Card Sleeve Discussion

beebahboo

Collector
Member
Here's my updated input...

I've started to use Ultra Pro Pro-Fits (was using KMC Perfects, and I can definitely say that the Ultra Pros have a better fit) and Ultra Pro Deck Protectors (for double sleeving holos, RH, UR, SR, etc.). Again, keep in mind I'm collecting, so wear/tear and "durability" aren't issues for me at all. Spending twice as much on Dragon Shields or KMCs just isn't a logical choice (for me, as a collector ;)).
 

Robert Stacker

Team Magma Admin
Member
Do Pokemon Sleeves have the same quality as ultrapro ones?

Hey guys, i recently purchased a pack of play pokemon sleeves off of ebay and i was wondering if they have the same quality as ultrapro ones? I just dont want to use them if they would potentially damage some of my cards
 

Auride

Periodic Visitor
Member
RE: Do Pokemon Sleeves have the same quality as ultrapro ones?

Generally, the branded Pokemon sleeves are of fairly high quality (as far as I'm aware). Many actually are made by Ultra Pro. You'll be fine using them to protect your cards, even in play. Just don't expect them to do things sleeves don't generally do, like completely preventing your cards from warping or being bent.
 

xxashxx

"Pokemon Gotta catch em all Pokemon"
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Advanced Member
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I use Ultra Pro sleeves myself too. I use the clear ones that come in a zip bag of 100 sleeves. They used to be a dollar for 100 sleeves. Now they are like $2.49 per pack now. If you buy 5 of those they will last for like 500 rares. I use the see through ones front and back. To save even more space put you cards back to back in a 9 card sheet. This way you get 18 cards per page instead of just 9, I have over 3,700+ cards and I have been doing it this way since day 1 and I only use the sleeves for my reverse holo rares Regular rares Holo rares and 1st editions on the older set cards. That's all you really need sleeves for XD. Use them wisely.:)
 

Shök

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I'm using the Ultra Pro white pro mattes now. Around 5-7 for 100 sleeves. I really like how they feel. Have not let me down!
 

xxashxx

"Pokemon Gotta catch em all Pokemon"
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Advanced Member
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$5.00-$7.00? Yikes? Where are you paying that price at? I got mine online from Amazon XD. They were like $2.49 or something like that for the clear ones.:)
 

omahanime

Come and visit me.
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I will stick with my Ultra-Pro $49.99 shipped for 10,000. Never had an issue with them, but I only collect cards, not play with them.
 

Mr.Muffin

Cooler than Everyone who is less Cool than Me!
Member
I love the Ultra Pro colored sleeves. I have them in White, Black, and Brown, and haven't had a problem with them yet. I think it is somewhat smoother to play with.
 

MegaCharizard

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Hi there! I was wondering if the Ultra Pro deck protector sleeves provide enough protection for ultra rare cards? Not for playing, just for storing. I currently have all my good cards in clear sleeves inside toploaders, but I'm having problems storing all of them, so I was thinking that the deck protector sleeves might be a better option, but I don't know what they're like for long term protection...

EDIT: I've just been reading through this thread and it seems that KMC perfect fit sleeves and a 9-card binder thingy would be the way to go. Where would the best place to buy them be? eBay maybe? I live in Aus, so I doubt I'd be able to get them through a store...

Also are the ultra pro 9 card sleeve page thingies good quality? Or are there better ones? (that are cost-effective, of course)
 

xxashxx

"Pokemon Gotta catch em all Pokemon"
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Advanced Member
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omahanime said:
I will stick with my Ultra-Pro $49.99 shipped for 10,000. Never had an issue with them, but I only collect cards, not play with them.

Same here. I never play the TCG as it slowly depreciates the cards so I just use them to collect as well. A lot I got from my friends so some are damaged badly but I still have them anyway.:)
 

adam44

Aspiring Trainer
Member
MegaCharizard said:
Hi there! I was wondering if the Ultra Pro deck protector sleeves provide enough protection for ultra rare cards? Not for playing, just for storing. I currently have all my good cards in clear sleeves inside toploaders, but I'm having problems storing all of them, so I was thinking that the deck protector sleeves might be a better option, but I don't know what they're like for long term protection...

EDIT: I've just been reading through this thread and it seems that KMC perfect fit sleeves and a 9-card binder thingy would be the way to go. Where would the best place to buy them be? eBay maybe? I live in Aus, so I doubt I'd be able to get them through a store...

Also are the ultra pro 9 card sleeve page thingies good quality? Or are there better ones? (that are cost-effective, of course)

I don't think just using ultra pro deck protectors for ultra rares a good idea. I've seen a lot of people keeping their ultra rares in regular binders (with sleeves on of course, don't if all were double-sleeved though), I personally wouldn't do that because I keep mine in toploaders and in a toploader binder
but it seems to be working for a lot of people.
 

MegaCharizard

Aspiring Trainer
Member
adam44 said:
I don't think just using ultra pro deck protectors for ultra rares a good idea. I've seen a lot of people keeping their ultra rares in regular binders (with sleeves on of course, don't if all were double-sleeved though), I personally wouldn't do that because I keep mine in toploaders and in a toploader binder
but it seems to be working for a lot of people.

