The magic EDC that keeps me ready to perform.
One of my favorite things about magicians is how obsessive we can be about the smallest details. One group of magicians exemplifies this perfectly in their quest to find the perfect “everyday carry,” and they have an entire Facebook group dedicated to sharing what tricks/props/items are always in their pockets—I love it. Whether you’re the type of person who is meticulous about what’s in your EDC, or you tend to just grab whatever you need on the way out the door, you probably have some items that are always on you. I like to stay prepared to do something magical if someone asks, so there are a few magic-specific things I tend to always carry with me—one of them has been in my pocket nearly every day for over a decade.
The last thing I want is to look like a cheesy magician carrying toys around (even though those damn sponge bunnies are such a crowd favorite), so I’m pretty selective about what I choose to carry around. If I’m performing in a casual social setting, I always prefer to use objects that seem like normal things to carry. But since most of my friends and people I meet know that I’m a magician, I’m also fine with objects that seem normal for those interested in magic. Just like I wouldn’t think it’s weird for a writer to carry a notebook, or for a photographer to have a dedicated camera in their bag, people don’t think twice when a magician carries around a deck of cards or a coin—sometimes they even sort of expect it. If I do show some unusual item, I definitely make sure it’s one that won’t invite any suspicion (it’s less weird when they can handle it). If it doesn’t seem like a normal item that a regular person (or at least a person interested in magic) may carry, I may save it for a more formal performance, but I probably won’t be carrying it around.
There are three (magic-specific) items that are almost always with me, and for me, they all fit this criteria.
Penrose Pendant: This prop has become a favorite of mine over the past couple of years. What I love about it is that it’s a low-key, pretty minimal piece of jewelry that, even if it didn’t have a specific trick built-in, I’d probably wear anyway. A necklace is not out of the ordinary at all, since lots of non-magicians wear jewelry, and a magician wearing a pendant with a visually interesting optical illusion is equally unsuspicious. It doesn’t even feel like a prop. Another benefit is that, since it’s on display, people tend to ask about it quite a lot. I usually just say “oh it’s this optical illusion called a Penrose Triangle, and since I’m a magician, I’ve always thought found those types of things interesting.” If they’re still interested, I’ll let them take a closer look, and it often leads very naturally into them asking to see some magic, so I’ll go right into something with it. If they don’t show further interest, I just leave it at that. Some tips, if you use this one: the built-in trick is pretty good on its own, but I do sometimes carry a duplicate gimmick (without the chain), which allows me to perform several extra effects and phases. I also replaced the beaded chain with a slightly nicer one, which I think elevates the look a bit.
Silver Dollar: This one falls into that “most people wouldn’t carry it, but it makes sense for me” category. It’s not totally out of the ordinary for someone to carry an interesting token or coin—my dad has never been a magician, but had an interest in coins and carried half dollars in his pocket for most of his adult life. So for a magician who studies classic magic, a fancy coin sort of makes sense. The interesting prop (with a real monetary value!) creates immediate intrigue, and the visual nature of coin magic helps me share impactful and memorable magic at any time. I also never visibly take the coin out of my pocket. When I use it, I tend to make it magically appear anyway, so in some ways, it doesn’t really feel like it’s an object I carry around; it almost creates the sense that things just appear at my fingertips when I need them. I don’t think people believe that intellectually, but if I wait for the right time to perform, and build the right magic atmosphere, it certainly can feel that way. What I love about this prop is that it’s so versatile. I can do a quick trick that’s over in 10 seconds, or I can put a few effects together and perform for a few minutes with a coin—all depending on what the situation calls for.
Exact Change: I bought my first Exact Change device from Gregory Wilson in 2013, and since that day, it has almost always been in my right pants pocket when I leave home. The beauty of this prop is that it allows you to perform so much more than the trick it is made for. I have performed some version of the Exact Change trick (the prop’s intended purpose) probably over a hundred times in the past decade, but more often than that, it’s simply a way to have access to normal, everyday coins. I’ve used it to perform a 3 coins across routine, a dime and penny transposition, and several tricks that use a single quarter. And although I typically don’t, you could very easily put a gimmicked coin inside to always have on you. It’s so handy and gives me immediate access to a bunch of impromptu magic with loose change, which of course feels completely natural and organic in casual situations.
These three items are always with me, either around my neck or in my pockets. But if I’m planning to be out for more than a few hours, it’s typical for me to carry a small sling bag, with things like hand sanitizer, headphones, deodorant, a phone charger, and a notebook. This sling can expand my EDC a bit, since I can throw in a few props that aren’t practical to carry all the time, but still make sense in a small day-bag. It usually contains a deck of cards, a sharpie/pen, and a couple gimmicked coins (a flipper and a shell). These are all pretty versatile props, and really open up a lot of possibilities. Usually, the deck of cards is a standard one (most often, NOCs), but lately I’ve been carrying DMC’s Alphas pretty often—for those who know me and have seen me perform with cards before, this can be a refreshing and interesting change. If you’re the type of person who carries a bag anyway, consider throwing some casual props inside, in case the moment arises!
What I carry fluctuates, but these three props have all been pretty standard for me for the past couple of years, and having a few other things in a bag has also been pretty common. Most of the time, I never even use them, but since they’re always there, I’ve been able to perform some pretty strong magic at the spur of the moment, all without drawing suspicion to any props or seeming like a weird grown man who carries around colorful plastic toys to do tricks. I always like hearing about what other magicians carry. There’s nothing worse than being asked to perform something and not being prepared to share something right then, so regardlesss of what it is, the most encouraging thing to me is that most magicians I know try to carry something. If you carry something magic-related every day, I’d love to hear about it!
“[It’s not about] carrying a paper supply store or a hardware store in your pocket, or planting houses, offices, and bars, with messages, cards, and coins. It’s about using your head (Professor!!!), your imagination, and your creativity.”