Editor's Review: A Tape Measure That Lies Flat

Tape measures generally have a thick concave blade designed to remain rigid over long distances, which is helpful if you're working alone. But if you ever have to take precise measurements on curved walls or lay out multiple cuts on a sheet of plywood, you know that the tape's concave surface sometimes can work against you. FastCap's FlatBack tape is designed specifically for these tasks.

This thin, flexible tape lies flat so that you can make marks without having to roll the tape to one side to get an accurate reading. And just like the other tapes in FastCap's ProCarpenter line, the FlatBack has a writable/erasable strip on the near side of the tape. This strip lets you note the position of hinges, doors, and drawers, using the tape like a story pole. There's also a writing area on the body of the tape so that you don't forget measurements on the way to the chopsaw.

The FlatBack tape also has a built-in standard pencil sharpener. Instead of hacking your pencil to a brittle point with a utility knife, just use the tape's sharpener. We reviewed a standard tape, but metric/standard and metric reverse tapes are also available.

Editor Test Results: