Glove Size Chart: Measure Your Hand and Find Your Size
For anyone buying dress, winter, work, driving or sports gloves without trying them on. Two measurements, around the palm and down the hand, give you a size that works across most brands.
A numeric glove size is your hand circumference in inches, measured around the palm below the knuckles without the thumb. Size 8 (M) fits an 8 in (203 mm) hand with a 7.2 in (182 mm) length; size 9 (L) fits 9 in (229 mm). Europe's EN ISO 21420 standard defines sizes 6 to 11 this way.
- Size 7 (S)
- 7 in / 178 mm
- Size 8 (M)
- 8 in / 203 mm
- Size 9 (L)
- 9 in / 229 mm
- Size 10 (XL)
- 10 in / 254 mm
On this page
Glove size chart
The table follows EN ISO 21420, the European standard for protective gloves, which most work, ski and sports glove makers also use for general sizing. The numeric size is the hand circumference in inches, and the letter sizes are the usual equivalents.
| Size | Letter | Hand circumference | Hand length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | XS | 6 in (152 mm) | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
| 7 | S | 7 in (178 mm) | 6.7 in (171 mm) |
| 8 | M | 8 in (203 mm) | 7.2 in (182 mm) |
| 9 | L | 9 in (229 mm) | 7.6 in (192 mm) |
| 10 | XL | 10 in (254 mm) | 8.0 in (204 mm) |
| 11 | XXL | 11 in (279 mm) | 8.5 in (215 mm) |
The values are the hand measurements a size is designed for, not the glove's own dimensions. A size 8 glove fits a hand that measures 203 mm around; the glove is cut slightly larger. Half sizes (7.5, 8.5) sit midway, about 13 mm apart in circumference.
Older charts based on EN 420, the standard EN ISO 21420 replaced, also list a minimum glove length for each size, from 220 mm for size 6 to 270 mm for size 11. The current standard leaves length requirements to task-specific standards such as those for welding gloves, so check the product sheet if cuff length matters.
How to measure your hand
- Circumference. Wrap a soft tape around the widest part of your dominant hand, across the palm just below the knuckles, with the fingers together and the thumb left out. Keep the hand flat and relaxed.
- Length. Measure from the crease where the palm meets the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.
- Find both in the chart. If both land on the same size, that is your size. If not, see the next section.
No tape measure? Wrap a strip of paper around the hand, mark the overlap and measure the strip flat with a ruler. A sheet of US Letter paper is 11 in long and A4 is 297 mm, which is enough for any adult hand.
For numeric sizes you do not need the chart at all: an 8.5 in hand is size 8.5. In centimeters, divide by 2.54. A 21.5 cm hand is 8.46 in, so size 8.5.
When circumference and length disagree
Many hands are long and narrow, or short and broad. Which measurement wins depends on the glove.
- Leather dress and driving gloves: go by circumference. Leather stretches across the palm with wear, but fingers that are too long stay baggy, so if length suggests the smaller size, take it.
- Work gloves and knit gloves: go by the larger of the two measurements. Fingertips pressed against the end of a work glove wear through quickly and reduce grip.
- Ski and insulated gloves: go by length, and leave about 1/4 in (6 mm) of space at the fingertips. A layer of trapped air is what keeps fingers warm; a glove that is tight at the tips will feel cold.
- Sports gloves (golf, cycling, goalkeeper): follow the maker's chart. Golf gloves in particular use their own cadet sizes for short, wide hands.
Men's, women's and children's ranges
The number means the same circumference for everyone. What differs is the range each brand cuts and how letter sizes map onto numbers.
| Group | Usual numeric range | Typical letter mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 6 to 8.5 | XS 6, S 6.5, M 7, L 7.5, XL 8 |
| Men | 7.5 to 11 | S 7.5–8, M 8.5–9, L 9.5–10, XL 10.5–11 |
| Unisex work gloves | 6 to 11 (some to 12) | XS 6, S 7, M 8, L 9, XL 10, XXL 11 |
| Children | By age or 3 to 6 | Labeled by age band, e.g. 4–6 or 8–10 years |
These mappings are common but not universal; one brand's men's M is another's L. When letter sizes are all you get, look for the brand's circumference figures. Children's gloves have no shared numeric system, so measure the child's hand and compare it with the maker's chart, or use the age label and allow room for a season's growth.
Fit by glove type
| Glove | Target fit | If between sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Leather dress gloves | Snug across the palm; fingers reach the ends | Smaller (leather stretches about half a size) |
| Driving gloves | Second-skin fit, no fold of material in the palm | Smaller |
| Winter knit and fleece | Close but not tight | Either; knit stretches |
| Ski and snow | About 1/4 in space at fingertips; cuff overlaps jacket | Larger |
| Mittens | Room to curl fingers into a fist | Larger |
| Work and safety | Full finger reach, no pressure at the webbing | Larger, or larger with liners |
| Disposable nitrile and latex | Tight enough not to wrinkle at the fingertips | Smaller for dexterity, larger for long wear |
| Touchscreen gloves | Conductive pads must reach the fingertip pad | Smaller |
Medical examination gloves follow their own dimensional standard (EN 455-2) and are often sold as XS to XL by palm width, so they do not map exactly onto the chart above.
Common sizing mistakes
- Making a fist while measuring. It spreads the knuckles and adds up to half a size.
- Including the thumb. Circumference is taken across the palm only; wrapping the thumb in adds several centimeters, enough to jump one or two sizes.
- Buying winter gloves to the exact size. Gloves with thick insulation lose inside volume, and many brands already allow for it, but some do not. Read the maker's note on whether to size up.
- Ignoring the cuff. Ski gloves worn under a jacket cuff need a short cuff; gauntlets worn over it need a long one. Measure your wrist and forearm if the glove lists cuff circumference.
Hand measurements also help with other fitted accessories: the ring size guide uses finger circumference, and the watch size guide uses wrist circumference. For complete winter kit, see the hat size chart, the scarf size guide and the coat size guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which hand do I measure for gloves?
Your dominant hand. It is usually slightly larger, often by a few millimeters, and a glove that is tight on your writing hand will feel worse than one that is slightly loose on the other.
What glove size is a size 12?
Size 12 continues the one-inch steps beyond the EN ISO 21420 table: a hand circumference of about 12 in (305 mm). Not every maker produces it, and some label it 3XL.
What size work gloves are small, medium and large?
Most work-glove makers follow EN ISO 21420: small is size 7 (178 mm around the hand), medium is 8 (203 mm), large is 9 (229 mm) and XL is 10 (254 mm). Size up one if you wear liner gloves underneath.
How should driving gloves fit?
Closer than winter gloves. Leather driving gloves should be snug across the palm with no loose fabric at the fingertips, because they stretch about half a size with wear. If you are between sizes, choose the smaller one.
Are women's glove sizes different from men's?
The numbers mean the same circumference, but women's ranges start lower, usually 6 to 8, and women's letter sizes are shifted down: a women's M is commonly size 7 to 7.5, while a men's M is size 8 to 8.5.
How do I measure glove size in cm?
Measure around the palm in centimeters and divide by 2.54 to get the size number. A 20.3 cm hand is size 8; 22.9 cm is size 9. Hand length, from wrist crease to fingertip, is the second check.