7 Best Bee Suits for Every Beekeeper in 2020
Beekeeping is a fun hobby that comes with sweet rewards for some people while for others is it is an economic activity. If you are thinking of becoming a beekeeper or are already one, you will need to invest in a high-quality bee suit. This suit is vital as it will protect you from stings as the bees try to defend their precious hive and honey.
A good suit should cover the entire body so as to ensure that the face, torso, hands and feet are not in any risk of getting some stings from the bees. Also, it should not leave any spaces that the bees can use to come in contact with your clothes or skin. If you want to keep some bees and are shopping for a good suit our reviews and guide below will help you make an informed pick.
Image | Product Name | Available Size | Rating | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Vivo Bee Keeping Suit | L, XL | 4.3 | |
 | 2. Beekeeping Bee Keeping Suit Jacket | one size fits all | 4.0 | |
 | 3. Humble Bee Polycotton Beekeeping Suit | XXS - XXXL | 4.4 | |
 | 4. Natural Apiary Apiarist Beekeeping Suit | XXS - XXXL | 4.7 | |
 | 5. Ultra Breeze Beekeeping Suit | XS - XXL | 4.8 | |
 | 6. Honey Keeper Professional Full Body Beekeeping Suit | L - XXL | 4.3 | |
 | 7. Mann Lake Economy Beekeeper Suit | XL | 4.9 |
7 Best Bee Suits - Reviews
1. Vivo Bee Keeping Suit
Editor's Rating: 
(4.3 / 5)
If you are new in the beekeeping business or hobby and do not wish to invest in a full body bee suit this jacket by Vivo will offer you sufficient protection. All you need to do is wear it with pants that have a loose fitting, and you will be ready to work on your hives. Although it will not offer you as much protection as a full body one, it is still okay if you are not sure whether you will be a beekeeper for long or not.
The fabric is protective enough, and no stinger will get to your skin. Also, the design is lightweight to ensure maximum comfort even when you wear it for long and on hot days. This jacket has a waistband and elastic cuff to keep the bees out and its overall design is the simplest in our list.
Finally, it has a 7-inch pocket at the front that you can use to carry the tools that you need, it is machine washable for easy maintenance, and its total weight is 1.4 pounds.
2. Beekeeping Bee Keeping Suit Jacket
Editor's Rating: 
(4 / 5)
This beekeeping suit is one of the cheapest on our list, but it is still a quality suit that will make it possible to work on your hives safely. It comes as a set that includes a jacket with veil, a pair of gloves, bee hive brush and a J-hook tool set. The suit is a combination of polyester and cotton, and so you can be confident that you will be wearing it when working on your beehives for a long time.
Natural Apiary makes this suit in an all white color which is very useful in keeping the bees calm to prevent unnecessary aggression, and it comes in a size that can fit most adults. The bee jacket weighs 1.2 pounds making it lightweight enough, and if you combine this with the breathable fabric, you will have one of the best beekeeping suits.
3. Humble Bee Polycotton Beekeeping Suit
Editor's Rating: 
(4.4 / 5)
The Humble Bee 410 ranks highly in most bee suit reviews by experts and beekeepers. It is a top notch polycotton beekeeper suit that features a round veil that is self-supporting, brass zippers that are heavy duty, some double stitched pockets that are very durable and a canvas carrying case.
This medium weight suit is a blend of 50% cotton and 50% synthetic blend. The material combination ensures that it can provide adequate protection from bee stings while also guaranteeing all-day comfort regardless of the weather conditions. Humble Bee gives it a tailored fit and a unisex design to make sure that it does not only fit well but is also ideal for both men and women.
This bee suit features elastic on the ankle, wrist, and waist to enhance the comfort and protection and also some foot and thumb hold that keep everything in place.
Lastly, the veil is removable which makes storage and cleaning easy for a beekeeper and with a weight of 3.9 pounds it is the heaviest suit in our list.
4. Natural Apiary Apiarist Beekeeping Suit
Editor's Rating: 
(4.7 / 5)
Natural Apiary makes this suit in a beautiful camouflage pattern that is not only very attractive but also helps to keep the bees calm by mimicking the natural environment. The suit is made of 65% cotton and 35% polyester and is also easy to clean as it is machine washable.
This Natural Apiary premium beekeeping suit comes with a fencing veil that is very breathable and protective. The face cover is detachable which helps to make the suit easy to store and clean. Also, it has an attractive overall appearance that will add some fun to the beekeeping, and it is probably the most beautiful suit in this list.
The strategic placement of the pockets in this suit makes it easy to carry your essential beekeeping tools and locate them when working on the hive. This 3-pound suit also has some strong YKK zippers that provide maximum strength and reliability and some elastic on the forearms and ankles to create some bee proof seals.
5. Ultra Breeze Beekeeping Suit
Editor's Rating: 
(4.8 / 5)
Ultra Breeze beekeeping suit is the most expensive bee suit on our list, but this also shows that it offers the best quality and protection. It comes with a high-quality veil that attaches to the hood, but the excellent craftsmanship is what makes it stand out. The hood helps to keep the veil from the face, and it is also detachable for easy storage and cleaning.
