Let met start by asking you a simple question. You’re shopping for tape measures at the store, and you pick up two competing 25-foot tape measures. One has 14 feet of reach, and the other 12 feet of standout. Which tape measure has the stronger blade extension?
I picked up this 2-pack of Craftsman USA-made (with global materials) Auto-Lock tape measures. It seemed like a good deal, and might make for an interesting post discussion. Who can’t use more tape measures? Oh… me.
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This tape looks familiar…
So, apparently I bought one last year at Lowe’s, just at the start of the holiday season when a bunch of new-to-market Craftsman tools and tape measures popped up for the first time.
I found this tape in my pile of “stuff from the 2018 holiday season,” where there were a couple of tool review ideas, a few other Craftsman tape measures, and some accessories and bits that I haven’t used yet as I’ve still been working from my 2017 holiday season stockpile.
Part 1: Discovery
Wait. This is the same tape measure, right? Yep – model CMHT37725.
So why is the 2018 version of this Craftsman tape measure advertised as having 11′ of standout, and the 2019 version advertised as having 14′ of reach?
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On the Lowe’s website product description for the tape measures, it says:
11 feet of standout (claim based on maximum performance)
So what’s this “14′ of reach” talking about?
Looking at the back of the packaging, the 2019 edition Craftsman tape measure only mentions 14′ of reach – there’s no mention of standout that I can find.
Last year’s product packaging only talks about standout, which is near-universal industry language to describe the absolute maximum of blade extension – under ideal circumstances – before an unsupported blade will collapse under its own weight.
Part 2: Confusion – What is “Reach?”
I very roughly compared the tape measures before passing the single pack off to a visiting family member for use and testing. (That’s why they’re still in packaging, plus I was in shock and didn’t want to waste time removing the tapes.) It *seemed* that the newer version arced a little less, but standout was certainly not anywhere near 14 feet.
Okay, so Craftsman did not somehow upgrade the tape measure since last year, at least not very noticeably.
How is reach defined if it’s not the same thing as standout?
Is This an Isolated Example?
It’s at this time that I decided to do some digging.
On their website, Dewalt describes their DWHT36107 tape measure as having 10′ of standout and 13′ of reach. Well, at least they offer both specs.
But what does the in-store packaging say?
Oh, c’mon! Dewalt’s tape measure and laser distance measuring tool bundle pack says 13′ reach on the front packaging. I completely missed this.
What about the 2-pack featuring the same Dewalt tape measures? Again, 13′ reach. I didn’t think to check or photograph the back of the packaging to see if there’s any clarifying information. Why? Because I didn’t notice anything special about the “reach” advertisements when I was at the store!
Looking at the graphic that says “13′ reach,” I simply think “standout,” because that’s what I’m accustomed to.
With tape measures, it’s taken for granted, but if you see blade extension and a measurement value, you also think “standout,” right?
The Stanley tape measure display was similar – “14′ reach.” These same tapes were advertised as having 11′ of standout in the past.
Is this something that only Dewalt, Craftsman, Stanley, and perhaps other Stanley Black & Decker brands are now doing with all their tape measures, or is it just on these promo packs aimed at Black Friday and Holiday season shoppers? (We reached out to our Stanley Black & Decker contact about this and hope to hear back.)
What About Other Brands?
What about other brands? Is this a new industry standard that I somehow missed the memo on?
Lufkin, who annoyed us with a marketing practice of their own clearly has their tapes advertised with maximum standout, which is 14′ for these ShockForce Nite Eye tape measures.
Will shoppers strolling the promo displays at home centers realize that standout and reach are not the same thing?
Maybe this is some kind of shift in industry standard that Lufkin has not adopted yet? What about Milwaukee?
No… Milwaukee is advertising their tape measure promo pack as having 12′ of standout.
So far, I have only seen Stanley Black & Decker brands, namely Dewalt, Craftsman, and Stanley, advertising their Holiday 2019 promo pack tape measures (at the least) with “reach” specs instead of “standout.”
So what is reach? If standout is the maximum blade extension under ideal circumstances, and is dependent on the tape measure blade shape, size, strength, and other factors, what is “reach?” From the numbers, it seems that “reach” is the standout plus 3-feet.
I am guessing that “reach” is meant to represent the maximum blade extension when a user holds a tape measure at maximum standout with one hand, and then extends that hand three feet out from the other hand that’s still holding the tape measure itself.
I can never control a tape measure at its maximum standout – even tape blades with long standout tend to flop around a foot or two short of official specs. There is no humanly feasible way I can support a tape measure at maximum standout, and then hold the blade out three feet away from where my second hand is holding the tape measure.
How Will This Affect Competition? Customer Perception?
If you see a Milwaukee tape measure on the shelf with 12′ standout and a Dewalt tape measure with 13′ reach, what will be your first thought?
