The Cloak

[Jacob Hatfield]

The Cloak
By Justin Miller
Review by Jacob Hatfield

What is the cloak?? This is what Justin Miller has on the website for the cloak as well as the back of the DVD package (very cool looking) says:

The Cloak is a brand new elastic hook-up that will:
Minimize breakage by 90%!
For the first time ever...freedom in your floats and animated effects that you did not have before, this has got to be seen to be believed.
Flotation,movement,and animation on almost any object with pinpoint precision!!!!!
No jerky body motion or suspicious moves.

On this DVD you will learn to perform:
The cleanest most astounding,not 1 but 2 card Haunted pack ever!
The cleanest in THEIR HANDS haunted pack ever..VERY VERY VERY STRONG!!
The most bizarre card reveal EVER. The card creeps out of deck and then turns itself face-up to reveal it is the chosen card. Everything is INSTANTLY REPEATABLE and EXAMINABLE. The spectator believes they did all of the work!
A rising card that defies all possibilities...did I mention you NEVER TOUCH the cards... the spectator does all the work?
And so much more!!!


So I must note that this DVD took a good amount of patients for. There was delay and even shipping took a while as it was delayed a bit more due to the amount of pre-orders Justin was moving.

So was the wait worth it? I would say so.

The Cloak is innovative and allows for freedom that many magicians who use loops, just can?t have. You are able to do effects in your spectators hands on the other side of the table, or without every really handling the cards. I feel that this is a major plus. The effect is magnificent in this fact. The effects themselves are also very powerful and hard hitting that Justin presents. The Haunted Packs are very straight forward, nothing complex. Justin even admits that he uses a stronger haunted pack routine with his regular loops. The Rising (rising card effect) is definitely a keeper. The strong point here is that you use a normal deck and never touch the cards. The downfall is the need of a glass. The glass is not gimmicked but it is needed to definitely make the effect work. Justin justifies using the glass as ?theatrics? and it plays the effect up. I personally know that when I do walk around, I don?t carry a wine glass in my pocket? Is it easy to grab one and walk up to a table? Yes. And I figure you would use the card box as well for less ?theatrics? and still achieve a great effect.

The DVD though is not about the effects, but about the hook-up. There are two basic hook-ups, a standing and a sitting hook up. The sitting is amazing. Watching the DVD, I laughed and said to the screen, there is no way this will work Justin, thanks for coning me?but I was wrong. The hook up is actually very nice to work with. Once again, that freedom that The Cloak creates allows for you to care not about your elastic thread so much, as the effect your doing and the people around you. That freedom is The Cloaks selling point.

The standing version on the hook-up, Justin speaks of how Danny Garcia talked to him about it. The standing great. I feel I will actually use this one more than the table version. The standing allows you to be free walking around and access the IET at any time without worries of being caught. No weird pens of reels. No fishy moves. You want it?you have it.

Justin says the best thread to use with The Cloak is Yigal Mesika?s IET. I don?t have any on hand, so I can?t back that up. But I did use David Mann?s Worm Silk from Precision Magic, and it works nice. I also tried the thread I received with my pre-order and was very pleased with that as well. It stretched very nice, but its black color disappointed me. I feel that you need to use a more colorless thread for this hook-up.

Now what the are the downfalls?? Well, Justin doesn?t have many effects selling this hook up. They are great, but the potential is just getting tapped into. The Cloak has more power that is revealed here and only playing around with it can unlock its power.

Also in the DVD, unless I missed it, (I highly doubt I did) Justin NEVER talks about how to hook up the table hook-up in the situation of walking up to a table and starting your routines as well as how much should be used in different situations. (I was also hoping for more live performances) Its as if he is expecting you to have access to the table before and after or be at the table all day. I am sure I (and you) can be creative and figure out a sneaky way to do all the prep work?(maybe a max of 6 seconds to prepare) and not get caught. Also, the idea of managing the spectators never comes in. The idea of a man standing very still and not moving with cards are moving in his hand (like Kozmo does in the DVD when demonstrating) is hard to come by. Of course this is basic audience management. I also disliked how Justin demonstrated all the effects using dental floss. Of course its hard to see IET on a video?but I feel Justin would be more creative and use something that has similar properties it IET. (Rubber bands for example)

Overall, I feel the DVD was a great buy. I would not recommend this DVD to a beginner in magic. Nor someone who has never dealt with IET before. I know I was told through E-mail from Sebashtion R. Houston (very helpful by the way) that the Cloak works fine for beginners and even if you have not had IET work. I disagree. Other than the minor downfalls, The Cloaks power of freedom and untapped powers, make me give it two big thumbs up.

Great job Justin and his team!
The Hook Up and Effects-- 8/10 stars

[Lyle Borders]

Nice review. I'd not even heard of it, but it is definatly something I am going to check out. My kinda stuff.

[Jacob Hatfield]

It was kind of low profile. It was out done by the LOOPS dvd that E put out.

It's an amazing hook up. I use it and nothing else.

[Magic Noob]

Why do they want a low profile though?

[illusionistajit]

Thats the best way to handle the invisible elastic..and also we can create lot new effects with that kind of handling..

[Blackrat]

This is something I need to look into. I had great success with Esoteric in the 90's. Let's see how this will go down.

[Jacob Hatfield]

Originally Posted by Blackrat

This is something I need to look into. I had great success with Esoteric in the 90's. Let's see how this will go down.

BlackRat,

Its a great hook up that really is fun. I love to use it because the thread is there and ready. Its the hook I have chosen to love forever....well, we will see once I get the tarantula. There may be an affair. But anways.

It's fun and allows a lot of freedom.

I should point out the 2 different versions. The Table Version and the Stand-up version. I use the Stand Up all the time. No matter what the occasion.

Although, I don't think Justin offers IET with the purchase anymore. So that may be a thing you need to buy later. Or with the order.

-Seeker

[zini]

My only problem with this effect is that it's quite difficult to use it in a walkaround setting. Justin Miller mentioned some alternatives, but it doesn't work as well as the tabled version.

[j0nasln]

So maybe just do this every few tables? Or is it just hard to do standing up period?

[Jacob Hatfield]

I personally use the Cloak hook-up for ANY and usually ALL of my IET effects. Standing or sitting, you can't beat it.

[wshen6]

so d dvd come wif d gimmick or u make it urself?

[Jacob Hatfield]

Originally Posted by wshen6

so d dvd come wif d gimmick or u make it urself?

Well, the DVD teaches a hook up and how to use a gimmick. Depending on where you buy it, the DVD may or may not come with IET.

Most likely, it won't.

But the hook up is made for any IET of your choice.

-Jacob

[Arturo_Coyote]

Originally Posted by zini

My only problem with this effect is that it's quite difficult to use it in a walkaround setting. Justin Miller mentioned some alternatives, but it doesn't work as well as the tabled version.

What do you do when walking around, Dance? That is really the only way I can see this not working for you in a walk around situation. For anyone who purchase this dvd, which you should. Keep these tips in mind, Grey background is always better then white or black, busier background helps conceal the gimmick. Also I recommend Infinity thread version 2 which can be found here.
Its basically the same infinity thread that came in a huge spool but pre stripped, plus there is 300 feet of it. Your set for a very long time when you buy this.

If you need further reasons to buy this thread, here from the cloaking man himself.

[bettolone]

Definitely worth trying even if from what i understand it's a bit bulky for street magic. The hook up is interesting tho.
I personally love my loops even if they don't give you too much freedom.

Take care ppl!