Best Beekeeping Gloves

Best Beekeeping Gloves

Gloves can often get in the way of the work of a beekeeper, but protecting your hands is one of the most important things you can do when you are dealing with aggressive bees! Finding a pair of beekeeping gloves that do not impact your dexterity too much can be very difficult!

When you find the right pair for you, you’ll feel like you’ve found gold! We’ve compiled a list of the best beekeeping gloves on the market to help you with your predicament! Let’s dive in!

Top 10 Beekeeping Gloves

Today, we’ll be looking at a list of the best beekeeping gloves on the market! Read on to find out all about the best gloves out there!

OUR TOP PICK

Beekeeping Gloves Premium Goatskin Leather Beekeeper's Glove with White Vent Long Canvas Sleeve and Elastic Cuffs Ventilated and Cuff Protected Bee Gloves Large

These gloves are made by SWBEE. This is a recognizable brand that has received great customer reviews. This product is made from goatskin leather which is a material that offers the perfect compromise between protection and comfort.

They are great gloves that are not heavy-duty, but they still provide a good level of protection. These gloves also have a ventilated wrist area, allowing for comfort when you are wearing them. They have an elasticated seal that is located far up the forearm to ensure that there is no exposed skin.

These gloves are very durable so they will last a long time. They are also very affordable. SWBEE offers a 100% money-back guarantee with this product, meaning that if you are not satisfied you can return the gloves.

These gloves are perfect for beginners as they will protect you from the sting while still allowing you to be as productive as possible.

Pros

  • Comfortable 
  • Money-back guarantee
  • Good for beginners

Cons

  • Won’t last forever

EDITORS CHOICE

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These gloves are definitely worth a try. They have come highly recommended and they are 100% sting proof, giving you the peace of mind to enjoy beekeeping without the fear of being stung. These gloves come with great dexterity, giving you the chance to use various tools effectively.

They are comfortable to wear and they are fitted with elastic cuffs to create a perfect and comfortable fit. The gloves are made using quality material, so they are very long-lasting. The goatskin leather that it is made from is top-quality, giving the product a very long-lasting life span.

These gloves are not only great for use as beekeeping gloves, they are also fantastic when used as camping gloves or heat-resistant gloves. The gloves are unisex, so they can be used by both men and women. Overall this is a fantastic product that has received excellent customer reviews!

Pros

  • Long-lasting
  • Unisex
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Material is quite thin

BEST VALUE

NATURAL APIARY - Goatskin - Beekeeping Gloves - Ventilated Sleeves - Sting Proof Cuffs - Extra Long Extra Long Twill Elasticated Gauntlets - Medium

These gloves are perfect if you are looking for exceptional sting protection! They are thick enough to provide a lot more protection than some of the other gloves on this list while still remaining dexterous. The Goatskin material used on these gloves provides you with dexterity, allowing you to work comfortably and effectively.

They also provide a good fit as they come in many different sizes. You will want to choose a size that is a snug fit as this will make it much easier to work your hives. These gloves also provide arm and sleeve protection. The arms are strongly elasticated so that they will remain in place as you work.

These gloves are perfect for working in the summer because they are not too hot, and they have ventilated sleeves so you won’t get sweaty hands while you are working. This is very important in hot weather.

Pros

  • Come in lots of different sizes
  • Snug fit

Cons

  • They will not last forever

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Kinglake makes very durable products, and these gloves are no exception! These gloves are made of durable leather and durable cotton canvas. They are very comfortable to wear, especially if you choose the right size for your hands so that you get a snug fit.

These gloves stand out from the rest of the products on this list because of the variation of materials that they provide. The hands of the glove are made from tough goatskin material, whereas the sleeves are made from cotton-canvas material.

This provides some extra comfort while still fitting well and preventing bees from sneaking in. These gloves work very well when they are worn with a bee suit. There are some problems with the sizes of these gloves as they tend to be quite oversized.

It is a good idea to buy one size down from the one you would usually need.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Great materials

Cons

  • Sizes come up big

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These VIVO goatskin gloves are of very high quality. They will help to make beekeeping much easier and more efficient. These gloves are made from great materials.

The hands are made from goatskin leather for flawless protection, and the sleeves of these gloves are made from cotton and are soft and comfortable. These gloves are resilient and durable due to their construction and they provide total arm coverage.

These gloves come in lots of different sizes, with the medium-sized gloves being around 8 inches in length with an 11-inch sleeve. The circumference of the palm is around 9 inches. They stand out from others on this list because of their appearance.

They are an off-white color that blends effortlessly with other beekeeping equipment.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Great appearance

Cons

  • Fairly expensive compared to some other gloves on the list

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These beekeeper gloves are perfect for professionals. They are made from heavy-duty canvas sleeves and the hands of the gloves are made from goatskin leather. This combination provides excellent protection from bee stings. These gloves have a perfect fit and the full-length sleeves are tailored.

The sleeves have elastic cuffs to ensure that they stay in place. They are designed to fit both men and women and the sizing is fairly standard. Another great thing about buying these gloves is that Humble Bee supports lots of not-for-profit organizations.

The organizations that they support encourage local beekeeping activities and support the conservation of bees.

Pros

  • Standard sizing
  • Great protection against bee stings

Cons

  • Quite tight on the sleeve

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These gloves are considered to be heavy-duty, however, they are not made from cow leather, so they are not as heavy-duty as you might think. They are still made from goatskin leather, but they have several different features which contribute to their durability.

These gloves have an extra layer of fabric on some parts of the glove where the hand requires extra protection. These are on the palm, thumb, and wrist! The downside to these gloves is that it is easier for the bee to sting you on the parts of the glove that don’t have a double layer.

