Protective suits

[Dora]

Down here in the Texas Hill Country, our bee club members tell us that a full bee suit is not optional. So ... I've been looking at suits in the $160- $240 range in the USA market.
However, I ran into this website: https://fivestarbeekeeping.com/ and wonder if anyone has had dealings with them. It's a Pakistani site, and their prices are less than half of US prices. What I deem to be their best suit doesn't have the bells and whistles of the one I found at Foxhound: https://www.foxhoundbeecompany.com/products/sting-stopper-professional-ventilated-beekeeping-suit-beekeper-white. But I can get three suits for that price and suit up other members of the family.
There's a good review of their site on TrustPilot: Fivestarbeekeeping is rated "Average" with 3.7 / 5 on Trustpilot
Like I said ... I am wondering if anyone has had dealings with these folks. (Their suits look considerably better than what Temu offers, with a "better" price too. 😉)

[NigelP]

I've bought ventilated suits from several sources.....all were manufactured in Pakistan. All have been good quality. Give them a go.
The triple mesh ventilated suits are virtually sting proof and you can comfortably bee keep in shorts and little else in hot weather. A godsend over the all-in one cloth suits.

[Michael Bush]

The Pakistani suits will work but won't last as well as the US ones.  Most all of mine are Ultrabreeze.  Most are jackets but I also have some suits.

[max2]

Down here in the Texas Hill Country, our bee club members tell us that a full bee suit is not optional. So ... I've been looking at suits in the $160- $240 range in the USA market.
However, I ran into this website: https://fivestarbeekeeping.com/ and wonder if anyone has had dealings with them. It's a Pakistani site, and their prices are less than half of US prices. What I deem to be their best suit doesn't have the bells and whistles of the one I found at Foxhound: https://www.foxhoundbeecompany.com/products/sting-stopper-professional-ventilated-beekeeping-suit-beekeper-white. But I can get three suits for that price and suit up other members of the family.
There's a good review of their site on TrustPilot: Fivestarbeekeeping is rated "Average" with 3.7 / 5 on Trustpilot
Like I said ... I am wondering if anyone has had dealings with these folks. (Their suits look considerably better than what Temu offers, with a "better" price too. 😉)

I have been buying beesuits from pakistan in modest quantiries for a long time.
The family I have been dealing with is a small outfit and have been willing to make some chages to suit our needs.
They use the same tripple layer material and the same zips as the suits made here ( and probably in the US)
I never had a problem with order.
When i was in pakistan I would have liked to visit the small factory but it was too difficult to travel to a rural destination.

[NigelP]

The Pakistani suits will work but won't last as well as the US ones.  Most all of mine are Ultrabreeze.  Most are jackets but I also have some suits.

At $55 dollars vs $259 for an Ultrabreeze I know where I would be shopping, unless I was a dedicated patriot.

[Michael Bush]

>At $55 dollars vs $259 for an Ultrabreeze I know where I would be shopping, unless I was a dedicated patriot.

Because you haven't compared them side by side for quality.

[Salvo]

My wife bought me an Ultra Breeze full suit a few years ago when I took 42 stings to the throat area.

I'm her Valentine.

Sal

[Michael Bush]

If you forget to zip it all the way up and stick the velcro down, you can still get stings to the throat...

[The15thMember]

My biggest concern about buying from overseas would be, what is there return/exchange policy like?  I bought my full vented suit from a company that didn't offer exchanges, and honestly, I wish I had ordered a size down (and I only didn't because they said to order a size up from your normal size! )  And because my suit doesn't fit me well, I sometimes get stung through it.   

[NigelP]

>At $55 dollars vs $259 for an Ultrabreeze I know where I would be shopping, unless I was a dedicated patriot.

Because you haven't compared them side by side for quality.

Not going to fork out $259 + postage to compare. Have their suit, so far 3 years use(3 afternoons minimum  per week during season) and no issues so far. Intent to buy a second so when it does give up the ghost I have a new one....expect a least another season from old one. Total cost....just over a ?100. Which should last an estimated 8 years of fairly high usage. No brainer.

