"UFB" by Jason Palter
Suggested Retail USD$30.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

This may be the shortest review in Visions history because "UFB", a utility prop by Jason Palter, is perfect for those that need or want it and there's little else to be said about that.

UFB, which stands for "Use the Force Bag", is a clear plastic force bag designed to handle all but the heaviest and bulkiest of items and, for the working mentalist, it's an excellent tool of the trade that's hard to be without.

I first fell in love with the bag after receiving Palter's "Divine Time". In fact, I ended up using the bag for other things rather than that routine. It's heavy construction ensured I could throw anything from slips of paper to playing cards to poker chips... all the way up to small stuffed animals and wind-up toys. I did so, used the heck out of it, and fell in love with it.

Now the bag's available on its own, as excellently made as can be, and worth every penny for the mentalist who needs a bag that will hold up to the rigors of carrying darn near anything.

The bag is made of very heavy plastic, with a two-part snap handle closure which really helps the bag do its thing. It's a good size bag as well, about a foot square, making it large enough for stage but also suitable for more intimate gatherings around a close-up table or in someone's living room.

Along with the bag, Palter includes some excellent instructions for handling the bag with some nice finesses thrown in. In addition, he's included dozens of ideas to get the creative juices flowing. Although this is really a prop you should get if you already have a routine in mind for it, Palter's ideas can certainly help take you in different directions than you originally planned to travel. However, the documentation is filled with ideas, not complete routines, so if you're knew to mentalism and force bags and the like, you might want to pick up some more fleshed-out routines before you grab this and try to make something meaningful out of it.

For the experienced mentalist, though, "UFB" is a powerful device designed with workers in mind and, if you need a force bag or are looking to replace one you already have, "UFB" is the perfect prop.

"UFB" by Jason Palter
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
This is a prop, so a lot of the practicality comes from what you do with it. However, Palter's bag is designed to be easy to use, easy to store, and handle all but the most cumbersome of objects. Thinking of it that way, this is a perfectly practical prop.

Workmanship: 10
The bag is extremely well made. It will need some care but, with it, this bag should last a good long time.

Documentation: 10
I really wasn't expecting any documentation beyond the most basic -- this is a utility device, after all. Palter's instructions with the finer points of handling his bag, plus a ton of themes and ideas for routines, was quite welcome and is more than enough to get the creative juices flowing.

Effect: n/a
It all depends on what you do with it, naturally. Same for...

Presentation: n/a
...Which again is waiting for you to make the most of it.


Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.