best long tape measure

In other words, it’s perfectly manageable. There is really no tape that will last forever under all circumstances. In Clement’s review of it, he says, “No one will accuse me of having large hands and the PowerLock fits in my hand nicely.” He goes on, “The squatter, rounder topped tapes with wider (1¼ inch) blades feel too bulky. As mentioned in the How we picked section, for the Popular Mechanics article, I tossed one from a height of 25 feet and as I wrote then, “the FatMax showed only scuff marks. We curate, you discover! Keson fiberglass measuring tapes contain 40,000 fiberglass strands, giving … You can easily lock the blade with one hand. It is a very simple blade, although very clearly marked with Imperial measurements. They haven’t just pulled that name out of the air either. “If your tape breaks downward at just 5-6 feet then it’s likely going to be a product that doesn’t last long in other areas as well.”. The Stanley PowerLock is the best tape measure for a number of reasons. The FatMax tips the scales at 1 pound, 2¼ ounces, the heaviest of the tapes we looked at. This added level of processing makes for a spring that is tougher and longer lasting. A: The concave design of the tape measure blade helps it to remain rigid when unsupported. The Powerlock is a model of Stanley tape measure that first hit the market way back in 1963, and has had very little, if any, amendments to the design ever since. The crew liked the d etent on the back of the body, and finger brake on the bottom. He also raises sheep and has a dairy cow that he milks every morning. We actually heard it laughing at us.” DeBoer, in the PTR roundup called the FatMax “the rugged ubiquitous tape to beat.”. That is also broadly reflective of the market as a whole, where almost all these tools have a 25-foot length as standard. And with all the use you will get out of it over the years, makes it a tool that will continue to help you over the long-term. If, for whatever reason, you think that 25 feet of tape is not going to give you the measuring capacity you need then take a look at this product from Magnelex. DeBoer also picks up on the cost analysis in the PTR piece. Before you make a … This is a standard design on tape measures, and when clipped and unclipped repeatedly on a pocket, it starts to fray the fabric. We were also very impressed to see that the first 3 feet of the tape blade has been treated with a BladeArmor coating. It wiggles on its rivets to make up for the space the hook takes up, depending on how the tape measure is being used. But, take a look at the built in features here, and it’s easy to see why they don’t need to make any changes. A tape measure is the single most-used tool on a jobsite, and I’ve been using one on a daily basis for nearly 20 years. This is a nice touch, but we also found that it had one of the weaker blade locks of any tape we looked at. If you’re constantly making measurements under 16 feet, for example, there’s no need to carry around a 30′ tape that’s twice as big and weighs twice as much as a 16… They were both comfortable to use, and our test group liked their size, but the blade durability was subpar, with both tapes showing wear and slight kinks after some standard use. Some tapes, like the Lufkin Hi-Vis Control Series Tape, have angled nail slots on each side of the tang so you don’t need to twist the tape as you’re making the arc or hanging the tape. We liked the Lufkin for its blade durability and bright orange coloring (I can’t start to explain how many tape measures I’ve lost over the years), but the lanyard attachment made the tape a little too bulky for my liking, at least for around-the-house use. As mentioned earlier, when I pressed on the Keson’s tang bumper, the seam at the bottom of the case opened up a little. It’s a basic tool whose pared-down simplicity makes it light, tough, accurate, easy to handle, and affordable. So if the tape is being pushed against something, then the width of the hook is included in the measurement. The PowerLock has a fairly typical warranty. I can hold the [PowerLock] in my hand, pay out tape, and bend the tape—say for measuring across a floor or from floor to ceiling—in a fluid motion without having to readjust the tape in my hand.”