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An 8.5-inch hand (21.6 cm) takes size M. Wrap a tape around your knuckles on your dominant hand, excluding the thumb, and enter the measurement to find your glove size from XS to XXL.
Glove sizing is simpler than it looks: one measurement around the knuckles puts you in one of six sizes, XS to XXL. Measure your dominant hand, leave the thumb out of the tape, and this lookup does the rest — in inches and centimetres.
| Glove size | Hand circumference (in) | Hand circumference (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 6–7 in | 15.2–17.8 cm |
| S | 7–8 in | 17.8–20.3 cm |
| M | 8–9 in | 20.3–22.9 cm |
| L | 9–10 in | 22.9–25.4 cm |
| XL | 10–11 in | 25.4–27.9 cm |
| XXL | 11–12 in | 27.9–30.5 cm |
The pattern is one inch per size: XS covers 6 to 7 inches, S covers 7 to 8, M covers 8 to 9, L covers 9 to 10, XL covers 10 to 11, and XXL covers 11 to 12 — and the centimetre figures follow by multiplying by 2.54, so the M band of 8 to 9 inches is 20.3 to 22.9 cm. A measurement that lands exactly on a boundary takes the larger size: a hand measuring exactly 9 inches is an L, not an M, because each band starts at its lower number. That is why the default hand of 8.5 inches (21.6 cm) sits squarely in M, a 7.5-inch hand (19.1 cm) is an S, a 9.5-inch hand (24.1 cm) is an L, and an 11.5-inch hand (29.2 cm) is an XXL. Hands under 6 inches are smaller than XS and hands over 12 inches are larger than XXL, so both ends of the range need a brand that offers extended sizing.
Wrap a flexible tape around the widest part of your hand, across the knuckles, with your fingers together and your thumb held out of the tape — the thumb adds bulk that no glove size counts, and including it pushes most people a full size too large. Measure your dominant hand, because it is usually slightly bigger, and measure in the evening: hands swell a little over the day, so a morning measurement can come out smaller than the hand the glove has to fit at night. Then allow a little ease for winter gloves: a snug work glove and a thick insulated glove are not the same fit, and a winter glove bought exactly to your knuckle measurement will feel tight once a liner or cold fingers are inside. If you sit between sizes, the usual advice is to size up for warmth and down for grip — a mechanic reaching for small parts wants the tighter fit, a skier wants the room.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Centimetres | Inches × 2.54 | 8.5 × 2.54 = 21.6 cm at the default. |
| Glove size | Band the measurement falls in | 8.5 in falls in the 8–9 in band, size M. |
| Boundary rule | Bands start at their lower number | Exactly 9 in is L, not M. |
| Smaller than XS | Under 6 in | Below the XS range; look for extended sizing. |
| Larger than XXL | Over 12 in | Above the XXL range; look for extended sizing. |
These are standard glove size bands, the ranges most brands cut to, but brands vary: one maker's M can run a quarter inch larger or smaller than another's, and stretchy materials forgive a snug measurement while stiff leather does not. Hand length matters too for some glove types — long fingers can need a size up even when the knuckle measurement says otherwise — and this lookup uses circumference only, which is the standard glove-sizing measurement. Treat the result as the size to try first, then check the brand's own chart for the glove in your hands, especially for winter, safety, and sports gloves.
Bright Side Kit. "Glove Size Chart: Hand Measurement and Size Lookup" https://brightoolbox.com/glove-size-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Wrap a flexible tape around your knuckles on your dominant hand, with your fingers together and your thumb out of the tape. That circumference in inches is your glove measurement.
Size M: 8.5 inches (21.6 cm) falls in the M band of 8 to 9 inches (20.3 to 22.9 cm).
Size S: 7.5 inches (19.1 cm) falls in the S band of 7 to 8 inches (17.8 to 20.3 cm).
Size L: 9.5 inches (24.1 cm) falls in the L band of 9 to 10 inches (22.9 to 25.4 cm).
Size XXL: 11.5 inches (29.2 cm) falls in the XXL band of 11 to 12 inches (27.9 to 30.5 cm).
No. Measure around the knuckles only, excluding the thumb; including it adds bulk no glove size counts and usually pushes you a full size too large.
Size up for warmth (winter gloves need a little ease) and down for grip (work gloves for small parts). Measure in the evening, when hands are slightly larger, before deciding.
Yes, by about a quarter inch either way, and stiff leather forgives less than stretchy material. Use this chart as the size to try first, then check the brand's own chart.