Magnetpro Double Sided 2690LB Kit — The One You Upgrade To

The first thing I noticed when I opened this was the weight of it. It's heavier than you expect — not unwieldy, but heavy in the way that makes you think okay, this is a real piece of equipment. Double-sided magnets have that density to them that single-sided ones don't, and when you set it on a table it just sits there like it's not interested in moving unless it decides to lunge at your car keys.

I took it out to a spot I know well — a railroad bridge over a wide, slow stretch of river I've been hitting for a couple years. I know what's down there. Or I thought I did. I'd been through it with a 550lb single-sided magnet probably eight or ten times. First drop with this thing, I pulled up a chunk of rebar that had to have been sitting there since the bridge was built — bent, corroded, probably forty pounds of it — plus a chain-link section that was wrapped around it. The 550 had gone right over all of it. Every single time.

That's the thing about pull force ratings. They're not magic numbers. But when you go from 550 to 2690, something real changes. You're not just pulling harder — you're making contact with stuff that's partially buried, awkwardly angled, stuck under silt. The double-sided design helps here too because you've got surface area working both directions as it drags.

The rope they include is actually decent. I've used kit ropes that I immediately replaced. This one I kept.

The gloves are thin. I want to be honest about that. They're fine for mild weather and light pulls but if you're going hard in cold water, hauling up heavy junk, you're going to want something better on your hands. I've got a pair of cut-resistant gloves I've been using for two seasons now and I wouldn't trade them. The included ones I'd treat as a backup pair — throw them in the bag, forget about them until you need them.

The carry bag is soft-sided and nothing special. It does the job. I wouldn't trust it to protect the magnet if you're tossing it around in a truck bed. Mine is wrapped in a rag and I'm okay with that system.

Here's who I'd actually hand this to: someone who's already got a season or two in, knows how to tie a proper knot, understands basic safety around strong magnets, and is frustrated that they keep feeling like they're leaving things behind. That person is going to feel the difference immediately. Someone who just watched a TikTok and thinks magnet fishing is like metal detecting but cooler — they don't need this yet. Start somewhere smaller. There's a learning curve, and a 2690lb double-sided magnet will find that curve for you in the most annoying possible way if you're not ready for it.

$64.99 for this pull force in a complete kit is hard to argue with.

The thread locker is included and I was glad to see it — double-sided magnets have a bolt that needs attention or you will lose the magnet eventually. Apply it, let it cure, don't skip that step. I've heard enough stories about magnets sitting in riverbeds — presumably keeping company with the other stuff nobody ever pulled up — to take that seriously.