I won't talk about stealth, but this is the way I tape:
I have a MD recorder (which is small, maybe a little bigger than an R09HR) that I put in the right pocket of my jeans (which are big, at least 2 size bigger than me. I feel more comfortable and I have enough space to handle everything) and the battery box (no preamps yet!) is in the left pocket, connected by a wire to the recorder; obiviously I need 2 holes; then the mike cable in plugged into the battery box; mike are usually on my chest, left side. I haven't used any croakie method yet, but I'm planning to do it, if I can do by myself one.
So basically my setup goes like mike (lef side, chest) -> bb (jeans, left pocket) -> wire (over my ''jewels'', but as I'm sitting I don't notice any annoyance) -> recorder (jeans, right pocket).
Quite simple.. I usually have everything in its pocket, mikes in a pocket of my coat/sweater.. then I go the the toilette and I mount it.
As for levels: unfortunately my MD unit doesn't have backlight, so I adjust levels at the beginning of the show using a small led-light, I leave some headroom, the I set hold on the recorder (use the hold function, learned it the hard way..) and try to forget I'm recording. I check levels only is there's a noticeable increament of decibels.
My two cents..