Explained

Work Gloves, Explained

After reading, you'll understand every character in an EN 388 code, know whether an impact claim is graded or just a pass, and be able to pick a palm coating from the liquid on your hands.

Updated August 23, 2026 · Companion to our Tech & Gadgets review

In this guide

The 30-second version
The products
What actually matters
Specs in plain English
Green flags vs red flags
The brands
How to read a listing
How much to spend
FAQ

First-time buyers almost always shop a work glove on the cut level, which is the one number that usually does not matter for general work. The figures that decide whether you like a glove are abrasion, coating chemistry and gauge, and they are all printed on the cuff or the box in a code most people never learn to read. The other trap is the word impact, which can mean a graded American rating, an optional European pass, or nothing at all. This guide covers what each character means and which ones predict how the glove will feel.

The 30-second version

Abrasion is the number to read first, because it is the closest thing anyone publishes to how long the glove will last.
Nitrile is the oil coating, latex is the dry grip coating, and polyurethane is the thin, tactile one that is not a liquid barrier.
Gauge, not protection level, sets how a knit glove feels, because it is simply the number of knitting needles per inch of shell.
An impact claim without a level is weak, since ANSI/ISEA 138 grades 1 to 3 across knuckles and fingers while the EN 388 letter P is only a pass on the claimed area.
Touchscreen compatibility is untested by any standard, so treat it as a feature the maker validated in-house, and expect it to fade as the conductive yarn wears.

The products this guide is about

Our verdict on each, with the full reasoning on the companion review.

What actually matters

EN 388 abrasion level - the first digit of the code, and the best available proxy for glove life. Levels 1 to 4 correspond to 100, 500, 2,000 and 8,000 cycles on a Martindale rig, so the jump from 2 to 4 is enormous.
Coating chemistry - nitrile, polyurethane and natural rubber latex behave completely differently once a liquid is involved. Nitrile keeps its grip in petroleum, latex is the best dry grip but softens in oil, and polyurethane is the thinnest and most flexible.
Coating finish - flat, foam and sandy are three textures of the same chemistry and they are not interchangeable. Foam and sandy finishes exist to get liquid out from between your palm and the workpiece.
Coating coverage - palm coated, three-quarter dipped and fully coated are a comfort decision as much as a protection one. Palm coated breathes; fully coated keeps liquid out and makes your hands sweat.
Gauge - the number of knitting needles per inch in the shell, so a higher number means a finer, thinner, more dexterous glove. It is the single best predictor of whether you will keep the gloves on.
ANSI/ISEA 138 impact level - the American back of hand standard, graded 1 to 3 by mean transmitted force from a 5 joule drop across 18 impacts. Level 3 is the strongest because it lets the least force through.
EN 388 tear and puncture - the third and fourth digits, covering how easily an existing cut spreads and how much force a blunt stylus needs to push through. Both are useful for snagging and burst hazards and neither says anything about needles.

The specs, in plain English

EN 388 codeThe string of up to six characters next to the hammer pictogram, in the fixed order abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture, straight-blade cut, impact. An X in any position means that test was not done or not reported. For general purpose work the first, third and fourth characters are the ones that matter.

Martindale abrasion cyclesThe test behind the first EN 388 digit. A weighted head rubs a sample of the palm in an elliptical path over 180 grit paper until it holes, and the number of cycles sets the level: 100 for level 1, 500 for 2, 2,000 for 3 and 8,000 for 4. It is a lab proxy for wear, not a service life.

ANSI/ISEA 138The 2019 American standard for impact-resistant gloves. A striker delivering 5 joules is dropped on the back of the glove 18 times, 8 on the knuckles and 10 on the fingers and thumb, and the mean transmitted force determines Level 1 at 9 kN or less, Level 2 at 6.5 kN or less and Level 3 at 4 kN or less. The glove is rated at its worst point and the testing must be done by an accredited third-party lab.

The letter P in an EN 388 codeEN 388's optional impact test, run to the method in EN 13594. A 2.5 kg striker delivering 5 joules hits the protective area on a domed anvil, and the glove passes if the mean transmitted force is 7 kN or less with no single result above 9 kN. It is pass or fail, it applies only to the area the maker claims protection for, and there is no grading.

GaugeThe number of knitting needles per inch on the machine that made the shell. Lower numbers mean thicker yarn and a bulkier glove, higher numbers mean a finer, closer-fitting one. Common general purpose gauges are 13 and 15, with 18 and 21 used where you need to handle small parts.

Foam nitrileNitrile that has been aerated before it cures, so the surface is full of tiny open cells. Those cells act like the tread on a tyre and pull liquid away from the contact patch, which is why foam nitrile grips better than flat nitrile when things are damp or oily. It is also softer and more flexible than flat nitrile.

Sandy nitrileNitrile with a deliberately gritty surface texture, the roughest of the common nitrile finishes. Makers point at it for heavy oil and for wet work where a smooth coating would simply slide. The trade is that it is abrasive against soft materials and it can feel harsh on fine work.

EN ISO 21420The general requirements standard for protective gloves, which replaced EN 420 in 2020. It covers sizing, harmful substance limits, water vapour transmission and a dexterity grade based on the smallest steel pin you can pick up three times in 30 seconds. It says nothing about touchscreens.

