The Basic Toolkit: Selecting a Tape Measure
A tape measure is another obvious addition to a basic toolkit. In fact, I keep at least one on each floor of my house so that they are always close at hand. However, let's assume that we are selecting only one tape measure and therefore, need to choose a good general purpose model to suffice for most home improvement projects.
From my point of view, there are two primary features of a tape measure- length and standout. For length, I think that 16 feet is a good general purpose length. If you have rooms in your house that are longer than 16 feet or if you do lots of outdoor measuring, go with a 25 foot tape measure. The trade off with tape length is the size of the tape measure. A shorter tape measure is less bulky.
Standout is a measurement of how far you can extend the tape before it starts to fold over. You can see how a longer standout would be useful if you are measuring alone. Consider how far you may want to extend your tape when measuring. Eight feet may be a good standout to shoot for. The trade off with standout is the width of the tape and/or the curvature of the tape. A wider tape means a bulkier product. A more curved tape can make marking ticks more difficult.
In addition to length and standout, there are secondary features to consider. What kind of measurement markings do you want? Most U.S. tape measures are marked to the 1/16th inch. You may also want each foot marked. Some tape measures include markings every 16 inches (for studs). A belt clip is useful and allows you to clip the tape measure to the outside of the tool bag. Some tapes have a protective coating on them, increasing durability. Some have soft rubber on the tip to help protect walls and furniture.
Finally, pick one that feels right to you. Stretch it out in the store. Decide if it feels to weighty. Do you like the color? You don't need all the bells and whistles, but get the stuff that matters to you.
Here are a couple that I endorse:
Stanley 16-Foot Powerlock Tape Measure
Stanley 25-Foot Fat Max Tape Measure
Jon
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