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For ease of use, I am partial to the small tapes DP9 gives out with big starter sets or as freebies at events (I gave out a bunch at GenCon, at least, when i was helping out at the booth).

Admittedly, i'm biased as I do stuff for DP9, but I do like the size and utility of these. They're what i think some have referred to as 'dressmakers measuring tapes' as they're a plasticy-cloth coated tape, not painted metal, but the tape is very small, works well, and sometimes being able to bend the tape is a good thing.

I invested in a Stanley back in 3rd ed and it still serves me well. The GW (or GF9, or any other gaming tape measure) just feels like cheap plastic in my hands.

spireland wrote:I invested in a Stanley back in 3rd ed and it still serves me well. The GW (or GF9, or any other gaming tape measure) just feels like cheap plastic in my hands.

Indeed, and when you throw out your 4th or 5th (gaming tape) you might wonder if the investment in a nice one would have been more cost effective, I know I have.

Don't want your tape to break? Get a stanley fatmax, they are only about $30-$50 bucks but they have a lifetime warranty, and a 13 foot stand out you know, for those tables you can't even reach the middle of...

Seriously though, dollar store, $1 for a tape, easy. Let it break, get another, for a dollar. I also prefer the thinness of a dollar store tape, my fatmax knocks everything in it's path down.

Another vote for Stanley here. I have a 12 year old 10' metal power lock that I was given when I started work at British Steel (I had 2 but one got knicked a few years back.... swines) and despite regular use both for work and play it's still as good as it was on the day I got it. Bought a 16' one last year and expect it to last at least as long.

Edit - And yeah, I've never trusted the whippy sticks.

Capt_Bowman wrote:...I started work at British Steel...

Cool!

Capt_Bowman wrote:Give me a good, heavy, metal cased, construction rated tape any day of the month. Sure, they might weight more but it's a few extra grams for the sake of a lot more survivability.

And when you drop said "brick" and smash my models I reenact the well scene from 300 on you...

I've never had a problem with GW tapemeasures. But then, I've never owned one.

I had a GW tape once... it broke rather quickly, the metal tab snapped off in about two months. Oddly enough I bought some $1 tape measures at the dollar store... not a single one broke.

I have two favorite tape measures, an all metal case, maybe a bit over 1/4" wide, its still enough for 48" of measure without support and 8'ft overall. It fits in anything.

The other is my GW 2007 GT official measuring tape, just for showing off and rarely used just in case its defective like my other GW tape was.

Smitty0305 wrote:
The problem with most other measuring tapes I find is that they're two heavy or large, because there actually built for construction.

The GW Tape fit in my case easy and was 8$ at the store, so I was like meh Ill keep my real tape in the tool box and keep this hobby one for my hobby. Too bad its broken twice (yes I refunded it and it broke again lol).

You do realize that they do make smaller tape measures, the same size as GW, and not just the heavy duty construction ones, right?

Never had any issues with mine and I use it all the time.

Augustus wrote:
A little better (for 6$ on Amazon):

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-30-810-12-Foot-LeverLock-Tape/dp/B0002CX9CW

I've got the 12' lever lock and it works fine. It's pretty solid, but not too bulky or too heavy.

I hate when my opponents use those big, heavy metal case tapes because they tend to drop them on my models.

I've also got the 12' locklever and it works great. Thin tape, comptact size so perfect for models maneuvering and carry cases.

Something like $6 at any Walmart.

CT GAMER wrote:
And when you drop said "brick" and smash my models I reenact the well scene from 300 on you...

If a guy is clumsy enough to be unable to maintain control of their tape measure then i'm not sure a metal or plastic one will make much of a difference. Certainly I haven't dropped mine in 20 years of gaming

(touches wood, turns around 3 times and spits.)

Arschbombe wrote:
/snip/
I hate when my opponents use those big, heavy metal case tapes because they tend to drop them on my models.

..only when you're winning.

on topic
I have 1 from a 99p store that has a calculator on the side and a back up from a Christmas cracker.

My friends' GW one looks old, worn out and sorry for itself.

The only problem I have with mine is kids in my local store walking off with it when I'm not looking. But the way I see some people treating there gaming equipment tape measures, dice, templates ect I'm not surprised people have problems with them I'm not suggesting your one of these people just making an observation.