[Dora]

Thanks much for the observations re Pakistani suits in general! Your observations are reassuring.

@Michael Bush: I'm a serious fan of yours, but I just looked at what I thought to be the Ultrabreeze website (from a Google search), and I invite you to do the same: https://www.beekeeper-suit.com/ultra-breeze-bee-suit/. Doesn't the man modeling the suit have a bit of a Pakistani look?? 😉 The Wyoming price is nearly twice that of what appears to be the same suit from Pakistan. Premium American price.

But then, that's probably not the site you mean. I found this: https://ultrabreezesuits.com/products/ultra-breeze-jumpsuit-includes-hood
I note that the suit appears to be 100% "breezy," with no solid pockets or reinforced knee pads, etc. It also lacks the elastic at sleeves and pants bottoms which the Pakistani site shows. Their photo is so poor that I can't tell whether the pockets are "breezy" or solid cloth.

Doe the Ultrabreeze have a two-way zipper in the front? (I like to see that for my menfolk.) Would you say that this suit wears well without the solid knee pads and other reinforcements? (I'm guessing that the actual fabric is likely made in Pakistan, and it is possible that the suit is actually sewn in the US. I love the idea of totally breezy!!)

Now take a look at the FivestarBeekeeping site: https://fivestarbeekeeping.com/product/ultra-breeze-bee-suit-3-layer-bee-suit/ Does the model look a bit familiar? With the poor photo, it's hard to tell whether the suit is identical, except for the elastic loops at end of sleeves and pant legs.

On Amazon, it appeared to me that the "totally breezy" suits, without knee pads and reinforcement, etc. were the less expensive suits. I may have to rethink this subject. Looking forward to hearing from you folks re the Ultra-breeze or "totally breezy" suits.  (That's not the one I chose at FiveStar ..) Your feedback has already been helpful. Thank you so much!!

[Dora]

I see this on https://ultrabreezesuits.com/products/ultra-breeze-jumpsuit-includes-hood:

Our suits and jackets are made
in the USA, even our fabrics and brass zippers.

That supports Michael's comment re USA-made.
So the others are knock-offs.

[Terri Yaki]

Those suits look like nets, you don't get stung through them?

[The15thMember]

There is a close up picture of the fabric in this link.  https://beeprogear.com/products/3-layer-ultra-ventilated-round-suit

The suits are triple layered, so it's two layers of tight fabric mesh with a layer of looser but thicker rubbery mesh in between.  I've only ever gotten stung through a suit like this in spots where the mesh is right up against my skin, like on my shoulders or on my knee if I'm crouching down (because my knee pad doesn't hit me at the right spot). 

[NigelP]

The very first open mesh suit I bought was an OzArmour one, shipped all he way from Australia. When I examine the inside leg I found a small tag saying "made in Pakistan".

[Ben Framed]

I did not purchase the complete suit. I ordered the cheapest ventilated jacket with hood from Man Lake. It keeps bees out. I do use an elastic belt wrapped around the bottom at the waist area for added insurance. Works good for me.

[Bill Murray]

My wife bought me a ventilated jacket I think 2 yrs ago, because I asked her to put new elastic in the old one. Other than the veil mesh, I dont know how I did without it, and I cant remember the last time I zipped the hood on my jacket.

[Michael Bush]

>@Michael Bush: I'm a serious fan of yours, but I just looked at what I thought to be the Ultrabreeze website (from a Google search), and I invite you to do the same: https://www.beekeeper-suit.com/ultra-breeze-bee-suit/. Doesn't the man modeling the suit have a bit of a Pakistani look?? 😉 The Wyoming price is nearly twice that of what appears to be the same suit from Pakistan. Premium American price.

Wrong web site.

