BUYER'S GUIDE
How to Choose a Magnetic Mount
for Your Van
Magnet strength, materials, paint protection, vehicle compatibility - what actually matters and what is just marketing.
In This Guide
1. Why magnetic mounts exist - and who invented them
2. What you can mount with magnets
3. Seven things that separate a good mount from a bad one
4. Materials and manufacturing - where quality hides
5. Vehicle compatibility: steel, aluminium, and the kitchen-magnet test
1. Why Magnetic Mounts Exist - and Who Invented Them
The problem is older than van life itself. You need gear on the outside of your vehicle - recovery boards, an awning, a shovel, a fuel can, a Starlink dish - and every traditional mounting option asks you to choose between bad compromises.
Roof racks put everything out of reach. You cannot access a pair of MaxTrax strapped to a roof rack when your van is axle-deep in sand without a ladder and five minutes of unbuckling. Bolt-on mounts require drilling through the body of your vehicle, which voids paint warranties, invites rust at every hole, and commits you to one permanent position. Suction cups lose grip in heat, cold, dust, and vibration. Ratchet straps rattle, loosen, and look terrible.
In 2020, an engineer in a small workshop in the Swiss Alps looked at this problem differently. Instead of attaching gear to the vehicle permanently, what if the vehicle's own steel body became the mounting surface? Rubberised neodymium magnets, each pulling 50 kg, pressed directly against the steel panel. No holes. No glue. No rack. The gear holds with 200 kg of combined magnetic force, stays silent, and comes off in two seconds when you need it.
That was the birth of the magnetic vehicle mount category. The first products were recovery board mounts for MaxTrax, designed, 3D-printed, and hand-assembled in Ticino, Switzerland. Thousands shipped to six continents. Overlanders, van lifers, and expedition vehicle builders adopted them. And then, inevitably, the copycats arrived.
Today there are multiple brands selling magnetic mounts. Some are genuinely engineered. Others are mass-produced brackets sourced from factories in Shenzhen, marketed with impressive-sounding claims and slick Instagram ads. The price differences are real. So are the quality differences. This guide exists to help you understand what actually matters so you can make an informed decision regardless of which brand you choose.
2. What You Can Mount with Magnets
The original application was recovery boards, but the magnetic mounting principle works for a surprisingly wide range of overlanding and van life gear. Here is what exists today.
Recovery Boards (MaxTrax, ARB, TRED)
The flagship application. Pins interface with the holes in your recovery boards, and magnets hold the assembly against the vehicle body. Look for brand-specific pin spacing - a mount designed for MaxTrax MK2 will not fit ARB TRED Pro boards without modification, and vice versa. Generic "universal" mounts exist but always involve compromise on fit.
MaxTrax quick-release magnetic mount. Carbon-fibre-reinforced pins, 200 kg total magnetic force. View product
Awning Mounts
A magnetic plate replaces the permanent bracket that most awning manufacturers expect you to bolt into your roof rail or body panel. This lets you fit and remove an awning without leaving any hardware on the vehicle. Particularly useful if you only use the awning seasonally or want to reposition it for different camping setups.
Magnetic awning mounts. Compatible with Thule, Fiamma, and Dometic. No drilling, no permanent brackets. View awning mounts
Starlink Dish Mounts
Starlink dishes need a flat, unobstructed surface with a clear view of the sky. The roof of a van is ideal, but drilling into a roof invites leaks. Magnetic mounts hold the dish securely at highway speeds and across corrugated tracks, yet lift off cleanly when the dish goes back inside for travel.
Starlink Mini magnetic mount for curved surfaces. Four 55 kg magnets, stainless steel joints, heat-resistant to 175°C. View Starlink Mini mount
Fuel Cans and Water Containers (RotoPax)
A machined aluminium plate with magnets holds a RotoPax or similar container against any steel panel. No rack purchase needed. Particularly valuable for vehicles where the roof rack is already full or where you want the fuel can at reach height on a side panel.
Magnetic RotoPax plate. Double powder-coated aluminium, M8/M10 slots, 200 kg magnetic force. View product
Tools: Shovels, Axes, Hi-Lift Jacks
Rubberised magnetic cradles hold long tools against the vehicle body. No more tools rattling around inside the van or buried under gear in a rear storage box. The magnet holds them in place; gravity and friction do the rest.
