Pick the wrong welding glove and you'll know about it fast. Too thin for MIG and spatter burns through in seconds. Too thick for TIG and you can't feel the torch. The right place to start is EN 12477 — the UK and European standard that covers every proper welding glove. It tells you exactly what protection you're getting before you buy. For a broader look at hand protection across all trades, see our complete heavy duty work gloves guide.
What is EN 12477 — and why does it matter?
Welding is different from most other hand hazards. You've got heat, spatter, flame, and rough metal — all at once. A standard mechanical glove won't cut it. Neither will a basic heat glove.
EN 12477 is the standard built for this. It pulls together two other tests into one welding-specific rating. EN 388 covers mechanical risks — how well the glove resists abrasion, tearing, and being stabbed through. EN 407 covers heat — flame, contact heat, hot air, and molten metal splash. Pass both at the right levels, and the glove earns its EN 12477 mark.
If a glove doesn't carry EN 12477, it hasn't been tested for welding. Don't use it on a welding job. Full stop.
Type A vs Type B: what's the difference?
EN 12477 splits welding gloves into two types. The type tells you what trade-off the glove makes between protection and finger movement.
Type A is the higher-protection option. It's built for MIG, MMA (stick), and heavy fabrication. To pass Type A, a glove must survive 500 rub cycles in the abrasion test. That's the palm fabric staying intact after 500 passes of a rough surface. A cheap non-rated glove can fall apart at 100 cycles. Type A also needs to resist 25 Newton of force before tearing. For heat, it must withstand 25 droplets of molten metal — without burning through to your skin. In exchange, you give up some finger movement. Type A gloves are bulkier. That's the point.
Type B is the TIG welder's glove. It trades some protection for much better finger movement. The abrasion minimum drops to 100 cycles. Molten metal resistance drops to 15 droplets. But here's what matters for TIG work: the finger movement test. Type B must let you pick up a pin just 6.5mm wide. Type A only needs to manage an 11mm pin. That 4.5mm gap is the difference between feeling the torch and fumbling it.
One thing both types share: EN 407 contact heat Level 1 — rated to 100°C. Worth knowing what that means. It's a brief touch test, not a working temperature. It means the glove can handle a moment of contact at 100°C without burning through. It does not mean you can grip a 100°C surface for a full minute.
Don't swap the types around. TIG gloves on a MIG job leave your hands exposed to heavy spatter. MIG gloves on TIG work mean you can't control the torch properly. Both are how accidents happen.
MIG, TIG, gauntlet or stick — which do you need?
Here's the decision broken down by process.
MIG/MAG welding — You need EN 12477 Type A. Spatter volume is high and it hits hard. You want a leather palm, a gauntlet cuff to cover your forearm, and ideally cowhide or split leather construction. This is the most common welding job on UK sites.
TIG welding — You need EN 12477 Type B. Spatter is low but you need real finger control. Goatskin leather is the best choice here — it's soft, shapes to your hand, and gives you grip. A shorter cuff is fine for TIG. A full gauntlet will actually get in the way.
Stick/MMA welding — Type A again, but go heavier. Stick welding throws more spatter than MIG and the arc runs hotter. You want the thickest leather you can find and a full gauntlet cuff. Don't cut corners on the leather grade here.
Fabrication and grinding — Type A with an added cut rating. When you're grinding or handling sheet steel, your hands face sharp edges as well as heat. Look for gloves that carry both EN 12477 Type A and a cut resistance rating under EN 388. Our cut resistant welding gloves range covers this gap.
Gauntlet or standard cuff — does length matter?
Yes. It really does.
EN 12477 sets minimum glove lengths by hand size. For a size 9 hand, the minimum is 330mm from fingertip to cuff end. That's roughly 13 inches. Gauntlet-style gloves extend well past the wrist onto the forearm. Standard-cuff gloves stop at or just above the wrist.
For MIG and stick welding, spatter travels. It falls from above, it bounces off the workpiece, and it finds any gap. A short-cuff glove leaves your wrist and lower forearm exposed. That's a burn waiting to happen. Gauntlet cuffs close that gap.
For TIG, a shorter cuff is often fine. The spatter risk is low and a gauntlet can restrict your wrist movement when you're feeding filler wire by hand.
If your gauntlet still doesn't cover enough forearm for your job, pair your gloves with welding sleeves. They extend protection up to the elbow and beyond.
Which leather is best for welding gloves?
The leather type changes how the glove performs and how long it lasts. There are three types you'll see on welding gloves in the UK.
