Practical measurement and conversion reference
Glove sizing is based on hand circumference measured around the knuckles. Sizes range from XS (6.5 inches) to XXL (11+ inches). This chart covers standard unisex glove sizing used by most brands for winter, work, cycling, and fashion gloves.
Standard reference
Hand circumference and length (unisex reference)
| Size | Hand Circ (in) | Hand Circ (cm) | Hand Length (in) | Hand Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 6-6.5 | 15-16.5 | 6.5 | 16.5 |
| S | 6.5-7 | 16.5-18 | 6.75 | 17 |
| M | 7.5-8 | 19-20 | 7.25 | 18.5 |
| L | 8.5-9 | 21.5-23 | 7.75 | 19.5 |
| XL | 9.5-10 | 24-25.5 | 8.25 | 21 |
| 2XL | 10.5-11 | 26.5-28 | 8.5 | 21.5 |
This is a general glove reference. Use the brand's chart for technical or sport-specific gloves.
Decision workflow
Start with a measurement, not the size printed in an older item. The steps below turn a chart row into a checkable purchase decision.
Measure the dominant hand around the palm below the knuckles, excluding the thumb, then measure from wrist crease to longest fingertip.
Use palm circumference for the initial size and hand length as a confirmation. A glove that is long enough but tight across the palm will restrict dexterity.
Account for insulation, lining and intended activity. Technical gloves may need room for a liner, while leather may change with wear.
Follow these steps before buying online to get the most accurate size. Measure twice, order once.
Use a flexible fabric tape measure or a strip of paper and a ruler. Wrap it around your dominant hand at the widest point across your knuckles, just below the base of your fingers, and excluding your thumb. Keep the tape snug against the skin.
Read the measurement in inches. This number is your glove size. For example, 7 inches = size 7 (S/M for women), 8 inches = size 8 (M for men), 9 inches = size 9 (L for men). If you're using paper, mark the overlap and measure the length flat.
Also measure your hand length: from the base of your palm (at your wrist crease) to the tip of your middle finger. This matters for leather gloves and formal styles, gloves that are too short in the fingers look and feel awkward even if the width is right.
Women's and men's glove sizes are not interchangeable. Women's hands are proportionally narrower. A women's M is typically 7–7.5 inches; a men's M is 8.5–9 inches. Always check whether the brand's chart is gender-specific.
For insulated winter gloves and mittens, use your measurement as-is. For leather dress gloves, size down 0.25–0.5 inches. Leather stretches and molds to your hand with wear. For work gloves and safety gloves, always use your exact measurement. A loose work glove reduces grip and can be hazardous.
Touchscreen-compatible gloves should fit snugly on all fingers for reliable screen sensitivity. If the fingertip fabric is loose, the capacitive material won't make proper contact with the screen.
Measurements vary by brand. Always check the brand's specific size chart before purchasing — or use the free generator below to build a custom chart for your store.
Glove sizing rests on hand circumference: the distance around the knuckles of your dominant hand at their widest point, taken with the thumb excluded. Hold your hand flat and relaxed, wrap a flexible tape around the base of the fingers just below the knuckles, and pull it snug against the skin without squeezing. For most numeric glove charts, that reading in inches is your size: a hand that measures 8 inches around the knuckles wears a size 8.
Measure your dominant hand, because it is usually the larger of the two and a glove must fit both. If you have no fabric tape, a strip of paper works the same way: wrap it, mark the overlap, and measure the strip flat. Record the reading in both inches and centimetres. Some charts print only one unit, and the two systems are not interchangeable by eye.
American and many European numeric glove sizes share the same numbering, in which the size roughly equals the hand circumference in inches: a size 8 covers about 8 to 9 inches, a size 9 about 9 to 10, and so on. The systems part ways at the unit. Some continental makers print their sizes from the centimetre value directly, so a glove marked 20 is the same glove another maker calls an 8, because 8 inches is about 20.3 cm. Before converting anything, check the unit the seller’s chart uses and whether the “size” is a number or a letter.
