Well, I feel the same way about Beyond ESP3. No way spec will detect right under his nose. Great for close-up. Took me 3 days to be confident with the marking system and I feel no need for any other ESP cards. I have another paralabs product and it is excellent so the cards likely are as well.

Beyond ESP3 works for me and I am actively using it.

These cards are great it just took a little more time to get used to the marking system.

And it's worth that little extra effort when it does click. You can use them right under their nose -allow them to be examined, whatever. It will be hard to suspect a marking system when their eyes suggest to them that there is none.

ParaLabs ESP cards are very good. Beyond ESP cards are excellent as well so I guess it comes down to personal preference.

I have both MOD and Beyond ESP3
I'm awaiting delivery of a pack of the Paralabs cards,
Then I'll be able to do a thorough comparison

Steve

I look forward to reading your thoughts Steve, I have been looking at purchasing my first set but have not been sure which to go with.

Glenn.

Just to tag on to this, I'm looking for a clean esp match up routine and a spec stops at the card. For reasons not for a public place I'm not overly keen on maven's version but if there's a resource out there could someone please pm me. Thanks all

I gotta admit, for a second I wasn't sure what you meant lol.

Leo

Guys P*A*R$A)L@b went to a lot of trouble to set up a website so that anyone looking for the name would find an authentic company so the cards would have greater value. I would appreciate if the moderators would delete this thread as when you google the name of the company and ESP this is what comes up and it destroys the value of the prop.

Julian

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the comparative pros/cons of particular marking system(s). I only want to second Ted's comments. I have quite a number of marked decks, both ESP and regular cards, marked using various different methods and which is "best" simply boils down to individual preference, one's eyesight, lighting and performing conditions, etc. IMO ANY system that works for YOU is the one to use and ANY system -- no matter how bold or obvious to YOU -- will be unnoticed or detected by the spectator unless YOU do something to draw attention to it or arouse suspicion either through your physical actions or weak presentation.

Just wanted to chime in and say thanks for the kind words about my ESP deck, they're greatly appreciated!

I've had the privalage of seeing Ted's deck and it is very nice with a marking system that is very easy to read. Thomas from Paralabs gratiously sent me a free deck of his deck since the Beyond ESP marking system inspired his deck. Thomas deck also has a beautiful marking system which is also super simple to read. Both of these creators have produced beautiful ESP decks and I'm sure that all owners of these decks will be very happy with their purchases.

When developing my ESP deck there were only a couple of marked ESP decks on the market and the one thing that didn't appeal to "me personally" was the back designs, I wanted a deck that had a back design far removed from the look of a playing card design. For this reason I decided a plain back would be my prefered choice. The only issue was finding a marking system that could be applied to a backless card.

Jerry Sadowitz had a great menatlism effect on the Market titled Spell Blinder which is sadly no longer in production, this used a very clever system that allowed you to distinguish the difference between two cards. I took this idea played around a little and expanded upon Jerrys system to allow identification of five different cards.

The finnished product was one I'm very happy with. No one has ever suspected the cards of being marked as the backs are so plain and innocent looking, the marking system is subtle but as someone mentioned above once this clicks you can read them in an instant.

I personally think there is room for all these ESP decks as each will appeal to different people with different requirements/tastes. Remember variety is the spice of life


Best Wishes Michael

I know that levels of eyesight vary, but can anyone who has the sets of cards under consideration offer an opinion as to which they consider might be the best for the reading-spectacle-challenged among us. If no sensible comparison can be made along those lines then fair enough, but if anyone has an opinion then I'd be happy to hear. Otherwise I'll work my reading specs into the workings.

The best point with Beyond ESP is the back which is so pure. Even if the performer looks intensively the back, none can say there is a marking system.

With BE3, I need a longer glimpse than with my Bicycle ESP with my own marks. But that is not important because there is no fancy design on the BE3. However, it is best if the glimpse is a part of the presentation of the trick.

I also have Paralabs ESP. I really like it because that is not really cards. Quality is good, but for me, not enough to make a bottom deal.

I have trouble with reading the beyond ESP cards, I think I shall try the ParaLab cards

I must admit that whilst I massively struggle with marked cards because my eyesight is really naff yet I have always found the beyond ESP cards easy to read and from quite a distance without my reading glasses.

Mark