Cowhide and cow split leather — The tough choice. Cowhide is thick, stiff, and takes a long time to wear through. It handles heavy spatter well and lasts for months of daily use. The trade-off is it starts stiff and takes time to break in. Best for MIG and stick welding, heavy fabrication, and blacksmithing. Split leather is taken from the inner layer of cowhide. It's a bit softer and more affordable, but still tough enough for most welding work.
Goatskin leather — The TIG welder's leather. Softer, more flexible straight out of the box. Goatskin has a natural grip and shapes to your hand over time. It doesn't last as long as cowhide under heavy spatter, but for TIG work that's not the point. You need control, not armour.
Economy split leather — Fine for light welding or occasional use. Not built for all-day professional wear. If your team is welding for most of a shift, spend the extra on proper cowhide or goatskin. Economy leather stitching fails first — and stitching failure means the glove falls apart at the seams.
That brings us to stitching. Cheap gloves use standard polyester or cotton thread. Thread burns through fast near hot metal. Look for Kevlar stitching. Kevlar is heat and cut resistant — it holds the glove together when the thread on a cheap pair would have gone long ago.
Here's a solid example of a professional MIG and stick gauntlet:
Beeswift Heat Resistant Gauntlet Gloves 18" Brown Split Leather Welders
What to look for before you buy
- EN 12477 Type A or B on the label — If it's not marked, it's not rated for welding.
- Leather matched to the process — Cowhide or split for MIG/stick. Goatskin for TIG.
- Gauntlet cuff for MIG and stick — Minimum 330mm for most hand sizes.
- Kevlar stitching — Look for it on the seams, especially the thumb crotch.
- Correct sizing — Don't size up. A loose glove slips on the torch and reduces your grip.
- Insulated lining — If you're welding outdoors in winter or in a cold workshop, look for a thermal lining option.
- Cut rating for fabrication — If your job involves grinding or handling cut sheet metal, check the EN 388 cut rating alongside the EN 407 rating. See our cut resistant welding gloves for options that cover both.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use MIG gloves for TIG welding?
Not really. MIG gloves are Type A — thick, stiff, and built for heavy spatter. TIG welding needs fine finger control. A MIG glove makes it hard to feel the torch or feed filler wire accurately. For TIG, you want a Type B glove in goatskin. It's thinner, softer, and gives you the grip and feel the job needs.
What does EN 12477 Type A mean in plain English?
It means the glove has passed a combined mechanical and heat test built specifically for welding. Type A is the higher-protection level. The palm fabric survives 500 rub cycles before wearing through. The glove resists 25 droplets of molten metal. It handles brief contact at 100°C. And it meets EN 407 requirements for burning behaviour and hot air resistance. In short — it's built for MIG, stick, and heavy fabrication where heat and spatter are both high.
How long should welding gloves be?
EN 12477 sets a minimum length of 330mm for a size 9 hand — measured from fingertip to cuff end. That's roughly 13 inches. For MIG and stick welding, a gauntlet-style glove is advised. It extends past the wrist onto the forearm, covering the gap where spatter tends to land. For TIG, a shorter cuff is often enough since spatter levels are low.
What is the difference between a welding glove and a gauntlet?
The difference is the cuff length. A standard welding glove stops at or just above the wrist. A gauntlet extends further up the forearm — typically 100mm or more past the wrist. Both can carry EN 12477 certification. For MIG and stick welding, a gauntlet is the better choice. It covers the area most at risk from falling spatter. For TIG work, a shorter cuff is usually fine.
Are cheap welding gloves good enough for professional use?
Depends what you mean by cheap. A low-cost glove that carries EN 12477 Type A certification is fine — the standard is the floor, not the ceiling. The risk is gloves sold as "welding gloves" with no EN 12477 mark. These haven't been tested for the combined heat and mechanical hazards of welding. The stitching tends to fail first. For professional daily use, spend on proper leather and Kevlar stitching. It works out cheaper than replacing unrated gloves every few weeks.
The decision comes down to three things: your welding process, your cuff length, and your leather. MIG and stick need Type A with a gauntlet and tough cowhide. TIG needs Type B with goatskin and a lighter cuff. Fabrication needs both EN 12477 Type A and a cut rating alongside it.
Go back to the full picture in our heavy duty work gloves buyer's guide.
Ready to pick your gloves? Browse our full range of heavy duty welding gloves — filtered by process, temperature rating, and leather type.