Price$50.00
Media TypeUtility Props
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedOct 09, 2012
The Cooler
Engblom, Christian
Vanishing Inc.
(Based on 4 reviews)
"The Cooler" will change the way you do card magic.
Vanishing Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the most coveted and praised deck switcher in... well, ever. The testimonials speak for themselves: David Blaine, Paul Wilson, Rene Levand, Dani DaOrtiz, and on and on and on. They use it, love it, and swear by it. Christian Engblom's "The Cooler" is about to change the way you do card magic.
The perfect deck switcher is the holy grail for card workers. It allows you to get into and out of memorized deck, gaffed work, stack work, or to change the back design. It is the "missing link" between otherwise incompatible card routines.
But deck switches are normally difficult. Many involve lapping or being seated. Others require a jacket with secret pockets sewn in. Some even involve bizarre contraptions that come from your sleeve. Because of this, most magicians just opt not to switch decks. A pity, really.
The Cooler fixes this. It happens in plain sight, it is totally self-contained in the card box, and can be done standing, without a jacket or sleeves. You can customize this durable, precision-made plastic gimmick to any box of cards, and you can execute the switch in the hands or on the table. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
"The most beautiful deck switch I have ever seen."
- David Blaine
"Where can I get one?"
- Rene Lavand
"If this damn thing were any Cooler, it would be frozen!"
- Max Maven
"The best deck switch I have NEVER seen!"
- Wayne Dobson
This is not a trick or a fleeting trend. "The Cooler" is a tool, and we believe it will become an industry standard for years to come. A dozen top card men have been privy to prototypes of Christian's remarkable invention for the last five years. Finally, they are available for wide release.
- The gimmick works with any Poker-sized deck (add your own box design/color to it)
- Complete with DVD instruction by Christian Engblom and Dani DaOrtiz
- Takes practice, but not incredibly difficult to do
Reviews
(Top ▲)
The Cooler comes with a very durable gimmick that will never wear out. It comes out of the box blank so that you can make it match whatever your preferred brand of cards is. Doing so is simple and will only take a few minutes and some double sided tape. Mr. Engbloom’s teaching on the DVD is clear and complete, with Dani DaOrtiz contributing helpful questions and suggestions along the way. Two routines are also taught, the first being an impossible location where, despite the spectator shuffling, the performer can still find the chosen card. In the second effect the magician predicts the location of a selection after the spectator has shuffled the deck. Both routines have kickers (new deck order and the deck being all the same card, with the selection being the only odd one,) but I believe those were only included to show the effectiveness of the gimmick, not as recommended ways to actually end those routines. While the tricks certainly can be performed as is, I think they are better viewed as inspirations for possible uses of The Cooler in action, with R. Paul Wilson’s idea of using a post-it note stuck to the box to motivate the necessary switching actions being particularly inspired.
The ad copy for The Cooler has a number of quotes from magic luminaries saying it’s the best and most beautiful deck switch in existence and that it will “change the way you do card magic.” The problem with buying into those statements is that it ignores something fundamental about deck switches, which is that they are by nature context dependent. For example, if you aren’t standing in front of a table and want to do a deck switch, then The Cooler will be useless. If you’re behind a table, but are performing on stage, then, while The Cooler would work, it’s likely not the best choice for that venue. Also, compared to other switches that cannot really be seen, if the audience is staring at the deck, they will be able to see the switch, as it is clearly discrepant. That doesn’t make it a bad method, just one that requires misdirection and audience management (which should be used in every piece of magic you perform, regardless.) In the end, you should look at where and how you perform and, ideally, know in what routines you’d like to employ a deck switch. Once you have that information, you can better evaluate which approach to switching desks best fits you.
The biggest con with The Cooler is one I already mentioned, which is that it requires a table. If you haven’t got a working surface, then something like Gregory Wilson’s Cold Case, the classic Tommy Wonder pocket switch, one of Ben Earl’s Real Deck Switches or a deep dive into Roberto Giobbi’s The Art of Switching Decks will serve you better. If, on the other hand, you are behind a table, The Cooler may be very effective for you. I think its greatest advantage is how quickly and subtly the actual switch occurs. Most of the more popular switches I’ve seen have a more explicit cover, with the magician either putting the deck in the card box, cutting the deck or dipping the hand holding the deck into a pocket to grab an object. In the case of The Cooler, there is a cover, which is picking up the card box, but compared to other approaches the movement and choreography required to execute the switch are almost instantaneous and essentially invisible, buried within a very nonchalant and organic gesture. Arguably, the same could be said of the other switches, but I think The Cooler is even subtler. The Cooler is an excellent deck switch among many switches, and if you remember it is just one tool amongst an arsenal of potential tools, it’s well worth adding to your tool chest. Recommended.