Mine has been fine for all sorts of stuff, from gaming to other things. I picked it up few a few quid at an LGS a year or two back because nobody had a tape measure we could borrow and I was the only one with spare cash on me at the time..

The only problems I can forsee are it being mistaken for a store-owned one, but I don't play at my local GW anymore (GWHQ have refused to relocate or refurbish the store, so it only has 2 4x4 boards squeezed inside) so it's not exactly a huge issue.

AesSedai wrote:

I will recommend most GW products, despite price tag

Really? Which?

Quite a few to be honest, in the context of gaming supplies and tools I would recommend the razor saw, the clippers (mine are still sharp after quite a hammering, and the cutting blades are bevelled quite nicely so that you get a nice clean cut), the scupting tool is good for beginners (simple, versatile, easy to clean), paints (I know some aren't the best, but most of them are nice colours that usually cover quite well), I know the hardcore painters will throw things at me but I quite like the brushes (my budget is nowhere near high enough to let me buy the expensive brands of brush, and I can't really be bothered to care for them as well as the price tag requires (the whole soap, reshaper fluid etc thing), but cheaper brushes than the GW ones tend to be pretty lame in my experience, so the price tag and quality of the GW ones fits the bill quite nicely), pin vice is pretty good too (yes I know there are cheaper alternatives, but the nicely shaped rubber grips make life easier on my wrists). However, for the same reason as the pin vice I would not recommend the hobby knife.

Bunker wrote:ITT: People who don't understand that you can return faulty merchandise at GW for a refund or a replacement.

Seriously people, this isn't a huge deal. Get an exchange and use the new one or get a refund and go buy one of those construction monstrosities that Home Depot sells.

Or spend half the price in the first place and not have to worry about dealing with the refund process.

I like my way better. I'm not going to buy something that is a peice of crap, because I can return it.

yep, I dont trust GW's tools for measurement, just stick to conventional stuff

I purchased a GW tape measure after showing up for a tourney at the local GW and forgetting to bring mine. That was about three years ago and I haven't had any problems.

Maybe I'm spoiled by the modelling scene in Japan, but I can universally find modelling supplies with better value than those at the GW's. That's what gets me--I'm okay with a low quality product IF it's priced as such.

I'll double what Augustus (and everyone else) says, I've been using a 12' Stanley Lever-lock for years now, it's great. At the flgs I used to live near there were usually 3 or 4 of us with the same tape measure.

I've got this yellow measuring tape that you can buy (Stanley?) at Walmart for $2. They come in all sizes and I got a small one; not a construction monstrosity.

Best tape measure I've ever used for gaming - and it was 5 bucks @ Lowes.

'Komelon Self Lock" in 12 foot
Small, strong, and bright green for easy visibility.

Ive seen three of my friends break theirs. Ive had a little cheap one for three years now. The big industrial ones scare me, I get the mental image of someone dropping it over the gaming table then shattered expensive plastic

I have a GW tape, haven’t used it much. I vinyl dyed it to match my army… the vinyl part that is. I’ve had a Sarrett digital tape for years, other than replacing the battery I’d love to use it gaming, it has a display on the top that is cool.

LittleCizur wrote:Best tape measure I've ever used for gaming - and it was 5 bucks @ Lowes.

'Komelon Self Lock" in 12 foot
Small, strong, and bright green for easy visibility.

I concur, this is a beast Tape Measure.

Stanley has quality measures - I know my buddy's been using his for a long while now.

I don't know if it's because of a bad quality batch or what, but I bought a tape measure at a Home Depot for like $3, and within a month it broke - the locking mechanism no longer worked, so I had to constantly hold the measure with my finger...which inevitably led to at least a few cases of dragging a model across the board when my finger slipped with the metal thing at the end hovering right in front of something.

When I ran out of options, I just decided to buy the GF9 $7 one at my FLGS. Works like a charm, has a little clip for hanging on my belt, and has a nifty nylon loop for...picking up pointy models...? Seriously, that thing seems to be magnetized towards spikes. I can't count how many times I've started to measure, moved some models, brought my tape measure up, and found a Dark Eldar sticking to it. Cheaty-face little buggers.

I would like to put a shout-out to the GF9 6"-4"-2" measuring device thing though - great little alternative to a measure. Useless for measuring weapon ranges, but really nice for keeping that maximum 2" between models in a unit.

I am tempted to go old school and use a yard stick. Serasly thu my cheap ass dressmakers tape works wonders.