Komelon SL2812; 12' x 5/8" Self-Lock Tape Measure

Pros Self Lock mechanism (this is awesome) - can be operated with one hand. Nylon coated blade - more durable and less likely to cut your hand. Rubber grip - comfortable and easy to hold. Cons Measurements printed on one side only (most tapes are also one-sided) No dual imperial/metric units. I originally purchased this tape measure thinking that Self Lock might be useful, but probably overrated. What a surprise. It was immensely useful. There is no longer the need to manually lock the tape in position every time it is pulled out. If the tape is attached to my belt, it can also be operated with one hand. Rubber grip surrounds and protects the body while making it comfortable to hold and easy to use. The rubber is also on the opening to act as a buffer protecting it from rewinding forces. Pressing and holding the button will rewind the tape, although I would recommend gradually guiding the tape back by hand. The nylon coated blade will not cut your fingers. The green accents are interesting, distinguishing itself from all the other yellow tape measures. 5/8-in. width tape allows it to be lightweight and compact. However, the short-width tape begins to sag at 3 ft., and collapses at ~5.5 ft. Komelon offers .75 and 1 in. widths with their longer tapes if needed. The measurements are only printed on one side in case anyone find themselves in a situation where they need the other side, although this is intentionally a one-sided tape so it is not really a con. It is too bad Komelon's Self Lock series does not offer dual imperial/metric units. This would double their usefulness. The Self Lock mechanism makes this an excellent tape measure and a pleasure to use. I also have a basic non-Self Lock Komelon with imperial/metric units, and keep coming back to this one even though it lacks metric units. Now that I am spoiled by Self Lock, I don't think I will ever go back to manually operated tape measures again.

You may think a tape measure is a tape measure is a tape measure. But you would be wrong. I use one a lot and I was very unhappy with the couple I had at home and had been using. I researched them and decided on this one. It's great for what I need. It is extremely easy to see and read, the lock works great and when I push the button to have it reel back it, I don't have to worry about it hitting my hand. And of the course the lime green color doesn't hurt since I love that color. If you looking for a simple, not huge, but extremely efficient tape measure - this is it.

Best 12 foot tape measure I have used for the price. They are sturdy, well made, and a nice size for ladies or anyone with smaller hands to use. My wife liked mine so much I had to get another. I REALLY like the auto lock feature of the blade. Pull the blade out, and it stays out, until you press the green release button on the top front of the body. Retracts strongly, yet is easy to control with the button. I like the bright green color, hard to get lost, and the black around the outer surface is kind of a rubbery armor, drop it onto concrete from waist high, and it just kind of bounces a little with no damage. The tape itself will stand out between 5 and 6 feet, and is bright and easy to read. Marked for studs, too. If you don't need a tape longer than 12 feet, this is a great choice.

UPDATE: Replacement died after a decade. Light use. In a drawer next to my desk. Not even the one I use for projects :( UPDATE: Removed another two stars because it's no longer useful. Have to order another one. I've never had a tape measure fail before. To be clear, I use this thing to measure the occasional thing, maybe a couple times/month. Light use. FAIL. UPDATE: removed two stars. After just a few uses the tape doesn't hold anymore when it's more than a few feet exposed. :( My cat killed my old 12 foot tape measure by knocking it into a bowl of water. (How does that kill a tape measure? Long story.) I'd been coveting the self-lock tech for a while and this was the perfect opportunity to grab it. It's a little wider than my previous Stanley model, but only by about 1/4" (the tape itself is 5/8", 1/8" wider than the Stanley.) I have a few 25' measures, but this one gets most of the use. The biggies live in the basement, this one lives on my desk or in the kitchen. Perfect size for 90% of random household measuring duties. Oh, and cheap w/ free 2-day Prime shipping bonus!

I have purchased 4 or 5 compact tape measures in the past few years for car emergency kits, household use, etc... I ordered one of the Komeleon tapes to try out because it was a good price and has good reviews. Those other 4-5 tapes I purchased were given to friends and I bought 3 more of these to replace them. They are that good. The locking mechanism is smooth and the tape reels in quickly but not as fast as most tapes that bite your hand when they come flying in and get kinked near the end. Best of all I measured my wall for the other night for an 8' fish replica mount I am getting made soon. This tape was able to span the the gap without collapsing. For a compact tape measure that is beyond impressive. There was a large bow in the tape when measuring 8 feet but if you find any other tape measure on the market that can hold horizontal for 2/3 of its length let me know. If you find one for this value I will buy them all.

I bought this tape mainly because it's an autolocking tape to use on small jobs and because of its size and weight. I'm very happy with that. It feels good in the hand, is very light. The main numbers are relatively large and easy to read. Part of having a small, light tape is having a small tape blade, so the numbers and other markings are also smaller. If you use it for difficult jobs, expecting to have a long tape standout and large numbers, you'll probably be disappointed. If you want a tape that you can easily carry and use for small jobs, this one is a nice one. The autolocking feature is well worth the price of the tape alone, to me. I just love not having to fuss with trying to lock a tape, especially when you're trying to move quickly.

v.good