Hooks, Lights, and Camp Accessories
Smaller magnetic hooks and mounts turn the entire side of your van into a flexible pegboard. Hang a lantern, a towel, a rubbish bag, a shower head. Move them wherever you want. Take them off when you drive.
3. Seven Things That Separate a Good Magnetic Mount from a Bad One
This is the core of the guide. Every magnetic mount looks similar in product photos. The differences live in the details that product photos never show.
Factor 1: Magnet Grade and Pull Force
Not all neodymium magnets are equal. They are graded from N35 (weakest) to N52 (strongest). A higher grade means more pull force per gram of material. Most quality magnetic vehicle mounts use N42 to N48 grade magnets. If a product listing does not mention the magnet grade, that is a red flag - it usually means the manufacturer used whatever was cheapest at the time of ordering.
What to look for: total pull force of at least 150 kg (330 lbs) across all magnets in a single mount kit. For recovery boards, 200 kg (440 lbs) is the standard set by the category's inventor. But understand what this number means: 200 kg is the force required to pull the magnets straight off the panel, perpendicular to the surface. The sliding force - the resistance to sideways movement along the panel - is a completely different number, typically around 17 kg (37 lbs) per magnet. This is why the interface hardware matters so much: the pins, the rubber grip, and the weight distribution all work together with the magnetic hold to prevent lateral movement. A product listing that only quotes pull force without mentioning shear or sliding force is giving you half the picture.
Beware of listings that quote the pull force of a single magnet and let you assume the total is higher. Four magnets at 50 kg each gives you 200 kg total - but four magnets at 30 kg each gives you only 120 kg, which is marginal for heavy gear at highway speeds.
A useful comparison: 200 kg of magnetic pull force is roughly equivalent to the grip of a heavy-duty industrial clamp. Your recovery boards are not going anywhere.
Factor 2: Rubber Coating Quality
Every magnetic mount needs a rubber or elastomer coating on the magnet face to protect your vehicle's paint. This is non-negotiable. A bare neodymium magnet against automotive clear coat will scratch it within minutes of driving - vibration turns the magnet into fine-grit sandpaper.
What separates good from bad: the rubber thickness, its hardness (durometer), and how it is bonded to the magnet. Cheap mounts use a thin rubber disc glued onto the magnet face with adhesive. Over time, dust and grit work under the edges, the adhesive softens in heat, and the rubber disc shifts or peels. Better mounts use a rubber coating that is moulded around the entire magnet, leaving no exposed edge for debris to penetrate.
The temperature factor: neodymium magnets begin to lose magnetic strength above 80°C. A black vehicle panel in direct summer sun can easily reach 70–80°C. The rubber coating acts as both paint protection and thermal insulation. Thicker coating means the magnet itself stays cooler. This is rarely mentioned in product listings, but it matters enormously for vehicles that spend time in hot climates.
Factor 3: The Hardware Between the Magnet and Your Gear
The magnet holds the mount to your vehicle. But something has to hold your gear to the mount. This is where the biggest quality differences hide.
For recovery board mounts, that something is a set of pins that interface with the holes in your boards. These pins take enormous stress: every bump, every crosswind, every sudden stop transfers load through the pins. The material they are made from and the precision of their fit determine whether your mount lasts five years or five months.
What to compare: pins made from carbon-fibre-reinforced nylon (produced via industrial SLS 3D printing) versus injection-moulded commodity plastic. The 3D-printed version costs roughly ten times more to produce, but it is dramatically stronger, more heat-resistant, and more dimensionally accurate. Injection-moulded pins can warp in heat, crack on impact, and have visible seam lines where the mould halves meet - seam lines that become stress concentrators under load.
For RotoPax mounts, the interface is typically machined aluminium. Look for aerospace-grade alloy (6061-T6 or 7075) rather than cast aluminium, and check that bolt holes are threaded rather than relying on press-fit nuts that can vibrate loose.
