Leather beekeeping gloves

01 · PROTECTION

It cuts stings down a lot, but it is not sting proof

The full grain cowhide stops the sting over most of the hand, and the canvas cuff covers the forearm and overlaps the suit sleeve, which is where the ones that really hurt get in. That said, let us be clear: at thin spots and along the fingertip seams a determined bee does get through. Anyone wanting to feel nothing at all needs a thicker glove, and will lose feel in exchange. Pull out any stings left in the leather between inspections: the alarm scent stays in it.

02 · FEEL AND LIFE

Just enough to lift a frame and still sense it

The leather is thin and supple, and you notice it gripping frames or handling cages — against a stiff glove the difference is obvious. But the fingertip seam has some bulk, and really fine work still asks for nitrile. On how long they last, opinions vary: some get two seasons out of them running fifty hives, others open a seam early. This is a budget glove: plan on replacing it every season or two, not on ten years.

03 · SIZING

It runs uneven: if in doubt, take a size up

It is the most repeated complaint and it belongs before the purchase, not after: the sizing is not consistent. Some find it tight — above all at the cuff, where getting the hand through is a fight — and others find the same size roomy. Two rules get it right nearly always: between two sizes, take the larger; and if you plan to wear a thin cotton glove underneath — as many do for hornet control — go a size up straight away.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

You get the pair of gloves, nothing else. Clean the leather with a damp cloth and dry it in the shade: in the sun it goes stiff and cracks sooner.