, the removable hood with plenty of room that keeps the veil away from your skin.
The classic design of the jacket is suitable for both sexes. And the brand offers many different sizes for your choice, so you won’t have to splurge money on sturdy protective gear.
However, the only small downside is it doesn’t provide full-body protection.
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4. Natural Apiary Zephyros Protect 3 Layer Ventilated – Best For Design
Safety is the priority of a beekeeping jacket. The best beekeeping jacket UK definitely hit the mark regarding protection and design. Its elastic openings protect you from bee infiltration, and the elastic waist can fit all sizes.
The bee-jacket provides max protection and ventilation that make you comfortable all day long. It also features the reinforced arm sleeves to help with preventing bee stings in the most vulnerable areas.
This item possesses a firm yet clear face screen that offers great visibility. The provider claims that their YKK zippers are made of genuine metal, much sturdier than plastic or brass.
This ventilated bee suit has three protective layers, including the poly-cotton layers that make this jacket tough and durable for years. Besides, you won’t have to wear under clothing like other traditional suits with the thickness of the fabric.
One prominent feature of this beekeeping jacket is it offers the most fashionable look with five different colors. It comes in 12 different sizes, from 2XS to 3XL, to fit every body shape well.
Unfortunately, the suit has no thumb holds, so it may slide up while tending to the bees.
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5. Humble Bee 431 Beekeeping Suit – Best For Ventilation
The Humble Bee 431 suit is another ideal choice for those who love a ventilated beekeeping product. It is truly a lifesaver when you’re working outdoors in hot weather conditions.
The suit is perfectly constructed from cotton and synthetic fabric, with five ventilation panels made with 220 gsm aerated fabric to keep you cool. The lightweight foam not only helps against bee stings but also works well in breathability.
It comes with a unisex design that fulfills all your needs about a beekeeping suit. There are eight sizes with the size chart for your reference, so you can choose a tailored suit that fits you best.
We find extremely useful details in this product are its collapsible fencing veil and cushioned knee pads. You can move freely in the suite without any interference.
The collapsible veil is convenient when opening it up, but it sometimes allows the bees a chance to get close to your skin. But don’t worry, one size up will solve the problem right away.
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FAQs
Next are the common questions about beekeeping suits.
What Is The Best Color For A Beekeeping Jacket?
Bees and wasps consider dark colors as a predator. Dressing in red, brown, and dark clothes increases the chances of bee’s attacks. Instead, you should wear white, or light colored clothing to distract the bees.
There is also a common notion that a beekeeper’s suit must be white. In fact, it’s possible to choose pastel colors. You will be safe as long as you wear colors that are not aggressive towards them.
Moreover, pastel colors absorb less heat and do not reflect light, so it’s cooler and more convenient for you when working under the sun.
How Safe Are Beekeeping Suits?
The best beekeeping suit is designed to protect you at the highest level possible. However, there is no perfect solution to help you avoid 100% bee attack. A tiny bee can sting through the fabric of a bee suit or use a small opening when you neglect to close.
But the suits made from sturdy and thick material will prevent the bees from reaching your skin better.
Another thing to remember is checking for any bees clinging to your jacket as you’re taking it off. After working with thousands of bees, this is a compulsory task to prevent unwanted stings.
How Should Your Bee Suit Fit?
Forget the tight suits since the bee yard is not a fashion runway. A properly fit suit should be worn loose but not bulky.
It is better to read the size chart thoroughly or ask customer service for reference so you can choose the jacket most suitable for you. But we recommend choosing one size bigger than yours for better flexibility yet still tight enough to keep bees away.
You can’t just stay still and straight while working with bees, so then the beekeeping suit should be roomy enough for you to move and cover all of your vulnerable parts when you bend over.
Final Words
That’s all our best beekeeping jacket reviews and buying guide. Each product has its own pros and cons so let’s choose the suitable one that meets most of your requirements.
Suppose it is still hard to pick one. In that case, you can opt for our top pick Ultra Breeze beekeeping suit – the best overall with distinctive features, such as three-layer ventilated fabric, durable and well-made materials, and resilient brass zippers.
Or the Oz Armour Beekeeping Suit would be a perfect choice for those who want a product with double head protection, great visibility mesh, and excellent ventilation.
