Glove Size Chart: How to Measure Your Hand for Gloves
Measure around your palm at its widest point, just below the knuckles, leaving the thumb out. That number in inches is close to your glove size: about 7 inches is a size 7 or Small, 8 inches a size 8 or Medium, 9 inches a Large and 10 inches an Extra Large. The European standard EN ISO 21420 sets the same scale in millimeters, from size 6 at 152 mm to size 11 at 279 mm, and pairs each size with a hand length.
Find your glove size
Wrap a soft tape measure around the widest part of your palm, just below the knuckles, with the thumb left out. Enter the measurement and the finder gives the nearest standard size.
Glove size chart
Standard sizes with hand circumference and hand length. Inches are converted from the standard's millimeters.
| Size | Letter | Hand circumference, in | Hand circumference, mm | Hand length, mm | Stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | XXS | 5.0 | 127 | under 160 | |
| 6 | XS | 6.0 | 152 | 160 | |
| 7 | S | 7.0 | 178 | 171 | Nitrile · Vinyl · Work |
| 8 | M | 8.0 | 203 | 182 | Nitrile · Vinyl · Work |
| 9 | L | 9.0 | 229 | 192 | Nitrile · Vinyl · Work |
| 10 | XL | 10.0 | 254 | 204 | Nitrile · Vinyl · Work |
| 11 | XXL | 11.0 | 279 | 215 | |
| 12 | 3XL | 12.0 | 304 | over 215 |
Makers draw the lines between sizes differently. Some charts end each size at its number, so a 7 1/2 to 8 inch hand is a Medium; others start each size at its number, so 8 to 9 inches is a Medium. The finder rounds to the nearest size. If you fall between two, check the chart for the glove you are buying.
How to measure your hand
- Circumference: wrap a soft tape around the widest part of the palm, just below the knuckles, with the thumb outside the tape.
- Length: measure from the crease where the wrist meets the hand to the tip of the middle finger.
- Match both numbers to the chart.
Disposable glove sizes
Disposable exam gloves are sized by palm width, the width of the glove measured flat across the palm. The US standards for nitrile exam gloves, ASTM D6319, and latex exam gloves, ASTM D3578, set these widths:
| Size | Nitrile palm width | Latex palm width | Nitrile minimum length |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 70 ± 10 | 70 ± 10 | 220 |
| S | 80 ± 10 | 80 ± 10 | 220 |
| M | 95 ± 10 | 95 ± 10 | 230 |
| L | 110 ± 10 | 111 ± 10 | 230 |
| XL | 120 ± 10 | 120 ± 10 | 230 |
The same standards set a minimum thickness at the palm and fingers: 0.05 mm for nitrile exam gloves and 0.08 mm for latex. One mil is 0.0254 mm, so those minimums are about 2 and 3 mil. Packrift's nitrile gloves are 4 to 6 mil and its vinyl gloves 3 and 5 mil.
Nitrile, vinyl or latex?
- Nitrile is synthetic rubber made without natural rubber latex. It is sold for exam, food and industrial work.
- Vinyl gloves are made from PVC and cost less per case than nitrile.
- Latex is natural rubber. Some people are allergic to proteins in natural rubber latex, with reactions that range from skin rash to severe anaphylaxis.
- Powdered gloves: the FDA banned powdered surgeon's gloves and powdered patient examination gloves from January 18, 2017. Gloves for food handling are not medical devices.
Gloves by the case
- Nitrile: Small, Medium, Large and XL 4 mil blue gloves, 100 per case, plus 6 mil and black styles in the nitrile gloves collection.
- Vinyl: Small, Medium, Large and XL 3 mil clear powder-free gloves; more in the latex and vinyl gloves collection.
- Work gloves: knit, coated, cotton inspection and leather in Small to XL in the work gloves collection.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my glove size?
Measure around the widest part of your palm, below the knuckles and without the thumb. The inches are close to your size: 7 is Small, 8 Medium, 9 Large and 10 Extra Large.
What size glove is a medium?
Size 8, for a hand about 8 inches, or 203 mm, around the palm, with a hand length of about 182 mm.
What does glove size 9 mean?
Size 9 is a Large: a hand about 9 inches, or 229 mm, around the palm.
How do you measure hand length for gloves?
From the crease where the wrist meets the hand to the tip of the middle finger.
What if I am between glove sizes?
Makers differ, so check the chart for the glove you are buying. Some charts end each size at its number and others start it there.
How thick are nitrile gloves?
The US standard for nitrile exam gloves requires at least 0.05 mm, about 2 mil, at the palm and fingers. Packrift's nitrile gloves are 4 to 6 mil.
Are powdered gloves banned?
The FDA banned powdered surgeon's and patient examination gloves from January 18, 2017. Food handling gloves are not medical devices.
Related tools and charts
Hand sizes from the EN ISO 21420 table as reproduced by glove makers; letter sizes as Ansell, MCR Safety and others map them. Exam glove widths and thickness from ASTM D6319 and D3578 as cited in FDA premarket filings. Latex allergy from NIOSH and the FDA; powder ban from 81 FR 91722. Checked October 27, 2026.