I saw vests offered at Daytonamagic.com with lots of pockets for storing all your walk-around stuff. Anybody use one of these? Recommend them or something else?

I think that if you use the vest and fill the pockets that you may run the risk of looking quite silly, but that is just my personal thought on it. I was given one by a friend a few years back that I have never used if you are interested in it I will sell it to you at half of whatever Daytona was selling it at but I think that you may just want to save your money.

Just using good pocket management and limiting the number of tricks that you actually carry with you in my mind is best but I have been accused of being a minimalists so who knows.

A vest is a good idea but, make sure it is nice looking not dopey. You want to be well dressed to fit the occasion.

I have one of the Daytona vests. I use it when I work on the street. I wouldn't use this for corporate or restaurant gigs. On the street though, it is colorful enough and sets me apart from just "some guy" on the street.

It has a ton of pockets, but I don't use many of them. I mostly use my pants pockets. I think the vest has something like 14 pockets, there's no way I have all of them occupied. The vest is a bit flashy and silly, and certainly won't match everyone's personality. For me, it's just fine.

Kevin

What is the link?

http://daytonamagic.net/customer/index.c......oryid=47

Actually the vest that I have is nothing like any of the ones that are on the Daytona Magic site. It is a suede leather vest with a ton of pockets in it. I am still offering it up for anyone who may be interested. PM me and let me know.
Kris

I don't much care for those patterns. The Raymond vest is not bad if you wear it under a coat. I too have the one with 72 pockets. It is in a box, I have never used it. I like the Klamm pockets that go in to jacket pocket.

You can get a nice vest from a tux shop and usually at a great price.
vest and bow tie for about $40 or less.

I think a nice one is a great idea. Keeps you cooler than wearing a jacket but you still look professional. I wear one most of the time. I have a couple.

You can also get tux shirts to go with the vest pretty cheap too if you don't mind just getting older rental shirts. about $10 each and they look perfectly new. I got a used rental tux with shoes etc for $150 or so just in case I needed one. have not used it yet. Look for Sales.

I went to the local "Savers" store (used and vintage clothing, etc...) and paid a whopping $4 for mine! Black satin with a silver herringbone weave on the front.

What Tux Shops are you shopping at? A good vest with a back on it will run you from about $65 on up to over $225 from a retail/ rental tux store. I am sure that you can get them for less but most of the time you are looking at a low quality front only vest at that price.

If you are going to invest in your wardrobe save your money and buy quality you will be much better off in the long run. If the front only vest is all that you can afford and you absolutely need it for something sure go ahead and get it but if you can hold off at all save your money from a show or two and get a good one your clients will be able to tell the difference.

I bought a vest from Daytona and really like it for kid shows. It sets you apart without having to don a whole clown outfit and face make-up! I wouldn't wear it in just any setting.

Flimnar

I've described my duster (some people call them Drover). Well, here's a picture of one like the one I wear.

http://www.sheplers.com/item.cfm?TID=022......stsearch

This is NOT a magic item and the price reflects it. It's very inexpensie for a coat. Look closely at the pockets. The model has his hands going in the pockets from the rear. Look at his thumbs. They are right on top of the opening of a second pocket that is right on top of the first! That's right DOUBLE pockets. Each of the pockets are MASSIVE. I can put my standard size cups and balls comfortably in a pocket. I can show the spectator that I drop a ball in my pocket, putting it in the rear pocket, and, if I wait a few moments, show them that the pocket is empty by having them look into the TOP pocket. At first I thought this was too obvious, too flamboyant, but nobody has EVER caught me at it. Wait a few more seconds and you can produce the ball from that pocket.

Even worse - I cut a small hole in the top pocket so that I can shove things from one pocket to the other!

I keep my 5" linking rings in one pocket.

I keep my cups and balls in another

I keep sponge balls in two of the inner pockets (one in the left, three in the right, that's how I start my routine).

I keep my mini chop cup with final load in another pocket.

But wait, there's more! I bought the pattern for Ammar's Topit and put one on either side! A slit ABOVE the two pockets and I can reach directly into my topit! THREE pockets on top of each other!

But wait, there's more! See how long and bulky the jacket is? I hold three ball holders for my cups and balls AND a holder for my three color changing knives - all inside the jacket.

I have a raven permanently attached up the right sleeve.

I have a BIG thread reel attached just inside the left breast, one that holds about 30 feet of thread.

And last, but not least, I have my SAM pin on the collar.

When I slip this coat on I am loaded for bear. I'm pretty much ready to put on a half hour show at any time!

Plus the coat is oilskin so it's a great rain coat - and, while it's not really great for keeping you warm in really cold weather, it's big enough that I can wear my leather bomber jacket under it - which gives me 3 more pockets.

Put on your Stetson, your silver belt buckle, your hand made Lucchese boots, and well, you'll look like me!

You'll have to beat the chicks off with a stick.

Rikbrookes, that duster is great. Is that the one you use for the "vanishing elephant" too?
Wait, there is more...

And at what point in your shows do you usually pass out!

Cheers!

Well, the duster really isn't nearly as hot as it looks. It's no hotter than a normal suit jacket.

It is HEAVY howver. It probably weighs 5 pounds by itself and after I've added all the stuff it's close to 10.

By the way, I have DreamWeaver somewhere in one of the pockets but was doing a sudden show at Appleby's and lost it! So many pockets that I had no idea where it was. I started turning out my pockets and found that second final load eyeball that I use for my mini chop cup.

(sigh)

DreamWeaver is in there somewhere.

Rikbrooks have you ever thought of using your coat for productions kind of like the Chinese conjurers used to do? I'm sure you could find a way to produce an elephant for Werner; as long as it was only 2 feet tall.

MM

Well, apparently I look like a "dopey idiot" according to some on this thread because I have a Daytona vest, in dark blue with white doves on it. It has about a half dozen pockets.
I also wear one of about six other vests that I have, each designed especially for me and my magic. (And, no doubt, to look like a "dopey idiot!.)
There are several reasons for the vests:
1: They make me stand out from the crowd.
2: They have plenty of pockets for an evening of closeup (so I don't have to keep running to the bethroom or kitchen to get something else.)
3: They are cool and comfortable.
4: Not a single client has thought that I look like a "dopey idiot" (and they arethe ones that are paying me, not anyone on this board!)
Glad I was successful BEFORE I found out that I looked like a "dopey idiot"!!!

For some certain things work and for other's certain things don't. As long as you look presentable for yourself and the rest of us that perform you can wear what you want. (Sorry guys, no t-shirts and flip flops for this guy unless your beach combing)

The "dopey idiot" look is in the eye of the beholder; some thought that Mr. Roger's was a "Dopey Idiot" but his sweater and personality was a trademark of his for years and it made him wealthy. If I have to be a “dopey idiot” to be successful and remembered then by all means sign me up.

Dopey or not people will remember you if you stand out from the rest of the pack, it’s one of the key’s to success. Try to remember that our individual opinion on something might not be the same as the opinion of the majority of the public.

MM

$75 for a vest in an UTTERLY corny design? Just get a vest at Wal-Mart, and add the pockets yourself as needed! I suppose the designs would be fine for a CHILDREN'S performer, so if you're table-hopping at Chuck E. Cheese, disregard the opening line.