Calculated Ease
Inventor Stephen Crane has spent 15 years on a mission: to make a better tape measure. eTape16 is his third iteration—an easy-to-use physical measuring tape with digital readouts and functions.
As you lengthen the measuring tape, the measurement displays on screen. Tap a button to save. Or convert measurements quickly (from fractions to decimals, or inches to centimeters, for example) and calculate midpoints (great for helping to hang a picture). And no need to bend the tape when measuring into a corner—just select the back of the device as the starting point.
This digital measuring tape simplifies projects with less lunging for paper and pencil and less math to mess up.
Stephen
Hello Grommet! I'm Stephen, the founder of eTape16. We're dedicated to improving upon the tape measure in every way, making it multi-functional and easy to use. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Deborah
3/10/2015 12:15 PMHow long is the tape measure (in inches)? Thanks.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 12:27 PMHi Deborah, thanks for the question. eTape16 maxes out at 192 inches (16 ft).
Deborah
3/10/2015 1:17 PM@Mike - Ahhh. That's where the eTape16 comes from. I wasn't putting that together at all.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 1:21 PMHi Deborah, I didn't either until you just said that. Good catch!
Harvey
3/10/2015 12:24 PMis it retractable?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 12:35 PMHi Harvey, eTap16 is indeed retractable.
Jonathan
3/10/2015 12:27 PMHow durable is this? Can it sustain a fall from a table saw, workbench, ladder, etc.?
SuviciouS
3/10/2015 12:44 PM@Jonathan Great question, was kind of wondering this myself.
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 1:39 PM@SuviciouS Hi Jonathan and Suvicious, We built the case in polycarbonate for durability - it really is tough!!
kira
3/10/2015 2:56 PM@Stephen
About the shut off after 5 minutes of not being used....will it automatically pull up what data you had in use or is it lost? Just checking. Sorry if you've already answered that somewhere and I missed it.
Thanks.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 3:55 PMGreat question, Kira. I'll let Stephen chime in with the details here. Stay tuned!
Art
3/10/2015 12:33 PMHow long does the battery last if used only a few times per year?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 12:38 PMHi Art, it's tough to know specifically how long it will last, but the eTape16 uses Lithium batteries which are designed for long lasting life. Plus, the eTape16 automatically shuts off after 5 minutes not being used and will only turn on again if the tape is pulled out.
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 1:42 PM@Mike That's always a big issue with battery powered products. We've tested it for over 30 hours of continuous use and it still works great. I don't know many people who could make that many measurements.
Art
3/10/2015 2:32 PM@Stephen The reason I ask is... Items with an "electronic" switch instead of a mechanical on/off switch actually are "on" all of the time. The battery is slowly being drained even when not in use. So the shelf life of an installed battery is much much shorter than its life sitting on a shelf.
Brenda
3/10/2015 12:33 PMHow long can the tape be extended before it start to "droop"? I find it very difficult to measure a long space by myself.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 1:32 PMHi Brenda, it starts to show signs of drooping around five feet but is still sturdy enough around eight feet.
Jan
3/10/2015 1:55 PM@Mike
Product idea for you. How about a package of stiff plastic clips, maybe 3-4" long, which could be used to quickly stiffen the tape when making solo measurements. Something easily clipped on and removed.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 2:17 PMHi Jan, I like it. That sounds like a Citizen’s Gallery-worthy idea to me.
rimber
3/10/2015 2:42 PM@Jan, @Mike I believe the clips would not work. Each clip would add to the weight of the extended tape, and it would just buckle under the added force and lose any guise of bravery.
Sophia
3/10/2015 6:27 PM@Jan, @Mike, @Rimber What about an attachment that are made like some antennas (extendable/collapsible, the smaller/higher parts pull out of the base) but structured like a ladder. It'd be portable and prevent drooping without adding weight to the tape.
Joao
3/10/2015 12:38 PMGreetings Stephen!
Great idea!
Does it display both imperial and decimal?
Any plans on tapes longer that 16 feet?
Thank you!
Joao
3/10/2015 12:50 PM@Joao (The youtube video would not load... but finally did, so, to answer my own question,) yes, both inches and centimeters are displayed... longer then 16 ft tapes?
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 1:45 PM@Joao Hi Joao, It will measure in 5 different formats including decimal inches and decimal feet. You can also convert a measurement if you have it in memory and need to convert inches and fraction to millimeters.
Kate
3/10/2015 1:00 PMLet me know when you have a larger version - both in width for droo9 and length. 50 feet would be ideal
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:02 PM@Kate We will be following this eTape with a new bigger model as well as a smaller pocket size.
faith
3/10/2015 1:23 PMThis is a great product. This will help my business where exact measuring is essential.
Beth
3/10/2015 1:28 PMI would be most interested in this product if it came in a 30' length. is that in the works?
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:02 PM@Beth It will in several months.
Dayle
3/10/2015 1:31 PMIs the tape flexible enough to measure around body parts?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 1:33 PMHi Dayle, it has the same flexibility as a typical tape measure. It's possible but may not be the most accurate method for measuring around body parts.
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:03 PM@Mike
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:05 PM@Stephen We will be making one with a fabric blade in the coming months specifically for measuring fabric and "rounder" things.
Sieglinde
3/10/2015 1:42 PMI am putting this on my Christmas Shopping List for my family members!!!!!!
