Stanley ZSTA-0-33-504 STA033504 FatMax Autolock Pocket Tape 8m/26ft (Width 32mm) Pro 8 m/26 ft, Multi-Colour

After one year of real construction use in rough, dusty, hot environments and a couple falls on concrete here and there this tape measure still works well. The areas where it could improve: -Include an attachable magnet -The retaining clip for the extra large blade (which I love) has started to slip on occasion and the blade came off. -has no markings on the back/bottom side of the tape, most other brands have this I don't know why they don't do this Otherwise it has great fit and feel, and I personally like auto lock tape measures and this one hasn't started to slip and slowly slide back in when you have it extended like you see in the video. I will say that now it does retract slower and weaker than it used to when I first got it. Overall though, I'd say this is the best auto lock tape measure I've used.

The locking feature took some getting used to, because it kind of works in reverse to what I normally see. But once I adjusted, I found that I like it a lot! Hopefully it will function the same over time. I love that it has SAE and metric measurements on it. Makes it a LITTLE hard to read, but - again - once used to it, it’s great. Now very easy to read. For what I use it for (around the house, general measuring) I find it plenty accurate for what I do. Love the magnetic & optional larger hooks. Also has a very good standout. Most of the time, I’m measuring if furniture will fit (inches/cms); quick, general, conversion measurement comparisons (2’ is about 61cm, that kinda stuff) - which comes in handy when figuring out measurements from outside of the U.S. I have the 5m/16’ version, and it’s been a go-to for around the house!

Finally; a tape measure I can keep and not look for another one. I've always preferred an auto-lock type tape measure for the work that I do; it allows you to pull the tape out to a certain length and it will stay there until you retract it. The problem for me with auto retracting types is I have to lock the tape in place every time I want to use it so I greatly prefer the auto lock. I've tried every one that I could find on the market; Craftsman used to make a pretty good one, now discontinued; Komelon makes one that I tried and it broke after only a few uses; the Stanley Leverlock is pretty good (and to be fair is much less expensive) but this tape has a much stronger, wider blade and I like the big hook for most applications. It is removable, and the lock can be "locked out" so the tape functions as an auto retractor; sometimes that is handy. Overall, a great tape measure, even though it's a little spendy and a little heavy. Well made and tough. Stanley; if you are listening please make an additional tape in short version; like 8'. This would reduce the weight and about 90% of what many shop carpenters do is under that length.

This is a very nice tool. The auto-lock is amazing - I don't know how I got along without it all these years. Standout is so long it's a little scary. Be aware that this is much larger and heavier than your average tape measure. It's about 2 1/8" wide! It definitely lives up to the "FatMax" name. It may not fit into standard sized tape measure pockets or compartments. The markings are easy-to-read black and red on a yellow background. It feels solid and well-made. The extra-wide hook can be left attached to the end of the tape or stored (fairly securely) on the unit itself. There's a magnetic version of this tape that could be handy if you do a lot of metal work. All in all, this feels like a tool that will last for a while and not fall apart and turn into crap after using it for a few months.

This is a high-quality tape measure, and I like the auto lock function. What I didn’t notice when I purchased this tape measure was one side of the tape is standard (inches) and the other is metric (millimeters). For US users, It makes measuring frustrating because you have to flip the tape measure around to get a measurement in inches.

I got over 13 feet stand out to 16+ feet, so must got a good one as rated 13 feet, lock mechanism way to weak. but tape over all excellent.

I purchased this wanting my first "real" tape measure after I realized my Hazard Fraught one was reading an 1/8" off. I also wanted an auto-lock tape. I'm not at all a professional user, this should have been overkill for home projects. It worked at first, but on just the second day of usage I noticed the auto-lock function seemed weak. Very light pushing on the tape would cause it to retract slowly. The third day of usage it would not lock at all. The tape slowly creeped back into the body. I couldn't believe it. This from a US made FatMax professionals rave about? I took the tape apart and the auto-lock works by using a small metal tab as a spring that wedges a triangular rubber bumper in the crevice of the tape between the reel and where it uncoils so that it can be pulled out, but not retracted. The spring and wedge are attached to a fulcrum with the button being on the opposite end. Pushing the button pivots the mechanism pulling the tab out of the crevice and it retracts. The problem is the thin metal spring tab inside produces far too little tension, and once some dust started building up on the rubber bumper from the tape running in and out over it, its friction was slowly being reduced and it quickly lost its ability to lock the tape. Poorly engineered. Also, the provided hook is nice, but it does not attach securely to the body when not in use. I seriously doubt it would last long before falling off and getting lost if the tape is daily used on a jobsite. I cleaned the dust off the bumper and bent the metal tab a little to get more tension out of it. It's currently working better than it did even new, but I really don't know how long it will last. I may have to re-engineer it a little inside in the future. Regular FatMax tapes may live up to the hype, but stay away from the auto-lock one.

This is the best tape measure I've owned. I've been using it for about 4 months in a dusty construction environment and it still works great. I've had other self locking tapes mess up pretty quickly, but not this one. When I originally purchased it, I wasn't completely sure about the extra wide tape because I was afraid it would be too heavy and uncomfortable to have clipped on all day. The extra weight actually isn't really noticeable and the additional width keeps it from giving, very handy when trying to get a measurement alone and on a ladder. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a tough and easy to use tape. If mine ever breaks I will be purchasing again.