I have both an Ultrabreeze suit and and jacket.  I got the suit back when Bill was still alive and more or less made them to order.  Then, as I got older and braver (or stupider...or both), I went with just a jacket.  These days I only wear it, when I am doing a lot of manipulations, not for basic opening, feeding, etc.  Full suit is reserved for the rare occasion, when I get a really mean hive and decide to go queen-hunting, which hasn't happened in several years (just jinxed myself).

The jacket is great in hot weather, since it lets every breeze through.  Basically, its a triple layer of open mesh material that keeps bees from stinging due to the thickness of the combined layers, not the tightness of the weave.  Have never been stung through it, but a nasty hive did get me good one time (12+ stings on head and neck) when I didn't zipper it up correctly, and they figured out a way in.  But that was a stupid human trick and not a fault of the suit.  Be advised, it is not a cheap suit, but it will last a lifetime.  If you deal with nasty bees a lot, the full jump suit is like wearing armor.  Shorts and a t-shirt under it work just fine, maybe gaters at the ankles, if you go bootless.  Like Peter, the only thing I add is a sweatband.  Okay, and goatskin (or surgical) gloves, when the bees are p*ssy.  Call me a coward, but once they start to swarm on my hands, I find it really hard to concentrate on the job at hand and work smoothly.

http://ultrabreezesuits.com/suit/order_2011.htm

Bill

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