Forest Beekeeping Suit
Top PickWhat We Like
- 100% cotton with reinforced seams
- YKK brass zippers
- Fencing veil and goatskin gloves included
- Thumb straps keep sleeves sealed
Worth Noting
- Warm for hot-weather work
- Veil
- Fencing veil
- Fabric
- 100% cotton
- Gloves
- Goatskin included
- Zippers
- YKK brass
Read the full review
The first thing we noticed about the Forest suit is how much it feels like workwear rather than a costume. The 100% cotton is pre-shrunk, sanforized, and mercerized, which gives it a smooth, substantial hand, and the fencing veil holds its shape away from your face. We zipped it up with gloves on and found the YKK brass pulls easy to grab, a small detail that matters when you are standing in a cloud of bees.
The coverage is the reason this is our top pick. The reinforced seams, elastic cuffs and waistband, thumb straps, and 12-inch leg openings give you a suit you can seal at the wrists and ankles without fighting it. The goatskin gloves are a useful inclusion, though we wished they ran a little larger; if you have broad hands, try the gloves before you commit. The cut is generous through the body, which leaves room for a hoodie or a light jacket underneath.
That cotton has a trade-off. It is warm, and we noticed it on hot afternoons; this is not the suit we reach for when the forecast is brutal. In exchange, the fabric feels tough enough for brush, hive tools, and the occasional thorn. The thumb straps are the detail we kept using: they hold the sleeves down when you reach into a hive, so you are not tugging at your cuffs with a frame in your hand.
Bottom line: We recommend the Forest suit for beekeepers who want a substantial cotton layer, a clear fencing veil, and hardware that feels made to last.