Pocket Tape Measures

Short tapes, sometimes referred to as pocket tape measures or pocket measuring tapes, are the most common type of tapes on the market today. With countless millions sold throughout the world every year and hundreds of manufacturers producing them, these are what most people would think of if asked to describe a tape measure.

That said, not all pocket tapes are made equal. Here at The Tape Store we stock huge numbers of tapes ranging from the very best heavy duty, professional tapes from the likes of Stanley, Bahco, Fisco and Irwin to high-quality every day and budget tapes from smaller but equally reputable firms. Below we've provided you with a summary of some of the key parts/qualities of pocket tapes. For more information on tape measures and their characteristics why not visit our Product Info page?

Which tape is right for me?

Confused by the huge range of tape measures available or not quite sure which one's right for you? Our simple, easy to use Tape Assistant is guaranteed to make your decision much easier! After just four, very simple multiple choice questions the Tape Assistant processes your requirements and spits out a selection of tapes that we think may be just the ticket! Click here to have a go...

Features of Pocket Tapes

• Case or tape body - Pocket (or short) tape measures generally come in either a plastic or metal case with the blade (or tape) entirely enclosed within for protection.
• Locking mechanism - An autolock or other locking mechanism system will be used to catch the blade and prevent it from shooting back into the case whilst measurements are being taken - a feature equally useful for marking a specific point on the tape for later reference.
• Hook - This is the (usually) metal part at the end of the blade that is used for hooking over the feature being measured. It is from the end of the hook that measurements are taken. Hooks come in a variety of guises from the conventional bottom hook (points downwards when taking readings from above) to the more innovative side, top and bottom hooks that allows measurements to be taken from almost any angle. Hooks come with different numbers of rivets and, whilst there are exceptions to the rule, on the whole the more rivets the better. Hook material can also range from mild or stainless steel to plastic and even magnetised steel.
• Belt clip - Does exactly what it says on the tin... a metallic clip that allows users to clip their tape onto their belt whilst working.
• Blade material - this ranges from steel (the most common material used in blade manufacture) to stainless steel (ideal when working in damp or wet environments) and fibreglass (perfect for long tape measures, tear resistant, heat resistant, water resistant).
• Accuracy - One of the most important things to consider when buying a tape measure. After all you are measuring things... you want those measurements to be correct don't you?! Tape accuracy in the UK is determined by EU standards. The vast majority of those tapes sold on this site are classified as accurate to either EU Class I or Class II with some slightly cheaper models falling just shy of that level. However, this is not something that should ever put you off. As with most things the phrase 'horses for courses' applies with tape measures too. The level of accuracy (and therefore the amount of money you want to pay) depends entirely on what you use your tape for and the levels of tolerance that are acceptable for that application. Whilst we would urge you to check before committing to buy, for the majority of applications almost any tape for sale at The Tape Store would probably be sufficiently accurate.
• Measurements - Short tapes are available with either metric only measurements or metric and imperial. The measurements of each tape are clearly noted on each product detail page.

 For more information on the various features or characteristics of tape measures, why not view our Product Info page? Alternatively, if you don't find the tape measure you're looking for on this page why not check out our entire range of tape measures?