. It does take a little time to get used to, as you are used to pressing that button to lock not to retract the measuring blade! One handling issue that we had with these tapes is that the over-mold extends down from the case and covers the sides of the tang. 1,691 thick blade tape measure products are offered for sale by suppliers on Alibaba.com, of which tape measures accounts for 5%. The minimum width of tape will be around 1 inch and they can be up to 2 inches in width, sometimes more. That is a pretty cool design feature, which means that the measuring blade should be easy to read in a wide range of high and low light ranges. The Compact Tape Measure is a perfect size, but the blade lock is really difficult and we often had to use two hands to operate it. There are very basic models similar to the now-discontinued Bosch DLR130K that can do distance and calculate area and volume, but others, like the Stanley TLM330, can even figure out a distance through triangulation. Another cool thing about the screen is that you can switch back and forth between Metric and Imperial measurements. It also has a wider tape (1¼”) and a greater stand-out (we got 11 foot, 3 inches). The Best Tape Measure 1 Stanley 33-425 25-Foot by 1-Inch Measuring Tape Established in 1963, the Stanley Powerlock did nothing short of revolutionizing the humble tape measure, introducing the world to its innovative slide lock technology which made the process of measuring faster and easier than ever before. In DeBoer’s article, he looked at 12 different tapes with all but one between $8 and $20 (the $2.50 Pittsburgh Quikfind received a terrible review). For industrial usages, as well as outdoor usages, tape measures can extend to about 100 feet. The Tape Store is the UK's No.1 Retailer of Long Tape Measures stocking an incredible selection of steel and fibreglass tapes. With a wider tape, longer standout, and tougher parts than our pick, the FatMax balances rugged performance with a body that’s (just barely) not too big to be manageable. What is everyone on here using? On the DeWalt tape, which has 1/16ths, the ⅛-inch increments are labeled as fractions along one edge of the tape. 78 Most tape measures are of course highly accurate, at least in terms of their markings, and errors are more likely to be made by us, the users. In Clement’s experience, “they tend to roll the tape over when you’re extending to hook something. But is there a little more going on beneath the surface than you may see at first glance? Stanley 33-425 Powerlock 25-Foot by 1-Inch Measuring Tape © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, Stanley 33-725 25-Feet FatMax Tape Measure. If you were wondering how such a simple tool as a tape measure could be re-designed and re-engineered for the 21st century then take a good look at this offering from eTape. After all, as we pointed out in the review of this product above, this design originated way back in 1963. Item #1437539. We need to note that Stanley sells another version of this tape measure that they refer to as the PowerLock with Blade Armor. Better versions were found on the Starrett and Tajimas, but those tapes had other issues covered below. The answer is quite a lot actually. Everyone thought that the 1¼-inch tapes were bulky and heavy. First, the belt hook is a simple metal clip. That does make this tool a little heavier than many others, but could also extend the lifespan of the product. This acts as a shock absorber when the tang comes slamming back into the case. The tape measure body is encased in rubber. Again, this protects the inner workings whilst also making the tool comfortable in the hand. Taking all this into consideration to name the tool that gives you the best value, the other tapes—which often cost more—all fell short compared to this one. He ended by saying, “Overall, I highly recommend Stanley’s PowerLock tape measures, especially given that they’re cheap enough to replace if or when they’re dropped too many times.”, This last point he makes is worth emphasizing. For a tape to have a long, productive life, the most important factor is blade durability. Everyone except for Empire is dead on at the 6″ mark on our Lixer Master calibration tool. If you like to work in meters and centimeters there are better metric tape measures out there for you. Ever have the tape measure lock fail? If you regularly measure long distances, this type is a no-brainer, as soft tape measures are designed to cover much shorter distances. Once locked, the tape didn’t budge as we bounced it on its own weight. You can also re-zero measurements at any time without having to retract the measuring blade. Tape measures come with either 1/16-inch or 1/32-inch increment markings. On many of the other tapes, like the Johnsons and the FastCaps, the printing came off like we were erasing a pencil mark. Each inch of the length of the tape is divided into 16 equal parts. Finally, everyone has different hands, so in order to test general ergonomics I gave the top contenders to my wife and some other friends to play around with and considered their feedback. It should come as no surprise to see that a Milwaukee tape measure has made the list! On the other hand, you can also select a point on the blade and measure from that point. Using the DeWalt, you have to add 3¼ inches and the Snap-on makes you add 3⅛ inches. Just like their first model we looked at, this model also seems, on the surface at least, to be quite simple. The tape started recoiling with even the slightest movement. Are those laser distance measurers worth it? They offer nylon coated steel blades that have minimal stretch for best in class accuracy. It was the MOST Stable of all … While we liked the added blade durability, the loosey-goosey blade lock was too frustrating. The FastCap tapes that we tested, the Old Standby and Lefty/Righty, have a similar feature, but it’s a button at the bottom of the case rather than a cutaway. We’ve occasionally checked it against the Lixer tape measure calibrator and it remains accurate. 