Motorcycle Glove Sizing: How to Measure Your Hand for the Perfect Fit

A glove that is too loose slides on your hand and can peel off in a crash, while one that is too tight cuts circulation and kills dexterity. Getting the size right is one of the highest impact decisions you can make. This guide shows you exactly how to measure your hand and interpret a size chart with confidence.

What you need

You only need a soft tailor's tape measure. If you do not have one, wrap a piece of string or a strip of paper around your hand, mark it, then lay it flat against a ruler.

How to measure your hand, step by step

1. Measure the circumference. Wrap the tape around the widest part of your palm, just below the knuckles, without including your thumb. Keep your hand flat and relaxed. Note the measurement in inches or centimetres.
2. Measure the length. Measure from the tip of your middle finger down to the base of your palm where your hand meets your wrist.
3. Use your dominant hand. Most people have one hand slightly larger than the other, so measure the hand you write with and size to the larger of the two.
4. Convert circumference to glove size. As a general rule, your palm circumference in inches corresponds closely to your glove size. A measurement around 8 inches tends to be a small, 9 inches a medium, 10 inches a large, and so on upward.
5. Cross check the length. If your circumference and length point to different sizes, prioritise a comfortable finger length, since fingertips that are too long trap material and reduce feel.

Reading a size chart

Sizing is not perfectly standard across brands, so always check the specific chart for the gloves you are buying rather than assuming your usual size. A good chart lists both palm circumference and sometimes hand length for each size. Match your measurement to the range, and if you fall between two sizes, consider the material.

How fit should feel

A properly fitted motorcycle glove feels snug like a firm handshake, not tight like a tourniquet. Here is what to check.

• Fingertips: should reach close to the end of each finger with only a few millimetres of space, no bunched empty material.
• Palm: should sit flat against your hand with no loose folds that could rub or shift.
• Knuckles: when you make a fist, the material should flex with you, not pull painfully or gape open.
• Closure: the wrist strap should cinch securely so the glove cannot be pulled off easily.

Leather versus textile and break in

Material changes how you should size. Full-grain leather stretches and moulds to your hand over the first few rides, so a leather glove should feel snug but not painful when new, knowing it will relax slightly. Textile gloves stretch very little, so buy those closer to a true comfortable fit out of the box. If you are on the fence between two sizes in leather, the smaller size will usually break in perfectly.

Sizing for gauntlet cuffs and layering

If you are buying gauntlet style gloves that seal over the sleeve of your jacket, remember that the cuff needs to accommodate the bulk of your jacket cuff underneath. Most gauntlet cuffs use an adjustable strap for this reason, so focus your sizing decision on the hand and finger fit and rely on the cuff strap to seal the wrist. In colder weather, some riders also size up very slightly to fit a thin liner glove underneath, though this is only worth it if you genuinely ride in the cold.

Common sizing mistakes

• Buying big for comfort, which sacrifices control and safety.
• Measuring over a cold or swollen hand, which skews the number.
• Ignoring finger length and focusing only on width.
• Assuming one brand's medium equals another's.
• Forgetting to size to your larger, dominant hand.

The bottom line

Measure your palm circumference and finger length, match them to the specific brand chart, and aim for snug with full dexterity. When in doubt with leather, size down slightly and let the break in do the rest. If you want gloves offered in a clear range from M to XXL with leather that moulds to your hands over time, take a look at the Maverick Ventilated Riding Gloves and measure against their chart before you order.