Giving out promotional tape measures sends a message that you’re practical, reliable, and good on details – as long as those tape measures don’t break.
We put our 13 best-selling promotional tape measures through a rigorous retraction test to make sure they can go the distance.
How Tape Measures Work
There are two main types of tape measure. There’s the metal kind you use on hard surfaces, like wood or the wall when you’re putting up shelves. Then there’s the fabric kind tailors use to measure clothes or that you’d use to measure yourself. (Yes, since they use a standard measuring system, you can technically use them interchangeably, but that’s the general idea.) The mechanisms inside each are essentially the same.
Imagine the tape measure coiled up inside the shell. One end of the tape measure is on the outside of the coil – that’s the end you pull on. The other end, inside the shell, is attached to a metal coil. The metal coil is wound up tight in the center of the shell – but not too tight.
As you pull on your end of the tape measure, you put tension on that metal coil, and it’s pulled tighter and tighter. When you let go of your end of the tape measure, you release the tension from the coil, and it snaps back into its relaxed state, pulling the tape measure with it. If your tape measure stops retracting, it’s usually because the tape or the metal coil has snapped or kinked, so it can’t roll back up.
Since it takes more force to retract metal than fabric, the metal coils inside metal tape measures tend to be a bit more heavy duty. Another difference: On metal tape measures, you slide a lock down over the tape to hold it in place, then lift the lock to retract the tape. In fabric tape measures, there’s a locking mechanism that catches as you pull and holds the tape in place, then is released when you press the button.
Method
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1
We clamped each tape measure to a piece of wood. On the fabric tape measures, we clamped the button down so the tape would be able to retract.
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2
We pulled each tape measure down 2’ and let go. We did this 1,000 times for each tape measure.
Video
Key Takeaways
Only One of Our Tape Measures Broke
Even after 1,000 retractions, the coiled springs in all of our tape measures were still snapping back. In the one that broke – Transparent Tape-A-Matic Tape Measure (Q64168) – the issue was with the pull tab. After 58 pulls, it snapped, which made the tape retract inside the shell.
The Fabric Tape Measures Had the Smoothest Retractions
Even though the tape measure that broke was a fabric one, that type does have an advantage over the metal type. The fabric tape measures retracted more smoothly than the metal tape measures, which tended to rattle from side to side. This makes sense since metal is rigid, so it requires a stronger force to snap it back than soft fabric does.
The Mini Metal Tape Measures Were the Wobbliest
The mini metal tape measures – especially the Mini Grip Tape Measure Keychain (Q17490) and Square Level Tape Measure Key Tag (Q48322) – struggled the most. They have smaller coils that hold less tension than the bigger metal tape measures, which means their retracting force is weaker so they sometimes struggle to pull the metal tape back inside.
The Bottom Line
One thousand consecutive retractions weren’t enough to break the coil mechanisms in our promotional tape measures: The only damage was a snapped tab. If you’re not bothered about the type of tape measure you buy but want smooth retractions, choose a fabric tape measure. If you want a sturdy tab, go with a metal tape measure – full size work better than mini ones.
| Q# + Product Name | Image + Video | Result | View Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 60″ Tape Measure (Q9940) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 16′ Tape Measure (Q10388) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| Mini Grip Tape Measure Keychain (Q17490) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 60″ Tape-A-Matic (Q25067) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 10′ Construction-Pro Tape Measure (Q28702) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 16′ Pro Grip Tape Measure (Q44009) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 60″ Handy Tape Measure (Q44013) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 10′ Translucent Tape Measure (Q44052) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 25′ Construction-Pro Tape Measure (Q45814) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| Tape Measure Level Keychain (Q46787) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| Square Level Tape Measure Key Tag (Q48322) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 16′ Measure-All Tape Measure (Q49202) |
|
Didn’t break | View Product |
| 60″ Transparent Tape-A-Matic Tape Measure (Q64168) |
|
Broke after 58 pulls | View Product |
Natasha Lavender
Natasha is an experienced writer and editor who has covered topics including technology, health and safety, business, and pop culture. Her work has been published by Good Housekeeping magazine, Forbes, Success, and more.