3/8-in x 30m/100-ft Closed Reel Yellow Clad Steel Long Tape Measure. Some companies make tape measures with auto-locking features that automatically hold the tape in place once it is extended. It was dead-on accurate when we tested it with the Lixer Calibrator, meaning both the push and pull measurement are right where they’re supposed to be. Car Bibles is reader-supported. Because the PowerLock has been the standard tape measure for so long (and the one that everyone’s dad owned) it seems to have become what people are comfortable and familiar with. The Tajimas and FastCaps got high marks for their compact size, but they each have their own flaws that we’ll get to in a bit. I had a Klein 25' stand-out, that I really liked. Aside from the length and dual markings, this is in truth a pretty basic tape. The price tag is surprisingly low too, so that’s good to see. If not, it won’t be missed. The PowerLock is a very basic tool and its pared-down simplicity makes it very light and easy to handle. On some tapes the coating and printing came right off, but others held up admirably to the abrasion test. What am I supposed to do? Of all the tapes tested, the GP-25 was the most expensive, but it only housed a 1-inch blade. It is in the iconic Stanley Powerlock shape, and provides a superb degree of high impact protection to the inner workings of the tool. It’s big and heavy, though, making it harder than our pick to grip in a smaller hand, and that’s the main reason why it can feel like overkill for occasional measurements at home. It’s a huge headache. It had a double hook with magnets and descent ability. If it can read the distance between you and the house and you and the second-story window (for example), it can tell you how high the window is off the ground. However, this is only a concern if the tape is being used on a very regular basis. The Komelon also had an over-engineered protective case and was the most futuristic-looking tape we found. Now you’ve got a circle with approximately a 20-inch diameter. The tape is covered with the same coating that encases the PowerLock, but it also has the additional “industrial thermoplastic” covering over the first 4½ inches. For the diagonals, we planted the tang at the lower corner, extended the tapes, and then bent them over with a twist in order to read the upper corner. Durability isn’t the only thing the FatMax offers. The PowerLock handled this repetitive bending and kinking with no problems, but we were surprised at how quickly this task worked over some of the tapes, like the Keson and the Tajimas, which quickly developed slight warps and wrinkles in the thin blades. For a relatively small investment you can have a tool that will last years and years, helping you with countless projects and tasks. Secondly, they attract all manner of metal shavings, filings, and debris, making them difficult to keep clean. To give credit where it is due Komelon have clearly taken a look at other tape designs, and had a think about possible improvements and upgrades. The measuring blade is a tad on the thin side, making the measurements look a little bunched and hard to read. There's no spring or enclosure, so it won't get choked with dirt or sand. A couple of the tapes, including the recommended PowerLock, are available with a dual metric scale, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you should be able to track one down easily enough. Tape Measures; Long Tape Rules Long Tape Measures (0) STANLEY® Long Tape Measures feature easy-to-read blade graphics for easy long distance measuring. And we usually make these errors when trying to make out pencil lines on whatever we are measuring. After that, we’ll take a look at how best to use your new tool and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this extremely useful product. For this guide, we only looked at tapes with traditional locking buttons. Best Tape Measures For Accuracy. I’ve personally had a lot of experience using this tape and can attest to its brute durability. For one thing it can remain rigid without any support for up to seven feet. In an article in Tools of the Trade outlining the everyday carry tools for a professional framing crew, Tim Uhler explains, “When it’s wet (winter), [a Stanley FatMax] won’t last more than a month or so. This is a really cool little tool, huh? I’m neither here nor there on this one. Both Clement and DeBoer warned against