Glove Size Calculator

How to measure your hand for gloves

You need a soft tape measure. A strip of paper and a ruler work too.

1. Use your dominant hand. It's usually slightly larger.
2. Hold your hand flat, fingers together, thumb out to the side.
3. Wrap the tape around the widest part of your palm, across the knuckles, not including the thumb.
4. Read the measurement in inches or centimetres, snug but not squeezing.
5. Optional: measure hand length from the crease at the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger.

Circumference sets the size. Length tells you whether you need longer fingers. If your hand is long for its width, look for brands that list finger length or offer long-finger fits. Our guide on how to measure for gloves has a diagram.

Glove size chart

This is the chart the calculator uses, matching our glove size chart:

Children's gloves are usually sold by age: roughly 5 to 5½ inches for ages 4 to 6, 5½ to 6 for 7 to 9, and 6 to 6½ for 10 to 12. Brands differ, so check their chart.

Numeric glove sizes

Traditional glove makers size in half-inch steps that match hand circumference: 6, 6½, 7, 7½, 8, 8½, 9, 9½, 10 and so on. Women's sizes usually run 6 to 8½ and men's 8 to 11. A few European makers use the same numbers; others use their own letter or number scales. The numeric size is often the most precise way to buy leather gloves, since leather has little stretch.

Glove sizes by type

For ski gloves specifically, see our ski glove size chart.

How a glove should fit

• Fingertips reach the ends of the glove fingers with a few millimetres to spare, not more.
• Palm fits without wrinkles, but you can make a fist comfortably.
• Webbing between the fingers sits at the base of your fingers, not halfway up.
• Wrist closes without gaping; for winter gloves, the cuff should seal out cold.

If you can't make a full fist, the glove is too small. If the fingertips are empty and floppy, the fingers are too long; try a brand with shorter fingers rather than a smaller size.

Between sizes?

• Leather gloves: if you're between sizes, size up for comfort, or choose a brand with a stretch panel or a lining you can remove.
• Winter and ski gloves: size up if you'll wear liners underneath.
• Work and sports gloves: size for grip. A glove that's too big can catch on tools or slip.

Men's vs women's gloves

Men's gloves are cut for broader palms and longer fingers. A woman with a large hand can often wear a men's Small, and a man with a small hand a women's Large. Compare circumference and length rather than the gender label. The calculator lets you check both: if your measurement is at the edge of one range, it suggests trying the other.

Gloves for children

Children's hands grow quickly. Measure every season, and leave a little room in winter gloves without letting the fingertips float. Mittens are easier for young children, since there are no fingers to line up.

Converting glove sizes

Our glove size conversion from US to EU covers European labels.

Worked examples

• A man whose hand measures 8¾ inches. That's in the men's Medium range (8½ to 9). His numeric size is 9 (8¾ rounded to the nearest half). For leather dress gloves he'd buy a 9; for knit gloves, a Medium.
• A woman whose hand measures exactly 7 inches. That's on the boundary between Small and Medium. The calculator suggests Medium, because a glove that's slightly roomy is more comfortable than one that pulls.
• A woman with an 8¼-inch hand. That's above the women's Large range. A men's Small (8 to 8½) is likely to fit better, so the calculator suggests checking the men's chart.
• Ski gloves with liners. A hand that measures 9 inches is a men's Large on the boundary; with liners, a Large or even XL avoids cold, cramped fingertips.

Glove leathers and how they fit

Unlined gloves fit closer than lined ones, and cashmere or silk linings take up some room, so a lined glove in your exact size can feel snug.

Measuring a child's hand

Measure the same way as for adults: around the palm at the knuckles, excluding the thumb. Children's hands grow quickly, so recheck each winter. Mittens are easier for young children to put on, and they're warmer, because the fingers share warmth.

Looking after gloves

Store leather gloves flat, not balled up, and let wet gloves dry naturally away from radiators, which shrink and harden leather. A leather conditioner keeps them supple. Knit gloves usually wash well on a gentle cycle; check the label.

Measuring without a tape measure

No soft tape? Wrap a strip of paper or a piece of string around your hand at the knuckles, excluding the thumb, mark where it meets, then lay it flat against a ruler. Paper is more accurate than string, which stretches. You can also trace around your hand on paper with the fingers together and measure the width of the palm at the knuckles: double it and add a little for thickness to get a rough circumference. It's an estimate, so use it to choose between two sizes rather than to buy a precise leather glove.

Sports gloves: what's different

• Golf gloves are usually worn on the lead hand only and fit very snugly for grip. Many brands size by hand length and width rather than circumference, and offer "cadet" sizes for shorter fingers.
• Cycling gloves fit close, with padding on the palm; if you're between sizes, size down for grip unless you wear them for long rides in heat.
• Gym and lifting gloves fit snugly at the palm; loose material bunches under the bar.
• Goalkeeper gloves are often sized by hand length and age, and many keepers prefer a slightly roomy fit for catching.

Check each maker's chart: sports gloves are where brand sizing varies most.

If you sell gloves online

Gloves come back when shoppers guess from their clothing size. On your product pages:

• Explain how to measure hand circumference, with a picture.
• Show circumference and hand length for each size.
• Say whether the glove has stretch or a lining, and how it fits.
• For leather gloves, show the numeric size as well as the letter.

Our size guide for glove brands has more, and Tailor Size Guide can put a glove chart on every product page.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and standards

1. Traditional glove sizingNumeric glove sizes step in half inches and match hand circumference around the knuckles, excluding the thumb.
2. Tailor Size Guide glove size chartThe circumference and hand-length ranges the calculator uses.