What gloves will thorns not go through? Puncture levels, hides and cuffs for brush, roses and landscaping
No glove is puncture-proof, and the rating that comes closest to the thorn question is the ANSI/ISEA 105 puncture level. The standard has two puncture tests. The industrial test uses a blunt 4.5 mm probe (the EN 388 stylus) pushed through the palm and rates the force in five levels: 1 at 10 newtons, 2 at 20, 3 at 60, 4 at 100 and 5 at 150. The hypodermic needle test, ASTM F2878, uses a 25-gauge needle and rates 1 at 2 newtons up to 5 at 10 newtons; a thorn is closer to a needle than to the blunt probe, so a glove that stops the probe at level 5 can still be pierced by a fine thorn at a fraction of the force, and most work gloves print the probe result only. Leather is the trade’s answer because the hide itself resists a point: Radians describes goatskin as the strongest and most durable hide with excellent abrasion resistance, cowhide as durable and more heat resistant but stiff when wet, and grain leather as the choice for longevity over split. The Radians gloves on this site that print a puncture level of 4 or 5 are the KAMORI goatskin cut gloves and several AXIS and DEWALT coated styles; the leather palm gloves with a gauntlet cuff cover the wrist, which is where brush catches. The product page’s ANSI Puncture Level line is the figure; where a page prints none, Radians has not published one for that style.
Radians KAMORI RWG86 Cut Resistant Gloves, ANSI A6, ANSI 138 Level 2, GoatskinGoatskin cut glove with the ANSI puncture level Radians prints (Radians data)Why the puncture number does not settle it. The ANSI/ISEA 105 puncture test was written for nails, wire and sheet metal edges: a blunt steel probe 4.5 millimeters across is driven through a sample and the force recorded, with level 5 at 150 newtons, about 34 pounds. A rose thorn or a blackberry cane tip is a fraction of a millimeter across and concentrates a few newtons on a point, which is the geometry of the needle test, ASTM F2878, where level 5 is only 10 newtons. Few work gloves are tested to F2878 and none in the Radians line print it, so the thorn question has to be answered from the probe level, the hide and the construction. A level 4 or 5 palm resists the heavy stuff; a goatskin or grain cowhide palm turns a point better than a knit; a gauntlet or safety cuff keeps canes off the wrist; and a double palm or reinforced thumb crotch, which Radians prints on several styles, puts two layers where the hand grips the cane. The hazard assessment is the employer’s under 1910.138, and the standing statement on this page applies: the figures below are the manufacturer’s, reproduced as published.
The two puncture tests and the hides
From ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 and the Radians hand protection knowledge base.
The Radians and DEWALT gloves with a printed puncture level 4 or 5
From the product pages on radians.com, fetched Nov 8 2026:
- Puncture 5: DEWALT DPG855 and DPG855T A4 foam nitrile gloves, Radians Radwear Silver Series RWG531, RWG603R A5 impact glove, RWG604 A4 winter impact glove, AXIS RWG560 A4 polyurethane glove.
- Puncture 4: Radians KAMORI RWG86 and RWG88 A6 goatskin cut gloves, KAMORI RWG52 A5 and RWG50 A5 goatskin, KAMORI RWG58 A6 goatskin drivers with Kevlar lining, KAMORI RWG56 A6 impact glove, AXIS RWG555, RWG557 and RWG564 A4 gloves.
- Goatskin without a cut level: RWG4710, RWG4720, RWG4722, RWG4740 and RWG4742 drivers (economy, standard and premium grade), RWG3700 goatskin leather palm with rubberized safety cuff, DEWALT DPG250 goatskin palm.
- Gauntlet leather palms: RWG3200G, RWG3103G and RWG3300G shoulder split cowhide with a gauntlet cuff.
Questions people ask
What gloves will thorns not go through?
None is puncture-proof. The closest rating is the ANSI/ISEA 105 puncture level, 1 to 5 with a blunt probe (level 5 at 150 newtons); a thorn is nearer the needle test, ASTM F2878, which no Radians glove prints. The trade uses leather, goatskin and grain cowhide in particular, with a cuff over the wrist.
What is the difference between the puncture test and the needle test?
The ANSI/ISEA 105 probe is a 4.5 mm blunt stylus; levels run 10 to 150 newtons. The ASTM F2878 needle is 25 gauge; levels run 2 to 10 newtons. A glove rated on the probe can be pierced by a fine point at much less force.
Are goatskin gloves thorn proof?
No glove is. Radians describes goatskin as its strongest and most durable hide; the KAMORI goatskin cut gloves print a puncture level of 4 on the probe test.
What is a level 4 glove?
On the ANSI/ISEA 105 puncture scale, a glove that withstood at least 100 newtons from the blunt probe. The same number on the cut scale (A4) or the EN 388 code means something different; read the line it sits on.
What cuff is right for brush clearing?
The product page prints the cuff: slip-on, shirred elastic, safety cuff or gauntlet. A gauntlet covers the forearm. Which is right for the work is the employer’s hazard assessment under 1910.138.
Do rose gloves exist as a rating?
No standard rates gloves for roses or thorns. The ratings are the ANSI/ISEA 105 puncture levels and the F2878 needle levels described above.
Which Radians glove has the highest puncture rating?
Level 5 is the top of the ANSI/ISEA 105 scale; the DEWALT DPG855, Radians RWG531, RWG603R, RWG604 and AXIS RWG560 print it.
The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.