At first glance a tape measure is a pretty simple thing. How much difference can there be from one make to the next? Quite a bit, as it turns out. For years I’ve been looking for a better tape than the Stanley FatMax line, but I’ve never found anything superior. This brand is tougher than others I’ve used, new models are constantly being improved and refined, and the tape blades themselves extend out farther than other brands before folding downwards under their own weight. This is especially helpful when you’re measuring large spans without a helper. Stanley tapes with blade armor can easily extend 10 to 13 feet unsupported before they collapse down. All in all, they’re great and available just about anywhere.