Ah, ok. I don't have a toploader binder and I don't really know where I would buy one from around here...currently I've got all my ultra rares and cards that I particularly like in penny sleeves inside toploaders, which I keep in a plastic bag inside my cupboard (yeah I know how stupid that sounds, I just haven't come up with anything better to put my toploaders in)
 

Ocho

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I can vouch for Ultra Pro too. I still use a set of Ultra Pro's I bought in 1999 to this day! Never had a problem with any Ultra Pro's and all of my decks are sleeved up in them, both pro-matte and regular. I've never had one break apart or tear open, although I will say I've heard the horror stories. All of my decks receive heavy play and loads of shuffling too so I definitely put those sleeves to the test.

My girlfriend uses KMC sleeves and she really likes them, they shuffle easy once broken in and are excellent quality. If I had to go with something other than Ultra Pro I would choose KMC.

The sleeves I have had the most problems with are my Xerneas sleeves from the XY trainer box. It's a shame too because I love the design on the back and the reflective inner surface. Anyone else had problems with these sleeves sticking together?

As far as collecting, I just store my full arts and ultra rares in regular ultra pro pages in my binders :0 while they are some of my favorites, they are still just cards. I don't plan on selling any of them anyway. And yes, they are all in mint condition, and yes all of my base set cards are in mint condition after being stored in regular sleeves for 15+ years :) I admire you guys for sleeving your ultra rares and storing them in pro pages and top loaders though, after all that really is what's best for them!
 

Familiar

Make 7up Yours!!!!!!
Member
adam44 said:
MegaCharizard said:
Hi there! I was wondering if the Ultra Pro deck protector sleeves provide enough protection for ultra rare cards? Not for playing, just for storing. I currently have all my good cards in clear sleeves inside toploaders, but I'm having problems storing all of them, so I was thinking that the deck protector sleeves might be a better option, but I don't know what they're like for long term protection...

EDIT: I've just been reading through this thread and it seems that KMC perfect fit sleeves and a 9-card binder thingy would be the way to go. Where would the best place to buy them be? eBay maybe? I live in Aus, so I doubt I'd be able to get them through a store...

Also are the ultra pro 9 card sleeve page thingies good quality? Or are there better ones? (that are cost-effective, of course)

I don't think just using ultra pro deck protectors for ultra rares a good idea. I've seen a lot of people keeping their ultra rares in regular binders (with sleeves on of course, don't if all were double-sleeved though), I personally wouldn't do that because I keep mine in toploaders and in a toploader binder
but it seems to be working for a lot of people.


Toploaders would get expensive for big collections. Don't some of the collectors here at PB have over 10,000 cards each?
 

adam44

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Familiar said:
adam44 said:
I don't think just using ultra pro deck protectors for ultra rares a good idea. I've seen a lot of people keeping their ultra rares in regular binders (with sleeves on of course, don't if all were double-sleeved though), I personally wouldn't do that because I keep mine in toploaders and in a toploader binder
but it seems to be working for a lot of people.


Toploaders would get expensive for big collections. Don't some of the collectors here at PokéBeach have over 10,000 cards each?

It costs a lot more but it's worth it to me, though i only use toploaders for ultra rare and secret rares.
 

Ocho

Aspiring Trainer
Member
adam44 said:
Familiar said:
Toploaders would get expensive for big collections. Don't some of the collectors here at PokéBeach have over 10,000 cards each?

It costs a lot more but it's worth it to me, though i only use toploaders for ultra rare and secret rares.

Just curious do you guys notice a difference in the condition of the cards you store in sleeve/top loader as opposed to cards stored in regular binder pages?
 

Auride

Periodic Visitor
Member
Ocho said:
Just curious do you guys notice a difference in the condition of the cards you store in sleeve/top loader as opposed to cards stored in regular binder pages?

Cards in top-loaders tend to bend/warp less than cards stored otherwise. Other than that, unless you sleeve cards (or double sleeve them, like I do) before putting them into top-loaders, they can be more prone to accumulating dust due to the larger opening vs. sleeves.

Top loaders also provide a great deal of protection against dents and folds, but if you store your cards well anyways, this shouldn't be a major concern.
 

xxashxx

"Pokemon Gotta catch em all Pokemon"
Elite Member
Advanced Member
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If anyone has super Ultra Rare cards I recommend buying the hard sleeves. The ones that are the hard plastic sleeves that come in 25 sleeves to a box. To explain which sleeves I am talking about they are the ones that single cards are sold in when you go up to the counter in a card shop. They put them in a regular sleeve then they put the whole thing in a hard sleeve and then they put a price tag on the regular sleeve before they put it in the case under the counter to be sold at a single card price.:)
 

Auride

Periodic Visitor
Member
xxashxx said:
If anyone has super Ultra Rare cards I recommend buying the hard sleeves. The ones that are the hard plastic sleeves that come in 25 sleeves to a box. To explain which sleeves I am talking about they are the ones that single cards are sold in when you go up to the counter in a card shop. They put them in a regular sleeve then they put the whole thing in a hard sleeve and then they put a price tag on the regular sleeve before they put it in the case under the counter to be sold at a single card price.:)

Fairly certain those are top-loaders.
 

xxashxx

"Pokemon Gotta catch em all Pokemon"
Elite Member
Advanced Member
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Oh I never knew they were called that. I always called them hard sleeves. Everyone around me that I know calls them hard sleeves as well. Never heard them called top loaders before.:)
 
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