The best leather work gloves, compared.
Top pick: WZQH split-cowhide work gloves – Highest star line and largest review count in this set, for split cowhide and a cotton lining at about £9.99, with no welding code printed. Best value: WFX split-cowhide gloves, XL – A split-cowhide palm at about £6.79 with 4.3 from 906 amazon.co.uk ratings, if you watch dye and the conflicting thorn wording. Updated 16 October 2026.
A leather work glove is a reusable glove with a leather palm or shell, sold on amazon.co.uk for handling, gardening, driving, and light site work. A card can say thorn proof, cut-resistant, or suitable for welding and still print no code. You need the hazard, the cuff, the lining, and a size you measured. It records leather, cuff, lining, water cells, and whether EN 388, EN 12477, or EN ISO 11393 is printed. None of these twelve prints an EN 12477 type or an EN ISO 11393 class, so welding and chainsaw lines stay seller sentences. If you need a coded mechanical glove rather than leather for thorns or cold, start with the [work gloves](/hub/occupational-safety/work-gloves) comparison. On amazon.co.uk the same shelf holds unlined handlers, split-cowhide garden pairs, a gauntlet, fleece linings, and full-grain winter gloves. On these twelve cards they are not welding gauntlets with a type, and they are not chainsaw gloves with a class.
A leather work glove is a reusable glove with a leather palm or shell, sold on amazon.co.uk for handling, gardening, driving, and light site work.
44 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What will you use them for?
The WZQH split-cowhide glove in coffee grey, size Large, is the top pick in this set. It is about £9.99, cotton lined, 209 g, with an adjustable wrist, and the listing line is 4.7 from 26,151 amazon.co.uk ratings, the highest star line and the largest count here. The first 50 reviews are all marked United Kingdom. Several report no pricks in brambles, and they praise the soft cotton lining, the wrist closure, and stitching that still lets them grip tools. One reviewer cutting back a dog rose called the Large a little skimpy. The card is ranked number 1 in Welding Gloves and the bullets name chainsaws, MIG, TIG, and stoves, but it prints no EN 12477 type and no EN ISO 11393 class, so those jobs stay seller sentences. It is not waterproof, and flame resistant, oil proof, and puncture proof are feature-cell words without a test level. Glove length is given as 9.45 inches beside centimetre parcel dimensions.
Pros
Cons
Best for: General handling and thorny garden work in Large when you want the strongest UK review line in this set and you will ignore the welding claim.
Less suitable: A coded welding or chainsaw glove, a wet job, or a hand that already finds Large tight.
Specifications
Common questions
Are they a welding glove under EN 12477?
The listing does not say so. It is ranked in Welding Gloves and the bullets mention welding. No type A or type B is printed.
Are they suitable for a chainsaw?
The bullets mention a chainsaw. EN ISO 11393 is not printed.
What size is this row?
Large. One UK review in the sample called that size a little skimpy.
The toolant TA02034005 is a full-grain leather winter glove with 100 g Thinsulate and an open slip-on cuff, size XXL, at about £19.99 and 209 g. The listing line is 4.7 from 672 ratings, which matches the top star line in this set, but of the first 50 texts only three are marked United Kingdom, 26 are marked United States, and some are in German, so that 4.7 is not a UK-only sample. The UK comments that are there describe soft thick leather, a warm lining without bulk, and warmth for someone outside most of the day, and one of them says longevity is not yet known. A German review in the sample says an open cuff lets cold in at the wrist compared with a knit cuff, and that a size S corresponds to a 9. The title says a water-resistant finish, with no membrane standard and no care line. A 500-hour sentence names no test, EN 511 is not printed, and the colour cell says Slip-on Cuffs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: XXL cold work when you want a stated 100 g lining and you will not treat the 4.7 as a UK verdict.
Less suitable: A closed cuff in wind, a UK-only review sample, or a printed cold standard.
Specifications
Common questions
Are they water resistant?
The title and material features say water resistant. The listing does not print a waterproof membrane standard.
How warm is the lining?
The bullets say 100 g Thinsulate. EN 511 is not printed.
Is the 4.7 rating a UK sample?
The listing line is 4.7 from 672. Of the first 50 texts, three are marked United Kingdom and 26 are marked United States.
