Glove Size Chart

How do you find the right glove size?

Published June 22, 2026 · Last updated July 27, 2026

Short answer: Measure the circumference of your dominant hand around the knuckles (excluding the thumb) in inches — that number is your numeric glove size. A 9-inch hand is a size 9, which equals a Large. The international sizing standard EN 420 maps numeric sizes 6 through 11 to XS through XXL, and that single measurement is the fastest way to read any glove size chart and avoid a loose, snag-prone or painfully tight fit. The glove size calculator does the conversion for you.

Glove fit is a safety variable, not a comfort preference. The international standard EN ISO 21420 (general requirements for protective gloves, supersedes EN 420) defines the sizing system most manufacturers print on the box, and OSHA's general PPE rule, 29 CFR 1910.138, requires employers to select hand protection that fits the task and the worker. This glove size chart guide is written for procurement teams ordering by the case, safety managers standardizing a glove program, and field workers who just need to know whether they are a Medium or a Large. We cover the measurement method, the numeric-to-letter conversion, the chart itself, and a worked sizing example across the gloves we cover.

Why this matters.
A glove that is one size too large reduces grip and dexterity and can be pulled into rotating equipment; a glove that is one size too small fatigues the hand, splits at the seams, and tempts workers to remove it. OSHA cites 1910.138 for hand-protection selection, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently reports that the majority of workers treated for hand injuries were not wearing gloves or were wearing the wrong glove for the job. Correct sizing is the cheapest controllable factor in that equation.

What the glove size number actually measures

Almost every protective glove sold in North America and Europe carries a numeric size from 6 to 11. That number is the hand circumference in inches measured around the palm at the widest point, just below the knuckles, with the thumb excluded. A worker whose hand measures 9 inches around is a numeric size 9, which the same manufacturer also labels Large. Disposable gloves (nitrile, latex, vinyl) usually skip the numbers and use S/M/L/XL only, but they map to the same underlying hand measurement.

Numeric size vs letter size

The numeric system (6-11) is more precise because it is tied directly to a measurement, while the letter system (XS-XXL) groups two adjacent measurements into one label. When a glove is offered only in letters, size up if your measurement falls on the boundary and you need finger room for liners, or size down if you need maximum dexterity for fine assembly.

The glove size chart (numeric, letter, and hand measurement)

This is the consolidated glove size chart based on EN 420. Measure your hand first (Part 3), then read across:

Values follow EN 420; individual manufacturers vary by roughly half a size, so always confirm against the brand's own chart on coated and cut-resistant ranges such as our Cut-Resistant Gloves and Impact-Resistant Gloves lines, where liners add bulk.

How to measure your hand for glove size

You need a soft tape measure or a strip of string and a ruler. Measure your dominant hand, because it is usually slightly larger.

1. Measure circumference. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your palm, just below the knuckles, leaving the thumb out. Make a relaxed fist. Read the measurement in inches — that is your numeric glove size.
2. Measure length. Measure from the tip of your middle finger to the base of your palm (the crease at the wrist). Use this to break ties when your circumference lands between two sizes.
3. Round to the nearest whole number. A reading of 9 inches is a size 9 / Large. A reading of 9.5 inches rounds to the larger size for coated or lined gloves and the smaller size for thin disposables.
4. Cross-check against the chart. Match your circumference to the glove size chart in Part 2 to confirm the letter equivalent.
5. Adjust for the task. Add a size for cold-weather liners or chemical over-gloves; hold the size for fine-dexterity assembly work.

Disposable gloves size differently from coated gloves

Single-use exam and industrial gloves stretch, so their sizing runs in letters and is more forgiving than coated work gloves. A box labeled Large in our Nitrile Gloves, Latex Gloves, or Vinyl Gloves ranges fits roughly a numeric 9-10, but because the film conforms to the hand you rarely need the half-size precision a leather or cut-resistant glove demands. For a full breakdown of disposable film options, see our nitrile vs latex vs vinyl gloves reference and the nitrile gloves complete buyer's guide.

