A $50 measuring tape was one option, but wind, deflection and other factors could have taken up time and thrown off the results. Instead, we opted to test-drive a laser-range meter that was far more expensive, retailing for $539, but proved to be much easier to deploy than a long spool of tape.
Prior to the testing, Hilti lent ENR its latest model, the PD-E—the "E" is for "exterior"—which was designed for outdoor use and released last summer. It stands at the top end of the product family, which includes the interior-based PD-I for $359 and the pocket-size PD-5 for $219.