<But then, that's probably not the site you mean. I found this: https://ultrabreezesuits.com/products/ultra-breeze-jumpsuit-includes-hood

That would be the right one.

>I note that the suit appears to be 100% "breezy," with no solid pockets or reinforced knee pads, etc. It also lacks the elastic at sleeves and pants bottoms which the Pakistani site shows. Their photo is so poor that I can't tell whether the pockets are "breezy" or solid cloth.

Yes, the Ultra Breeze is "breezier" than any others.  Originally the design of the three layer suit was patented by an older couple in Louisinanna.  The suit had a lot of solid reinforcments and pockets.  It was marketed under the name "Golden Bee Products".  I bought one of those first and loved it but as they got older supply problems ensued and a friend of mine, Bill, from Oklahoma decided to make them.  He was also determined to improve them.  And to use only USA materials etc. and to make them in the USA.  Also, the Golden Bee Products was only a full suit.  Bill made a jacket as well as a suit.  I bought a suit from him first and then a jacket.  I have used both, but more than 90% of the time I use the jacket.  It's easier to get on and off by a long shot, but on a really hot day sometimes I wear the full suit with only shorts under it.

>Doe the Ultrabreeze have a two-way zipper in the front? (I like to see that for my menfolk.)

Yes.

> Would you say that this suit wears well without the solid knee pads and other reinforcements?

Yes.

> (I'm guessing that the actual fabric is likely made in Pakistan, and it is possible that the suit is actually sewn in the US. I love the idea of totally breezy!!)

I can't say for sure, but if it's available made in the USA they probably did that.

>Now take a look at the FivestarBeekeeping site: https://fivestarbeekeeping.com/product/ultra-breeze-bee-suit-3-layer-bee-suit/ Does the model look a bit familiar? With the poor photo, it's hard to tell whether the suit is identical, except for the elastic loops at end of sleeves and pant legs.

I notice they ignore all the trademark laws.  Often these copycats literally steal the actual photos from the original product site.

>On Amazon, it appeared to me that the "totally breezy" suits, without knee pads and reinforcement, etc. were the less expensive suits. I may have to rethink this subject. Looking forward to hearing from you folks re the Ultra-breeze or "totally breezy" suits.  (That's not the one I chose at FiveStar ..) Your feedback has already been helpful. Thank you so much!!

Any fully ventilated suit is an improvement over one without the ventilation.  I've had very good luck with the Ultra Breeze and it's what I buy from time to time as gifts or to restock my supply for beecamp.

Also Ultra Breeze sells replacement hoods and even replacement zippers.  The hoods usually give out before the jacket and I have bought a few of them.  They zip right on.

[max2]

" It's easier to get on and off by a long shot, but on a really hot day sometimes I wear the full suit with only shorts under it."

Summer or winter I always only wear shorts under a full suit.

I find the full suit easy to put on as I can tuck the legs into boots.

Having a good relationship with the manufacturer allowed me to suggest some changes to suit our needs.

I can't remember being stung this current season while wearing the suit at all. Not saying i have not been stung but the occasions have been on the hands  or on the nose and lips when I did not bother putting a suit on for some quick job.

Having offeded bee keeping workshops for many years I have found that a suit ( or jacket) has lifted the game.
People feel protected and this is a confidence lifter.
The " Breeze" part of these suits does work best when there is a " breeze" to cool you off.

I think it is positive to buy as local as possible but the price difference can be too much for some.
I sell the suits for $ 90 US and give a pair of leather gloves for free.
The jackets are $ 60 with a pair of gloves.
Not a huge profit but plenty of happy beekeepers

[Michael Bush]

>The " Breeze" part of these suits does work best when there is a " breeze" to cool you off.

Very true.  Luckily (or unluckily) we almost always have a breeze in Nebraska.  Usually more breeze than we really want.  I thought the wind here was relentless until I moved to Laramie, WY.  Even more relentless and 10mph faster.  But it's true, if you live somewhere where it is really hot and dead calm, they don't help nearly as much.