As mentioned, I didn’t even notice the “standout” vs. “reach” marketing differentiation until I directly compared the packaging for my 2019 Craftsman promo tape measure purchase to packaging from 2018.
Then, it was only through the process of writing this post that I noticed the “blade reach” marketing extended (do you see what I did here?) beyond just that Craftsman tape measure example.
Looking at Craftsman’s website, the first tape we talk about here is described as having 11′ of standout. Dewalt’s page for their promo pack tape measure is advertised as having both 10′ standout and 13′ reach, and when you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, past the images, specs, and user reviews, it says “Based on maximum extension of average professional user.” But isn’t that just standout?
Does it matter what it says on the website when the in-store product packaging prominently advertises “reach” instead of “standout?”
At the bottom of the Craftsman packaging card, next to where it says Join the Club, it also says “based on the maximum extension of average professional user.” I honestly don’t know what this means, as it seems to be the definition for standout.
The older Craftsman tape doesn’t describe what “standout” is, presumably because it’s an established and expected specification.
Final Thoughts
Here’s what I’m wondering:
Am I the only one who sees 14′ on tape measure packaging and thinks “standout,” instead of this new “reach” figure?
I feel silly for completely missing the “reach” vs. “standout” distinction on the packaging. This didn’t factor into my purchasing decision, but will it make a difference for others who are shopping for themselves or others and not as a tool news and review editor?
Do you think that people will see “14′ reach” and think “oh, that’s better than 12′ standout, I should buy this Craftsman, Dewalt, or Stanley tape measure instead?”
This doesn’t seem like a good idea to me, or at the least it’s not friendly to consumers.
I like to think that I’m an observant person, and I take pride in that. If this new marketing language made it past me, what will that mean for the throngs of shoppers that will soon descend on home centers for Black Friday 2019 and the following holiday shopping season to score some new tool deals for themselves and others?
Will shoppers compare these tape measures’ “reach” value against other brands’ “standout?”
At my local Home Depot, Dewalt tape measure 2-packs, advertised as having 13′ reach, are positioned close to Milwaukee tape measure 2-packs that are advertised as having 12′ standout.
How many shoppers will see 13′ and 12′ values and come to conclusions about the higher-numbered tape measure being “better”? Which would you assume has the stronger or longer blade extension?
Update
We heard back from Stanley Black & Decker:
Here’s Why Dewalt, Craftsman, Stanley Now Describe Tape Measure Extension with “Reach”
Ryan
I feel like this is standard disingenuous dewalt marketing.
Michael Quinlan
Disingenuous marketing… is there any other kind?
Avi
Sounds just like using UWO so you can’t compare to other brands numbers. Or is like 18v vs 20v max, and it’s an easy conversion once you know about it and pay attention?
Jason McDaniels
This is 20 volt max* all over again
John
Stickout, standout, reach whatever you call it has never been a concern of mine when buying a tape measure. It has no relevance to inside measurements, only outside measurements. Walk throughout a completed house and tell me when standout matters in measuring anything. A long arched tape blade serves no measuring purpose; it has to catch and lay flat, and standout is just not prevalent in general homeowner use. On job sites it applies in specific needs, a long LVL or long 2x sticks. Any tape will easily get to the end of a 4×8 sheet. In metal work it’s hit and miss to even get the end to catch on long tube materials from a distance or doing corner to corner from further away. Measuring metal roofing panels will benefit but many are formed on site to size. It’s really marketing that pushes this crap. I’m not saying that standout is pointless because it does have purpose; I’m saying it’s far less important overall in the real world than marketing and youtube dudes make us think.
Stuart
That may be true, but standout often corresponds to blade strength and rigidity, and this will also affect a tape measure’s performance and ease of use at shorter extensions.
Nathan
Thank you. I’ve been thinking similarly for quite some time.
Justin
I think for some people, like myself, it’s very important. I don’t think that listing it on the package is a bid deal. Those who care will notice, those who don’t won’t. I’m a commercial electrician btw.
Kent
Why does standout matter? When I’m trying to reach across a span, to hook the tape on something else, then pull it tight.
I generally don’t measure when the tape is arced, but I do need a stiff blade to get to the other side.
Matt
I bet you can get 14′ if you support the tape with your other hand as far out as you can. You know, like you would when you’re actually using it. No one extends the tape and only holds the backend housing. They put the housing in one hand, extend the tape and support it about 2′ out with the other hand.
Sure, it’s marketing “deception”. But that’s what marketing is. You need to make your product sound better even if it’s the same. It’s not lying; more like putting your best foot forward. It’s no more lying than women wearing makeup. I feel like Dewalt gets a bad rap for being clever and smart with their marketing. Other brands do similar things. Anyway, it is what it is. Buy a Kobalt tape measure that’s actually the same, but marketed differently if it appeases your moral compass.