The toolant TA02004005 is one pair of yellow full-grain cowhide winter gloves at about £16.99, size XXL, with a Thinsulate lining whose weight is not stated and a hook-and-loop wrist. Across 2,850 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.6, and the first 50 reviews in the file are all marked United Kingdom. Reviewers call them warm for cold gardening, and HGV drivers praise the fit, the thickness, and how long they last; one driver waterproofs them with shoe polish. A UK review still calls the size chart way off, and the garment size country on the card is the United States. The card says both not waterproof and water resistant, and a reviewer does not recommend getting the leather wet, which sits next to a care line that says machine wash cold. Puncture proof and abrasion resistant are special-feature words with no EN 388 or EN 511 code.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Cold gardening or cab work in XXL when you want full-grain leather and you will keep the pair dry.
Less suitable: A printed cold standard, a UK size chart you can trust, or rain on the yard.
Specifications
Common questions
Are these toolant gloves waterproof?
The card disagrees with itself. Is Waterproof is False. The water resistance level says water resistant.
Can they be machine washed?
The care line says machine wash cold, no bleach, tumble dry low. A UK review says getting the leather wet is not recommended.
Is a standard printed?
No. Abrasion resistant and puncture proof are special-feature words. EN 388 and EN 511 are not printed.
The ITC IB-360-XL is one pair of brown split-cowhide gardening gloves at about £8.99, cotton lined, listed at 240 g, with an adjustable wrist and a size cell that says XL. All six amazon.co.uk reviews are from the United Kingdom, and they praise the thick palm for brambles, nettles, and timber, plus a lining that helps on a longer session. Two of those six call the pair one size and very large, with about an inch of empty finger unless your hands are large, which does not match the XL cell. One reviewer could not fasten the wrist strap once both gloves were on, and another says there is no adjustment at all. Fingertip feel drops enough that a reviewer feared injuring themselves, and one wants a longer cuff for the forearm. The card says cut-resistant and suitable for welding, but it prints no EN 388 or EN 12477 code, and it is not waterproof. Six reviews is a thin sample beside the rest of this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large hand clearing brambles when you accept a six-review sample and a wrist cuff rather than a gauntlet.
Less suitable: Smaller hands, welding or chainsaw work that needs a printed standard, or a wet bed.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this ITC glove state an EN standard?
No. The bullets say cut-resistant and suitable for welding. The listing does not print EN 388, EN 12477, or EN ISO 11393.
Are they waterproof?
No. The details say Is Waterproof False and the water resistance level is not water resistant.
What size is this row?
The details say XL. Two of the six UK reviews instead describe a one-size glove that is very large.
The DIY Doctor DD-HDGG-MP is one pair of green leather gardening gloves at about £8.49, cotton lined, listed at 260 g, with a lengthened gauntlet cuff and a one-size claim for palm circumferences of 8 to 11 inches. The listing line is 4.5 from 2,265 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the first 50 reviews are all United Kingdom. Those reviews praise protection from brambles, blackthorn, hawthorn, and roses, and they like the cuff over the wrist. The same sample includes a finger that ripped in under two hours, and several people find the one size very large. The bullets say 3.5 mm suede while the details say cowhide, and the model name mentions a three-pack while the included components say one pair. Waterproof cells disagree: Is Waterproof is false and the water resistance level says waterproof. It ranks in Rigger Gloves and says cut-resistant, but no EN 388 digits are printed, and the cuff length in centimetres is not on the card.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Clearing roses and brambles when you want leather past the wrist and your palm sits inside 8 to 11 inches.
Less suitable: A known size before you open the packet, secateur work that needs thin fingertips, or a printed EN 388 code.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the cuff?
The bullets say a lengthened gauntlet cuff past the wrist. They do not give a cuff length in centimetres.
Are they waterproof?
The card disagrees with itself. Is Waterproof is false. The water resistance level says waterproof.
Is there an EN 388 code?
No. The card is ranked in Rigger Gloves and the bullets say cut-resistant. No digits are printed.
The LLB pair is yellow leather with an acrylic fleece lining, size L/9, at about £8.49 and 120 g, sold as a winter driving glove. The listing line is 4.5 from 1,968 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the first 50 reviews are all United Kingdom. Lorry drivers in that sample call them tough, warm in winter, and good value for strapping and moving pallets, with soft leather and little break-in. They also get wet and take a while to dry. One review says the wrist is not elasticated and feels sloppy, that the fleece is only fairly warm once wet, and that smaller hands find extra room in the palm. The bullets say they conform to EN 388, but no abrasion, cut, tear, or puncture digits are printed, and EN 511 is not on the card. Is Waterproof is false while the water resistance level says water resistant. Care is a damp cloth, air drying, and leather conditioner. There is no model number.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An HGV or van driver in a cold cab who straps and handles pallets and can hang the gloves to dry.
