Asian Hornet protective suit PRO

01 · WHAT IT IS FOR AND WHAT IT IS NOT

Nest intervention kit, not an apiary suit

An activated velutina nest is nothing like a bad-tempered hive: the attack is collective and sustained, workers hit the fabric hunting for gaps, sting repeatedly on the same spot and can project venom towards the face. A conventional bee suit is not built for that. This one is, and in exchange it is bulkier and hotter: it is the kit for fire brigades, pest control firms, councils and beekeepers who remove nests, not the overall you inspect hives in every week. Nor is it agricultural workwear: for brush cutting or tractor work it gets in the way, and a strimmer harness does not seat properly over it.

02 · HOW IT PROTECTS

A chamber between sting and skin, and not one gap

The protection comes not from a hard fabric but from distance: a double layer with 200 g/m² of polyester padding between shell and lining, creating a chamber between sting and skin. The manufacturer states protection against stings of up to 10 mm. The rest is leaving no gap: elastics at wrists, ankles and feet, gaiters with an elastic under the sole, a zip covered by a storm flap and a hood that closes onto itself. At the head, an EN 397 helmet and a polycarbonate EN 166 1B 3 visor — that is what stops venom splashes reaching the eyes. Hands take EN 388 gloves with a kevlar lining and elasticated sleeves, so no skin is left between glove and cuff. And padded protection at the nape up to the ears, where stings concentrate when you work bent over.

03 · THE SIZE

One above your usual, and mind the gloves

This is where most people get it wrong, and it is the padding rather than the cut: the wadding takes up room, so the size you wear in normal clothes ends up tight and hampers you. The maker sizes by rise — the distance from crotch to neck — not by height or weight, and recommends ordering one size up for freedom of movement. Measure yours and find your size:

A tight suit is more than uncomfortable: it pulls the fabric against the body and reduces the air gap, which is exactly what protects you. The gloves run small: if in doubt, go up a number.

04 · MAINTENANCE AND CHECKS

The face mesh is the part that ages first

The whole outfit is robust bar one point: the plastic face mesh — 2 × 2 mm, teflon-coated — is the most delicate part and the first to degrade with use and sun. Check it before every intervention by pressing it between your fingers: if the material gives or frays, do not go out in it. The same goes for the hood zip, nylon and fine.

That is why the maker treats the hood differently from the rest of the kit. The hood must not be folded or crushed — a crease marks the mesh and throws the visor out of true — and it is always washed by hand, with a damp cloth and mild soap: a washing machine breaks the mesh. The suit itself can go in the machine. Store it all on a hanger, somewhere dry and out of direct sun.

BEFORE YOU INTERVENE — READ THIS

The suit does not replace good practice. Distance, planning, a clear escape route, working at dawn or dusk, the right tools and sprays and, wherever possible, a companion. And one warning that admits no nuance: if you are allergic to hymenoptera venom, the decision to approach a nest cannot be made by a product page. Talk to your doctor, carry your emergency treatment and do not go alone. No equipment guarantees zero stings.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

It is a complete outfit: overall, hood, helmet with visor, gloves and gaiters. It carries a spray holder on the leg and another on the back with elastics for a second aerosol when the nest is large or high, plus a quick-release belt to spread the weight. The beige colour has a functional reason: it cuts contrast against the surroundings on approach and withdrawal. It weighs about 4 kg.