Stephen
Reach is bigger than standout.
That’s all the marketing folks need to know.
fred
If we gave them to trained orangutans to use – the marketing folks could add on another 4 feet and an asterisk.
Stephen
“Best-in class 19ft span* ”
*span rating as measured by in-house OST procedure (orangutan stretch test)
Bob
Orangoutangs! Almost spit out my coffee. That is funny.
Jared
I’ve certainly heard the term standout before, but if I saw this in the store and hadn’t read you post first I would have assumed “reach” was just the SBD term for “standout” and the figures for the SBD group of tapes were better than everyone else. I suppose in that sense it’s clever marketing, albeit once you realize the trick it feels pretty dirty.
Makes me wonder if the other companies will eventually adopt it – otherwise they face the dilemma of having people believe their products are inferior or engaging in the difficult task of instructing consumers on the difference.
jbongo
Since a tape measure is something that I only have to buy once in a blue moon, and if I was in a hurry, I probably would compare the two. If I had time, I might google it or try and look for a definition on the packaging. But it’s definitely an interesting marketing tactic.
Daniel
This is annoying to me but honestly I usually play with each tape measure in the store to see what I like and dislike. So although this doesn’t affect my purchasing decisions, I found it frustrating that marketing always seems to be moving the “goal posts.”
OldDominionDIYer
I agree if I am buying it then I test it for how I intend to use it, what this does do is totally muck things up for those that may be buying for a gift and really don’t have a clue. These are the consumers that SBD are intentionally fooling and the sad thing is they know it.
Brad
Might be worth a test but I bet it’s something like this.
Standout is how far you can extend the tape measure without it snapping.
Reach is how far you can get it with one file pull of the tape measure before it will snap unless you hit what you are trying to catch on.
As in “I can get it standing out there pretty far, but if I am quick enough I can get it to reach that board.”
Nathan
Could “Reach” be the vertical height the tape will go before breaking, like in measuring ceiling height?
Caleb
My same thought man.
Thom
As an aside, has anyone else noticed that the aforementioned Craftsman auto lock stops holding the tape out after 10 or so uses? I have 2 of them and they both have the same issue.
Steve
First of all, good catch Stu.
My thoughts:
1. I don’t put anything past marketing folks, they will do anything they can get away with to make their product sound better. I don’t trust them and do my own research, like coming here.
2. Most of these professional tape measures have enough standout/reach/rigidity for what you can humanly control anyway. There’s other features like feel, weight, how well they retract, markings, and looks that go into your tape measure purchase decision.
3. The nice thing about tape measures is that they are packaged in such a way that you can try them out in store.
I recommend you ignore the marketing, play with the ones you are considering, and buy the one you like the most. If you end up unhappy with your purchase, it’s just a tape measure, try another brand next time, they’re not all that expensive.
Ted
100% agree ,that was my thought
Cr8on
This is from an email from Stanley:
“*Based on maximum extension of average professional user compared to FMHT33502 at 10 ft.
**Based on maximum extension of average professional user.”
Nathan
we’re all 6’7 aren’t we?
Scott
Based on maximum extension of a professional (basketball playing) user.
Some of those guys have truly massive wingspans…
Champs
“Reach” doesn’t upset me too much in tapes. I’m less a fan when it’s the figure for some fundamental feature, e.g. the length of a ladder.
Carl J
Whats next Stu, a long winded circular posting on what the definition of “is” is.
Stuart
If you don’t see why it’s important to discuss how a common comparative metric is being replaced by a newly created spec that’s poorly defined and 3 feet longer, I don’t know what to tell you.
I still get emails asking about how much more powerful 20V Max is compared to 18V.
Clarity in marketing matters, and it matters a lot.
If you really want, we can talk about “up to” next. ToolGuyd can reach and audience of up to 500 million readers a day. Up to 800 million. Up to one billion!
If you’re not interested in a particular post or discussion, there are plenty of other posts here and elsewhere.
David Zeller
Come on, Carl. If Johnsons were measured by the distance from the wall to tip of the head with guys back to the wall, and suddenly some guys measured in full thrust position, it would make quite an uproar.
SBD just started measuring with their thrust.
Stuart is shedding light on their Johnson, so to speak.
David Zeller
Dammit, Stuart! I need editing capabilities! 😉
Stuart
There’s still no secure way to allow for it without a 3rd party system. I look into it every so often, but have not found a good solution.
Nathan
So standout doesn’t do much for me anyway. I don’t get the appeal. Reach makes a little sense too but again that’s not what will get my attention with a tape.
but I’m also wierd and I know this. Markings and accuracy is a bigger deal for me.
anything with a 10ft standout or more is plenty and I don’t really use a tape that way anyhow. In fact I’m starting to want a flatter tape with less stand out more and more.
