Dewalt has launched 3 new Atomic Series tape measures, in 16-foot, 25-foot, and 30-foot sizes.
Dewalt says that their new tape measures deliver on durability and reach, with a compact design that gives you more control when measuring.
These new tape measures are also said to have a 20% more compact than Dewalt’s ToughSeries tape measures.
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In addition to being compact, the new Dewalt Atomic tape measures feature the brand’s first integrated finger brake.
The blades feature fractional blade graphics.
Dewalt Atomic Tape Measure Sizes & Pricing
- 16′ with 1-1/8″ blade (DWHT38116S) – $12.97
- 25′ with 1-1/8″ blade (DWHT38125S) – $14.97
- 30′ with 1-1/8″ blade (DWHT38130S) – $19.97
Pricing is accurate as of the time of this posting.
All three tape measures have 1-1/8″ blade widths, and with claims of 13′ max reach. Maximum “reach” is usually maximum “standout” plus 3 feet, and represents “the maximum extension of an average end user.”
Standout usually refers to the maximum extension for an unsupported tape measure blade, while reach is a more recent term that refers to the maximum extension with the tape supported by a user’s non-dominant hand.
The new Dewalt Atomic Series tape measures are now available at Home Depot stores.
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Price: $13-20
Thank you to Richard for the tip!
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Discussion
With 13-foot reach specs, we can extrapolate that these new Dewalt Atomic tape measures would have 10-foot standout specs.
Dewalt’s ToughSeries 25′ tape measure, as well as others in the ToughSeries lineup, has 17-foot max reach specs, which would mean 14-foot max standout specs.
The ToughSeries tapes have 1-1/4″ blades and are said to have exceptionally durable housings and blades. Those premium tapes also feature a removable magnetic hook attachment.
Here, these new Atomic Series tape measures have a 20% smaller grip. The blades are a little narrower.
Price-wise, the ToughSeries 25-foot tape is $29 right now, compared to $15 for the Atomic Series 25-foot tape.
Dewalt’s standard 25-foot tape measure (DWHT36107S) – or at least the model I consider to be their standard 25-foot tape, also has a 1-1/8″ blade width and 13-foot reach specs. At the time of this posting, that standard tape is $16 at Home Depot.
The Atomic Series tapes offer fractional markings, which I generally don’t care for, and also a finger brake which users could take advantage of or completely ignore.
There’s not much else I can say without getting my hands on one for testing, which I’ll try to do soon. Home Depot lists these tapes as an in-store-only product right now, which usually means all available inventory went straight to physical store locations as opposed to online warehouses.
Dewalt’s ToughSeries tape measures deliver a fantastic user experience. These new Atomic tapes are around half the price, but I’m optimistic that Dewalt knows what they’re doing in the tape measure space.
It will be interesting to see how well these new tape measures fit into Dewalt’s lineup, and if they become a new standard for the brand and competitively.
Rog
I think I would like this. I have average sized hands and sometimes a big bulky tape measure doesn’t feel very secure with gloves on. Plus I really like the finger stop on my Milwaukee tape
Jared
I appreciate Dewalt is keeping “Atomic” as the designation for compact tools.
James C
At least it makes more sense than their “flexvolt” accessories.
Big Richard
They really only did a few blades though, most of which were tool specific. Like the 8 1/4″ FlexVolt circular saw blade was specifically designed around the FelxVolt table saw, with respect to its thinner kerf for max efficiency and matching the included riving knife.
The recip blades didn’t make as much sense, they were more or less designed to maximize efficiency in any cordless recip saw, not just FlexVolt.
Franck B.
And then the Flexvolt hole saws were… ??? 🙂
Big Richard
Forgot about those, but they were low tooth count carbide, versus there standard high tooth count HCS hole saws. They were advertised as more holes per charge from what I remember. So they were optimized for the cordless FlexVolt stud and joist drill (at the time they did not have a 20v stud and joist drill).
So it still sorts makes sense, it was an accessory that allowed their FlexVolt tool to perform the best.
Franck B.
