Protective Clothing

[riverbee]

someday i will break down and invest in an ultra breeze.  for me unfortunately i must wear full protective gear for now. lite weight cotton coveralls, gloves, boots and socks. i wear shorts and a tank underneath, i still sweat.  like dunkel i have gone near buff under the coveralls, but one trip to the emergency room made me re-think my apparel.......

i will never go without a veil and smoker, and i do like mann lakes meyer gloves.

and ps.........remove any rings on your fingers unless you want them cut off..............

[efmesch]

Ever since going gloveless, (about two years ago) I find my hands picking up fewer stings.  The loss of senstivity due to gloves leads to rubbing and squashing of bees and that inspires stings.  Especially on those really hot days, when gloves get wet from perspiration, stings have little difficulty penetrating the leather. 
If it's for anything more than a short perfunctory look, I'll put on my veiled bee jacket.  I don't enjoy stings on the face.
Maybe it's the sandals I usually wear that help keep the rest of my body from overheating when wearing my jacket.

[tbonekel]

Is there an ultrabreeze soluthuon for gloves? I usually don't wear them, but sometimes my hands get so sticky from the propolus, it is difficult to work. I sometimes use the nitrile gloves, but that makes my hands sweat too much. We need a form fitting, disposable glove that breathes.

[Woody Roberts]

I broke down and bought the Ultra breeze jacket this year. I have to say this was 145.00 well spent. Still not as cool as no jacket at all but some of my bees will require protective gear. I never know which ones it will be either.

My old goatskin gloves were getting stiff with a couple big cracks in them. I mink oiled them to soften them up. It worked, I've took about 40 stings thru the gloves since I oiled them.
Perhaps it's time for a new pair.

[Ray]

I wear a veil and a long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I usually smoke myself and my hands (I don't wear gloves). I'm a backyard Beek so speed is not an issue. "Life is too short to own defensive bees"

[sc-bee]

i will never go without a veil and smoker, and i do like mann lakes meyer gloves.

meyer gloves??? That don't narrow it down for me...?

[riverbee]

lol sc, don't get all crabby on me now.........

meyer stingless gloves..........they are made of goatskin, nylon sleeves, very soft and supple, here is the link:

Mann Lake Pro-Grade Goatskin Gloves

not sure why they are not advertised now as 'meyer stingless gloves'.....? used to be and as of last year. mine are not white as pictured, mine are all a very light tan color? 

anyway, i like them. 

[barry42001]

In all actuality unless you have a rather expensive specially designed bee suit that would be extremely hot not well ventilated but would protect you from the most aggressive of the Africanized honey bees anything less than that will not prevent you from being stung and even they won't on the worst of days. I always fully suit up cause I can always take it off if the bees demeanor is such on the other hand if I never wore it and I opened up a hive that changed in the Yellow Jackets it would be very difficult with an open heart live to take time to put on a suit while you're being eaten alive it is like the old adage of a gun I would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it

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[apisbees]

I usually smoke myself and my hands (I don't wear gloves).

An old time beekeeper that has a lot of experience and knowledge said that rubbing the cold ash from the last time that you used the smoker on the hands is more effective than blowing smoke on them.

[rrog13]

Normally, if I put on gloves, I use nitrile gloves.  I've got a set of leather gloves also and they are nice to have available on occasion.  I bought one of Mann Lakes vented suits this year and love it.  I always wear a veil, at the very least.  Like Barry said,  I'd rather be in the vented suit saying, "I sure am glad I wore this thing" ....than the alternative.  Just because your bees aren't "normally" aggressive doesn't mean they don't have the potential to rip you a new one. 

[Jen]

 "Just because your bees aren't "normally" aggressive doesn't mean they don't have the potential to rip you a new one. 

rrog.. that cracked me up