Factor 4: Magnet Diameter
Diameter matters more than most buyers realise. A larger-diameter magnet distributes its pull force across a wider area of the vehicle panel. This does two things: it increases the effective hold against sliding forces (what engineers call shear force), and it bridges minor panel irregularities like subtle body curves or clearcoat texture.
The numbers: quality mounts use 88–90 mm diameter magnets. Budget mounts often use 60–66 mm magnets to save cost. The price difference per magnet is significant at manufacturing scale, which is why cheaper brands cut corners here. On a perfectly flat panel the smaller magnet might test similarly in a straight pull-off test, but on a real vehicle with real-world curves, dirt, and vibration, the larger magnet wins convincingly.
Factor 5: Gear-Specific vs. Universal Design
A mount designed specifically for MaxTrax MK2 boards will fit those boards perfectly. The pin spacing matches the hole pattern exactly. There is no play, no wobble, no need for adaptation.
A "universal" mount tries to fit everything and fits nothing perfectly. The pin spacing is adjustable, which means there are slots or multiple hole positions - and slots introduce play. Play means movement. Movement means noise, wear, and eventually failure.
The rule of thumb: if a magnetic mount exists for your specific gear, buy the specific one. Universal mounts have their place - particularly for less common recovery board brands or for tools - but they are a compromise, not an upgrade.
Factor 6: Safety Features
Magnets are strong, but responsible engineers build in redundancy. Look for these features:
Transparent safety stickers: clear adhesive patches that sit over the magnet-to-panel interface and act as a backup if a magnet is dislodged by a severe impact. They do not affect the magnetic hold but add a physical layer of security.
Tethering points: built-in loops, cables, or anchor points that let you run a cable lock through your gear. This protects against theft when the vehicle is parked, and provides a secondary retention system for extreme off-road situations.
Quick-release mechanisms: a newer innovation that lets you detach your recovery boards in under two seconds without any tools. In a genuine recovery situation - vehicle stuck, sand flying, time pressure - speed of access matters. If you have to undo bolts or untangle bungee cords, the mount has failed its purpose.
Factor 7: Replacement Parts Availability
This is the factor nobody thinks about until they need it. You lose a pin. A rubber pad gets damaged. A bolt strips. What happens next?
With a well-engineered product: you contact the manufacturer, order the individual part, and it arrives in days. The total cost is a few euros. This is only possible if the product was designed with modularity and long-term serviceability in mind.
With a mass-produced product: there is no individual part available. You buy the entire kit again. The manufacturer may not even stock the same version next quarter, because the factory in Shenzhen updates the tooling without notice. This is the hidden cost of cheap: the second purchase.
4. Materials and Manufacturing - Where Quality Hides
The magnetic mount market in 2026 has a split that mirrors what happened in the action camera, phone case, and LED light bar markets before it: one tier of products is genuinely engineered, and another tier is sourced from wholesale factories and branded with local marketing.
Both tiers look similar in product photos. The differences are inside.
SLS 3D Printing vs. Injection Moulding
Industrial Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a manufacturing process where a laser fuses powdered material - typically PA12 nylon reinforced with carbon fibre - layer by layer into a solid part. Each part is built to its exact digital dimensions with no mould, no seam lines, and no compromise between shape and cost.
SLS parts are isotropic - equally strong in all directions. They do not have the internal stress patterns that injection-moulded plastic carries from being forced into a mould under pressure. They are heat resistant to well over 100°C. They can be produced in small batches without tooling costs, which means the manufacturer can iterate and improve the design constantly instead of being locked into a mould that cost tens of thousands of euros.
The downside: SLS material costs roughly €100 per kilogram. Injection-moulding material costs €2–5 per kilogram. This is why mass-produced mounts are cheaper. It is also why they are weaker, less precise, and less durable.
SLS 3D-printed carbon-fibre-reinforced nylon. No mould seams, no internal stress, isotropic strength. How we make things
Stainless Steel Grades
Any bolt, pin, or hardware that lives on the outside of your vehicle needs to be stainless steel. But "stainless" has grades. A2 stainless (304) is the minimum for automotive use. A4 stainless (316) is marine-grade and significantly more resistant to salt, coastal air, and road salt. Check what grade the fasteners are - if the product listing just says "stainless steel" without specifying, assume A2 at best.
