Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Chainsaw gloves class 0 or class 1

Updated: 21 October 2026

You have two numbers on the shortlist, 16 m/s and 20 m/s, and a price that points the other way. Chainsaw gloves class 0 or class 1 is only that speed choice. Class 0 is the test at 16 metres per second. Class 1 is the test at 20 metres per second. Here the cheapest stated pair is class 0, and one class 0 glove costs more than a stated class 1. Prices stay on the [chainsaw gloves comparison](/hub/protective-clothing/chainsaw-gloves). Peter F. compiled this on 19 October 2026 from those amazon.co.uk listings, Stihl UK, Arbortec, and HSE's chainsaw PPE page. It is not a lab test. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have two numbers on the shortlist, 16 m/s and 20 m/s, and a price that points the other way. Chainsaw gloves class 0 or class 1 is only that speed choice. Class 0 is the test at 16 metres per second.

Our top picks

Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves

Best overall

Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves
9.1/10about £15.75
View offer
Stein Stein class 0 left-hand gloves

Alternative

Stein Stein class 0 left-hand gloves
7.2/10about £23.95
View offer
Intra-FIT Intra-FIT class 1 left-hand gloves

Best value

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT class 1 left-hand gloves
7.5/10about £22.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.16 m/s and 20 m/s
  2. 2.What HSE prints and what the current standard prints
  3. 3.Where those classes show up in this set
  4. 4.Class 2, and listings with no class

16 m/s and 20 m/s

Read the class as a chain speed used in a test, then take that number to the saw manual. Class 0 is 16 m/s. Class 1 is 20 m/s. Arbortec also prints 24 m/s and 28 m/s for BS EN ISO 11393-4:2019. A higher class is a faster test speed, and a class 0 mark is still a chainsaw-glove mark when the standard name sits beside it. Use class 1 when the manual is above 16 m/s, or when it is silent on chain speed. Use class 0 only when the manual stays within 16 m/s and you accept that limit.

What HSE prints and what the current standard prints

HSE's chainsaw PPE page still names BS EN 381-7 where chainsaw gloves are required. A glove marked EN 381-7 at class 0 uses the identifier HSE still prints. You do not have to reject it because a newer standard name exists. EN 381-7 or EN ISO 11393-4 can carry a class if the class is actually stated. EN 388 answers a different question: abrasion, a blade cut, tear, and puncture. A coupe digit of 1 is not chainsaw class 1. Keep the metres-per-second class as the speed decision.
Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves

Testsieger

Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves
9.1/10about £15.75
View offer

Where those classes show up in this set

Two pairs state class 0 at 16 m/s: Oregon 91305L, extra material on the left hand to EN ISO 11393-4, and Stein, size 9, to EN 381-7 on the left hand. The dearer of those two is still the slower test speed. Two Intra-FIT pairs state class 1 at 20 m/s. Stein's class 0 price sits above that class 1 left-hand glove. Price in this set does not climb with the test speed. YARDMARIS claims class 1 while the standard bullet stops at "EN I", which is not a confirmed class 1. Who should skip each pair is on best chainsaw gloves.

Class 2, and listings with no class

Class 2, at 24 m/s, exists in UK trade. Class 3, at 28 m/s, is the next step on the Stihl scale. None of the ten listings in this comparison states class 2 or class 3. If your manual asks for a speed above 20 m/s, you are outside this set. A class 1 pair does not become class 2 because the leather looks thick or a bullet mentions twelve layers. Oregon 295399 says both hands are protected and states no class and no EN chainsaw standard. DLY states a 12-layer left pad and names no class. A layer count does not fill in the speed.

Common questions

What chain speed is class 0 tested at?
Class 0 is 16 m/s. Stihl UK and Arbortec both print that figure for the lowest chainsaw clothing class. In this set, Oregon 91305 and Stein state class 0 at that speed. The mark stays at 16 m/s when the standard is named beside it, whatever the glove costs.
What chain speed is class 1 tested at?
Class 1 is 20 m/s. Intra-FIT 7829 and Intra-FIT 7839 state that class to EN ISO 11393-4. Stihl UK calls class 1 the usual forestry compromise and recommends it for home use, and says many accidents happen as the chain slows. That recommendation is Stihl's. HSE's PPE page does not print the speed table.
Does HSE name class 1?
HSE's chainsaw PPE page names BS EN 381-7 where chainsaw gloves are required. It does not print class 0, class 1, or the four speeds. The speeds on this page come from Stihl UK and from Arbortec's account of BS EN ISO 11393-4:2019.
Is a class 0 glove illegal if it is marked EN 381-7?
A class 0 glove marked EN 381-7 uses the identifier HSE still prints. Stein in this set is that combination, at 16 m/s. BSI's current record is BS EN ISO 11393-4:2019, which Arbortec describes as the replacement for BS EN 381-7:1999. Match the class to the saw manual. A marked class 0 pair can stay when the manual is within 16 m/s.
When would you step up from class 0?
Step up when the saw manual is above 16 m/s, or when it never states a chain speed. Class 1, at 20 m/s, is the next stated class here: Intra-FIT 7829 for the left hand, Intra-FIT 7839 for both hands. Stay at class 0 only when the manual is within 16 m/s, as on Oregon 91305 or Stein.
Do class 2 gloves exist?
Yes. Class 2 is 24 m/s and class 3 is 28 m/s on the Stihl UK scale, and Arbortec prints the same speeds. None of the ten listings in this set states class 2 or class 3. If the manual asks for more than 20 m/s, look for a glove labelled at that higher class.
What if the listing prints no class?
Leave that pair off both sides of the choice. Oregon 295399 states both hands and prints no class and no EN chainsaw standard. DLY states a left-hand layer count and prints no class. Stars, a leather description, or "12 layers" do not supply the missing metres per second. Choose a listing that names the standard and the class.

Related pages

Chainsaw gloves buying guide

Left hand or both hands

Chainsaw gloves

Best chainsaw gloves: stated class, hand, and a skip

How to wear chainsaw gloves: the pad, cuff and care

Sources

Public UK sources for the glove standard, the class speeds, and the PPE duty. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set. Retrieved 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE — Chainsaw PPE (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE — INDG317 Personal protective equipment at work (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSENI — Chainsaw safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Stihl GB — Cut-protection classes (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. ISO 11393-4:2018 — Protective gloves for chainsaw users (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Arbortec — Safety standards for chainsaw PPE (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Husqvarna UK — Functional gloves with saw protection (retrieved 19 October 2026)