Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
Ansell HyFlex 11-840 vs SHOWA 377
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Work Gloves: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
Ansell publishes the fullest specification of the four, including the 15 gauge, a foam nitrile palm coating and an EN 388 code of 4131A. The SHOWA 377 matches its abrasion level at a lower tier and beats it in oil, which is the trade most buyers are actually making.
Ansell HyFlex 11-840
Buy itA 15-gauge knit with a foam nitrile palm that posts EN 388 abrasion level 4, the top band, in a glove thin enough to fasten small parts in.
- Ansell publishes EN 388:2016 4131A, so abrasion is level 4, the top of the four-level scale, at roughly 8,000 cycles on the test rig.
- The specification sheet names the gauge, 15, the foam nitrile coating and the palm-coated finish.
- Palm coating only with a knitted nylon and spandex back means the glove breathes, and Ansell lists it as silicone free.
- Ansell recommends it for assembly and general handling, not wet or oily work, and the palm-only foam nitrile coating is not a liquid barrier.
- Ansell's 2x grip and up to 20 percent durability claims are measured against its own previous technology version, not another brand, and no wet or oily figure is given.
- EN 388 puncture is level 1, the lowest band, and there is no impact rating of any kind on the specification.
SHOWA 377
Buy itThe cheapest tier here, with a double foam nitrile palm that SHOWA says disperses oil.
- SHOWA publishes EN 388:2016+A1:2018 4121X, so it matches the Ansell glove on abrasion level 4 at a lower tier.
- The coating is listed as nitrile plus foam nitrile, with a double layer of nitrile foam on the palm that SHOWA says disperses oil and improves grip in wet, dry or oily conditions.
- SHOWA lists it as water resistant, breathable and seamless knit, in sizes 6 through 10, and names light assembly of oil-coated pieces as an intended application.
- SHOWA does not publish the knit gauge for this model, so you cannot compare its thickness to a glove that does.
- EN 388 tear is level 2 and puncture is level 1, both below the Ironclad glove here.
- There is no impact rating and no cut rating worth the name, with the straight-blade cut position reported as X.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Ansell HyFlex 11-840 Our pick | SHOWA 377 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | General handling, assembly and parts work in mostly dry conditions, where you want the highest published abrasion band without giving up feel. | Anyone whose hands are wet, greasy or muddy most of the day, and who buys gloves by the box because they are consumables. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| EN 388 code published by the maker | 4131A | 4121X |
| EN 388 abrasion level | Level 4, about 8,000 cycles | Level 4, about 8,000 cycles |
| EN 388 tear and puncture | Tear 3, puncture 1 | Tear 2, puncture 1 |
| Impact rating published | None | None |
| Palm material or coating | Foam nitrile, palm coated | Nitrile plus foam nitrile, double foam layer on palm |
| Knit gauge published | 15 gauge | Not published |
| What the maker says about grip | 2x grip versus its previous version, no wet figure | Disperses oil, grip in wet, dry or oily |
| Touchscreen claimed by maker | Claimed, consumer and industrial screens | Not claimed |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Ansell HyFlex 11-840 if
general handling, assembly and parts work in mostly dry conditions, where you want the highest published abrasion band without giving up feel.
Know before buying: ansell recommends it for assembly and general handling, not wet or oily work, and the palm-only foam nitrile coating is not a liquid barrier.
Pick the SHOWA 377 if
anyone whose hands are wet, greasy or muddy most of the day, and who buys gloves by the box because they are consumables.
Know before buying: sHOWA does not publish the knit gauge for this model, so you cannot compare its thickness to a glove that does.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Ansell HyFlex 11-840 - A 15-gauge knit with a foam nitrile palm that posts EN 388 abrasion level 4, the top band, in a glove thin enough to fasten small parts in. Choose the SHOWA 377 instead if anyone whose hands are wet, greasy or muddy most of the day, and who buys gloves by the box because they are consumables.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Work Gloves: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).