Muscular Magnetics 1325LB Double Sided Kit — Worth the Step Up?

When this thing showed up, first thing I noticed was the weight. Picked it up out of the box and there's a satisfying density to it — not heavy in a clunky way, heavy in a "okay, this is actually made of something" way. My first kit felt like a toy compared to this. I don't mean that as a knock on starter gear, I mean it as a compliment to this one.

Double sided matters more than people realize when they're starting out.

I used to fish single-sided and I'd do this thing where I'd drag the magnet and constantly second-guess myself — did I flip it? Is the bottom face catching anything? With double-sided you just stop worrying about it. Both faces are working. I dropped this into the Delaware off a low bridge on a cold Saturday in February — the kind of cold where you're wearing two pairs of gloves and still annoyed — and within twenty minutes I'd pulled up a chunk of rebar, something that was probably a hinge once, and what I can only describe as a metal rectangle of unclear purpose. Presumably sitting somewhere on that riverbed since the early eighties.

1325 lbs of pull force is the number on the tin, and I want to be straight with you about what that actually means in the field. You're not lifting 1325 lbs. Nobody is. What that rating tells you is that the magnet's got enough grip strength to actually hold onto chunky, awkward, partially buried stuff when you're dragging — versus a weaker magnet that'll latch on and then just slip off a rusted bike frame the second you put tension on the rope. The 1325 rating means it doesn't give up easy. That's what you want when you're stepping up.

The rope situation is fine. Not amazing, but fine.

I've seen kits at this price point where the rope looks like something off a camping gear clearance rack. This one's better than that. I wouldn't say it's the rope I'd choose if I were building a kit from scratch — I run thicker stuff personally, just habit — but it's not going to snap on you mid-drag and it knots well. That's honestly the bar. Does it knot well and hold? Yes. Moving on.

Here's the thing I'd flag if you're buying this as a gift for someone who's just getting started from a TikTok rabbit hole: it might be a touch much for a first kit. Not dangerous or anything — just, a beginner doesn't necessarily need 1325 lbs on their first few outings. They need to get comfortable with the rope, the motion, reading the water. This kit is better as a second kit, or a first kit for someone who already did their homework and wants to skip the starter tier entirely. Those people exist. If you watched six hours of magnet fishing content before buying anything, you're probably ready for this.

What I'd actually flag as the one thing that's not great — the case. It does the job, it holds everything, but it's the part of this kit that feels the most budget. The magnet and rope are clearly where the money went, and the case is clearly where they saved it. I've seen zipper cases on fishing kits that felt more solid. Mine's held up fine but I also don't throw my bag around, so.

$59.99 for genuine 1325LB double-sided pull is fair. It's the right price for what you're getting. And if you've been fishing with a 550LB single-sided for a few months and you're starting to feel like you're leaving stuff behind — you probably are. This is the obvious next step.