Ventilated vs. Cotton Bee Suits: Which One Should Beginners Choose?

Beginning beekeepers have a host of decisions to make, from what hive style to an insulated hive or a regular wooden hive, deeps or mediums, hive tools, you name it! One decision that isn’t given enough attention in my opinion is a beesuit or jacket.

Protective gear, especially for new beekeepers, is very important. There are two main types of suit material, cotton or ventilated. And in the ventilated category, is another distinction still, three layer suits, with a heavy cordage inside, or a newer option, called air mesh.

Cotton suits are the traditional suit material. If your grandfather kept bees, and if he had a suit, it was likely a cotton one. Cotton suits are more rip resistant, and also slightly cheaper than either of the ventilated suits. There are also slightly more cotton suit options to choose from.

However, cotton suits are HOT. Because beekeeping is mostly done during the hotter hours of the day, remaining comfortable in your suit is important. I have a cotton suit as well as a ventilated Air Mesh jacket. My cotton suit is far hotter. I am often a sweaty wet mess by the time I’m done wearing it to work the bees. I do use it occasionally, if I know I am doing something that will really thrash a suit, such as weed eating my bee yard, or if I am doing a shakeout, since I do not have a full suit that is ventilated. If it is very cold out, I may also wear it, as it definitely provides a level of warmth. But other than those isolated instances, ever since I got my ventilated jacket, I have never wanted to go back!

Most bee suits work by keeping the bees away from your body. They could, in theory, be stung through, but the stinger would most likely not penetrate your skin. Until recently, this is how beesuits have been designed, and this is the way that cotton suits still work.

Then there are the ventilated suits. These will keep you much cooler. You can feel the breeze on your arms and body as you work, which can make all the difference if you are working your bees and it is 95 degrees out! I tend to be a bit more cognative about the ventilated suits and jackets, since they do not hold up to quite so much abuse.

As I mentioned earlier, there are two types of ventilated suits. I will say that I have not personally worn a three layer suit or jacket, but I have picked them up. They are incredibly heavy. They may be slightly cheaper, but for what I am getting, I would pay an extra $20 any day, to have a very light jacket with superior construction. The air mesh suits are just so much lighter.

Air mesh is designed so that it is thicker than a honey bee stinger is long. It is physically impossible to be stung through one of these types of jackets or suits, unless the material is severely compressed. Of course, any veil could be stung through if it was resting against the skin. This suit would also have to be put on and sealed correctly to be sting proof.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a suit, is what you want to wear under the suit. Some people simply wear their underwear, and while this may be cooler, I would not recommend this. (I wear at least a tank top and shorts if I am working my bees in my full beesuit, cotton, or ventilated.) If a beesuit is not put on properly, it is possible to get a bee inside your suit. While it is better to be stung by one bee, than to take off the suit near a whole hive of bees that are angry, it is incredibly difficult to keep the presence of mind to do this, if you feel a bee crawling in your suit. If the bees you are working are not upset, then it is better to take off the suit. If you are only in your undergarments, you probably don’t want to strip, especially if you are keeping bees in a suburban neighborhood. When wearing a canvass suit however, if you do intend to wear only undergarments, you can get away with this. You cannot do this with a ventilated suit, as they are somewhat see through, since they are mesh.

Some people can handle heat better than others, so especially if you are one of the people who can’t handle heat as well as some, I would highly recommend the ventilated suit. I struggle with the heat, and often felt panicked as I was working the bees, when I only had my canvass suit, or even when I would borrow my dad’s canvass jacket. I don’t know what it is like for other people who struggle with the heat, but at the point that I start to become panicked, I don’t want to finish the inspection, I just feel like I need out of the suit NOW. But if the bees are upset from a more invasive procedure, like a shake out, I cannot just take the suit off. I have yet to get panicked when I am wearing my ventilated jacket.

The jacket I like the best is the ComfortPro jacket. I have had it for several years now, and it is holding up beautifully to quite hard and frequent use. The closures are designed with elastic instead of velcro so I only have three zippers and one velcro, to put it on, instead of the normal three zippers and five velcro closures for other jacket designs. I would highly recomend it. The company also carries full suits, gloves, and other beekeeping accessories. For my full ComfortPro review, you can read that here.

Cotton suits- Best for those who are extremely budget conscience.

Three layer ventilated suits- Best for those who want an intermediate option, and don’t mind extra weight- no back problems or fatigue from working the bees.

Air Mesh suits- best for those willing to spend ~$20 more and who want ultimate comfort and protection. (I have this one.)

Ultimately, what you wear depends on several factors- your heat tolerance, your weight tolerance, and your price point. Hopefully this comparison has helped you to know what suit or jacket is right for you.

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