Glove Fit and Break-In
How Should Leather Gloves Fit?
Leather gloves should fit close from day one: fingertips at the ends, seams at your finger base, a fist without pinching. Six checks plus fit by glove type.
Leather gloves should fit close from the first wear. They should be snug across the palm and knuckles, your fingertips should touch the ends, and the seams between the fingers should sit at the base of your fingers. You should also be able to make a fist without pinching. Leather may give a little across the palm, but glove makers don't describe it growing in finger length. So don't keep a pair that is long in the fingers or loose to begin with.
Part of our guide to glove fit and break-in.
The six-point fit check
Put both gloves on and work through these six checks at home. Riding gloves get a second check on the bike.
Getting them on is a check too: if the gloves are hard to pull on or limit how you move your hand, they are too small.
| Check | Good fit | Too small | Too big |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fingertips | Reach the ends without being cramped | Pressure at the tips when you grip | Spare material at the tips |
| 2. Finger base | Glove seams meet the base of your fingers | Seams don't reach the base of your fingers: size up | Spare material at the fingertips: size down |
| 3. Palm | Lies close and flat | The glove palm does not cover your palm | Loose leather you can pinch up |
| 4. Knuckles | Bend your fingers back a little: a small crease forms | Tight across the knuckles when you move your fingers | No crease forms |
| 5. Fist | Closes with no pinch points | Pinches when you make a fist | Leather bunches in the palm |
| 6. Wrist | Closure or cuff holds the glove without digging in | Closure cuts into the skin | Glove slips when you move your hand |
How the fit changes by glove type
| Glove type | Fit target |
|---|---|
| Unlined or thin-lined dress gloves | Close from the start; Hestra says a too-large size ends up loose as the glove stretches, and offers half sizes |
| Lined or winter gloves | Close but not tight; Hestra notes a small air gap insulates and a tight glove can feel cold; one maker says go up a size for winter gloves |
| Driving gloves | Snug, close-fitting, no excess in the fingers |
| Riding gloves | Snug for feel on grips and levers; check on the bike with how motorcycle gloves should fit |
| Thick leathers such as elkskin | One maker suggests sizing up to avoid pinch points in a fist |
Will the fit change as you wear them?
A little. The store and Dents both describe a slightly snug fit at first as normal, because leather softens over the first wears. The store's racing-glove guide adds a limit: a glove that is loose in the shop stays loose. How much stretch to expect, and from which leathers, is covered in do leather gloves stretch?.
When no size fits right
A standard size may not fit perfectly because hands differ, for example a wide hand with short fingers. Fit also varies between models, so check each maker's chart. Some makers offer slim, regular and casual cuts or a shorter-finger range.
If your fingers are short for your palm, see glove sizes for men, women and short fingers. For cuff and finger length, read how to choose the right glove length.
Leather gloves to size against
[PRODUCT BLOCK: 3-4 men's leather dress and driving gloves, lined and unlined, size range shown]
Pairs in Leather Collection men's leather gloves are made to order in the size you choose, so run your measurements first. Use the six checks when they arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Should I size up or down for gloves?
Sources disagree. Dents and Café Leather say round down, because leather stretches. The Leather Collection glove FAQ says take the larger size. Work through it in between two glove sizes.
Is glove size 7.5 medium or large?
It depends on the chart. On the Leather Collection chart, a 7.5 in (19.05 cm) hand is a men's XS but a women's L. On Dents' men's chart, 7.5 in is S. Check the leather glove size chart for the full columns.
The Motorcycle Gloves Editorial Team
The Motorcycle Gloves articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.