Understanding Work Glove Gauge
When choosing machine knit work gloves, you’ve probably noticed that most descriptions include the glove’s gauge. The gauge of a glove is defined as the number of stitches included in each inch of material. Manufacturers typically offer gloves that range from 7-gauge to 18-gauge. But what exactly does that mean for your workers?
You might think that lower equals lighter and that higher equals heavier – but actually the opposite is true! Lower gauge gloves are heavier and higher gauge gloves are lighter.
Glove Gauge vs. Glove Dexterity
What Work Glove Gauge Looks Like
Lower Gauge
A lower-gauge glove uses thicker yarn and has fewer stiches knitted per inch.
This creates a looser knit with more room between the stitches.
Higher Gauge
A higher-gauge glove uses thinner, finer yarn and has more stitches knitted per inch.
This creates a tighter knit. At the higher end, any room between stitches is invisible to the naked eye
What Work Glove Gauge Feels Like
Lower Gauge
In general, lower gauge gloves are coarser with less dexterity. It won’t be significantly harder to move your hand like in a thicker leather glove, but it may be difficult to pick up small objects like nuts or bolts while wearing a lower-gauge glove.
Higher Gauge
Higher gauges are generally softer with better dexterity. So these gloves will be more comfortable and it will be easier to do jobs that require fine motor skills while wearing a higher-gauge glove.
In the past, lower-gauge, coarser yarn was often the material of choice to make cut-resistant knit gloves. But the advent of engineered yarn has brought us lighter, thinner gloves with high dexterity that also provide high cut resistance.
Other Considerations for Cut-Resistant Work Gloves
Remember that it’s not all about gauge. There are many different glove add-ons to help with a variety of needs in worker protection. The yarn used and any glove coatings also help determine comfort, cut, abrasion, liquid, and puncture resistance. But when it comes to the flexibility of the glove, keep your eye on the gauge!
Take a look at the lightest cut resistant glove on the market:
