A decent hat?

[MollySue'sHoney]

Hello, I'm new on this forum. I've kept bees off an on for most of my life. My father was a bee keeper as well. I'm curious. Does anyone make a decent helmet anymore? I have gone through several of the 'mesh helmets' and can't stand the plastic helmets. Where, oh where, are the nice light weight pith helmets these days?

Thanks for any input.

[nursebee]

I'd suggest going to the search space on your computer with a Y of G near it and entering the search term "pith helmet". Several good results on first page here, you might have to pick up a phone and call someone to find out about lightweight.

[beewhisper]

I use a trout fishing hat from Cabela's. I hate the plastic hats to. I have never had a bee sting through it.It is a lot cooler to.
Beewhisper

[Barry]

Which fishing hat?

[beewhisper]

.The hat I use is a wide brimed, olive drab hat with a typ of mesh netting on the sides and a solid top. I have had it a few years. I just put my veil over it and it works fine.
Full supers
Beewhisper

[JC]

Hello, I'm new on this forum. I've kept bees off an on for most of my life. My father was a bee keeper as well. I'm curious. Does anyone make a decent helmet anymore? I have gone through several of the 'mesh helmets' and can't stand the plastic helmets. Where, oh where, are the nice light weight pith helmets these days?

Thanks for any input.

I do not like the mesh or plastic helments either. I like Brushy Mountain's "Cool Breeze" hat.

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=716M

[tjenkins]

i bought a nice pith helmet at an army nave surplus store in daytona beach florida. There are not too many left in Michigan thathave a good selection. Try a surplus store.
Tom

[Barry]

.The hat I use is a wide brimed, olive drab hat with a typ of mesh netting on the sides and a solid top.

Which one would that be?

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=91613

I've used the white plastic ones from Dadant but the harness doesn't hold up well. Need to get myself a good one and I like your idea.

[Jim Fischer]

The best hat is none at all.

http://www.bjsherriff.co.uk/clothing.asp

Check out the S21 "Bee Farmer".
It will be the last veil you ever buy.
I've had mine forever and ever.

It ain't cheap, but Brian Sherriff charges fair prices for top-of-the-line
stuff. Everyone else copies his designs, and does so poorly.

[beewhisper]

Hi Barry!
The hat I use is the Cabela's River guide canvas breezer hat for 29.95. I have used it for almost three years. I have one of the jackets with a hood I use alot but when it gets hot a long sleeve shirt and the veil is the way to go.
Works for me
Beewhisper

[Brent Bean]

I have a couple of the brushy mountain hats, I love them there light cool and stay on your head when you bend over to pick something up. The bill is stiff enough to hold up the veil very well. And they have that really neat emblem on them.

[Ski]

This one on E-bay looks well ventilated.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-bee-keep...QQcmdZViewItem

[PollenJock]

Clear-Vue Hat/Veil w/double zip from Brushy mountain bee farm!!

[MollySue'sHoney]

I ended up getting a genuine pith helmet from my local Army/Navy surplus for 13.00. My daughter loves using it. Much cooler than the plastic and even better that the 'mesh' hats.

[beegee]

http://www.pithhelmets.com/

[PCM]

I use my old cowboy hat,and a homemade veil;
Pattern in several Bee-Keeping books [ 56 cents worth of nylon netting from Wally World, some thred and some nylon cord, about a hour hand sewing, If I wasn't a old man and had a sewing machine it wouldnt take long at all to sew.

Good & Cheap

PCM

Oh, I forgot, need about 18 in. of 3/8 elastic also

[magnet-man]

I ended up getting a genuine pith helmet

Do you soak it in water before you use it down in Mobil?

[lstclair]

If I'm not going to bother with a veil, I like this one from Dadant.

[MollySue'sHoney]

Do you soak it in water before you use it down in Mobil?

You betcha. At least when the humidity is not over 80%. Then it seems to add to the, ahem, misery.