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Having just discovered the joys of escapology, I was wondering...straight jackets? Fair or gimmicked? I have no idea if the great escapologists just used technique, or whether they were (ahem) special jackets. Clues, good people?

On older jackets, there was a technique of forcing the person tying the arms not to tie them tight enough, so that you could get them over your head. I noticed on TV recently that the jacket being used had a restraining strap that prevented this. Getting past that addition would make an escape all the more impressive.

Escapologist (and Mentalist!) Scott Creasey gave a superb lecture last year in Ipswich where he discussed and demonstrated various techniques using jackets so if he's doing a lecture in your area then it's certainly worth attending. The answer to your query is, as you might expect, not definitive but apparently some jackets are 'customised' by suppliers and/or performers, some aren't and others are only partially customised. Escape is a variable mix of talent, training, sheer physical effort and a fair amount of presentation.

Mandrake wrote:Escape is a variable mix of talent, training, sheer physical effort and a fair amount of presentation.

Nicely said Mandrake. Obviously the quota of each depends on the type of jacket you're using. If you're using a viking jacket then presentation is everything as it is so heavilly gaffed. Davenports manufacture a great magicians jacket (I use one of these myself), not obviously gaffed and used by alot of pros. The ultimate in difficulty I understand is the Posey (a jacket I really want myself), as this is the real deal.
If you want to check my profile you'll see a link to my webby and you can check out a video of me using my Davenports jacket if you like, it is a very stylised performance but it might give you an idea....

my advice is if you padlock it whilst praticing, remember to have a spare key

Pyro Ellvelin wrote:my advice is if you padlock it whilst praticing, remember to have a spare key

He he, - could be a good thing yeah

Actually if you buy almost any standard jacket you will find that it’s mostly no gimmick to it. The basic thought behind a straight-jacket is that it should hold somebody long enough for the eventual drugs to take effect and cool the patient down. The drugs make a person so drowsy that an escape from even a simple one is to the verge of impossible. To my surprise I found that the first time ever I tried a straight-jacket it took me less then 2 min to figure out how to get out of it. Now there are some jackets out there witch have straps that prevents an easy escape and I have even seen those where there is an extra jacket go on top of the other one. But in my mind when performing I want a jacket that looks and feels like the once people are use to see on TV. This because the familiar sight makes them believe more in the authentic of the escape.

These extra straps are generally on the standard jackets that are used to restrain patients and make life alot more difficult than some other 'less standard' jackets.

Another thing to bear in mind is the size of the jacket as well, if it's a size too big, escape will be easier...

I'd also like to make a point about suspended strait jacket escapes, these are HIGHLY dangerous and please get some serious advice before attempting one, as Craig Browning pointed out on another thread yesterday, lots of performers (both him and me included) have been injured when something has gone wrong... Personally I will not attempt one without a decent rigger/aerialist that I trust being present and in control of the rig I'm hanging from... Remember, things can and do go wrong and when you've got you're arms tied, plummetting head first towards the ground takes on a whole different meaning...

Yeah, lissen to Flash. You whouldent like to brake your neck.