US Tape 50036 ProTape XR Series 3/4" x 16' CenterPoint Tape; yellow case

My carpenter brother gave me this tape measure over 20+ years ago and it's always been my go-to. I have others, Stanley, Lufkin, etc, and ALWAYS grab this one. A couple of weeks ago I left it outside and it rained. No. It poured. It was full of water so pulled all the tape out and left it to dry. The next time I tried to use it, the spring broke which I know was because I left it full of water. Just go my new one and will take every precaution to keep it dry. The feature that I use the most is finding the center. If you want to find the center of any measurement, its right there. No need to grab a pencil or calculator.

Works well for my husband

This tape is a tank. Over the past five years, our fabrication shop has gone through many brands of centermark tape. Five Lufkin's, three Stanley's, all of them either the tape has broke or the mechanisms inside have worn out. This one has outlasted them all. The Lufkin's are $10 cheaper, which is why we've used so many, but at the end of the day: why buy three Lufkin's for $40, when you can buy this for $25.

Easy to use and understand

I have one that I use in my shop all the time. The numbers and marks are wearing away. This is something of a replacement. I find that the ingenious design of this rule is perfect to find the mid point without having to do division to find the place. It is right there and perfect for some of the woodwork I do in the shop and for finding the center of anything. You will never need another rule.

Contractor "accidentally" took it home and by the time I got it back it was rusty and wouldn't reel back in. Worth the high price if you frequently need the center of a thing. Quality seems to still be there at least, though the one this is replacing was made in the USA and the replacement, well you know.

So what's so great about this ruler? Well besides the center finder option that I have yet to use, this ruler does something that a lot of rulers don't. It actually starts its measurements at the edge of the ruler, not an 1/8th inch from the edge. This is crucial if you use your ruler to for such things as, checking your table saw fence distance to your blade, or maybe even the height of your table saw blade if your making specific depth cuts. The list goes on. You might say, just subtract the 1/8th or whatever distance it might be. But why should I? With this ruler I don't have too. It has a nice weight to it as well. I've purchased four of these for my shop and employees.

A tape measure is a personal tool. Some are too narrow, too short, too wide or too long . This tape is the perfect size for bench work and the occasional larger project. The one inch wide 25 foot tapes don't fit the hand well and are heavy. The eight footers are too flimsy. The size and weight of this tape are perfect for the work I do: designing and printing labels and signs, even building my own tricycle. The center finding feature is very helpful in all design work, from labels for soap to hanging a picture or drapes. The quality is good, and the yellow case makes it easy to find on the bench or the room. My original was lost (or stolen), and I had to have another to get serious about my tricycle project. I hope to order a spare soon.