Best Deck Switch?

Jan 26, 2017
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Hey guys! Recently, I've been super intrigued by deck switching tools. I have Shin Lim's Flash Deck Switch 2.0, and have not yet used it in a performance outside of my friends and family, but I find it works very well.

I have come across many Deck Switch methods, and everyone thinks one specific one is the GOAT. I personally do not have any experience with other deck switch products, so which one truly is the best?

From what I've heard, its between Shin Lim's FDS 2.0 or the Cooler, but I am 100% positive there are others to enter the conversation. I'd like to hear your thoughts and reasoning!

P.S. I would like to know a deck switch that does not involve a product? I currently can do one in my back pocket (2 hands, looking for a pen or something), and possibly one in a bag or a case, but I've never tried the latter. Are there any reliable switches out there and where can I find them.
 

Josh Burch

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Aug 11, 2011
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I used to own the cooler. I didn't like it. It was not that great for close-up situations, it really didn't look right.
 
Jul 13, 2014
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I used to own the cooler. I didn't like it. It was not that great for close-up situations, it really didn't look right.
That's a magicians perspective. It's one of those things, like the illogical double lift and hand switches, that feels really painful and obvious to the user, but if done smoothly and naturally, no one will give it a second thought. And of all the gimmicks I've seen, it seems to have the smoothest, most natural, and inconspicuous action.
 

DominusDolorum

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Jul 15, 2013
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I've been fooled repeatedly with Michael O'Brien's Switcheroo. That would be my choice for a product you can buy, but he does teach a similar method for switching decks in Timey-Wimey that requires something we all have at home.
 
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Josh Burch

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Aug 11, 2011
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That's a magicians perspective. It's one of those things, like the illogical double lift and hand switches, that feels really painful and obvious to the user, but if done smoothly and naturally, no one will give it a second thought. And of all the gimmicks I've seen, it seems to have the smoothest, most natural, and inconspicuous action.

The action didn't bother me at all. I have a ton of material that is more illogical than the motion required for the cooler. The DVD suggested that it would be best suited for stage or parlor, I agreed.

If you have handled the gimmick you can see that it is much larger than a normal deck of cards, and while it is customizable it takes some skill with glue and scissors to make it usable for even standard decks of cards like Bicycle, Bee or Tally-Ho. Even afterwards you really shouldn't have the box anywhere near eye shot pf he spectator. It looks weird while it is sitting on the table by itself.

I don't want to come on too strong here but I'm not the only one who thinks this. When it is live the gimmick just doesn't look like it does in the video. About half of the reviews on Penguin agree with me. It's a great idea with some issues in execution:

"It is so obvious, if the spectator isn't blind he sees that the box looks soooo unreal! It is so big, makes sounds, you have to be very careful about moving it, you can't lift it off the table, so many limitations!" -Jannis

"I do agree with one of the previous reviewers that you cannot display it for too long or it will probably be noticed." -Anonymous

"The actual handling on the table is fine, EXCEPT that you don't want the gimmick near a spectator or on display for long. Any spectator who looks at the card box for more than a few seconds will begin to wonder why it looks so strange." -Mark

"A neat concept, but poorly made." -Jonathan

"The gimmick is new and unique. However you need to create your gimmick when you buy it along with purchasing some little extras to finish making the already $50 gimmick. For stage it works great but sadly even being $50 it is not made to be preformed close-up. Just the design of the gimmick itself looks fake. It does work but its bulky." -Rian

"Put the Cooler and a regular Bicycle deck side by side and, yowsa, there is a big difference. It is not something that I would risk close up. The fit and finish of the Cooler just doesn't measure up and Bicycle deck parts are too small to fit the large skeleton. However, in a standup routine it works pretty well. Just coreograph the move properly and it is indeed a smooth switch." -Allan

"Great idea. Takes some artwork to really make it look real and unnoticeable." - Anonymous

I don't think that it's thinking like a magician that makes me not love it. I just feel like it has some big limitations that are difficult to see in the trailer.