@BigRichard
Yeah, I think if you need that kind of hole saw you’re going to use it whether you’re using a Flexvolt tool or a HoleHawg.
I use the Milwaukee carbide hole saws of similar design. I feel they are useful in certain situations, but then using the proper tool for the job is what you’re doing for those, not optimizing the use of your FlexVolt tool!
Ronny
and they’re keeping them cordless, too 😛
Rafe
I love the Dewalt tapes that have the extended wings on the sides of the hook. Not all of them have it, and not very many other tapes offer that style. Dewalt tapes are good though. Been running them exclusively for 6 or 7 years now and they have a good lifespan.
Franck B.
Whenever I use a different tape that doesn’t have the super wide hook, I can’t extend it while wearing gloves because I am conditioned to grab the sides instead of the downward part. Those are technical terms.
JoeM
All I can think of this is that this was a concession to someone related to the head of the company, working in the Marketing Department, and who just really loves the Atomic line.
“Okay, fresh off the floor we have a new line of Tape Measures. They’re durable, offer a better grip for gloved hands, and for the first time in our company’s history, a finger-brake at the bottom! All of that, and we managed to make it 20% smaller than the Tough series!”
“*Ghasp* …Are they… Atomic small now??”
“*Shudders* Ugh… Yes… Larry …We could slip them into the Atomic lineup… If that’s what we have to do…”
“YAY ATOMIC!>”
(Someone would then walk, sadly, over to the wall behind Larry, and change a sign marked “Days without Larry putting something else in the Atomic line” to 0, and returns to their seat in shame and disgust.)
“…We just can’t make it past the single-digits on that thing… Stupid Larry…”
JoeM
*Note* Thanks for the assist, Stuart! Glad you got the funny in this part!
Stuart
If I could learn to accept branding strategies, you could too.
While it might seem strange for “Atomic” to cross over from power tools to hand tools, it’s obviously working for Dewalt.
JoeM
No I like it just fine. I just have a weird sense of humour, and pictured this scenario happening as a joke.
I like the Atomic line of hand tools. They’re all too small for my hands, but I’m not against the name in any way. I just thought this scenario was funny. I have no complaints about the Atomic stamp on any of the DeWALT tools. I’ve held them in store, and my pinky doesn’t fit, it slips off the end awkwardly. But that doesn’t mean the tool should be tossed out, it just means I won’t be buying them. Not because they’re bad tools, just because I have bigger hands than they’re spec’d to. Sure, when they were first released, I felt really upset that they shrunk the grip to the point of taking the tools out of my wheelhouse. I was a little jealous of them shifting to focus on smaller hands, as well as tighter spaces simultaneously. But when that first Atomic Laser Measuring Tool hit… My first thought was “Why?” then I saw one in person and it instantly clicked. “Oh, that makes total sense… it practically is atomic sized… even cute!”
All good. Not a complaint in sight here. just a weird sense of humour, I swear!
Blocky
*backslaps* *hi-fives* Larry-shipper, here. I’m an atomic completist. Team yellow-ito!
Leo B.
They look like the Milwaukee Compact magnetic 25’ tapes to me- kind of square and squashed with a finger brake on the bottom. Nice to have options!
Roger
FRACTIONAL MARKING!?!?!?! Non-blinding, easy to see blade??
YES!!!
Joe H
I like the fractional markings but I also don’t use a tape measure everyday and my eyes aren’t the best so it makes it easy for me to quickly find where I’m at. Plus I think the metric system makes more sense and hate fractions but use it because I don’t want to have to convert imperial over to metric. I’ve no interest in being 1/64th of a high speed low drag contractor/carpenter or whatever that is in metric.
Rogelio Guerra
Hello I was wondering do you guys at Dewalt have any tape measure that enables your sheetrock knife 🔪 to work with your tape measure to give your precise cut????really need something like that
Stuart
I believe that some users like the magnetic-hook tapes for this.
Jasper
The last tape measure I bought from Dewalt literally tore itself apart. I’ll pass on the atomic option.
Franck B.