tapes loaded with additional features like pencil sharpeners. A couple of them commented on how light the PowerLock was compared to the others, especially the 1¼-inch tapes (the PowerLock is 13¼ ounces, tied with the Keson for the lightest tape tested). Could there possibly be a tool that is quite as useful but at the same time underrated as the humble tape measure? The Starrett Exact Plus might have been our pick if not for its sheer bulk. I’ve also seen the locking switch on a FatMax break after an 8-foot fall. In addition to the well-designed blade the end hook is also very well effective and should do a good job of gripping edges for easier measurements. This model is a magnetic tape measure too, so no springs to worry about here. All in all this is a high quality, if very simple, design. It’s not uncommon for a room in a house (or a hallway) to have a wall longer than 16 feet, and you might need to measure the square footage for painting or size up a potential hall runner. This not only makes the tool quite comfortable to hold, it will really help to protect the inner workings of the tool itself from any sudden shocks like a drop from height. The tang was very large and had a vertical piece that could hook from underneath. Look for comfortable and ergonomic designs that employ materials like rubber and/or ABS plastic for protection. Measuring Blade & Markings Are a Little Small. Sometimes, you might need to measure distance, but you’ll find that you don’t have a ruler or tape measure handy. That is actually pretty cool if you think about it, and it certainly impressed us. About ⅔ of the tapes that we tested had this feature, but the Stanley was one of seven that kept this measurement to an easy-to-use 3 inches. If you’re more concerned about the tool being comfortable to hold and use (rather than durability), we’d steer you back to our pick instead of this. The Milwaukee body has plenty of rubber over-mold on top and base. These can be used to hook something from underneath. While DeBoer doesn’t advocate always going for the longest stand-out, he also uses stand-out as a quality marker. While this was a feature that took many other tapes out of consideration, the tang on the FatMax is designed differently. But CarBible, we assume some of you may ask, I need to measure stuff that’s 27 feet long! The Milwaukee 25 ft. General Contractor Tape Measure was our previous upgrade pick for its pro-grade durability. After all, they vary in size and length, but they also come with lots of different feature sets. For example, a lot of the extra size is due to the fact the tape blade itself is nice and thick. Milwaukee 25 ft. General Contractor Tape Measure, Review: Going the Distance—A Survey of Tape Measures, Tool Review: Stanley PowerLock 25 Foot Tape Measure. Those with 1/32-inch markings are suitable for engineering tasks for which precise measurements are needed. The measuring blade itself is constructed of Mylar Polyester film. The two Tajima tapes, the G-25 and the GP-25 were nearly identical, despite the price difference. A lot of the other wide-blade tapes were taken out of the running because of their massive tangs. But they also produce a lot of support tools too, including, drum roll, tape measures! There’s nothing worse than a cheap tape measure. Yes, it’s as fun as it sounds. Lets start with the outer case. That, to us at least, is really cool. It is a common measuring tool. The case is a very important part of the tape measure. What you will no doubt notice straight away is the fact it is white rather than the standard yellow. Unfortunately, neither one measured up to the success of the General Contractor Tape Measure. I actually found it more difficult to press the button and maintain pressure on it than to just slide my finger forward and stop the tape the way everyone else does. It is very small, weighing in at around 8 ounces. The amount of movement should equal the thickness of the tang to ensure accuracy for both styles of measurement.2. This model is the famous Stanley Fatmax tape measure. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. The chubby case is nearly two inches wide and it fills up any hand that is holding it. As stated earlier, the PowerLock has been around for over 50 years and the one thing that has changed over time is the case. They have settled on the measuring blade itself as being worthy of a redesign. You also though can still use the measuring blade in the traditional way, as it is clearly marked out with Imperial measurement lines. The tiny gap this creates is the same as the width of the hook. You will get laughed off a construction site, but not out of your own living room.”, Clint DeBoer, Review: Going the Distance—A Survey of Tape Measures, Pro Tool Reviews, June 14, 2013, Mark Clement, Tool Review: Stanley PowerLock 25 Foot Tape Measure, MyFixItUpLife, December 24, 2011, Stuart Deutsch, Stanley