What kind of veil or helmet do you use?

[Dora]

I'm still in the process of getting protective gear, and I see a lot of of veil options -both stand-alone and attached to jacket or bee suit. If you could share what you use and what you like or don't like about it, that would help not only me but a lot of other new beekeepers, I'm sure. And maybe you could even share what kind of veil you would like to get but don't have yet. 

If I'm correct, I see these types:

• Attached Round veil with 360 degree vision
• Separate Round veil that slips over helmet
• Separate round  pull-down veil that slips over helmet - offered by BetterBee
• Round veil with attached hat
• Square veil that slips over helmet
• Attached "Fencing veil" that flips back over top of head. Is "English-style veil" the same thing??
• Veil that looks like fencing veil but has face front that zips to fold down

Also, just what does "Clear Vue" mean in a veil description? I would think that a "clear view" would be afforded through a clear plastic insert that would remove the veil weave obstruction, but that is not what I see. (Example https://www.mannlakeltd.com/protective-gear/clear-vue-hat-veil/)

My first impressions: It looks to me like the hood veils or "English-type" veils might be too close to the top of the head, unless you have thick hair. And they might be warm? (I'm looking for coolness down here in Texas!!

As for helmets, I can't think of anything worse than a solid plastic helmet. I mean, we're not gonna go check bees in the rain, and in the sunshine, it will get sweaty and rain from the inside! (Oh, okay, some have "side louvers," but still ... ) Ventilated mesh helmets should be good, but sure are pricey at MannLake (https://www.mannlakeltd.com/search-results/?search_query=Helmet) And does anyone know the difference between a "Standard Vented Helmet" and a "Ventilated Mesh Helmet," other than the $10.00 price difference?

Any comments at all on veils & helmets appreciated

[The15thMember]

I have two veils which are very similar.  First, I have this over the shoulder veil from BetterBee.
https://www.betterbee.com/veils-and-helmets/shv1-shoulder-veil.asp?mkwid=&pcrid=&pkw=&pmt=&pdv=c&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5-uuBhDzARIsAAa21T988uKnZGAB2vjtIdXOhsaNerNxnNcBt9_wCKz0m9QBcGUBivtk8DwaAua4EALw_wcB

I used this veil before I got a real bee suit (I used cotton coveralls for my first couple of years), and this is the still the veil I use if I just need to pop open a hive quick and don't want to suit up.  I have two.  I also have the veil that zips onto my full vented suit, which is of very similar style, round, front view (not 360 view), and with the fabric hat.  I really prefer the wide-brimmed hat for shade, and I like the fact that a fabric hat is cool and kind of moves with my head as I turn.   

I'm assuming that "Clear Vue" refers to the fact that the front of the veil is finer black mesh, which helps your brain to just cancel it out.  I'm pretty sure most veils are like this (all of mine are), and I honestly don't notice the mesh of my veil at all any more.  I've never felt like I wished that black mesh was all the way around my veils, so I don't see the need for a "360 degree" veil.

By the way, pro tip here: If you have long hair, you are likely going to want to pull your hair back or put it up when you are beekeeping.  I have very long hair, and I always put my hair in a bun and use one of those stretchy headbands to keep my flyaways back, since once I am zipped up in my suit, I won't be able to do anything about hair in my eyes.  Make sure that you think about how you are planning on wearing your hair and how that will work with the style of hat (or lack thereof) you choose.       

[Michael Bush]

I much prefer the fencing style veil.  I've only ever been stung through it once and I was looking straight up while doing a cutout.  I got stung on the nose where it was resting on it.  What I like most is that it all folds flat without any effort.

[Bill Murray]

I have, Separate Round veil that slips over helmet, with 360 degree vision. I dont like this, to cumbersome.

A crush and roll hat with mosquito netting attached- actually two of them, one for each truck, one has a silver color netting, not good for seeing thru, the other is black mesh, better. I have an Attached "Fencing veil" that flips back over top of head, that attaches to the jacket. The one that came with the ventilated jacket my wife bought for me I just cant see thru very well the mesh is thicker and the holes are smaller. So I switched out that one for one off an old jacket, finer with larger hole mesh.

My granddaughter has one that the face front zips to fold down, I like that being as I dont zip the hood around the neck so I can lift the hood to see when I need. I constantly have hitchhikers in there. Which to me isnt as big a deal as trying to zip and unzip. So ill probably try one of those next.

To me Its more about being able to see what I need to see through it, and not being bulky/cumbersome.

[Ben Framed]

Dora you might find the following discussion interesting and of value.

https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=53901.msg487617#msg487617

[Kathyp]

I like the jacket-veil combo.  Jeans tucked into boots and Nitrile gloves.  If they are fussy as they can be during something like a cutout, I just double glove.  Fencing style for me also. 

[Terri Yaki]

My breezy jacket/veil came in today and thus far, I give it a good review. It seems heavy and sturdy, the zippers are better than the zippers on my ski jackets and the veil gives good visibility. It seals up nice and should protect me well. I didn't think much of the way they sized me at a 2XL but the sizing is right. They must be made in Asia.

[little john]

FWIW - many years ago I made a DIY hard-hat veil in order to pull bees from a building site which had a 'jobsworth' guy on the gate. The veil was made from a lightweight angler's 'keep-net' I bought from China - useless for fishing, but ideal as a beekeeping veil as it had wire rings in place and a draw-string closure. I used that for many years, but it did get a bit hot in summer. I kept meaning to drill dozens of small holes for ventilation, but never did get around to doing that.





Last year one of our favourite beekeeping suppliers went bust and had a clear-out of his stock, so I bought a couple of beekeeping jackets with fencing veils for silly money, and a couple of collapsible wide-brimmed hats with veils for visitors.  The jackets are ok, but to be honest I much prefer my old hard-hat veil - finer mesh with better visibility, and I often used it wide open (with the draw-string fully loose) - if a bee ever did get in, they were always more concerned with getting back out again, rather than stinging Yours Truly.
LJ

[Ben Framed]

I like your veil Little John. My ventilated jacket has the fencing type veil attached by a zipper. My Fencing type veil does not allow for side viewing as the only screen is in the front, When I turn my head the veil does not follow through far enough many times as it is held in place to the jacket by the zipper, thus limiting visibility in that situation.. I like the concept of the type veil you have pictured above much better.

Phillip 

[Terri Yaki]

We have mosquito nets here in The States that could probably be used to make that homemade model. Somewhere around here I even have a couple if they haven't hardened up some way.  One of them has elastic straps (though that elastic probably lost its stretch) that you put your arms through to hold it down.

[paus]

My favorite is a veil that I put together. I bought a mosquito veil from Mann Lake.  I bought a cloth, vented crown hat from the farm store that had semi ridgid rim.  I took the plastic monofilament out of the rim and replaced it with old telephone aerial wire, this made the brim rim ridged.  then I put the veil on the hat and measured the distance from the rim to about chin level, then I sewed a piece of 1/4 in plastic tubing around the veil, so the veil never touched my face.  this is lightweight, vented 360 degrees, and no limited vison.  Oh yeah, the hat has a drawstring, so everything stays in place.  I remove the fencing hood from a vented suit or jacket and replace them with the drawstring mosquito veil.  One last thing very inexpensive.