Winter work gloves are built for varying levels of cold. They use gram-weight synthetic insulation to provide thermal protection for your hands. Thermal insulation ratings for cold protection gloves vary depending on the manufacturer and usually range from 40–100g for moderate cold (above 20°F) to 200–400g and up for Arctic sub-zero temperatures (–30°F and below).
The EN 511 standard rates cold resistance with a three-digit number code based on convective cold (1–4 scale), contact cold (1–4 scale), and water penetration (0–1). Higher digits within this code mean better protection from cold for longer periods. For example, an EN 511 code of 2 3 1 means the glove provides moderate protection (2) from cold air or wind, high protection (3) from holding cold objects, and waterproof protection (1) based on passing a 30-minute water submersion test.
Another thermal insulation rating scale measures thermal resistance in clo. Some common insulation levels include:
- C40 (0.7 clo): Good for high-activity tasks; protects against moderate cold
- C100 (1.3 clo): Suitable for colder, moderate-activity, or longer, lower-activity use
- C200 (2.5 clo): Ideal for extreme cold-weather conditions with minimal activity
These ratings should help you avoid over-insulating for high-activity work or under-insulating to perform stationary tasks in cold weather.