Less suitable: Heavy rain, a smaller hand, or a cold rating you can read as digits.
Specifications
Common questions
Do they conform to EN 388?
The bullets say they conform to EN 388. No abrasion, cut, tear, or puncture digits are printed.
Are they waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water resistance level says water resistant. UK reviews say they get wet and dry slowly.
What size is this pair?
The title says Large L 9. The size cell says L (Pack of 1). The bullets say the range is 8, 9, and 10.
The Escort Tools pair, model ESCORT-TOOLS-SWG-001, is yellow leather and spandex at about £9.98, size Large, 110 g, with a hook-and-loop cuff and a seller claim that you can use a phone or tablet without taking the gloves off. The listing line is 4.5 from 505 reviews, and the first 50 texts are all United Kingdom. Those reviews praise thorn protection on a firethorn hedge, hedge cuttings, and brambles, and one reviewer who normally takes size 10 found the Large a good fit. They also say the leather was thinner than expected, and on size 7 hands the Large felt loose. The listing itself warns you not to wash the yellow pair in water because dye comes out, while the details still say hand wash. Number of items is 2 against a title that reads as one pair. Thorn proof and tear resistant have no EN 388 code, and the gloves are not waterproof.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry garden and light utility work when you want a phone-friendly Large and you will keep the yellow leather out of the wash.
Less suitable: Smaller hands, a washable yellow pair, or a job that needs a printed puncture level.
Specifications
Common questions
Will the yellow dye mark skin?
The listing says not to wash these gloves in water, especially the yellow pair, because dye comes out.
Are they waterproof?
No. Is Waterproof is False and the water resistance level is not water resistant.
How many items does the details block say?
Number of items is 2 and the unit count is 2. The title reads as one yellow large pair.
The WFX XL is a shoulder-split cowhide palm with a spandex back and an elastic pull-on wrist, at about £6.79 and 90 g, and it is the best value in this set if you want a cheap garden pair with a large review count. The listing line is 4.3 from 906 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the first 50 texts are all marked United Kingdom, though those same 50 texts also sit on the Large ASIN. Several of those reviews say the leather was thick enough for a long bramble clearance and a poppy bed, and that a stiff start loosened. Yellow dye still came off onto sweaty hands, and one reviewer washed it off with soapy water. One review called them not quite thorn proof, and a seam between the middle and third finger rubbed within a minute. The bullets disagree with themselves: one says thick enough for brambles, another says they should not be used on stinging nettles and bramble. Waterproof is a toggle, not a bullet, and no EN code is printed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry garden and light building work when about £6.79 matters and you will watch for dye and the bramble wording.
Less suitable: Nettles, a waterproof job, or anyone who needs a review sample that belongs only to XL.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the WFX XL gloves a stated EN 388 glove?
No. A bullet says cut resistant. The listing does not print an EN 388 code.
Does the card agree about waterproofing?
No. Is Waterproof is True and the water resistance level says waterproof. The bullets do not say waterproof.
Do the bullets agree about brambles?
No. One bullet says they are thick enough for brambles. Another says they should not be used on stinging nettles and bramble.
This is the Large row of the same WFX shoulder-split cowhide glove, also about £6.79 and 90 g, with an elastic wrist and a spandex back. The star line is again 4.3 from 906, and the first 50 United Kingdom texts are the same texts as the XL ASIN, so this is not a separate Large-only verdict. Reviewers in that shared sample still describe bramble clearance, a soft inside, and a stiff start that loosened, alongside yellow dye on sweaty hands and a finger seam that rubbed within a minute. On this card the water cells contradict each other: special features and Is Waterproof say waterproof, while the water resistance level says not water resistant. The handedness cell says One Size even though the size cell says Large. Cut resistant is a seller sentence with no EN code, and the thorn bullets still disagree about brambles and nettles. Buy Large only if that letter matches your hand, and do not treat the 906 ratings as proof that Large fits differently from XL.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A Large hand that wants the cheaper WFX palm and will treat the 906 ratings as a shared sample.
Less suitable: Proof that Large fits differently from XL, nettles, or a card whose water lines agree.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Large WFX card waterproof?
The special features say waterproof and Is Waterproof is True. The water resistance level says not water resistant.
Is there an EN code?
No. Cut resistant appears as a seller sentence only.
Are the reviews only for Large?
The first 50 texts in this file are the same United Kingdom texts as the XL ASIN B0BCFDJ76V. The listing line is 4.3 from 906.
