What is gauge - and why does it matter?
3 min read · Updated July 7, 2026
Gauge describes how finely a glove's liner is knit. Think thread count in sheets: the higher the number, the finer and thinner the weave - and the more your hands can actually feel.
The gauge ladder
Gauge counts stitches per inch of knit. A low-gauge glove uses thick yarn and feels bulky; a high-gauge glove uses fine yarn and moves like a second skin. Here's where common gauges land:
| Gauge | Feel | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 10G | Very thick | Heavy-duty cut and impact shells |
| 13G | Standard | Most work gloves on the market |
| 15G | Thinner | Extraflex® Plus - metal and steel handling |
| 18G | Thin and breathable | Kyorene® Pro - everyday cut protection |
| 24G | Ultra-thin, second skin | Kyorene® Pro Max - the thinnest A4 on the market |
Why thinner usually meant riskier
With traditional fibers, cut protection comes from bulk: more material between the blade and your skin. That's why most A4-and-up gloves have historically been 10-13 gauge - thick, hot, and clumsy enough that workers pull them off for fine tasks. The most dangerous glove is the one that's in your pocket.
How graphene breaks the trade-off
Graphene adds strength at the yarn level instead of the bulk level, so a 24-gauge Kyorene® Pro Max liner still rates ANSI A4 while feeling closer to a liner glove than a cut glove. You keep the fingertip feel to thread a bolt, run a touchscreen, and work a full shift without hand fatigue - without stepping down in protection.
Rule of thumb: pick the cut level your sharpest regular task demands, then take the highest gauge (thinnest knit) that hits it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a higher gauge glove better?
- Higher gauge means a finer, thinner knit with more dexterity, not more protection. Pick the ANSI cut level your work demands first, then choose the highest gauge that delivers it. A 24-gauge Kyorene® Pro Max still rates ANSI A4.
- What gauge are Armor Guys gloves?
- Extraflex® Plus is 15-gauge, Kyorene® Pro is 18-gauge, and Kyorene® Pro Max is 24-gauge - the thinnest ANSI A4 work glove in the lineup. All three are built on the graphene-enhanced Kyorene® liner.
- Does a thinner glove mean less cut protection?
- Not with graphene. Traditional gloves get their cut resistance from bulk, but graphene reinforces the yarn itself, so an ultra-thin 24-gauge knit can still stop a blade at ANSI A4.
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