When working on a large deck or outdoor living project, how do you measure distances? I have a couple of compact laser distance measurers, and they’re great for indoor use, but not so great outside. I have a hard time seeing if the laser is pointed at the target, even at relatively short distances, so most of the time I just use either a standard steel tape or my trusty landscape tape for longer spans. Bosch says it has solved the problem by adding a 5.0 megapixel, 8x zoom camera to a pair of laser distance measures that helps find the laser target at distances up to 400 feet. One model, the GLM400C, has a color viewfinder, while the other model, the GLM400CL, can take photos and store up to 200 images in memory. Both lasers can share measurements with a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth through Bosch’s free MeasureOn app, and both have a built-in inclinometer that determines the angle of pitch and confirms when the tool is level. The GLM400C is powered by 3 AA batteries, while the GLM400CL has an integrated, rechargeable 3.1-Ah lithium-ion battery. List price ranges between $229 to $299, depending on the version. boschtools.com.
This article originally appeared in Professional Deck Builder.
