Rubber for hot sticking?

[busman]

If you don't mind a curious question from an electrician, how do you select personal rubber (gloves/sleeves) for stick work. Our transformer blew in front of the house yesterday (34.5/19.9 wye) and the lineman had class 2 rubber. I asked him and he said it was OK because he was using sticks. Just wonder how you select it for this type of work, or does it not matter because it's just extra insurance?

Thanks in advance,

Mark