The impressive craftsmanship entails giving it some brass zippers and some durable layers of a ventilated fabric. This ventilated fabric is a blend of polyester and vinyl that makes this a breathable and very comfortable bee suit.
The 2-way YKK zippers on this suit make it easy to wear and remove and they go the entire length of the leg. This suit has multiple and spacious pockets that will make it easy for you to carry tools, and the total weight of 3.9 pounds ensures that the suit remains lightweight even when you have tools in the pockets.
6. Honey Keeper Professional Cotton Full Body Beekeeping Suit
Editor's Rating: (4.3 / 5)
Professional beekeepers require something that is more comfortable and protective than regular bee suits. If you are a professional, this is the best bee suit for you because Honey Keeper makes it with some high-quality materials and design to guarantee maximum comfort and protection. The material on this full suit is white cotton which is highly durable but still very lightweight.
Honey Keeper gives this suit a round veil that is spacious enough for the head, and it attaches to a hood that contains some wires to support it and to ensure it maintains the shape. The mesh on the veil screen provides maximum protection for the beekeepers face without affecting front and side vision.
Finally, elastic bands keep this apiary suit closed on the wrist and ankles to make sure that no bees find their way inside the suit and it weighs 2.5 pounds.
7. Mann Lake Economy Beekeeper Suit
Editor's Rating: 
(4.9 / 5)
Mann Lake makes this suit for a beekeeper that wants something simple that still offers adequate protection from bees. Just like most other high-quality beekeeping suits the company makes it with a blend of cotton (60%) and polyester (40%) making it one of the most comfortable suits in this list. The material choice also helps to make it durable and very protective.
This amazing suit comes with a self-supporting veil that will not move up and down when working. It also has two layers of fabric at the back of its hood that provides extra protection and comfort for the head.
To keep the bees out the manufacturer puts some elastic on the wrist and ankles. Also, the suit has some elastic thumb hold that will keep the sleeves down to make it even harder for the bees to find a way into the suit. Finally, it is one of the easiest to wear and take off thanks to the zipper on the ankles, and with a total weight of 0.3 ounce, it is the lightest on our list.
Benefits of Using Bee Suit
Without a protective bee suit, beekeeping is not easy, and neither is it fun. But this suit is not just a formality for beekeepers because it comes with many benefits with the primary ones being the following three.
#1. It Protects You from Stings
The main advantage that you get from a bee suit is that it will protect your body from the bee stings. A bee might be a small insect but a swarm of them can cause serious problems by injecting a lot of venom into your body, and this is regardless of whether you have an allergy or not. The best bee suits have a loose fit to ensure stingers do not reach the skin and some elastic around the ankles and wrist to prevent the bees from getting underneath your suit.
#2. Keeps the Bees Calm
Smoke is what most beekeepers will use to keep the bees calm but what you might not know is that the suit also helps with this. The light color of the suit contributes to keeping the bees calm because they tend to associate dark color with predators like skunks and bears. And so wearing a suit will reduce the likelihood of the bees seeing you as an aggressor.
#3. Protects your Bees
A bee suit can help protect your bees in various ways. First, the fact that they are less likely to sting you means that they will not lose their stinger and hence will not die. Also, bees tend to target dark colors and so a suit with a darker mesh helmet is a good idea. And this is because they will target the mesh cover on your head where their stingers are less likely to stick. The tiny spaces on the mesh mean that they will also not lose the stingers as they try to sting you.
It is also essential to know that when one bee loses its stinger, this can result into a pheromone-inspired swarm that can lead to the death of many of your bees.
Things to Consider When Buying Bee Suit
It is almost impossible to succeed at beekeeping without a suit. However, with the different types out there it is important to know the things to consider when buying one.
#1. Material
The material is the first factor that most beekeepers will take into account when shopping for a suit. The material will affect everything from the comfort to the durability, and so you should ensure that you get the best. Suits with lightweight materials are the best, but it is important to make sure that the fabric is still hard enough to prevent the stinger from reaching your skin. Also, it should be easy to clean to make maintenance easier for you.
#2. Color
The color of the suit matters a lot when it comes to the bee suit. Bees tend to be more aggressive around dark colors than light ones because they associate them with predators like bears and skunks. It is because of this fact that most bee suit reviews will always recommend white suits. And so it is important to always go for a suit with a light color like white and pastel shades.
#3. Ventilation
A good bee suit should ensure sufficient flow of air within it so as to keep your body cool as you work on your hives. During the hot summer months when temperatures go high a suit without proper ventilation can be very uncomfortable, and you might end up doing little work because you cannot withstand wearing it for long. The lighter weight suits and the aerated ones offer the best ventilation.
#4. The Veil
A beekeeper will need to have a suit with a head cover to ensure maximum protection. The best veils are those that are part of the suit because you will never have to worry about keeping them in place because they will not slide up and down.
There are many types of veils, but the rounded one is the most popular because it keeps the bees away from the face. Fencing and collapsible ones also work well, but the best idea is to go for one that lets in enough air and does not affect your vision.
#5. Bees Proof
The best bee suit for a beekeeper is the one that will offer maximum protection from the bees. To ensure this, it should have high-quality zippers and some elastic around the waist, ankle, and wrist to make sure that the bees do not find a way into the suit.
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Last Updated on September 3, 2020 by Tom Bradly