You don’t consider it a consumable? I replace mine pretty often, although the longevity does seem to increase as the price goes up. For a $20 item that gets that much use, it certainly outlasts saw blades of similar price.
Johnathan
Same here… They didn’t last long at all
Matthew
Been waiting on these to be released! Love the tough series tape measures but I love how compact these are.
Aaron T.
The belt clip is an important part of the tape measure and its always neglected in these reviews. I’ve been running dewalt tapes for 2 years and I like them but their single hole, stamped clips are about useless. The screws always losen up and even lock tight won’t hold them. Wonder what’s on the back of these new ones?
Stuart
This is not a review, it’s a news post.
None of the product images show what the belt clip looks like, and so there’s nothing to share or comment on yet.
Blocky
Looking forward to that review.
After going through dozens of tapes, most of them more or less adequate, I appreciate the Tajima tapes have addressed this issue with a machine screw and threaded metal insert.
Kent_Skinner
I understand how to read fractional marks on a tape, and don’t like tapes with the fractions printed. I hope this isn’t the only option; it’s a non-starter for me.
Tim Karash
I’M TIRED OF READING A TAPE UPSIDE DOWN !!!!
When is someone going to make a tape measure for those if us that hold the reel in our left hand and mark with our right ????
Frank D
Fast Cap has you covered!!!
Lefty Righty
I cannot believe how every tape is made the wrong way around (aren’t 90% of people right handed and marking with their right hand, while holding the tape with their left hand???)
One time somebody I worked with had this high precision tape … the Lefty!
Sadly they don’t make a universal metric & standard left handed model.
I can only hope they release one of those.
Franco Calcagni
I skimmed over certain parts of this post and comments, so I apologize if it was addressed.
I remember a thread from Stuart a while back talking about marketing strategies and how HD has exclusive (national) on Flexvolt and Lowe’s has Atomic.
So is this correct in the power tools and if yes, does it extend to hand tools…meaning that HD cannot sell this being part of the Atomic line?
Stuart
HD has home improvement retail exclusivity to Atomic. Lowe’s has Xtreme Subcompact.
Details of Dewalt and Home Depot’s arrangement aren’t public, but it would seem they have first rights to a lot of Atomic products.
Mark G
Nice looking tape but I don’t need all the fractions written on it could you please make one without them
Stuart
They have plenty of tapes without fractions, just not in this series (yet?).
Johnathan
The last 3 Dewalt tapes I have had all broke. I spent to much money on them and now I have went back to a fat max. I am a DeWalt guy though… All of my tools are Dewalt… Just not my tape measure.
PeteRoy
They’re all too long. I only need a tape measure for items less than 6’ long; any longer, and my laser measure is perfectly fine. A 6’ DEWALT tape measure? Now that really *would* be atomic, and I’d buy several.
Stuart
Try this one: https://toolguyd.com/dewalt-9-foot-pocket-tape-measure/
MFC
I got an email offering them to test out but they were gone before I could click the link. Can’t be a working man on the DeWalt review board…
Matthew
Picked up one of each size this morning. Had to find them up above in overstock. They do feel cheaper, love the tough series tapes but love the price point of these to give them a try.
Franck B.
After you use it, please give us an opinion.
BTW, what is the COO, Thailand? I only ask because I find the US-made Dewalts are in lock-step with the US-made Stanleys, and I’ve checked those against NIST-certified Starretts I keep in the office. So I try to stick with the non-Chinese ones after having some unexpected issues with Milwaukee tapes (and expected issues with HF sourced ones).
Matthew
These are from Thailand. Fat max style clip. They remind me of the tough series without the overmold rubber grip around the tape. The blade does feel flimsy compared to US made Fat Max or tough series tapes.
They really remind me of the Milwaukee tapes but with a wider blade which I don’t mind at all. Never been a fan of the Milwaukee tape measures.
So far I’ve only been using the 16’ but I absolutely love it and love the price even more.
Franck B.
Thanks for your initial thoughts. I will pick up some (16′) also to knock around or get dragged through glue, I also prefer to carry 16′ for the size advantage.