Affiliate disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Pulling wire through existing conduit is one of those jobs that’s either quick and painless or a frustrating fight, and the fish tape you’re using makes most of that difference. Southwire’s non-conductive fish tape is built specifically to address the biggest safety concern with traditional steel fish tape: what happens if you’re pulling through conduit that turns out to be live.
What It Is
This is a 125-foot, 4.5mm fish tape made from a spiral-extruded polymer rather than steel, with a non-conductive polymer tip. Unlike a steel tape, it won’t complete a circuit if it contacts an energized conductor, and it won’t corrode from moisture inside conduit runs the way bare steel can over time.
Key Features
- 125 ft length, 4.5mm non-conductive spiral-extruded polymer tape
- Non-conductive polymer tip for safer pulls in conduit that may be live
- Rust-resistant — won’t degrade from moisture the way steel tape does
- Low-friction design intended to reduce the effort needed to push or pull through bends
- Flexible enough to navigate tight conduit runs without kinking as easily as steel
Pros and Cons
The main advantage here is safety and longevity — non-conductive tape removes a real hazard from a task that’s often treated too casually, and it won’t rust solid in a damp conduit run left for months. At 4.6 stars across roughly 480 ratings, it has a solid reputation among electricians.
Non-conductive fish tapes generally cost more than an equivalent length of plain steel tape, and steel tape still has an edge in raw stiffness for pushing through very long straight runs. For anything where there’s real uncertainty about whether a circuit is de-energized, though, the safety margin is worth the price difference.
Who It’s For
Electricians and maintenance techs pulling wire through conduit where there’s any chance of contacting an energized conductor, or anyone who wants a fish tape that won’t rust after sitting in a damp run.
Verdict
For safer pulls and better longevity than steel tape, Southwire’s non-conductive fish tape is a reasonable upgrade for anyone who fishes wire regularly.