I finally got my reel in today. First I have to say that I've been using, designing, and building my own reels for about 12 years now. Both electronic, analog, and loose thread. And I've always loved IT.

So when I saw this product I was excited. It was small. It had magnets. What more can you ask for? =D
Well, a lot but still.

I like the open design of this one. I love how easy it is to repair when you snap. I love that it uses magnets to attach itself. That allows for more than most people realize.

Because of its size, I can easily hide the reel under the collar of my shirt. I can hide it under my rolled-back sleeves. I can hide it in between the buttons of my shirt, and vest. Which is fantastic. It's also easy to adjust the tension without the fear of the elastic unhinging itself and make you disassemble the entire thing to fix it.

Also. No longer will I look like a meth addict as I try to get the thread out of the housing. So that's a plus in my book. =D

SOOOOOO:
why the 4 and not the 5.
Unlike most people, I don't nitpick at stupid things and complain that wohs me, its not perfect and cheap at the same time. Not at all. =). I understand what I bought. And I'm well versed enough to not need someone to spoon-feed me how to use the thing.

So here is my nitpick =).
The moment I opened it. One of the magnets popped off. No biggy, I got super glue. I can fix =). The magnets could have been a little smaller. But no biggy. I have magnets I can replace them with =). The ends are difficult to pop off to adjust the tension. No biggy. I will use a dull knife to pry it off a few times to loosen it up.

So what's the big deal mate? Why the less than one star if this thing is exactly as it advertised and people shouldn't complain because it's not perfect and cheap?

Well dear reader it is the video. The video just plain stinks.
It goes over a couple of points about how to make sure when using it, it faces the right way as to not mess up the system. Cool beans!. It goes over how to fix it if you snap a thread. Cool beans!. But it doesn't show any hookups. Which for newbies, that's wrong. The little buggers need a few ideas on how to hook the thing up to do different effects. Not to mention creative ways to hide the thing. Not only on the body but show it being hooked up to a mic stand, under a table. On to different things.
Then there are the tricks. Basic I get it. This is kind of an introductory reel. But there seemed to be no thought put into it. Hell even in this day and age with the Instagrams and the YouTubes. You can teach methods that look good for cams. Like attaching the wax to the camera for a hook-up. But all that being said. The video is lazy, took no effort in supplying the viewers with anything worthwhile.
For such a cheap device. The number of people it can be reached is a lot higher. So higher profit. Sooooooo invest in the video. You can shoot videos soooo much easier these days. hell, I can produce A full-hour video right now that would have loads more content than this turd. That includes edition, graphics, music, etc. And if there was a discussion page for this thing, I would. For free!

So yeah. That's why the 4, not 5-star ratings.
You get what you pay for.
It's a good starter real.
Use common sense and learn to fix issues on your own.
This reel requires different skills than an electric. So it's not that it's bad, it's just different. Don't measure reels based on that. Each style has its pros and cons.
IT work is hard. A reel is just a tool. Learn to use it well, and it will serve you well.

The video stinks!

I can't believe the quality versus price on these reels. Uday has overdelivered on this product in almost every possible way. Ever since Mark Allen's Thread Manager went out of stock, I have been on a constant hunt for a reel that would take its place. I never really found one that felt as good as that one did, but now I have. This reel is nothing short of fantastic. To be clear, it is quite different from Mark Allen's Thread Manager. Mark's was quite low tension, which created some additional possibilities but made it a bit more challenging in certain functions. This one seems to be meant to operate with the more classic, higher tension.

The biggest and most game changing difference here, though, is the partially open casing. If the thread breaks on this unit, which is bound to happen from time to time, I'm not going to have to suck on a plastic pipe to get the thread working again. Another change to the older styles is in the hookup. Instead of an alligator clip, this unit opts for a couple magnets. It makes for a very clean hookup if you are wearing an undershirt - a little trickier if you're just in a t-shirt. And it's a little fiddlier to set up generally. The little magnets are kind of easy to lose track of in the folds of your shirt. This is the extent of my criticism, but it will be a dead simple modification if I decide that I want to slap an alligator clip onto it instead of using the magnets. I'm sticking with the magnets for now cause it does give it a really steady position.