TPR guardsThermoplastic rubber pieces moulded or welded onto the back of a glove over the knuckles and finger bones. They are what makes an impact glove an impact glove, and how far they extend down the fingers is exactly what ANSI/ISEA 138 tests and the EN 388 pass does not necessarily cover.

Green flags vs red flags

Green flags

A full EN 388 code printed on the product page, not just a cut level or a marketing phrase.
The knit gauge stated as a number, which almost always means the rest of the specification is honest too.
An abrasion level of 4, or an ANSI abrasion level of 4 or higher, on a glove you expect to wear daily.
An ANSI/ISEA 138 level, not just the word impact or a lone letter P, on anything sold for back of hand protection.
The maker naming the coating chemistry and the finish separately, for example foam nitrile rather than just nitrile.

Red flags

A protection claim with no standard attached, such as maximum protection or heavy duty grip.
A cut level quoted with no indication of whether it came from ANSI/ISEA 105 or EN 388, which are different scales.
Impact claimed in the copy but no level and no P anywhere in the certification block.
An abrasion level of 1 or 2 on a glove sold for daily jobsite use.
Photographs and features listed but no EN 388 or ANSI block at all, which usually means nothing was tested.

Who's who: the brands

Ansell - An industrial glove maker whose HyFlex line set the template for the lightweight coated knit, and which publishes gauge, coating thickness and full test codes.
SHOWA - Known for nitrile coating technology and for cheap, fully coated knits aimed at wet and oily work, with EN codes and datasheets published for each model.
Ironclad - Built its reputation on leather-palmed impact gloves for oil and gas, and is one of the few brands that prints a grip score alongside its EN and ANSI ratings.
Mechanix Wear - The best known consumer and jobsite glove brand, strongest on fit, padding and TPR knuckle designs rather than on abrasion numbers.
Wells Lamont - A long-established American maker with a broad coated-knit and leather range, and clear published guidance on which palm coating suits which conditions.

How to read a listing without getting fooled

Start at the pictograms, not the headline. Find the hammer symbol and read the characters after it left to right in the fixed EN 388 order: abrasion, blade cut, tear, puncture, straight-blade cut, impact. Note the first digit and stop worrying about the rest until you have. Then look for a second block: an ANSI/ISEA 105 shield with cut, abrasion and puncture numbers, and separately an ANSI/ISEA 138 level if the glove claims impact protection. Any X means not tested or not reported, which is information rather than a gap. Next find the construction line, which should name the liner material, the gauge, the coating material and whether the coating is palm only, three-quarter or full. If a listing gives you a cut level and nothing else, or uses words like maximum and heavy duty in place of a code, assume the numbers are missing because they are not flattering, and move on.

How much should you spend?

Coated knit work gloves are consumables and priced like them, so the useful comparison is per pair in a box rather than per pair at a checkout. At the budget tier you can get a fully published EN 388 abrasion level 4 knit from a serious industrial brand, which is why the value pick in our comparison sits there: cheap does not mean unrated in this category. The mid-range buys you finer gauge, better disclosure, more comfort technology and sometimes a thinner, better-tuned coating rather than more protection. The premium tier is where impact gloves, leather palms and moulded TPR guards live, and you should only go there if impact or heavy handling is genuinely part of your day. Spending more on a general purpose glove buys feel and fit far more often than it buys durability, and the abrasion digit is free to check before you spend anything.

Questions, answered

What gauge should I buy?

For general work, 13 or 15 gauge covers most people, with 15 being the usual sweet spot between durability and feel. Go to 18 or 21 gauge if your day involves small fasteners, connectors or anything you need to feel through the glove, and accept that a finer shell wears out sooner. Go down to 10 or 13 gauge if you want bulk and warmth and are handling large, rough objects. If a maker will not tell you the gauge, you are guessing about the one property you will notice within five minutes of putting the glove on.

Do I need a cut rating on a general purpose work glove?

Usually not, and chasing one costs you something. Cut-resistant yarns are more expensive, and on a coated knit a high cut level often comes with a coating tuned for cut work rather than for the grip you actually want. If your hazards are hand tools, fasteners, timber, packaging and general handling, buy on abrasion and coating and treat any cut rating as a bonus. If you are handling sheet metal, glass, blades or strapping, that is a different purchase with a different standard behind it.

Flat, foam or sandy nitrile: how do I choose?

Choose by how wet the job is. Flat nitrile is the tackiest in the dry and the thinnest, so it suits clean assembly and parts handling. Foam nitrile has an open-celled surface that pulls liquid away from the contact patch, which makes it the best all-rounder when things are sometimes damp or oily, and it is softer than flat. Sandy nitrile is the roughest and the choice for heavy oil and consistently wet work, at the cost of a harsher feel and more wear on whatever you are gripping.

Can I wash work gloves, and should I?

Some makers say yes explicitly and it is worth checking before you do it. Both Ironclad and Mechanix Wear state machine washable on the product pages for the gloves in our comparison, with Ironclad specifying hang dry. Washing removes the oil and grit that make a coated palm slippery, so it can restore grip on a glove that is not actually worn out. What it will not do is bring back a coating that has thinned, and heat drying can stiffen or shrink a knit shell, so air dry unless the maker says otherwise.

Ready to choose? See our top pick, the alternatives, and the one we'd skip See the Work Gloves verdicts