The EKON EKN-U/F is an unlined cowhide pair with an open cuff, size Large, at about £5.49 and 90 g, the lowest price in this set. The listing line is 4.3 from 146 ratings, and 44 review texts in the file are all United Kingdom. Reviewers call them comfortable, easy to put on, and durable for the money, including one report of two months of daily HGV use and praise for grip when shifting loads. The same sample reports bright yellow or orange dye on wet or sweaty hands, and one reviewer threw the pair away after about 30 minutes because their hands turned orange. A ridge at the middle two finger joints bothered another reviewer. The colour cell says the word Unlined rather than a hue, and the feature string still contains the words fleece lined on this unlined row. Thorn proof is seller wording on an open cuff with no EN code, and the gloves are not waterproof.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry yard or driving work in Large when about £5.49 is the limit and you can tolerate dye.
Less suitable: Winter lining, brambles at the forearm, or hands that must stay free of orange dye.
Specifications
Common questions
Are they lined?
This row is the unlined variant. The special-features string also contains the words fleece lined.
Are they waterproof?
No. Is Waterproof is False and the water resistance level is not water resistant.
Do they stain hands?
UK reviews in this file report bright yellow or orange hands after sweat or wet timber. One reviewer threw the pair away after about 30 minutes.
The Vgo pig-leather and synthetic glove, part SL7475-ML-GRA-XXL-GL, is about £27.99 in XXL, the highest price here, at 180 g with a stated 2.9 mm neoprene palm pad and a touchscreen claim on four points. The listing line is 4.2 from 113 ratings, the lowest star line among the reviewed pairs. Of 36 texts, 26 are marked United Kingdom. Those reviews praise thickness that still leaves some dexterity, and some call the sizing true, including against spiky plants. They also say the gloves are not waterproof, a little stiff for gardening, and that some thorns still get through. One UK review says long needle thorns, named as gorse, embedded at the thumb and forefinger despite the thornproof title. The only EN 388 line is a seller sentence about abrasion level 2 under 1,200 circles; cut, tear, puncture, and the ISO letter are not printed. Care says keep them out of direct sun, alkalis, corrosives, fire, and heat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: XXL gardening when you want a phone-friendly pad and you will still expect some thorns at the fingertips.
Less suitable: A cheaper bramble cuff, a waterproof bed, or a full EN 388 code.
Specifications
Common questions
What EN 388 result is printed?
Only a seller sentence: abrasion reaching EN 388 level 2 under 1200 circles. Cut, tear, puncture, and the ISO letter are not printed.
Are they waterproof?
No. Is Waterproof is false and the water resistance level is not water resistant.
Do reviewers find them thornproof?
The title says thornproof. UK reviews include both good thorn protection and thorns that still got through, including gorse at the thumb and forefinger.
The ITC IB-160-XL is a yellow and orange leather gardening glove with a fleece lining and a short cuff, size XL, at about £7.49 and 200 g. The card prints no customer-reviews line and no review texts, so there is no star rating to weigh against the fleece or the thorn-resistant wording. The model name says driver short reinforced palm while the title says gardening gloves, and the bullets name Large/9 and XL/10 even though this row is XL. It is not waterproof, the water resistance level is not water resistant, and the care line says avoid washing with direct water. Thorn resistant is seller wording with no EN code, and a short cuff does not cover the forearm. At 18 by 9 by 2 cm it is a light pair on paper, but without UK reviews you cannot tell whether the fleece stays comfortable or whether the palm holds up to roses. Treat the about £7.49 as an unrated listing, not as a tested winter or thorn glove.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants a cheap fleece-lined XL on paper and will not treat a missing rating as praise.
Less suitable: A bramble gauntlet, a wet job, or any choice that depends on UK reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Is there a star rating?
No. This saved listing has no customer-reviews line.
Are they waterproof?
No. Is Waterproof is False, the water resistance level is not water resistant, and the care line says avoid direct water.
What size is printed?
XL on this row. The bullets also say the range is Large/9 and XL/10.
This page compares the twelve leather work gloves captured on amazon.co.uk. Notes come from the listing fields, the review line on each card, and public UK guidance from HSE, GOV.UK, and SATRA. We did not run a lab wear test. Where a card says cut-resistant, welding, or chainsaw and prints no code, that line stays a seller sentence.
Hazard, leather, and cuff
25%Leather in this set is only a candidate for thorns, abrasion, and cold, and only as far as the card supports. A wrist cuff leaves the forearm bare.
Printed standard
25%EN 388 digits, an EN 12477 type, or an EN ISO 11393 class have to be printed. If they are missing, the level is not stated.
