Which do I want a suit or jacket?

[VolunteerK9]

Not hijacking, but listed above was another recommendation I also agreed with. A LARGE smoker. The small one that I got with a startup kit is just that-small. Difficult to keep lit and then they dont not hold enough to stay lit very long. Do yourself a favot and but the large, commercial size, big daddy smoker.

[kingbee]

... I wear... jeans that are not tight to the skin... If your pants are not skin tight even if a bee tries to sting you, you won't get stung because the jeans are not pressed to your skin...

If it is one of those hotter than Hades days  :evil: and the humidity is way up there, perspiration and even old-fashioned sweat will plaster a jacket (or suite) to your body like a second skin.  In which case a bee will be able to do her Tony Montana impersonation ("say hello to my little friend!") as she jabs the very tip of her stinger into your hide.  Not to worry though as it seldom counts as a full-fledged sting.

Instead of blue jeans, try a pair of Carhartt jean style canvas pants below a bee jacket or a pair of Carhartt canvas duck overalls minus a shirt beneath your bee jacket.  I haven't tried it and don't you try it either, but I think a pair of Carhartt duck overalls may turn a .22LR slug at hollering distance.  If that is so what chance at  penetrating a pair of Carhartt's does a bee have?

I used to have some Norwegian fishermen's' net underwear that I wore while duck hunting.  I liked this undergarment for its intended purpose of trapping pockets of warm air close to the skin while holding wet outer garments or clammy foul weather gear at bay.  I now think that a fish net tee shirt may be cooler beneath a bee jacket than no shirt at all is.  The idea is that the netting will hold the jacket away from your skin, providing more airflow to wick away persperation and with it excess body heat, protecting you from both bee stings and heatstroke. 

If some of you young bloods try out this idea let us all know how it worked.

[ScooterTrash]

Since I am starting and am not positive of all my future beek activities, am not of the persuasion to be too hot, don't expect long hours in such activities needing protection, and need to cover all my bases, I am ordering an Ultra-Breeze suit.  Later I will get a jacket and or pants if need be.  Would rather be over protected than get sick from a bunch of stings.....(got into a wasp nest one time with a chain saw and got swarmed.....I got really sick).

Then I have to let the bank account recover so I can worry about how to feed and tools....although I think the large smoker sounds smartest for a rookie.

Concur, I am new to the hobbie and will be obtaining the Ultr Breeze before class in JAN

[JackM]

It sure is an interesting material.  Spring is still an awful long way off.  Everything is ready.