🐝 How to Attach the Fencing-Style Veil or Round Hood to Your Beekeeping Suit (Without the Frustration)

Getting your beekeeping gear ready shouldn’t feel like solving a puzzle—especially when the bees are buzzing and you’re eager to suit up. If you’ve picked up the Apis Tactical Pro Fencing-Style Veil, you’re already a step ahead.

The Fencing-Style veil  and round hood was designed with real beekeepers in mind. Whether you're working one hive or one hundred, its modular design gives you the flexibility to swap veils between suits. The three-layer breathable mesh keeps you cool and protected. No fogged-up view. No gaps. Just smart protection that fits.

Still, even great gear can have a learning curve. Zipping the veil and Round Hood to your suit or jacket, …especially the first time, can be a bit tricky. That’s why we’ve included this simple walkthrough (plus a video!) to help make setup quick and frustration-free. Please take a moment to read through this because it is possible to mess it up.

📦 What You’ll Need

• Your Apis Tactical Beekeeping Suit
• The Fencing-Style Veil or the Round Hood 
• A flat surface like a clean table or workbench

🧵 Step-by-Step: How to Attach the Veil and Round Hood

1. 1. Lay It Flat
      Start by laying your suit flat on a surface. This small step makes lining up the zippers much easier. Seriously, attach the veil to your suit/jacket on a table top, especially the first time you do it.
   2. Remove the extra zipper half
      You’ll see that there’s a zipper already zipped to the veil—this is for beekeepers who want to sew the veil onto a different suit. If you’re using it with an Apis Tactical suit, you can simply remove it. Pay attention to this zipper when you remove it. Note how it’s zipped. You can even use it to practice zipping, which will come in handy in a minute…
   3. Start Zipping (Left Side First)
      Begin attaching the zipper from the left side. Align the ends evenly. Apply light pressure and listen for a small click—that means you’re aligned correctly.

   ***IMPORTANT: If you get this zipper started incorrectly and force it, you will cause the zipper to potentially skip the first tooth. It will zip up, but you’ll never get it off without destroying the zipper. Watch the video first, and don’t force the zipper. It will zip easily once you do it correctly a time or two.

   4. Zip All the Way Around
      Hold the section just before the zipper—not the loose ends—and pull it all the way around. It should glide smoothly if aligned properly.
   5. Pull Back the Two Zipper Pulls
      In order to put the suit/jacket on, you will need to now pull back the two zipper pulls (ends) so that they are just past the shoulder on either side. Now the veil will flip back out of the way so you can put on the suit/jacket.
   6. That’s It!
      If it doesn’t feel right or the click doesn’t happen, start over. We are making this sound way more complicated than it really is. You will see that once you do it correctly a time or two, you’ll be able to attach easily without even thinking about it.
   If you get stuck or it doesn’t work, just contact us and we will help.

🎥 Watch the Video Tutorial

Watch how to set up your veil the right way the first time:

🤔 Don’t Have One Yet?

If you’re still using a basic hood or struggling with poor visibility, it might be time to upgrade. Both the  Apis Tactical Pro Fencing-Style Veil and the Round Hood Veil are trusted by both hobbyists and pros alike—and designed to make your work safer and easier.

🧰 Already Own It?

Awesome. Keep it in good shape—and avoid replacing it unless absolutely necessary. If you're having any trouble with setup or fit, our Customer Success Team is happy to help. Just reach out and we’ll walk you through it or get you what you need.