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Winter work gloves size and care

Updated: 17 October 2026

The pair that looked right online can still squeeze your fingers numb, or come out of the wash stiff and split. Winter work gloves size and care means measuring with the liner in mind, washing only the line printed for that pair, drying the liner, and stopping when the coat has cracked. The table is on our [winter work gloves comparison](/hub/protective-clothing/winter-work-gloves). The buying order is on the [winter work gloves buying guide](/hub/protective-clothing/winter-work-gloves/sub/winter-work-gloves-buying-guide). The material split is on [waterproof work gloves or leather](/hub/protective-clothing/winter-work-gloves/sub/winter-work-gloves-waterproof-or-leather). Peter F. used those care lines on 17 October 2026. This is not a lab fit test.

The pair that looked right online can still squeeze your fingers numb, or come out of the wash stiff and split.

Our top picks

PROGANDA PROGANDA thermal, medium

Best overall

PROGANDA PROGANDA thermal, medium
9.2/10about £4.99
View offer
LLB LLB fleece leather, medium

Alternative

LLB LLB fleece leather, medium
9.2/10about £8.49
View offer
OriStout OriStout waterproof, large

Rank 3

OriStout OriStout waterproof, large
9.0/10about £9.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Measure, then try the size with the liner in mind
  2. 2.Tight fingers are a warmth problem
  3. 3.Wash only the line printed for that pair
  4. 4.Dry the liner, keep a spare, and retire damage

Measure, then try the size with the liner in mind

Measure the dominant hand before you trust the word medium. The HSE's general chart, written for skin protection rather than winter liners, puts about 182 mm at EU 8, the medium band, with neighbouring sizes in roughly 10 mm steps from EU 6 to EU 10. LLB's size 8 is that medium, in yellow leather with cotton fleece. One size up is a rule of thumb from how these listings are reviewed, not a lab fit. If you sit between two bands, size up on the thicker coats.

Tight fingers are a warmth problem

A glove that squeezes is not running in. Tight fingers cut feeling, and that numbness gets described as a warmth failure. On winter pairs the tight case is the common one. Exchange the size. Latex will not soften into a larger glove. If both sizes hurt, that shape is wrong for you. Anti-vibration gloves are a different product.
PROGANDA PROGANDA thermal, medium

Testsieger

PROGANDA PROGANDA thermal, medium
9.2/10about £4.99
View offer

Wash only the line printed for that pair

The label decides the wash. There is no single cycle, and a foreign spec sheet is not these products' instruction. PROGANDA is the machine-wash group. The medium line says machine wash, tumble dry low, do not iron, and do not dry clean. The large adds a cold wash and no bleach. The blue large's line also mentions iron, which conflicts with do not iron. If those pages disagree, use the cautious reading: cold wash, low tumble, no iron, no bleach, no dry clean. SLARMOR's care line is not in the capture. Until the glove or the live page prints one, do not guess. Never copy a leather ban onto a latex knit, or a latex cycle onto the leather. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Dry the liner, keep a spare, and retire damage

A wet liner stops insulating. HSE warm-clothing advice is to carry a spare when gloves get wet. Do not wear one soaked pair all week. A cracked latex palm is no longer the waterproof layer the title described. Take the glove off if a shaft or a belt could catch the cuff.

Common questions

How do I measure for winter work gloves?
Measure the circumference of your dominant hand and compare it with the HSE's general bands. About 182 mm is EU 8, the medium band, with other sizes in roughly 10 mm steps. Then add room for the liner. LLB's size 8 is that medium, in leather with cotton fleece. Follow a brand chart on the live page if one is printed. This chart is not a winter-only standard.
Should thick thermal gloves be a size larger than my summer gloves?
Often, yes, as a rule of thumb. Terry, fleece, and Thinsulate take space, so a summer medium can pinch. SLARMOR reviewers tell large buyers to size up because the glove feels stubby. If the fingertip is empty, try down. If you cannot feel the tip, go up or change brand. The tape comes before the title's size word.
What does numb fingers mean about the fit?
It means the glove is too tight for that hand, or the hand is already too cold to keep working. A PROGANDA large review describes fingers squeezed until the wearer could not feel them. OriStout reviews also call the fit tight. Exchange the size rather than wearing the numbness in. Warm your hands if feeling has gone. Numbness is not proof that you only need a thicker coat.
Can I machine-wash latex thermal work gloves?
Only when that pair's line says so. PROGANDA is the machine-wash brand here: cold wash and low tumble on the clearer lines, with no iron, bleach, or dry clean. GAVOROHANS, OriStout, and ColdWork say hand wash. A review that machine-washed a ColdWork does not rewrite the label. If the line is missing, as on SLARMOR, do not invent a cycle.
Can I wash fleece-lined leather work gloves?
The LLB line says do not wash. Wiping is as far as these sources go. Do not copy a PROGANDA machine wash onto the leather. Rain that soaks it is a reason to dry it slowly and to ask whether leather was the right material. Drivers in the reviews already say a wet pair takes time to dry.
How do I dry a wet liner without cracking the coat?
Squeeze the water out and air-dry the glove away from high heat. Keep a spare for the days the first liner stays damp. GAVOROHANS reviewers describe four or five days of drying, and a smell if the inside stays wet. A radiator, or a hot tumble you were told not to use, is how coats crack. Cracked latex is a glove you retire, not a glove you finish the season in.
When do I throw the gloves away?
Throw them away when the coating has cracked or worn through, when there is a hole, or when the lining bunches in the fingers. OriStout reviews already mention rips and loose linings. A liner that stays damp and starts to smell is a use problem as well. Also take a loose glove off around machinery, where a cuff can catch. A split palm is finished even if the back still looks new.

Related pages

Best winter work gloves

Winter work gloves

How to choose winter work gloves for a cold UK job

Cold store work gloves: contact cold, not a slogan

Waterproof work gloves or leather for the UK winter

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings used for this comparison, last checked on 17 October 2026.

  1. HSE, Cold stress (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  2. HSE, Outdoor working (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  3. HSE, Gloves and warm clothing (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  4. HSE, PPE overview (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  5. HSE, PPE Regulations 2022 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  6. HSE, Glove selection for skin (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK, UKCA and CE marking by sector (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  8. SATRA, EN 511 cold tests (retrieved 17 October 2026)