The action on this unit is also great. The spooling is steady, rather than jerky, and the retraction is smooth. It's not completely silent - none of them are - but it's whisper quiet, and if you guide the retraction slightly (versus letting it wind up at full speed), you'll achieve silent operation.

It's pretty rare for me to take a chance on a brand new product with no reviews, but the price was right to take a chance on this, and I am blown away. This would be a steal at three times the price. Bravo, Mr. Uday, and thank you so much.

Honestly I bought one expecting it to be of the highest quality and really user friendly since its made by uday. And he over delivered! This thing is the holy grail as far as manual ITRs go. I am a massive ITR worker. And I will use this till the day I die! I bought one. And I felt that wasn’t enough. I immediately bought 6 more once I received it and handled it. That same night I bought 5 more. And well I plan on buying 5 units a week at this price for a few months till I have 100 units so I will be able to have these to use forever! If I lose one I know I’ll always have countless backups. This is seriously worth every single penny. It would be a worth it if it was 4 times the price. If penguin still has these in stock and I haven’t bought them up faster then they can keep them in stock buy one two 3 immediately! The price is insanely affordable for what you are getting. Oh and the distance you can effortlessly get is incredible while still maintaining even tension. Never in my life have I been this satisfied with a magic product. Uday seriously has not just out done himself but also outdone any type of manual elastic ITR in existence period!

Positives:
+ Price
+ Open design, if thread breaks easy to repair
Cons:
- Video not so great
- No easy way to change the spool and recharge

The no easy replacement of the spool is why am taking away one star. A small slit cut on one side: from the cap to the opening of the chassis would have allowed one side of the extremity to open like a safety pin, and thus allow a refill.

I know the price is cheap so you can just get another one, but from a design perspective its like having to buy a new phone when your battery dies.

I recommend this reel, I would probably make the modification to my unit to allow recharge.

It’s great; it’s such a bargain I got 3!

This is my first ITR and I must say I absolutely love it and almost always have it hooked up, even around the house to freak my wife out from time to time. I've used IT for awhile now but usually in the form of Loops. I will say I love the extra strength of the kevlar and countless possibilities opposed to some extra limitations EIT can have. This would be a 5 star review without a doubt if it wasn't for the absolute worst "instructional" video I've ever seen, period! If you do not know how to use IT don't buy this. With that said, are there any good DVDS/Downloads out there for ITR? This would still be a steal with an extra $20-$30 on top of it for newbies.

If you have used IT in the past, this is almost a must. If you haven't, don't buy this unless you can find a great DVD, download or book on how to use this.

This is one of the best bargains I have ever had the pleasure of buying. The video is sparse, but, there are many avenues to pursue if further information is necessary. For ITR nubies like me, the included video is perfect.

I would say that this is the best reel for the price but it's much nicer than that. Works perfectly, very easy to repair, magnets make it so much easier for connecting. It's always nice to get some new magic and see that it could have sold for a much higher price. This is a super bargain! A very nice IT system. Highly recommended.

The covert reel is the best deal I have gotten
in very long time great quality
the thread is very strong and you get alot of it
Ive bought several just to stock up and i will be buying more

I bought two Covert Reels because of the great reviews I have seen posted on Penguin Magic. I am a long time customer and semi Pro performer. When I received the reels ,one of them immediately broke when I pulled on the thread. The band in the reel just broke and I had only pulled the thread out a couple of inches! The second reel works, but is excessively loud and makes a squeaking noise. I own two sorcery IT reels, both work smoothly with very little noise. I sometimes volunteer at our children’s hospital as an entertainer and the excessive noise of the Covert Reel will be way too noticeable for me to be able to use it there. I have since thrown both reels away. 😞