Size and fit
20%Letter sizes on these listings do not share one map. A measured hand, using the HSE chart, beats a one-size claim.
Water cells and dye
15%When waterproof and not water resistant appear on the same card, the water claim stays unresolved. Wet leather can also release dye.
UK ratings and price
15%Star lines and review counts come from the amazon.co.uk card. Price is last. A higher price here buys lining or padding, not a complete mechanical code.
Buy the hazard first, then the cuff, then the size, and only then the price. A leather palm can help with thorns, abrasion, and cold handling. It does not become a welding glove or a chainsaw glove because a bullet says so. None of the twelve amazon.co.uk cards below prints an EN 12477 type or an EN ISO 11393 class. Water cells that contradict each other stay unresolved.
A leather work glove is a reusable glove with a leather palm or shell. On amazon.co.uk the same shelf holds unlined handlers, split-cowhide garden pairs, a gauntlet, fleece linings, and full-grain winter gloves with Thinsulate. They are sold for handling, gardening, driving, and light site work. On these twelve cards they are not welding gauntlets with a type, and they are not chainsaw gloves with a class. Start with the hazard.
Thorn proof, cut-resistant, and puncture proof on these cards are seller words unless a code is printed. Vgo’s title says thornproof, and a UK review still found gorse at the thumb and forefinger. WFX bullets disagree with each other about brambles and nettles.
Several cards say waterproof in one cell and not water resistant in another. WFX, the toolant full-grain winter pair, LLB, and DIY Doctor all conflict. Wet leather can dry stiff. Keep a pair dry unless the cells agree and you accept the care line.
DIY Doctor’s 8–11 inch claim spans several sizes, and UK reviews call that pair very large. Two of six ITC XL reviews describe about an inch of empty finger. HSE’s chart is the measurement to use before you trust a letter.
Read the standard line before the feature bullets. EN 388 is the mechanical pictogram for abrasion, blade cut, tear, and puncture. SATRA publishes the level table, and X means not tested. Those numbers only help if the card prints them. In this set, most cards print nothing. LLB says the gloves conform to EN 388 and gives no digits. Vgo has one seller sentence on abrasion level 2 under 1,200 circles, which is not a full code.
The cuff decides which skin stays bare. A wrist glove or an open cuff leaves the forearm in the brambles. DIY Doctor is the only lengthened gauntlet here, and the listing still does not give that cuff in centimetres. ITC’s fleece row is a short cuff. WZQH and the ITC split-cowhide pair use an adjustable wrist. The insulated toolant is an open slip-on, and a review says that lets cold in at the wrist. Lining is the warmth claim. Cotton on WZQH is not a thermal rating.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are clearing brambles, roses, or hawthorn and you want leather past the wrist. DIY Doctor is the only long gauntlet cuff in this set, at about £8.49, for palms the listing puts at 8 to 11 inches. It prints no EN 388 digits, and some UK reviews call the one size very large.
You drive an HGV or a van, strap loads, and want a lining you can still work in. The LLB pair is fleece-lined leather in L/9 at about £8.49. UK reviews praise winter warmth and also say the leather gets wet and dries slowly. EN 388 is named with no digits.
You want a split-cowhide palm for dry garden or light building work and about £6.79 is the limit. The WFX XL pair is the best value here, with 4.3 from 906 ratings. Watch yellow dye, the conflicting bramble bullets, and the fact that the sampled texts are shared with the Large card.
For general handling and thorny garden work in Large, the WZQH split-cowhide glove is the top pick: 4.7 from 26,151 amazon.co.uk ratings, a cotton lining, and an adjustable wrist, at about £9.99. Ignore the welding rank. No EN 12477 type is printed. If about £6.79 matters more than that review count, the WFX XL shoulder-split palm is the best value, provided you accept dye and bullets that disagree about brambles. Neither pair is a chainsaw glove, a welding glove, or a settled waterproof glove.
WZQH split-cowhide work gloves
Highest star line and largest review count in this set, for split cowhide and a cotton lining at about £9.99, with no welding code printed.
WFX split-cowhide gloves, XL
A split-cowhide palm at about £6.79 with 4.3 from 906 amazon.co.uk ratings, if you watch dye and the conflicting thorn wording.
Editorial
Products Compared publishes British-English buying guides based on amazon.co.uk listings and public UK sources. We do not run a lab and we do not invent test scores.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison, last checked on 16 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The notes come from those listings and from public UK sources. We do not run a lab.
