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How to wear chainsaw gloves

Updated: 21 October 2026

How to wear chainsaw gloves starts with the pad. On several pairs in our [chainsaw gloves comparison](/hub/protective-clothing/chainsaw-gloves), it sits on the back of one glove only. Pull that glove onto the wrong hand and the hand on the front handle is ordinary leather. Once the pair has arrived, find the pad, check the controls, follow that listing's care line, and stop when the glove is no longer the one you bought. Peter F. compiled this on 19 October 2026 from those amazon.co.uk listings and HSE's leaflet INDG317. It is not a lab test. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

How to wear chainsaw gloves starts with the pad. On several pairs in our chainsaw gloves comparison, it sits on the back of one glove only.

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
Intra-FIT Intra-FIT class 1 both-hands gloves

Alternative

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT class 1 both-hands gloves
7.7/10about £33.99
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.Find the pad before you start the saw
  2. 2.Fit so you can still use the saw
  3. 3.Wash only what that listing allows
  4. 4.Stop when the glove is no longer the glove you bought

Find the pad before you start the saw

Lay both gloves on the bench with the saw switched off and the chain still. Turn them over and look for the thicker panel. On a left-only pair it is on the back of the left glove. HSE's INDG317 describes the usual grip on a right-handed saw: your left thumb wraps the front handle. If the bullets and the leaflet disagree, the labels are on chainsaw gloves left hand or both hands. If you cannot tell which glove is protected, a professional should decide before you cut.

Fit so you can still use the saw

With the pad on the correct hand, close the cuff before you start. The Stein pair, size 9, uses a hook-and-loop cuff. You still need enough feeling to reach the chain brake and the throttle lockout. INDG317 treats those controls as part of using a saw, and it says this clothing does not give complete protection. Leather that hides the lockout is the wrong fit, even when the class on the label is the one you wanted. Try the brake and the lockout with the chain stopped. Felling, and any cutting off the ground, belongs with a trained operator.
Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves

Testsieger

Oregon Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves
9.1/10about £15.75
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Wash only what that listing allows

The care sentences in this set disagree, so follow the line on the listing you bought. Oregon 91305 says wipe clean with a damp cloth and do not wash in water. Intra-FIT and Rotatech say hand wash. Oregon 295399 medium says hand wash with mild soap and air dry. Stein says only regular care. The DLY line is cut off after "wipe of". None of these listings tells you to machine-wash the gloves. One Intra-FIT 7829 review says the fit got worse after wetting and drying. A soak against a "do not wash in water" line means the glove is no longer the one that listing described.

Stop when the glove is no longer the glove you bought

Retire the gloves when the pad is cut, the protective layers have split, or a seam that holds the pad has opened. Look at the stitches before a long session, and stop if a seam that was closed in the packet is open on the bench. Leave a damaged pad unstitched. You cannot see whether the layers still lie as the test assumed. DLY reviews describe a small pad on a listing that states no class. When you replace a pair, match the class and the hand to the saw you still own.

Common questions

Which glove do you put on the front-handle hand?
On the usual right-handed saw, your left hand holds the front handle, thumb around it, as HSE's INDG317 describes. Put the padded glove on that left hand when the listing is left-only, as with Oregon 91305 or Intra-FIT 7829. When the pair is type 1, as Intra-FIT 7839 is, each back of the hand has a pad. If you cannot see a pad, do not guess from the colour.
What if you are left-handed?
The ISO 11393-4 introduction says these designs assume a right-handed saw and may not be adequate for left-handed use. Oregon 91305 reviews tell left-handers not to treat that pair as symmetrical. A type 1 pair with pads on both hands is the layout in this set for a left-hand grip. Read the mark on the glove if the advert and the leaflet disagree.
How tight should the cuff be?
Close the cuff so it stays shut while you move, and keep enough feeling for the controls. The Stein pair uses a hook-and-loop cuff at size 9. You should still reach the chain brake and the throttle lockout before the chain turns. Leather that hides the lockout is a fit problem to sort out with the saw off.
Can you machine-wash this set?
No listing here gives machine washing as the method. Oregon 91305 says wipe clean and do not wash in water. Intra-FIT and Rotatech say hand wash. Oregon 295399 says hand wash with mild soap and air dry. Stein says only regular care, and the DLY line is cut off. Follow the sentence on the listing you hold.
What do you do if a seam opens?
Stop using that pair for chainsaw work. Stein reviews describe seams opening on first wear, including a thumb seam of about 2 cm, and a Rotatech review describes a seam opening after about three hours. Return or replace the gloves. Leave the pad unstitched, because you cannot confirm the layers are still intact.
Why might size L feel huge on one brand and tight on another?
The listings do not share one size chart. Intra-FIT 7839 in L is reported as too big, with advice to size down, and as stiff to grip. On Oregon 295399, a slim reviewer found large slightly tight. Measure with that maker's chart, then try the controls with the saw off.
When do you stop using the pair?
Stop when the pad is cut, the layers have split, or a seam has opened. Also stop if you washed a pair the listing told you to keep dry, or if you still cannot tell which hand is protected. HSE says this clothing does not give complete protection. For felling and work off the ground, a trained operator should use the saw.

Related pages

Chainsaw gloves buying guide

Class 0 or class 1

Chainsaw gloves

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

Chainsaw gloves left hand or both hands: type 1 or 2

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)