Vented Suit with Round Veil

01 · THE THREE LAYERS

What the latex one does

The fabric is three layers: polyester outside, polyester inside and, between them, a latex layer. Its job is purely geometric — keeping the sting away from the skin. No garment removes the risk of a sting; what you buy in a ventilated suit is distance, and that middle layer is what holds it.

With mesh venting over the whole body, the suit stops being what decides when you knock off in July.

02 · THE ROUND VEIL

When it beats a fencing one

The round veil is a circular net held out by a hoop. Its advantage is that it stands off the face on every side at once: it does not rest on the nose or the ears — the weak point of a fencing veil — and it lets air move all round the head, which makes it the coolest of the three families.

In exchange it takes up room: it catches on a branch sooner and gets in the way more when you lean over a hive. In close scrub, a rigid close-fitting veil will give you less trouble; if heat is the problem, the round one wins.

03 · CLOSURES AND REINFORCEMENT

Where a bee gets in and where a suit gives out

It has zips at the ankles so boots go on without a fight, adjustable elastic at feet and hands, and a flap covering the zip at the join with the veil — the opening bees find when the zip is left half closed.

And reinforcement at the knees, which is where a working suit opens up first: the knee is what goes on the ground every time you check a floor.

04 · THE SIZE

Height and build, both

This suit does come with the maker's guide, and it uses both variables: height gives the length and build decides whether you step up one. It is below, in the technical data, and it is made from S to XXXL.

The rule, in short: within the same height band, a slim build takes the size shown and a larger build goes up one. If your two measurements do not agree, write to us before ordering.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

A mid-range ventilated suit, with a round veil: