Half Suit / Jacket beekeeping Recommendation

[JohnnyD]

Hi All

Can anyone recommend anything better/cheaper than this ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PREMIUM-QUALITY-Bee-Smock-Fencing-Veil-Style-All-Sizes/191215303448?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D23775%26meid%3D7804404716270770632%26pid%3D 100005%26prg%3D10165%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D120 984393886&rt=nc

The full suit takes too long to don in the summer heat ;)

Thanks

JD

[fatshark]

Better - at least in my opinion - is the BBwear BB2 (http://www.bbwear.co.uk/clothing/separates/bb2.html) jacket. It has a standard zip so goes on and off like a jacket, without having to pull it over your head. Not cheaper I'm afraid, but I've been very pleased with BBwear jackets and suits.

[Jon]

Thorne Observation smock, £5 in the sale. All I ever use.

[Little_John]

Thorne Observation smock, £5 in the sale. All I ever use.

Must get me something like this ... Thornes describe these as "Occasional Cotton Jacket and Veil Large", "made from thin polyester" - which of course ain't cotton ...

So - as you use these Jon - can I ask, are they at all 'sweaty' when using 'em - or could it be that they're actually a cotton/ polyester mix ?

LJ

[Adam]

I have a cheapish smock which I slip on occasionally. When I bend over the veil falls off the top of my head and hangs loose and the pocket at the front allows things to fall out. Cheap may not be any good!

[Jon]

So - as you use these Jon - can I ask, are they at all 'sweaty' when using 'em - or could it be that they're actually a cotton/ polyester mix ?

LJ
They are not sweaty at all. They are really lightweight. Not sure about the cotton/polyester issue.
I would not try and work an aggressive colony wearing one of these as the sting protection is minimal.
The main purpose is to keep the bees away from your face.

[Mellifera Crofter]

They're OK for a quick look into a hive, but if I'm inspecting a hive and move frames about, I now use it with a belt because I've had bees crawling into the jacket from the waist elastic all the way up to my head (but, fortunately, didn't get stung!).

[GRIZZLY]

They're not very sting proof either.

[Little_John]

I now use it with a belt because I've had bees crawling into the jacket from the waist elastic all the way up to my head (but, fortunately, didn't get stung!).

Many years ago I had a girlfriend who was a dancer and who often wore a one-piece body-stocking. It was not unlike a long tight short-sleeved vest, with a velcro strap fastening under the crotch.
I mention this, 'cause I'm thinking of making my own jacket (like - it's not as if these thing are exactly 'tailored') from heavyweight curtain material or whatever I can pick up cheaply at a boot sale. Maybe a nice floral pattern ? (I jest ...)
And - rather than having an elastic waistband - I was thinking of making the shape like a grandad's long-tailed nightshirt, to be worn under a pair of jeans, but with this same kind of under-crotch velcro strap arrangement to avoid the 'builder's bum' scenario occurring when bending down.
LJ

[Mellifera Crofter]

Oh no, LJ! That would be too much hassle. Just climb into a full suit if you want bum protection. Kitta