I perform mostly close-up at private parties, I perform for skeptical groups. I perform a few different gimmick-less deck switches at my paid gigs. I also have become fairly proficient in culling, this remedies the need for a switch in many situations.

The most interesting deck switch I have seen recently is Daniel Madison's Inflict.
 
Jul 13, 2014
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I'm saying that yes, it does look weird, but most people won't give it a second glance. And especially the way in which you can break up the action makes me quite enthusiastic about it. I don't consider its awkward appearance to be of much concern. Whereas, say, the flash deck switch looks much more suspicious than the cooler, even if the actual gimmick does look more realistic.
 
Jul 13, 2014
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I disagree. The tip is sitting right there on your thumb. And it uses a similar kind of misdirection as the cooler, that is, no one ever thinks to give it a second glance.
 

RealityOne

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Nov 1, 2009
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Ultimately, the "best" of anything is what a performer feels comfortable with. I had Christian Engblom use the Cooler five feet away from me and was totally fooled. I learned a great seated deck switch from Greg Wilson at one of his lectures. I've use the Chazpro deck shell to switch in a totally blank deck with a totally bold move. I've used Tamariz's Crossing the Gaze switch to switch in an Omni Deck. It all depends on the performer and the circumstances.
 
Jul 13, 2014
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Ultimately, the "best" of anything is what a performer feels comfortable with. I had Christian Engblom use the Cooler five feet away from me and was totally fooled. I learned a great seated deck switch from Greg Wilson at one of his lectures. I've use the Chazpro deck shell to switch in a totally blank deck with a totally bold move. I've used Tamariz's Crossing the Gaze switch to switch in an Omni Deck. It all depends on the performer and the circumstances.
Well said.
 
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Josh Burch

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A thumb tip uses heavy misdirection, and is never in full view to the audience. The cooler is literally sitting there on a table. There is a significant difference.
I disagree. The tip is sitting right there on your thumb. And it uses a similar kind of misdirection as the cooler, that is, no one ever thinks to give it a second glance.

There is a school of thumb tip magicians who would argue that the thumb tip should never be seen. The example that is often used is that the magician could paint their thumb tip green and the audience should never notice. Most of the time I follow this logic with seldom exceptions perhaps on stage or with very specific thumb tips.

Ultimately, the "best" of anything is what a performer feels comfortable with.

This is why I don't use the Cooler. I didn't mean to say that it was a bad product or that it didn't work as expected. I was uncomfortable with the look. I'm not alone with this. I found other switches that worked better for me.
 
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Jul 13, 2014
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There is a school of thumb tip magicians who would argue that the thumb tip should never be seen. The example that is often used is that the magician could paint their thumb tip green and the audience should never notice. Most of the time I follow this logic with seldom exceptions perhaps on stage or with very specific thumb tips.

This is why I don't use the Cooler. I didn't mean to say that it was a bad product or that it didn't work as expected. I was uncomfortable with the look. I'm not alone with this. I found other switches that worked better for me.

There is a school of thumb tip magicians who would argue that the thumb tip should never be seen. The example that is often used is that the magician could paint their thumb tip green and the audience should never notice. Most of the time I follow this logic with seldom exceptions perhaps on stage or with very specific thumb tips.

That is true. But you must admit, it's just an extra backup measure, especially with video, and it works fine without that.
 
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Josh Burch

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Aug 11, 2011
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That is true. But you must admit, it's just an extra backup measure, especially with video, and it works fine without that.

I'm going to disagree with you, and I mean it with all due respect.

In close-up, I do not think that hiding the feke or providing misdirection is a back up measure. I think that the fact that it looks like a thumb and is flesh colored is more of a back up measure.

In my experience the thumb tip does not work while it is in full view, with very limited exceptions.
 
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Jul 13, 2014
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I'm going to disagree with you, and I mean it with all due respect.

In close-up, I do not think that hiding the feke or providing misdirection is a back up measure. I think that the fact that it looks like a thumb and is flesh colored is more of a back up measure.

In my experience the thumb tip does not work while it is in full view, with very limited exceptions.
Interesting perspective. To each his own, I guess.
 
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