I'll add my own recent and limited experience here, echoing challenger.
In my short time as a beek I have already owned three items of protective clothing. The first two were jacket/hood combos purchased from a well-known supplier. They both suffered from problems with the zippers (cheap nylon teeth, the tabs fell apart or separated) and material quality (nylon fabric that runs, tears and frays). And, they were hotter than blazes. As they say: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I finally realized that I will continue to keep bees for the long haul, so it was time to get a suit for the long term.
I ordered the suit on a Wednesday evening, and was notified that it had shipped the following morning (USPS Priority mail). The suit arrived on Saturday. The measurements provided on the UltraBreeze site helped me to select a size that works well for me. It is definitely heavier than what I had expected, but that weight isn't noticeable when wearing. Like challenger said, the hood is a bit different; rather than zip around the neck in a horizontal circle, it zips around the neck and slightly down the front of the suit. The quilted back of the hood is also different than the rest of the suit and this means it feels warmer than the rest of the suit. The viewing mesh of the hood is far better than what I was accustomed to, and I am once more able to study frames in detail without a problem. I thought it was my eyesight before; it wasn't (at least not yet!)
The zippers are sturdy, made of brass, and the pulls are large enough to use easily with gloved hands. Each leg has a full length zipper on the side, ankle to hip, and this makes it easy to put the suit on while wearing boots. The gathering at the end of the legs is elastic, and there are adjustable elastic+velcro gathers at the end of the sleeves. The pockets are ample, easy to use, and located just where I like pockets to be. I have full range of movement while wearing the suit (for example, I can touch my toes while wearing the suit, at least for now)
The suit is MUCH cooler than I thought it would be. I was expecting 'better' and experienced 'great.' There is a bit of a see through quality to it, so I doubt that I will be wearing it with only skivvies underneath. But, as challenger wrote, you could. There are three layers of fabric; a fabric mesh on the interior, then a rubbery webbing, all enclosed by an exterior fabric mesh as the outer layer. The center layer of webbing acts as a spacer and gives thickness to the suit to prevent stings to the skin while still allowing ventilation. I worked all of my hives yesterday, including a very aggressive, queenless hive, while wearing shorts and was not stung through the suit. It was warm outside, and the breeze dropped on occasion. At those times I did heat up. The suit isn't air-conditioned. But, a slow walk provided enough of a breeze to allow me to cool.
So, in my limited experience, this suit is far and above a better quality that what I have known. Thank you, UltraBreeze!
In my short time as a beek I have already owned three items of protective clothing. The first two were jacket/hood combos purchased from a well-known supplier. They both suffered from problems with the zippers (cheap nylon teeth, the tabs fell apart or separated) and material quality (nylon fabric that runs, tears and frays). And, they were hotter than blazes. As they say: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I finally realized that I will continue to keep bees for the long haul, so it was time to get a suit for the long term.
I ordered the suit on a Wednesday evening, and was notified that it had shipped the following morning (USPS Priority mail). The suit arrived on Saturday. The measurements provided on the UltraBreeze site helped me to select a size that works well for me. It is definitely heavier than what I had expected, but that weight isn't noticeable when wearing. Like challenger said, the hood is a bit different; rather than zip around the neck in a horizontal circle, it zips around the neck and slightly down the front of the suit. The quilted back of the hood is also different than the rest of the suit and this means it feels warmer than the rest of the suit. The viewing mesh of the hood is far better than what I was accustomed to, and I am once more able to study frames in detail without a problem. I thought it was my eyesight before; it wasn't (at least not yet!)
The zippers are sturdy, made of brass, and the pulls are large enough to use easily with gloved hands. Each leg has a full length zipper on the side, ankle to hip, and this makes it easy to put the suit on while wearing boots. The gathering at the end of the legs is elastic, and there are adjustable elastic+velcro gathers at the end of the sleeves. The pockets are ample, easy to use, and located just where I like pockets to be. I have full range of movement while wearing the suit (for example, I can touch my toes while wearing the suit, at least for now)
The suit is MUCH cooler than I thought it would be. I was expecting 'better' and experienced 'great.' There is a bit of a see through quality to it, so I doubt that I will be wearing it with only skivvies underneath. But, as challenger wrote, you could. There are three layers of fabric; a fabric mesh on the interior, then a rubbery webbing, all enclosed by an exterior fabric mesh as the outer layer. The center layer of webbing acts as a spacer and gives thickness to the suit to prevent stings to the skin while still allowing ventilation. I worked all of my hives yesterday, including a very aggressive, queenless hive, while wearing shorts and was not stung through the suit. It was warm outside, and the breeze dropped on occasion. At those times I did heat up. The suit isn't air-conditioned. But, a slow walk provided enough of a breeze to allow me to cool.
So, in my limited experience, this suit is far and above a better quality that what I have known. Thank you, UltraBreeze!