Powerlock Tape Measure Review, ToolGuyd, December 26, 2008. A detachable piece turns the standard FatMax tang into a much larger one. Whether you have a tape measure and want to get an extra one or you’re purchasing your first tape measure it’s suggested that you get the best one. We understand that these tapes are critical to your profession. Clement used the term “headache” and DeBoer called them “unwieldy.” What happens is the tangs are so large that they catch on everything except what you actually want them to hook on—particularly the ones with top hooks that extend above the tape. Related Posts: Best Magnetic Tool Holders and Best Magnetic Wristbands. Problem was it only lasted 5 months. If the hook is placed over the edge of an item for an outside measurement, the hook will wriggle back on it’s rivet. your rating. We tested this model out too, and even though it sounds like it would be the superior tape, it pales in comparison to its more stable sibling. Along with the button-stop system, blade durability was a weak point for the FastCap, as was the thumb-operated belt clip (it works like a snack bag clip and is tedious to use). Learn more. Before you worry about anything else, a tape measure has to be accurate. The button is actually the release mechanism and once pressed, allows the measuring blade to retract into the tool body. Nearly all of the Kobalts, and many others had this issue. Unlike metal blades, the fiberglass tape won't kink or break when you step on it. Still, we like to see some innovation being deployed in the tools we review so well done Komelon. It has a nice spring to it and the flare at the end makes it easy to blindly hook on a back pocket. You also get, as an added bonus, both metric and imperial measurements marked out on the tape. On the surface, it is another very simple design, and it also has a nice low price. A button, located where the normal toggle would be, retracts the tape. You get all that for less than 10 bucks too, very good value for money. S&R Surveyors Tape Measure Fiberglass 100m / 330 feet Double Marked Tape Reel, Extra Long Builders roll Tape, Width 13mm 4.5 out of 5 stars 205 £25.78 £ 25 . The third tape measure to make the list today is this entry from Komelon. In our research, we found that many longtime users of the PowerLock wistfully long for the days of the metal case. More thoughts on those in a bit.). It is a reference to the dark coloring that has been employed on the measuring tape. Best Uses for Fiberglass Measuring Tapes. Kitchenistic helps you find the latest and gratest That’s because the PowerLock delivers the best basic combination of durability, ease of use, and accuracy—and all for a very low price. So what does that famous red branding and lighting bolt mean when it comes to tape measures? No, eTape have looked at the traditional style of tape measure, and wondered what improvements on form and function a digital screen could bring to the table. Clement said that a 25 is the way to go because there are times when it will come in handy. Magnelex Tape Measure 26-Foot; Kutir Measuring Tape (Our Top Pick) Stanley 33-425 Tape Measure On the sides at the top of the tang are two slight horns that stick up above the concave side of the tape. Both DeBoer and Clement agreed that a tape measure that can stand out unsupported for 7-8 feet is more than enough for at-home use. Will Need Replacement Batteries Eventually. This simple decision makes for a measuring blade that is nice and easy to read. Last, with its long 50-plus-year history, the PowerLock is also something of an icon. Accuracy is important too, but all of the tapes we looked at fell within an acceptable margin of error. A lame blade lock can be intensely frustrating. There are metric measurement lines, but they not marked with numbers or other indicators. We tested Milwaukee's 25 ft. Stud Tape Measure and 25 ft Compact Tape Measure and neither are as good as our current picks. In the intervening 50 years plus since then Stanley have not had to change the design at all. This video contains Paid links that gives me a 6% commission if you click and buy any product on that website . With its ergonomic locking lever and durable blade coating, it was a contender, but the fact that it’s as tall as the PowerLock and as wide as the chunky FatMax made it difficult for smaller hands to grasp and use comfortably. Nylon coated steel blades that have minimal stretch for best in class durability actually the release mechanism and once,. S good to see some innovation being deployed in the ergonomic category was the most useful tools your! The loosey-goosey blade lock is engaged, it won ’ t use the metric.. To extend further unsupported without collapsing measure calibrator and it also has durable. While this was a feature that took many other tapes very large and had a similar experience the... 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