How to Measure Your Hand for Gloves

To measure for gloves, wrap a soft tape around your dominant hand just below the knuckles, leave your thumb out, and read the number in inches. That one hand circumference is the only number our store's glove chart asks for. Hand length is a second check that some guides ask for.

This tutorial is part of our glove measurement guide. It covers both measurements, the mistakes that throw sizes off, and what to do with your number.

Key takeaways- Measure your dominant hand, around the palm just below the knuckles, thumb out.- Write the result in inches and centimeters; 1 in = 2.54 cm.- Guides disagree on where the tape goes, so stick to one method and use the chart of the brand you are buying.- A letter size from one brand may not match another: an 8 in hand is men's S on our store chart but M under EN ISO 21420.

What you need

How to measure hand circumference, step by step

Step 1: Pick your dominant hand

Use your right hand if you are right-handed and your left if you are left-handed. If you only measure once, this is the hand to measure.

Step 2: Place the tape just below the knuckles

Rest the tape across your palm where your fingers join it, below the knuckles, and keep your thumb outside the loop. One EN ISO 21420 guide describes the loop as running from the crease at the base of the thumb around the base of the little finger. Keep your fingers together and your hand open and relaxed.

Step 3: Wrap and read the tape

Pull the tape around until it lies flat against the skin without digging in, then read the number where the end meets the tape. Take the reading twice. If the two numbers differ, measure a third time and use the number that comes up twice.

Step 4: Write it down in inches and centimeters

Our store chart lists inches and centimeters side by side, with centimeters equal to inches times 2.54. One inch is exactly 25.4 mm (2.54 cm). So a 9 in hand is 22.86 cm (9 in × 2.54).

If you want a second view of hand size, our palm width measuring tutorial explains the ruler-across-the-knuckles method.

How to measure hand length (optional)

Step 5: Measure from fingertip to wrist crease

Lay your hand flat on the table, palm up, fingers together. Measure in a straight line from the tip of your middle finger to the large crease where your wrist meets your hand. Some guides end the measurement at the base of the palm instead.

Do you need this number? It depends on the chart. Our store's glove chart uses hand circumference only, with no length column. Its men's leather gloves page still asks for hand length as a second number. Write it down anyway, because a standard size may not fit every hand shape, such as a wide hand with short fingers. For what length changes, see how hand length affects glove size.

No tape measure? Use string and a ruler

Wrap a piece of string around your hand at the same spot as Step 2, pinch it where it overlaps, then lay it flat against a ruler and read it. Non-stretch string works best, because a stretchy cord reads short.

Why guides disagree on where the tape goes

The ranking guides do not all put the tape in the same place, and neither do our store's own pages. Here is what each source says:

On most hands, the widest part and the line just below the knuckles are close together, but measuring over the knuckles can give a slightly larger number. We use the store diagram's position, just below the knuckles with the thumb out, because it matches the picture on the chart you will compare against. Whichever method you pick, use the same one every time.

Turn your number into a size

Compare your number with the chart of the brand you are buying, not a general chart. Letter sizes don't travel between brands. An 8 in (20.32 cm) hand is men's S or women's XL on our store chart. Under EN ISO 21420, the same hand (203 mm) is size 8, letter M.

Fit can also vary by glove model. If your number falls between two sizes, store pages and glove makers give different advice. Our guide to finding your glove size walks through those choices, and the leather glove size chart lists every size side by side.

Once you have your size, compare it with the chart on Leather Collection men's leather gloves, where each pair is made to order in the size you choose.

Common measuring mistakes

Printable measuring card

Print the card, follow the five steps, and fill in both numbers before you open a size chart.

FAQ

Which hand should I measure for gloves?

Measure your dominant hand: the right if you are right-handed, the left if you are left-handed.

How can I measure my hand for gloves without a tape measure?

Wrap a string around your palm just below the knuckles, mark where it meets, and read it against a ruler.

What size gloves for an 8 inch hand?

It depends on the chart. An 8 in hand is men's S or women's XL on our store chart, but size 8 (M) under EN ISO 21420. Our size-choosing guide, linked above, covers how to pick between them.