Letter scales (XS through XXL) map onto these numbers differently from brand to brand. As a rough anchor, a women’s small sits near 6.5, a women’s medium near 7, a men’s medium around 8 to 8.5, and a men’s large around 9. Because those borders move, the letter is only a starting point; the circumference column decides.
The same hand can legitimately take different sizes in different gloves, because materials behave differently. Leather dress gloves stretch and mould to the hand with wear, so they are usually bought to fit close from day one, a leather glove that feels slightly firm will settle, while one that is roomy at the start will only loosen. Winter and insulated gloves are the opposite case: the insulation and lining take up interior space and do not stretch, so choose the size your measurement suggests rather than sizing down, and allow for a liner glove if you intend to wear one.
Work gloves sit between the two. A glove that is too large costs you grip on tools and materials, which is a safety issue rather than a comfort one; a glove that is too small fatigues the hand within an hour. Use your exact measurement and test a full fist before committing. Disposable gloves follow their own tighter grading, so a person who wears a medium in leather may prefer a large in thin nitrile. Treat them as a separate chart.
Circumference alone cannot describe a hand with unusually long fingers or a short, broad palm. If the seller provides a hand-length column, measure from the crease at the base of the palm, where the wrist meets the hand, to the tip of your middle finger. This second number catches the mismatch where the palm fits but the glove fingers end short, which feels clumsy and looks wrong even though the size is technically correct.
When circumference and length point to different sizes, prioritise circumference and choose a style known for longer fingers.
Try the glove on before judging it. With the glove fastened, your fingertips should reach the ends of the glove fingers without bunching fabric, and the cuff should cover the wrist fully, and for outdoor gloves sit over the jacket sleeve rather than under it. Close your hand into a fist: if the fabric pulls hard across the knuckles, the glove is too small; if you can pinch a fold of material across the palm, it is too large.
Men’s and women’s gloves are cut on different proportions, not just different labels. A women’s medium typically covers about 7 to 7.5 inches, while a men’s medium covers about 8.5 to 9; the women’s pattern is also narrower through the palm and shorter through the fingers at the same circumference. When a brand publishes separate men’s and women’s charts, use the one that matches the cut you want, regardless of the letter. Unisex charts span the whole range in a single column, which is convenient but assumes one hand shape, so the fit test above matters more there.
Say your knuckles measure 7.5 inches. The unisex chart puts that at the bottom of a medium, and a fleece-lined winter glove will fit that way straight off; go up a size only if you plan to wear a liner underneath. The same hand buying unlined leather dress gloves takes a 7 or a 7.25, because leather settles and stretches with wear, so the glove that feels slightly firm on day one is the one that fits by week three.
Touchscreen gloves are the one style where spare room is genuinely wasted, since a loose fingertip breaks the conductive contact and the feature quietly stops working; keep them snug on every finger. If the seller’s returns policy is strict, buy one pair first and run the fist test before committing to a second.
Hand measurements and glove size labels vary by brand, so confirm the seller’s chart for the exact glove before buying.
Building a chart for your own store? Create a reusable chart with the free generator.
Common questions about gloves size chart, hand measurement guide for all types answered by our sizing experts.
Wrap a flexible tape measure around your dominant hand at the widest part of your knuckles (just below the fingers, excluding the thumb). The measurement in inches is your glove size. For example, 8 inches = size M for most brands.
No. Women's gloves run smaller, a women's M is typically 7–7.5 inches, while a men's M is 8.5–9 inches. Some brands use unisex sizing (XS–XXL) with a single measurement chart, while others publish separate men's and women's charts.
For leather and dress gloves, size down, leather stretches with wear. For knit, fleece, or insulated winter gloves, size up for comfort and warmth. For work gloves, size up for dexterity.
Roughly, but not exactly. Disposable nitrile and latex gloves use the same S–XXL letter scale, but they're designed to fit more tightly. If you're a regular M, you might prefer an L in disposable gloves.
Gloves should cover your full wrist, with fingertips reaching to the end of each glove finger without bunching. You should be able to make a fist comfortably. If the material pulls tight across the knuckles, go up a size.
