Ratings & Reviews for IDEAL 50-ft Steel Fish tape

Works for Occasional DYI

Worked well enough to get the job done. Not too smooth to un-coil or wind up, thou.

Good product for what it is

Price is good, not exactly the item I was looking for, more of a desperation purchase. I was looking for the fiberglass, round fish tape. I've used these metal ones for years and they are prone to snagging and the tip breaking.

Great price

Nice economical fish for small jobs. Quality seems decent.

IN-&-OUT

Like everything about it, it's slim sturdy and real strong to maneuver thru the tight spot so everything worked for the job at hand

Blued-Steel 25-ft Steel Fish Tape

Perfect for Small space threading or wires ,Has great loop for holding wire in place and it did not slip out. Would recommend if you have to thread small wires or other items this will save you time and frustration, Very heavy Duty ,Well Built. Overall great product.

Nice smooth, solid tape

I’ve used the larger Ideal fish tapes and this little one measures up! Has the same quality as its bigger brothers. I wondered if it would be smooth, being smaller and tighter, but it had a smooth slide and had no issues extending or retracting. Most jobs, I’ll probably still use the larger ones just because they have a full handle, but for small jobs, or short runs where you don’t want to be extending out a bunch of weight, this little tape is perfect!

Perfect for home use

I’ve used ideal fish tape for many years and they are alway reliable and get the job done. This one is particularly handy for jobs around the house because if is much more compact in size. Winding it back up is a little more challenging than the larger versions but pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

Easy to use

This design makes dispensing and retracting the tape really easy. The reels that I’ve used prior to this make it a challenge to reel in the tape. With this unit you simply rotate the housing while using the thumb device to tuck the tape back into the housing. Just hold your thumb against the device. It probably goes back in easier than it comes out. Both pretty easy.

Works but thumb winder jammed

The Ideal thumb winder fish tape I received is flexible with a good sized loop for wire or whatever you are pulling back through the wall. The problem with the tape I received is thete is paper jammed along one side of the winder causing the thumb winder to jam.

Fabulous tape

It replaced an older-and-longer fish tape that was difficult to reel out an in. This one works great, and 25 ft is really long enough for almost everything that I can need. Great construction and easy to use. Get one.

A good product

Ideal's 25' Thumb Winder steel fish tape is small enough to be stored in your tool bag.  It's case is durable and impact resistant. Two nice features are the easy-to-use thumb-operated rewind and the tuff-cuff tape design keeps tape properly positioned inside the opening. Ideal design for data, comm and small conduit applications. The industrial strength non-oily laser etched tape makes longer runs easier because of its stiffness. Also, each 12" increment is laser etched for instant conduit leng...

Handy DIY Tool

Recently wanted to add exterior electrical receptacles for Christmas outdoor lighting but also convenient for seasonal power tools. Previously we did not have adequate outlets. Using the Thumb Winder I was able to pull wire from adjacent interior receptacles to add two exterior weatherproof outlets with GFCIs!

Sturdy fish tape

This is an easy to use steel fish tape. The tape is thick enough to be sturdy but still a little flexible. Just pull the tape out and when finished you use the thumb winder to “push” the tape back into the winder.

Convenient size but difficult to use one handed

I have used a few wire fishers, but the first impression was mixed as the steel wire was very difficult to let out and bring back in. The quality did not feel the best but may hold up to a few drops. As with many steel tapes, there is a slight bend when letting out past the 10-foot mark. The thumb slide is difficult to move and requires both hands to move the wire in and out. The hook can be adjusted with a heated flame, be sure to use gloves and let it to air cool so not to damage the structure...

Works

I have been wanting to mount my tv for a while now but didn’t want the wires hanging down the wall. This fish tape worked great to run the cables behind the wall. More than long enough. Tape is strong. No issues. Would recommend