Don't waste money on knockoffs you'll need to replace after a few uses. Get this professional quality mail bag escape for professional magicians and escape artists. It's easy to do and will last you countless performances.
"Federal Mail Bag Escape" by Ronjo Magic packs small and plays huge. A 7-foot-tall canvas mail bag, 2 padlocks and a solid steel bar are all examined. The spectators are given the keys. You enter the bag, and the bar is woven through 16 metal grommets at the top of the bag. The padlocks are locked at both ends, sealing you in. A curtain is draped over you. Seconds later, you escape!
This is an amazing piece of magic that any parlor or stage magic performer can do. It works well on its own, or you can use the mail bag escape in combination with your sub-trunk.
You get the canvas bag, 2 padlocks, solid steel bar and instructions. This is the highest quality escape bag illusion you'll find. Made in the USA to perfection.
Official Ronjo Magic "Federal Mail Escape Bag" vs Knockoffs
Ronjo Magic has suffered through buying knockoff versions of the mailbag escape so you don't have to. They compared their high quality version to the cheaper knockoffs and here is what they found.
TLDR: The savings on a knockoff aren't worth the trade-off in quality because you'll end up spending more in the long run as you continually have to replace them.
LOCKS
"Federal Mail Bag Escape": Uses recognizable, high-quality, Master Locks. Easy to use for both you and the volunteer.
Knockoffs: Use cheap locks that look like toys. The keys must be inserted and turned not only to unlock, but also to lock. The problem here is that you have two different keys, and you rely on the spectator to lock you in. If they put the wrong key in the wrong lock, they cannot lock you in. Also, the keys turn in either direction, yet only one direction makes the locks work. Finally the keys can be put in the lock but they may not be put in properly and you would not know it. All of this causes delays and confusion. Not something you want to deal while stuck inside a hot fabric bag, hidden from your entire audience.
STEEL BAR
"Federal Mail Bag Escape": Custom-made bar of steel is machined by master craftsmen in the USA. It looks menacing. Like something that is strong and industrial.
Knockoffs: Also steel, but with chromed or brass plating that is so shiny, it almost looks fake. After a few uses, the plating starts to chip off. Eventually the gimmick will be exposed, rendering the entire thing useless.
GROMMETS
"Federal Mail Bag Escape": 16 high quality grommets made in the USA. When the bar is locked on the bag, you can barely slip a finger through the top. The grommets are soft to the touch and are precision interlocked. They're also perfectly sized so the bar can slide in or out freely and quickly.
Knockoffs: Less grommets (typically around 8). Even with the bar in place, there's a gap big enough to slide your hand through, greatly reducing the impact of the illusion. Smaller grommet holes also make it more difficult for the volunteer to lock you in and leads to the plating on the bar being scratched. Sharp points on the grommets also put your volunteer at risk of hurting themselves. That is if the grommets don't snap in half first.
BAG
"Federal Mail Bag Escape": Made from high-quality, durable American canvas with a gusseted bottom so that you do not trip and fall. It is completely odorless and the perfect size for nearly any performer.
Knockoffs: Often doesn't give enough width to maneuver comfortably, making it very difficult to perform. Depending on where you buy it from, it may spend weeks or even months on a sea freighter. This can give the bag a moldy, damp smell. It's almost impossible to fully get rid of, which makes it quite unpleasant to get inside of the bag each time.