The "German Engineered" Question
You will encounter products marketed as "German engineered" or "developed with engineers from [prestigious university]." These claims may be technically true in a narrow sense - a consulting engineer may have reviewed the product - but they obscure the actual manufacturing origin. The question to ask is not where the product was designed, but where and how it is manufactured, and from what materials. A design consultation does not change the fact that the hardware is injection-moulded in a general-purpose factory. Ask for the material specification. Ask for the manufacturing process. If the answer is not specific, the product is not specific.
5. Vehicle Compatibility: Steel, Aluminium, and the Kitchen-Magnet Test
Magnetic mounts need a ferromagnetic surface to attach to. In practical terms, this means steel body panels. The good news: the vast majority of vans and commercial vehicles have steel bodies. The bad news: a growing number of premium and off-road vehicles use aluminium panels, which are non-magnetic.
Vehicles with Steel Bodies (Magnets Work)
Mercedes Sprinter (all generations), Volkswagen Crafter, Fiat Ducato, Citroën Relay / Jumper, Peugeot Boxer, Ford Transit (most panels), Renault Master, Iveco Daily, MAN TGE, Toyota HiAce, Mitsubishi Delica, most Japanese and Korean vans, most pickup truck beds, and the majority of SUVs and 4x4s.
Vehicles with Aluminium Bodies (Magnets Do Not Work Directly)
Land Rover Defender (2020+), Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover, Ford Bronco (bonnet and some panels), Ford F-150 (2015+ body panels), Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T/R1S, some panels on the Ineos Grenadier, and various premium vehicles that use aluminium for weight reduction.
The Kitchen-Magnet Test
The fastest way to check your vehicle: take a refrigerator magnet and press it against the panel where you want to mount your gear. If it sticks firmly, magnetic mounts will work. If it slides or does not hold, the panel is aluminium or fibreglass. Test multiple areas - some vehicles use steel for certain panels and aluminium for others. The roof, bonnet, and doors may all be different materials.
Workarounds for Non-Magnetic Surfaces
If your vehicle has aluminium panels, you have two options. VHB-backed steel discs can be adhered to the aluminium panel to create a magnetic attachment point. These use industrial-grade 3M VHB tape (the same adhesive used to bond glass curtain walls to skyscrapers) and provide a strong, semi-permanent magnetic surface. The second option is to bolt a steel plate behind the panel and mount magnets to it, but this requires drilling - which somewhat defeats the purpose.
6. Five Mistakes People Make with Magnetic Mounts
We have shipped thousands of magnetic mount kits since 2020. These are the most common user errors we see.
Mistake 1: Mounting on dirty surfaces. A single grain of sand between the magnet and your paint turns vibration into a sanding machine. Always wipe the vehicle panel and the magnet face before mounting. This takes ten seconds and prevents the most common complaint in the entire magnetic mount category: paint marks.
Mistake 2: Letting magnets slam together uncontrolled. Neodymium magnets are extremely powerful and extremely brittle. If two magnets snap together violently, they can chip or crack. Always bring magnets together slowly and deliberately. This is especially important during installation - do not hold two magnets near each other while positioning your mount.
Mistake 3: Ignoring surface curvature. Magnetic pull force is maximised when 100% of the magnet face contacts the vehicle panel. On a curved panel - the area near the roof line, the upper body panels, a bonnet - even a slight gap at the edges of the magnet can reduce effective hold by 30–40%. If your vehicle has curvature where you want to mount, use a mount specifically designed for uneven surfaces, not a flat-mount kit forced into service.
Mistake 4: Assuming all magnetic mounts are the same. A magnet is a magnet, right? No. The difference between a N35 and a N48 neodymium magnet of the same size is roughly 35% in pull force. The difference between a 66 mm and a 90 mm magnet is even larger. And the interface hardware - what sits between the magnet and your gear - varies from carbon-fibre-reinforced precision parts to generic injection-moulded brackets that flex under load. Price correlates with these differences. Not perfectly, but consistently.