OldDominionDIYer
This is very typical of SBD, they have a long history of using (making up) terms that seem to mean one thing but actually mean something totally different.
Doresoom
Good catch Stuart, I probably would have missed that small wording change myself. This feels like intentionally deceptive marketing to me.
Koko The Talking Ape
So my 10″ screwdriver has a 3′ 10″ “reach”? Wow! And I got it on sale too.
Benjamen
We definitely need a like button for comments :>)
Stuart
It *is* possible, but if enabled it’ll only work for those with user accounts.
Frank D
I don’t think that is factually correct. You may have long arms, comparatively, but I doubt they’re that long 😉
OldDominionDIYer
Am I the only person that thinks that as soon as one of SBD competitors came out with a product that out performed their own they changed the language of their marketing to out maneuver the competition rather than reinvesting in and improving their existing product line? Seems like yet another great example of lazy corporate effort. Don’t improve the product, just establish a new metric that looks better and let the general public figure it out (if they can). I get that SBD won’t hide behind it but they won’t volunteer the new information to “help” the customer, without being specifically asked that is. Marketing can be a slippery slope, you can push it only so far before the “reasonable man” defaults to it being garbage, and no longer trusts anything the company says, it’s ruined many a company. Historically company’s that do this are in for a rough road because once you go down this way of thinking there’s usually no going back.
20V Max in stead of 18V: When by Webster’s Dictionary battery voltage is rated on the nominal not Peak
UWO in stead of Ft/Lbs or In/Lbs: Providing a specification that is not even fully understood nor convertible for comparison
Reach instead of Standout: Providing a metric that combines the actual standout plus the arm length rather than the measurable standout alone.
I’d like to think I’m surprised by this but I’m not.
Eric
Thanks for helping to point things like this out. SBD just keeps making me like them less and less with stuff like this. The 20v max, UWO, reach, etc. I get that all the manufactures tweak their performance numbers. Some may be conservative with those numbers and other might inflate them a little. But at least I have something to give me a general idea when comparing tools. SBD seems to be doing everything they can to come up with their own proprietary standards so you can’t compare their tools to anything that isn’t one of their other brands. And then they can’t even be bothered to let us know what these new standards mean in the real world.
The What?
It seems like another gimmick invented by none other than sbd. They specialize in it. Or maybe the chinamen who was in charge of printing the packaging translated something wrong. Who knows? Who cares. Somebody needs give that dumbass a promotion. Standout or reach or whatever means absolutely nothing. They can call it 14′ of dogsht. If you’re too dumb to pick up on the gimmick then that’s your fault. And being that sbd is the only company that makes 58 different tape measures between three brands, I’m surprised that they didn’t pull this bs a while ago. The worst one is the 5x or 12x garbage. Notice how none of what’s printed says five times or 5 times. It’s always a number and the letter x. I think it literally means nothing more than a number they come up with and the letter x. Cuz if there was any truth to it there would be a listing of the products and how many times their products are better compared to each of the competitors. I’ve never seen a list of the inferior products that they claim to be better than. If you go back and remember the old packaging for things like tapes or drill bits or whatever, none of it required a bunch of printed facetious gimmicks like standout or impact rated or impact ready or 5x or any of the garbage they market this stuff with today. And it’s only the big box brands that do this. It’s sad to know what they take us for isn’t it?
Stuart
5X, 10X, and other product claims must be cleared by legal. There’s usually fine print explaining it too.
They might be comparing a brushless drill to an 18V NiCad model, or similar, but it always means something.
Chris
All this talk about “reach” and I just got an email from milwaukee about their tape measures with 14’* standout.
The asterisk appears at the bottom stating *based on maximum performance.
Milwaukee must keep an eye on your tool blog. 😉
Gil
Ladders are also using the “reach” height measurements.
Chip
“Standout” is huge for certain tasks.
In my working history.
Framing, fencing, trim.
But some hand tools need to have a certain feel in store, the you can find a brand and save $ online.
I was given a Milwaukee stud and it does have superior standout.
But given my smaller hands its totally unusable.
In the end I care more about ratings I don’t have test equipment for.
Coo, peak watts/volts,etc.
If you buy Emt it goes by Id, the same exact tubing in fence hoop house is Od.
At least the latter are known.
Some things I buy to spec, others are a personal preference.
Caleb
Maybe…. and hear me out, but maybe reach is a vertical term whereas stand out is a horizontal term. Call me crazy.
Andrew
Once again SB&D using the most deceptive marketing to try and get people to buy their product for the same price as the competition but worse quality. I feel like they are the worst in the tool world when it comes to blurring the line between truth and lies