How to measure your hand for glove size
Wrap a tape measure around your dominant hand at the widest part of the palm, just below the knuckles and not including the thumb. The number of inches is your glove size: 8 inches is a size 8 (medium), 9 inches a size 9 (large), 10 inches a size 10 (extra large). If you are between sizes, measure the length of your hand from the wrist crease to the tip of the middle finger and use the manufacturer’s chart.
MCR Safety CutPro 92724Sold by the pair in a full size run; the sizing in this guide appliesWhy does glove fit matter? A glove that is too big bunches in the palm, catches on tools and gets pulled off; a glove that is too small tires the hand and splits at the seams. For cut-resistant and chemical gloves the stakes are higher: a loose cut glove shifts so the protection is not where the blade lands, and a chemical glove stretched tight thins the barrier. Most workers who say a glove “doesn’t work” are wearing the wrong size.
How do you measure a hand for gloves?
Two measurements, both on the dominant hand, which is usually a little larger.
Glove size chart: hand measurement to size
| Glove size | Hand circumference | Hand length (EN 420) | Common letter size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 in (152 mm) | 6.3 in (160 mm) | XS |
| 7 | 7 in (178 mm) | 6.7 in (171 mm) | S |
| 8 | 8 in (203 mm) | 7.2 in (182 mm) | M |
| 9 | 9 in (229 mm) | 7.6 in (192 mm) | L |
| 10 | 10 in (254 mm) | 8.0 in (204 mm) | XL |
| 11 | 11 in (279 mm) | 8.5 in (215 mm) | 2XL |
The numbered sizes and the hand measurements are from EN 420 Table 1. The letter sizes are the usual mapping, but letters are not standardized: one manufacturer’s large is another’s extra large. When a glove is sold by letter, use the number in the manufacturer’s own chart, which every product page here links to where the manufacturer publishes one.
EN 420:2003+A1:2009 Table 1; manufacturer size charts (PIP, MCR Safety, Ansell, Showa).
Why are letter sizes different between brands?
Because no standard fixes what “medium” means. The European standard fixes the hand that a numbered size fits; the ANSI/ISEA 105 standard for cut and abrasion ratings says nothing about size at all. So a size 9 is a size 9 everywhere, but a large might be a 9 at one maker and a 10 at another. Measure in inches and buy by the number when it is offered.
EN 420:2003+A1:2009 clause 6.1; ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 (no sizing clause).Does the glove type change the size you buy?
Sometimes. Thin coated and cut-resistant knit gloves stretch and are usually bought at your measured size. Leather and welding gloves do not stretch much and are often bought a half size up, especially with a liner. Chemical gloves should fit without being stretched, so a hand between sizes goes up. Disposable nitrile gloves run small on many brands; if you are a 9, try a large and an extra large. Winter gloves worn over a liner go up a size.
Manufacturer sizing notes (PIP, MCR Safety, Ansell); general trade practice.How should a work glove fit?
- Fingertips reach the end of the glove fingers with no more than a quarter inch of empty tip.
- The palm is snug with no bunching when you make a fist.
- The cuff reaches past the wrist bone; a gauntlet cuff covers the forearm for chemical or cut work.
- You can pick up a coin or a bolt. If you cannot, the glove is too big or too stiff for the task.
- No seam presses on a knuckle or the base of the thumb; that is where blisters start.
What about women’s and smaller hands?
Women’s sizing in work gloves usually means sizes 6 and 7 with a narrower palm and shorter fingers, not just a smaller version of a men’s glove. Many of the gloves below are offered from XS (size 6), and a few lines are cut on a women’s pattern; the product page says which.
Manufacturer size charts.Work gloves sold by size
24 items · prices liveEach glove below is sold in the size range shown, as published by the manufacturer. Pick the size from your measurement; the product page links the manufacturer’s chart where one exists. Free shipping on orders over $199.
Every glove we carry is on the work glove selector, filtered by cut level, coating and brand.
Questions people ask
How do I know my glove size?
Measure around your palm just below the knuckles, thumb excluded. The inches are your size: 8 is medium, 9 large, 10 extra large.
Do you include the thumb when measuring for gloves?
No. Keep the thumb outside the tape and measure the palm at the knuckles.
What size is a medium glove?
Usually a size 8, fitting a hand about 8 inches around, but letters vary by brand. Use the manufacturer’s chart when one is published.
Should work gloves be tight or loose?
Snug in the palm with the fingertips just reaching the end. Bunching means too big; strain across the back of the hand means too small.
Do nitrile disposable gloves run small?
Often. If you measure 9 inches, try both large and extra large in the brand you use.
How do I size welding gloves?
Welding gloves are stiff leather and usually bought a half size to a full size up, especially if worn with a liner.
Standards and ratings on this page are as published in the documents named and by the manufacturers named. The employer’s hazard assessment and written program decide what applies at a given workplace. Verify a rating on the product and its spec sheet before use.