Coated and cut-resistant gloves run truer to the numeric size

Coated, cut-resistant, and chemical gloves use the numeric system because seam placement and liner gauge matter. When you order across our Chemical-Resistant Gloves, Heat-Resistant Gloves, and Material-Handling Gloves ranges, treat the numeric size as authoritative and the letter as a convenience label.

Worked example: sizing a glove order across the catalog

Suppose a crew lead measures a 10-inch hand circumference. That is a numeric size 10, or XL. Here is how that translates into real SKUs we cover:

1. Disposable nitrile. Order XL in the Gloveworks Blue Nitrile Industrial Gloves or the SAS Safety Raven Nitrile Gloves — the film stretches, so XL covers the 10-11 numeric band.
2. Thick latex. For heavier disposable work, the SAS Safety 6604 Thickster Latex Gloves in X-Large matches a size 10 hand; size down to the 6603 Large or 6602 Medium for smaller crew members.
3. Cut-resistant. Coated cut gloves are sold by exact size — order the MCR Safety 92785NF CutPro A5 in X-Large for the size-10 hand and the matching 92785NF in X-Small for the smallest hands on the crew. Confirm the cut level against our ANSI/ISEA 105 cut-level guide.
4. General-purpose coated. The Ergodyne ProFlex 7025 PU-coated work gloves are ordered in the same numeric size you measured.
5. Standardize the order. Build the case order around the measured distribution of the crew, not a single default size, and keep one box up and one box down on the shelf.

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: WC Safety participates in the Amazon Associates Program and earns commissions on qualifying purchases made through the button below.

Shop disposable nitrile gloves on Amazon

Size is a rating precondition, not a comfort preference

Every glove rating on this site — ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels, EN 388 marks, chemical breakthrough times — was earned by a glove that fits. Oversized gloves snag, fold, and get caught; undersized gloves fatigue the hand until they come off. Either way the rating stops describing what is actually on the worker. Measure per the chart above before comparing ratings, and re-measure when switching brands: sizing runs differ.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I re-measure for glove size?

Hand size is stable in adults, so a single accurate measurement lasts for years. Re-measure only when switching glove categories (for example from thin nitrile to lined leather) where fit behaves differently.

Does glove size affect the safety rating?

Directly: ratings are tested on properly fitted gloves, and a wrong size defeats them in the field — loose material snags into pinch points and tight gloves come off mid-task. Measure the dominant hand per the chart, and treat brand-to-brand size drift as real; the marking only protects at the fit it was tested at.

Further reading on this site

• Nitrile gloves complete buyer's guide — thickness, grip, and exam vs industrial grades.
• Nitrile vs latex vs vinyl gloves — which disposable film to choose and why.
• Chemical-resistant glove guide — material selection and breakthrough time.
• ANSI/ISEA 105 cut-level guide — A1 through A9 explained.
• Cut-resistant gloves — full lineup by protection level.
• Nitrile gloves — disposable industrial and exam grades.
• Trade gloves — general-purpose work gloves by application.

Related reference

Closely related on this site: nitrile glove thickness mil guide, nitrile vs latex vs vinyl gloves, what are nitrile gloves, and what is osha 29 cfr 1910.138? general industry hand protection explained.

Why trust WC Safety

WC Safety is an independent, affiliate-supported review site. It is not a retailer: it holds no inventory, takes no orders, and earns only from qualifying purchases through clearly marked links — which never changes what a product is rated to do. Standards language is taken from the regulation text directly, and ratings are reported as the manufacturer publishes them. We run no laboratory and perform no testing of our own. Where published sources disagree, we say so and plan on the conservative figure rather than the flattering one.

Our methodology

Figures come from the regulation and the published specification, in that order. Derated numbers are calculated, not estimated. Nothing here is presented as a measured result, because we measure nothing.

Researched and written by Steven Eaton, editor of WC Safety. Steven holds no safety certification and does not test products; this page compares what manufacturers and regulators publish, with the gaps in that record marked. Last reviewed August 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions