Hi,
first of all i apologise if i posted on the wrong page.
I think Card/coins magic needs a good mat as surface, i have not seen any threads discussing about mats magicians use. I was wondering if anyone could introduce mats that they use and where to get good quality ones.
Regards. Have a nice day

Magic Mat Slim Large (14x18) by Trevor Duffy is probably the best mat.

Hi, have pm you with some details, hope it helps :g:

Before buying a mat. Do consider it's size and form factor. If u travel alot small ones are better. At home i use a luxurious large mat.

Since close up mat is the topic of discussion here, I would like to ask what is the recommended mat size that is suited for carrying around and also for home/practice use?

I've got a Trevor mat and it has a nice touch to it. More importantly, it won't wear your cards off easily (extend the life of your playing cards). This is just my experience on using Trevor mat.


Anyone got other brands of close up mat to share?

I dont think there's a correct answer to your question. it all depends on how big your hand movements are. So long as it feel comfortable, that's fine. Considerations for size, of cause involved it's portability

I have wondered for some time, are mats really important?

I don't do closeup that much, but they seem to me more like a luxury thing that something that is necessary.

Try to spreading your cards on the surface of MacDonald Table, you would realize your need of a mat.

Trust me, it is a valuable asset for any magician. Unless.... you never perform any table effect.

I guess as Axl said, it depends on what tricks you do on a regular. And it so happens that actually there are plenty out there that doesn't utlilize a table.

My view on this is

Depending on how much you need that mat. If you know that you won't be using it that often then why not just settle for a cheaper one. They may not be the best but I think it is sufficient for you to practice on it.

If you are one who do close up efect which require a mat very much, doing effects like matrix, cups and balls and so on. Then do go for better one.

I do own a mat but somehow I just left it one side to collect dust. Partly because I do not do so much of those mat required tricks. And it is also to prevent myself from relying on the mat too much so that when I perform outside I can still do my stuff without the mat smoothly. Luckily mine is a cheap mat, so I guess I don't feel that burned in my pocket.

As a hobbyist, I find myself avoiding tricks that require a mat because
1. It is troublesome to bring a mat everywhere u go.
2. I feel that tricks performed on a mat might be lose its impact for laymen because of the impression of a set up, even though it may be for the innocent reason of having a soft surface to pick cards/coins.

Trust me, if the trick is well-executed, this will not happen.

In any case, people are always suspecting magicians hiding things and stuff like that. Even if you performed naked (not often it happens, I know), they will still find something to raise their suspicions.

I just got my close-up mat delivered to my doorstep by Magic Boutique a few days ago B) I have not used a close-up mat to perform, but I think that using a close-up mat makes one look more professional in a formal performance environment.

I find that a close up mat is important for me as I`m into gambling demostrations too. So all the push through shuffles etc can be done perfectly.

Somehow I feel that the mat has its ups and its downs, ups in a sense your stuff will not get dirty, and it will be clearer for the spectators to see since its most likely black, the bad thing is spectators might suspect the mat is helping you in some way, because thats what happened on me once when I was performing.

Probably a matter of perception. To me. having a mat is like dressing up for the occasion.

So what did they suspect you of? What effect were you doing?

In all the times I have used a mat or watched people using one, never had spec gotten suspicious of it, which in fact, there was REALLY nothing sinister in it.

I was doing the effect where the chosen card appears in the box, and they suspect i did some switch somewhere and hid it or something.

This could be avoided if you could show that there nothing under the mat at the very beginning . I felt when using a mat , the best thing to do at the beginning is to allow the audience to inspect it or you could just show them it a normal mat .
That should solve the problem

Actually as a throw off, you provide yourself opportunities to hide stuff under the mat. You show yourself clean on a few ocassion and hide stuff on and off.