Mistake 5: Not securing against theft. Magnetic mounts are strong enough to hold your gear at 180 km/h. They are not strong enough to resist a determined thief who grabs your MaxTrax and pulls. If you leave gear mounted overnight or in public parking, run a cable lock through the gear and around a fixed point on the vehicle. Most quality mounts include tethering points or offer cable locks as accessories. Use them.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Will magnetic mounts damage my paint?
Not if the magnets are properly rubberised and you keep the surfaces clean. The rubber coating creates a barrier between the magnet and your clear coat. Paint damage occurs when grit is trapped between the magnet and the panel, or when cheap mounts use thin rubber that wears through. Quality mounts with moulded rubber coating have been used on tens of thousands of vehicles with no paint damage reported.
How fast can I drive with magnetic mounts?
Quality magnetic mounts are tested to at least 180 km/h (112 mph). In practice, the limiting factor is almost never speed on a straight road - it is a combination of crosswinds, vibration, and panel contamination. A clean mount on a clean panel will hold at any legal highway speed in any country. If you are driving on corrugated dirt roads, the sustained vibration is a greater test than raw speed, and the magnet diameter and rubber quality become the deciding factors.
Do magnets work in rain and snow?
Yes. Water does not significantly reduce magnetic pull force. Snow and ice similarly do not pose a problem as long as the magnet can make physical contact with the panel through the coating. The only weather-related concern is extreme heat: neodymium magnets begin to lose strength above 80°C, and a black vehicle panel in direct sun can approach this temperature. This is a temporary reduction - the magnetism returns when the temperature drops - but it is worth knowing if you park in the Sahara.
Can I leave magnetic mounts on permanently?
You can, but we recommend removing them when not in use for extended periods. This keeps the rubber fresh, prevents any dust buildup under the magnets, and avoids the (very slight) possibility of the rubber bonding to hot paint over months of continuous contact. Most users mount their gear for a trip and remove it when they return - which is the whole point of a no-drill, non-permanent mounting solution.
Will magnetic mounts work on my vehicle?
If your vehicle has steel body panels, yes. The fastest test: press a kitchen magnet against the panel where you want to mount. If it sticks firmly, you are good to go. Aluminium-bodied vehicles (Land Rover Defender 2020+, Ford Bronco, Ford F-150 2015+, some others) will not work with magnets directly, but VHB-backed steel discs can create magnetic attachment points on non-magnetic surfaces.
Are magnetic mounts legal?
In most jurisdictions, externally mounted gear is classified as cargo, and the driver is responsible for securing it properly. Magnetic mounts fall under cargo-securing equipment, and there is no specific regulation banning magnetic attachment. That said, it is your responsibility to ensure your gear is secured according to local traffic laws. In Switzerland, the regulatory authority classifies magnetic mounts as cargo-securing equipment. In Germany and the EU, the StVO requires that cargo must be secured against shifting. Magnetic mounts with 200 kg of pull force exceed this requirement for the gear they are designed to carry.
What is the price range for magnetic van mounts?
Budget mounts sourced from wholesale factories start around €40–60. Mid-range options run €80–120. Premium engineered mounts - Swiss or European-made, SLS 3D-printed, with modular hardware - are typically €100–160. The price difference reflects manufacturing method, material quality, magnet grade, and whether individual replacement parts are available. Over a five-year ownership period, a premium mount that you can repair is often cheaper than two or three budget mounts that you replace entirely.
How do I know if a brand is the original or a copy?
Ask three questions. First: when did the brand start selling magnetic vehicle mounts? The category was invented in 2020 in Switzerland. Brands that appeared in 2023 or later are followers, not originators. Second: where are the products manufactured? If the answer is vague or involves terms like "German engineered" without specifying the manufacturing location, look deeper. Third: can you buy individual replacement parts, or only complete kits? The ability to replace a single pin or rubber pad means the product was designed with long-term ownership in mind. A brand that only sells complete kits is designed with short-term margin in mind.
FROM THE INVENTOR
We started this category in 2020.
We are still engineering it.
Every Tactic Engineering product is designed, 3D-printed, and hand-assembled in Switzerland. Carbon-fibre-reinforced pins. 90 mm rubberised neodymium magnets. Individual replacement parts for every component. Made to outlast your vehicle.