(Top ▲)
Well right when you do this move, you might wanna Hit The Lights (thank you Metallica) because it's pretty discrepant. However, to be fair, this is the kind of thing that should be done with misdirection. Watch the trailer and you'll see the switch. It's not invisible at all.
Though I agree with the ad copy that this has the potential to be a valuable tool in the arsenal of the working magician, I do feel that it's a bit over hyped (particularly the first paragraph). That said, watch the video and not only will you see the switch, you'll also understand the mechanics of the gimmick. The ad copy doesn't really hide the fact that you are getting a plastic gimmick that you modify to look like a deck of cards. The teaching DVD and the gimmick are extremely well made. The packaging is even fresh and attractive looking.
You'll notice that in the ad copy there is a statement that this switch is done in plain site. That's not true. If they're looking, they'll see it. Additionally, you'll see a testimonial in the ad copy that says it's the best deck switch he's " . . . NEVER seen." The only way to not see this switch is to not look.
Having said all that, I still believe this is an excellent tool. I just want to make sure you understand that you're buying a tool that requires you to use it when the audience is looking elsewhere. As long as you understand that and you've watched the ad trailer (so you know pretty much what you're getting), the only question left is do you want to spend $50 bucks for a deck switching device? Me personally . . . no thank you . . . a pocket switch or a case switch will do just fine even though the ad copy leads you to believe that deck switches without this gimmick are basically not doable.
My final rating is based solely on product quality and advertising integrity, not whether I'd use it or not. (I can't give all coin tricks zero stars solely based on the fact that I don't do coin tricks).
Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars with a Stone Status of gem (with a little g).
(Top ▲)
I still remember when Eugene told me about The Cooler. He called after a trip to Europe earlier this year and said I needed to get in touch with Christian Engblom about his new deck-switching device. Deck switches have always fascinated me, especially when they can be done with an uncased deck, as this one can. And now, Eugene is telling me that he's found that involves a device of some sort? Awesome!
So I emailed Christian and bought one, sight unseen. Christian was very clear that a new version, with a DVD, would be released in a few months. I didn't care.
So I've been working with this thing for several months and I just love it! True to his word, this "official" release comes with improvements in the device and a DVD explaining the working, handling and several wonderful effects.
Deck switches are double-edged swords. They can be easy if your movements are well choreographed. But getting to a point where you can do it without thinking is going to take time… usually in front of real people. If you're trying to switch uncased decks, multiply the difficulty by 10.
While I'm not going to suggest you can use The Cooler without any practice, the device really does most of the work for you. You'll still need to put some time into your choreography, but I've found the practice to be both easy and fun.
So if you've ever had any reason for doing a deck switch, I highly suggest you pick up The Cooler. Hell, get one anyway. Once you've got it, I'm guessing you'll find lots of places you could use it.
One last thing: my friend Barry Schor of Presto Magic mentioned that none of the reviews he had read mentioned what the cooler is made of. It's some sort of plastic. There you go...
So I emailed Christian and bought one, sight unseen. Christian was very clear that a new version, with a DVD, would be released in a few months. I didn't care.
So I've been working with this thing for several months and I just love it! True to his word, this "official" release comes with improvements in the device and a DVD explaining the working, handling and several wonderful effects.
Deck switches are double-edged swords. They can be easy if your movements are well choreographed. But getting to a point where you can do it without thinking is going to take time… usually in front of real people. If you're trying to switch uncased decks, multiply the difficulty by 10.
While I'm not going to suggest you can use The Cooler without any practice, the device really does most of the work for you. You'll still need to put some time into your choreography, but I've found the practice to be both easy and fun.
So if you've ever had any reason for doing a deck switch, I highly suggest you pick up The Cooler. Hell, get one anyway. Once you've got it, I'm guessing you'll find lots of places you could use it.
One last thing: my friend Barry Schor of Presto Magic mentioned that none of the reviews he had read mentioned what the cooler is made of. It's some sort of plastic. There you go...
(Top ▲)
The idea behind Mr. Engblom's The Cooler is terrific. Unfortunately, the manufacturing of the device leaves a bit to be desired for close up performances. For parlor or other venues where there is more distance between the audience and the device it is a very effective way to switch decks. For close up work however, the Cooler device is too bulky to leave in full view for any length of time. This could likely be corrected in a revised design where the device is made of much thinner material. Such a design could very closely simulate the size of an actual card box. Other than this weakness, The Cooler works very well as designed and will most likely last for years to come. Here's looking forward to The Cooler II.