If you’ve ever dabbled in the realm of paper Magic, you’ve most likely purchased some card sleeves. And if you’ve purchased a few various brands or types of sleeves, you’ve probably seen that the quality may vary significantly. You now know if you’ve never bought card sleeves before or if you’ve just ever bought identical ones.
Regardless of how you feel about card sleeves for paper Magic, it’s essential to know that you have a lot of alternatives to pick from. A few brands are well-known among paper Magic-ers, for good or bad reasons.
We’ve got your back if you’re trying to figure out which sleeve is ideal for you—or if you’re suddenly second-guessing every card sleeve purchase you’ve ever made. We’ll cover all you need to know and give you the scoop on what to purchase and what to avoid, whether you want to showcase your collection, protect your cards while you play, need a gift for a fellow Magic player, or want some excellent, high-quality aesthetic sleeves. So, how about we get this party started?
Dragon Sleeve Matte Standard Size
Dragon Shield is a well-known company in the field of gaming accessories, producing sleeves, deck boxes, and playmats for Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Pokémon. Consumers love them because of their strength, longevity, and low price.
What makes Dragon Shield such a good choice for your Magic: The Gathering cards is that you get a few extra sleeves than the stated 100. You’ll typically find 102 or 103 sleeves in a box just in case one splits during a game of Commander – now that’s what we can call excellent customer service.
TitanShield
The TitanShield’s place in our top 5 sleeves is due to its cost-to-durability ratio. For the 150-sleeve value bundle, you’ll receive a great deal. Sleeves are one of the most durable products available. They are virtually never divided, although they are not ideal for shuffling.
They’re still a good option if you don’t care about aesthetics or shuffle feel and want a sleeve that will last you for a long time at a low price.
Ultra Pro PRO-Matte Eclipse
Based in the United States, Ultra Pro has been manufacturing accessories since 1952, giving them a wealth of knowledge and experience. One of their greatest yet is the PRO-Matte Eclipse collection. The PRO-Matte Eclipse is for you if you want your sleeves to be a little thicker. These sleeves include an extra layer of opaque black to keep the backs of your cards hidden. This is especially useful if you’re worried about your opponents seeing your double-faced cards.
The Eclipse sleeves are made of matte transparent material, which allows you to see the card face while reducing glare and providing a unique, smooth, and professional shuffling experience.
Ultimate Guard Katana Sleeves
In Germany, Ultimate Guard has been making Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Pokémon accessories for decades. They also support major Magic: The Gathering merchants like Star City Games, so you know you can buy their items with confidence.
The Katana line is young, but it already has some of the greatest sleeves for both recreational and competitive play. They have a smooth, shuffling-friendly feel, are totally opaque, and fulfill the highest requirements of both players and collectors.
KMC Hyper Mat Standard Sleeves
KMC is a Japanese company that provides some of the best MTG card protection available. KMC sleeves are used by competitive Magic: The Gathering players because they provide reliable protection during tournaments.
If you want to offer your cards even more protection, the KMC Hard Fits and KMC Perfect Fits are great additions to our Hyper Mat sleeves. The main drawback is that they only come in 80-packs rather than 100, but they’re perfect for Standard, Modern, Legacy, and Pioneer players.
Ultra Pro Liliana, Waker of the Dead
If you want to give your accessories a little more flair, Ultra Pro has a variety of sleeves with artwork of your favorite Magic: The Gathering characters. There’s something for everyone in this game, from Liliana to Chandra.
These sleeves, which are made using Ultra PRO’s unique Chroma Fusion technology, provide enhanced seal strength, highly detailed artwork, and less delamination. You receive 100 sleeves each pack, so they’re great for sleeving up a number of cards in your Cube or for that Commander deck.
