Extended Cuff Nitrile Gloves: This might seem odd to non-beekeepers, but hear me out. The inside of a bee hive is a sticky and sometimes hazardous place. Beekeepers are often faced with the decision to either wear traditional lambskin gloves to keep their hands protected, or to work bare-handed. The downside to traditional beekeeping gloves is that, while they offer a lot of protection, they rob you of the ability to make fine manipulations in the hive—imagine dipping mittens in a bucket of glue and then playing Jenga. Bare hands, alternatively, give you a great deal of fidelity in the hive. That is, until your fingers are coated in honey and propolis. Bare hands are also nice targets for angry bees trying to protect their home, so there’s that to consider too. A few years ago, I heard commercial beekeeper and researcher Randy Oliver recommend nitrile gloves as a compromise between heavy lambskin and bare hands. These gloves, in my experience, have been invaluable during hive inspections. If they get too sticky, I can just slide on a new glove. And I’ve only been stung one time through these gloves in three years of wearing them, all while maintaining a superior tactile experience in my hives. $23 for a pack of 100 with Amazon Prime free shipping.

Top Pick, $50-$100