HART 35-Foot Soft Grip Compact Tape Measure, Oversized Hook

The entire housing of the Hart 35 ft. Soft Grip Tape Measure is covered in rubber for an excellent grip. The lock lever is very easy to operate, but it holds the tape tightly. The belt clip is wire instead of flat steel. Hart says it is easier on belts. I can't say for sure at this point. Time will tell. The hook at the end of the tape is attached with 3 rivets, like many other quality ones. But, they are riveted through not only a chromed steel piece on top, but also through another one on the bottom! This adds extra stiffness and durability to the hook attachment, in my estimation. It projects upward and downward for versatility when measuring. Great idea! By the way, the tape has measuring increments on both sides of the tape! The 16" increments are in bright red for standard 2x4 stud spacing. The increments go down to 1/16". Hart calls their design "compact", but It's about as large overall as my 35' tape measure. So, I can't really agree with that claim. It is, however, just a tad lighter. I was able to extend the tape just shy of 9 ft. straight out into the air before it finally collapsed under its own weight. That's what Hart calls standout. 9 ft. is a very good number, based on my experience with other tape measures. The spring was strong all the way to the 35' extreme. So, overall, I have to give this Hart Soft-Grip 35' Tape Measure a grade of excellent. My only gripe is the terribly hard-to-open packaging. I needed a pocket knife to carefully extricate it from the grips of that packaging monster. It's the most difficult packaging I've ever had to deal with. Hart needs to rethink the packaging. The product itself, though, is a real winner! I received this product as part of Walmart's Spark Reviewer program. My reviews are always honest and unbiased. I call 'em as I see 'em.

It has a big "lip" on the start of the tape measure, much easier to hold onto the item being measured