Only some parts of the glove are heavy-duty, while the rest of the glove is the same as the others on the list.

Pros

  • Great sting prevention
  • Great fit

Cons

  • Only heavy duty in some areas

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These gloves are made from sheepskin, which is even lighter than goatskin. This means that these gloves are not very heavy-duty. They are not the best gloves for impenetrable protection, but they are good for dexterity!

They are some of the most comfortable gloves on the market, making sure that you can do the work you need to do easily. These gloves are great at aerating your hands, stopping them from getting hot and sweaty in the summer. This may not be too important to you, but it is a great feature!

They have ventilation patches on the wrists to allow for extra aeration. Sometimes this product comes up too big, so it is a good idea to order one size down from your usual size. This product is very high quality and they will stay in place while you work.

The extended sleeves ensure that you have maximum protection for your forearms, ensuring they don’t slip.

Pros

  • Breathable design

Cons

  • Sometimes the stitching becomes frayed

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These gloves are great value for money. They are another pair of gloves that are a mix of goatskin and canvas. These gloves offer long-term durability, alongside maximum protection and fantastic comfort. The durability of these gloves comes from the double-stitched linings and tailored fit of the gloves.

On top of the durability, these gloves are also very lightweight. This means that they are comfortable to wear and easy to use. They are well-ventilated, meaning your hands won’t overheat or get too sweaty in the summer months.

They are also a very snug fit. These gloves stand out from the rest because of their durability and affordability.

Pros

  • Affordable 
  • Great value for money

Cons

  • The sizes run large, you should go for a size smaller than you usually would

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The final pair of beekeeping gloves on this list is a pair that is made from cow leather! These gloves are long and thick, and they are very heavy-duty. As they are made from cow leather, you have much less chance of getting stung through the material.

These gloves are very comfortable. They come in a multitude of different sizes to ensure that you can get a size that fits you. Your gloves will need to be a snug fit, so you will want to find a pair that fits well.

This is important because it will make it much easier to work with your hives, decreasing clumsiness and the risk of being stung. These Apiary gloves also come with arm and sleeve protection. The extended sleeves extend past the elbow, and they are elasticated to ensure that they stay in place.

They will protect both your hands and arms from being stung. These gloves also have extra ventilation to ensure that your hands don’t get too hot when you are working. This is very important when it comes to cow leather gloves as heavy gloves can make your hands very warm.

Pros

  • Arm and sleeve protection
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Less dexterity with cow leather gloves

Best Beekeeping Gloves Buying Guide

There are lots of things to look out for when you are purchasing bee-keeping gloves.

Material 

The main material that is used on beekeeping gloves is leather. There is a large range of different leather products for you to choose from, and these need to be considered carefully when you are purchasing this product. The two leather that you will find the gloves are made from are cow leather and goat leather.

Cow leather will provide you with more protection against the sting, but it will provide less dexterity. Goat leather is better for dexterity but it is usually thinner. Most of the products on this list are made from goatskin leather. This is because maintaining dexterity is very important when it comes to beekeeping.

Disposable Gloves

Some beekeepers find that leather gloves can be difficult to keep clean and prefer a pair of nitrile disposable gloves. These gloves are thinner than both types of leather gloves, so your hands are not as well protected. However, you will find that there is increased dexterity with these gloves.

The bees are also tricked by this material as they are tricked into thinking that the material is not worth stinging. These gloves can be washed a few times but will not last very long. If you’re looking for gloves that last a long time, these won’t be right for you.

Comfort

Comfort is a very important feature of beekeeping gloves. It is important to make sure that the gloves are easy to wear and do not rub your hands. You want them to have good ventilation to prevent your hands from getting hot and sweaty while you are working.

Lots of the gloves are elasticated to ensure a good fit and you want to make sure that this is not too loose or too tight on your arm. The gloves must protect your hands from bee stings while allowing you to do the work that you need to do with the gloves on.

Dexterity

Dexterity is very important when it comes to beekeeping gloves. You want the gloves to provide you with excellent protection while also ensuring that they allow you to do everything you need to do with your hands. Beekeeping can be fiddly work and you want to be able to carry out the tasks as if you aren’t wearing gloves.

Cost

The cost of the gloves is very important. You need to make sure that the gloves are within your price range. While it is important not to buy gloves that are too cheap, and may not last very long, you will also need to buy gloves within your budget.

Durability 

The company you are purchasing your gloves from must be known for making good quality products. If the gloves are made well, then they are likely to last a long time. It is important to find a pair of gloves that don’t break easily and can put up with a lot of use as you are likely going to be wearing these gloves regularly.

Final Thoughts 

You should now have all the information you need to choose the best beekeeping gloves for you! We have explored lots of different beekeeping gloves to help you choose the ones that suit (see also: Best Beekeeping Suits)your needs best. So, go out and purchase your gloves today so that you can turn your attention back to tending to your bees!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Material Are Beekeeping Gloves Usually Made From?

Most beekeeping gloves are made from leather. They are either made from goatskin leather or cow leather. This material is used because it is thick, protective, and durable. Sometimes, these gloves have some cotton in them, too.

Can You Get Disposable Beekeeping Gloves?

Disposable beekeeping gloves are available to buy. They are made from nitrile, and they are much thinner than the beekeeping gloves on this list. While these gloves are thinner, there is increased dexterity with these gloves, so they come with lots of benefits.

These gloves can be washed a few times but they will not last for very long and they will need to be thrown away after a few wears.

Why Do You Need Beekeeping Gloves?

It is important to use beekeeping gloves because you do not want to end up with lots of bee stings on your hands.

Thomas Callaghan
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