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:05 PM@Sieglinde We LOVE to hear that Sieglinde!!!
Jon
3/10/2015 1:44 PMDoes it come with a warranty?
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:07 PM@Jon The warranty is 90 days but if you break it or it stops working I'll personally give you a new one. I really believe in the eTape!!!
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 2:14 PMHi Jon, and just for reference here is our return policy.
Ronald
3/10/2015 1:49 PMWhat is the accuracy of the digital read versus the tape?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 1:57 PMHi Ronald, it measures up to 1/16th of an inch in terms of accuracy.
rimber
3/10/2015 2:52 PM@Mike Accuracy refers to the agreement bertween actual tape length extended and actual true distance. 1/16th inch refers to the resolution. If an extra 1/32 of an inch is extended, the displayed value may not change, but it will be inaccurate by 1/32 of an inch!
Jan
3/10/2015 1:50 PMGreat product. I do a lot of measurement when planning decoration in my church and this greatly speeds up the process.
I searched for this item on Amazon (as I do with all products) and found this to be cheaper here. That is very unusual and a pleasant surprise.
Jan
3/10/2015 1:59 PMIs the Bluetooth version still available and what is its price?
Jan
3/10/2015 2:08 PM@Jan
OK, I found your web site and see the Bluetooth is still in development although I have seen reviews online. I really like this product but I will wait for the Bluetooth so that I can automatically record measurements to my tablet.
I would still be interested in the price.
Stephen – Special Guest
3/10/2015 2:09 PM@Jan Hi Jan, we expect to deliver Bluetooth models in about 6 weeks. Right now we are working on the initial app for Apple and Android
Jan
3/10/2015 2:20 PM@Stephen
Thanks. I will look forward to it.
While a dedicated app will be nice, you might consider developing the hooks to existing note taking apps which are already Bluetooth capable. In particular, I would love for it to work with Evernote/Penultimate, Bamboo Paper, Notes Plus, Adobe Sketch, or Autodesk SketchBook. Less programming, more versatility.
Thomas
3/10/2015 2:16 PMWith a lot of tapes the metal tip gets loose and you do not get an accurate measurement so I start measuring from the 1" mark to get an accurate measurement. If the tip comes loose how will that affect the measurement?
Jan
3/10/2015 2:33 PM@Thomas
I see by the photos that this tape has two rivets. I have several tapes made this way which are anywhere from 10 to 50 years old. None have decreased in accuracy. Please note that the rivet holes on quality tapes are slots so the tip SHOULD move. It is measuring accurately when fully extended. I stay away from single rivet tapes.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 2:39 PMHi Thomas, if the tip comes loose, it shouldn't affect the measurement at all. And as Jan said, it has two rivets to help keep it attached.
linda
3/10/2015 3:36 PMDidn't see an answer to Kira's question: About the shut off after 5 minutes of not being used....will it automatically pull up what data you had in use or is it lost?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 3:56 PMHi Linda, Stephen should be providing an answer shortly. Stay tuned!
Mark
3/10/2015 3:45 PMHow does it do measuring into corners, e.g. measuring a window for blinds? To get into the corner, you usually need an extra few inches to make the corner. Does the eTape16 have a way to compensate?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 3:46 PMHi Mark, yes it does, it includes the eTape16 itself in the measurement so you don't need to bend around the corner.
Steve
3/10/2015 3:47 PMOver the past few years I have upgraded almost all of my measuring tools to digital products. I like the both the accuracy and the increased ease of seeing the readouts as my eyes age. This is the first digital tape measure I've seen. For those concerned with battery wear, I just remove the batteries at the end of a work period. I find lithium batteries usually make this easier and they do last longer. My question is how difficult is it to remove the battery and will that cause excessive wear on the plastic parts?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/11/2015 9:31 AMHi Steve, to access the battery, you just need to remove a screw and slide off the hatch. It shouldn't cause excessive damage and with the automatic turn off after five minutes of idleness, you might not need to remove after each work period.
Mike – Grommet Team
3/10/2015 5:07 PMHi folks, you may have noticed the eTape16 is out of stock. This comes as no surprise since we had a lot of great questions and feedback come through. We are working on getting more and will have them before the weekend. Stay tuned!
robert
3/10/2015 5:58 PMWill it take & hold more then one measurement at a time[drywall-?] -rotten
Mike – Grommet Team
3/11/2015 9:34 AMHi Robert, yes it can. You just need to pull out the tape, press hold, then press 1 or 2 twice for retaining a second measurement.
Diana
3/10/2015 7:01 PMhow durable is the tool?
if you were to drop it and the specs are off how do recalibrate, or can you?
Mike – Grommet Team
3/11/2015 9:38 AMHi Diana, as Stephen said earlier, the eTape16 is very durable even in the case of dropping it. As for your second question, the eTape16 continuously recalibrates itself as you use it. When it is new or has a newly replaced battery, pull the tape out 24-30 inches several times at normal speed and it will be good to go.
ken
3/10/2015 7:40 PMHow wide is the tape 3/4" or 1/2" ?
Jan
3/10/2015 7:47 PM@ken
Their website says 3/4"
Mike – Grommet Team
3/11/2015 9:45 AMThe eTape16 is indeed 3/4" in width.