I use a tape measure near daily. I'm restoring an old house almost entirely myself and I woodwork as a hobby. Measuring is kind of important. For 25 years a Stanley Fatmax 25' was my go to. I have had others along the way, but they would break, get lost or just get pushed to the side as I went back to my Stanley. But now that I'm in my late 40s and I don't see as well up close as I used to it's getting harder and harder to read measurements. The dashes all start to look the same after a while. So I went looking for something easier to read. Enter this FastCap 16' tape measure. First of all, I can't remember the last time I needed to measure anything longer then 16 feet. Maybe doing some work outside when I lay a new walkway or when I start rebuilding our 40' front porch, but I have a 100' roll for those kinds of things too. Carrying a 16' measure on my means it's smaller and lighter. Not a huge deal, but I have already noticed the reduced bulkiness on my belt and I don't miss the extra 9 feet. But back to the reason I chose this tape measure: visibility. This thing is so easy to read. The dashes are thin and clearly marked down the to 16th of an inch, with the 16ths in red. In fact, it's so easy to read that I'm confident I could use this to estimate to a 32nd of an inch even though that's not marked. The tape and real are also incredibly smooth. It's been a while since I've bought a new tape measure, but I don't remember any of them being this fluid even when brand new. It's weirdly satisfying to use it for that tactile feeling alone. I love that is has a second lock on the bottom that will hold as long as the button is depressed, and it realeases as you let go rather than only relying on the main lock that you have to push down and lock. It's great to have both options. The erasable surface is great for writing down quick measurements. What a clever feature! And another bonus is the pencil sharpener. I ususally use a mechanical pencil so I probably won't take advantage of this feature too much, but I'm sure plenty of you out there use a Ticonderoga #2 and it will come in handy for you. The kicked on top of all of these features that make this my favorite tape measure of all time, it's also one of the cheapest legit options you can find on Amazon. I think I might buy a couple of spares in case FastCap realizes what they have here and decides to double the price (I'd still payt it). Read more
Really great solution for measuring either way because the measurement is shown left and right. Other tape measures don't seem to offer this innovation. High quality. Small detail lets you use side of tape measure for making measurement notes. Great price, too! Read more
A nice basic ruler at a good price. The numbers are easy to read and have good contrast - that matters when you have old eyes. The onboard pencil sharpener and the note surface are neat ideas - it shows someone was thinking! We just got it for Christmas, so I can't speak about how rugged it is, but it feels solid and well-made. I have no idea if they make longer rulers, but a 16-footer will handle most home projects. I recommend this. Read more
The media could not be loaded. Have had possession of this item for right at one month. Spring mechanism is strong. Belt latch mechanism is strong and has a push tab to aid in attaching and releasing from your belt. The thumb latch is a bit stiff, but I assume it will slide easier with more use. This tape also has a pinching mechanism on the bottom that allows tape to be held in extended position, and then released, by a single finger. Very convenient. Tape feels like it has a fairly heavy protective coating (Teflon?). Tape slides in and out easily. I bought this particular tape for woodworking. I like that it is readable from left or right, and markings are denoted down to a sixteenth. From a flat level surface, 57” above floor, I was able to extend tape to an unsupported length of 91”. Did not get to 92” before tape “broke”. Adequate for my needs. I will not attempt to speak to measuring accuracy, as I would only be making a comparison to one of my many other tapes. The one minor complaint I have is in the notation of the markings at each foot. Those markings do not stand out. But for woodworking this will be fine. For other needs, where I want to read feet, I may go to another tape measure. If any issues with durability, I will try to provide updates. Read more
How many times do we measure things and the tape measure is upside down? No more! This has the measurements on both sides making it very easy to read! It's good quality, smooth retraction, locks nicely, and offers a little spot on the side to write down your measurement! Brilliant! Read more
The tape measure is fatter than I expected, but I really like the quality of the tape, and that it labels the 16ths. The mirrored scales are easy to read and the tape quality is really good. Pencil sharpener is not needed but I like the erasable face for copying measurements. Read more
I use it many dozens of times a day and it works great and it's easy to read the markings. Took me 3 brands to find one I like. Handbrake is great. Be careful extending it past 100%: it likes to lock up and you have to fiddle with it to get it to start spooling again. But it goes back and works great every time. I like the roundness of the shell. Edges of the tape is pretty dull glad they paid attention to that. Tip is a little loosey goosey but not totally cheap. Almost like the rivets need to be set it deeper. Clip for belt/pocket works great and it super easy to use, most other brands screw this up. Making big red/yellow brand look pretty bad rn. Read more
