As anyone invested in the hobby will tell you, Magic: The Gathering isn’t just about the cards themselves. You’ll need a variety of accessories as well. These range from gameplay aids like counters and dice to protective items like playmats and deck boxes. These aren’t just for tournament players, either: even if you’re just playing at the kitchen table with some friends, you’ll likely need accessories of some kind. Of all the MTG accessories out there, card sleeves are perhaps the most important.
What Are MTG Card Sleeves?
MTG card sleeves are essentially protective cases for your individual cards. Games of Magic involve a lot of card handling, between tapping, drawing, and especially shuffling. Over time, this can cause damage to your cards in the form of surface scuffing or ‘dings’ around the edges. This, in turn, will affect the resale value of your cards, as well as their aesthetic value.
Card sleeves are designed to address this problem. Once a card is slotted into a sleeve, it’s protected from all the forms of wear discussed above. They don’t provide perfect protection, since the gap at the top of the sleeve can still allow for damage if you handle your cards roughly, but they’re a lot better than nothing.
You can divide card sleeves into two main categories: outer and inner. Outer sleeves are the larger of the two and can be used on their own to protect your cards. Inner sleeves are smaller, generally fitting perfectly around the card with little extra room. These are used, in combination with outer sleeves, for double-sleeving. Inner sleeves are pretty much never used as sleeves by themselves.
What Size Are MTG Card Sleeves?
MTG card sleeves are generally around 64x94mm in size. This figure applies to outer sleeves, not inner sleeves. Since MTG cards are 63x88mm in size themselves, this gives plenty of room for them to fit in nicely. Since several other popular trading card games, like Pokémon and Lorcana, use this card size, it’s known as ‘standard size’ in the industry.
This size doesn’t apply to inner sleeves, of course. These need to be smaller and tighter in order to fit inside outer sleeves, and this is reflected in their sizes. Typically, MTG inner sleeves are around 64x89mm, allowing for a 5mm gap.
These sizes are a good guideline, but they aren’t universal. There are lots of different sleeve brands out there, most of which vary their sizes slightly on one axis or another. Before buying any card sleeves, it’s best to do some research and confirm that their size matches your specific needs and preferences.
How To Double-Sleeve MTG Cards
Double-sleeving is the process of enclosing a card in both an outer and an inner sleeve. This provides even more protection than single-sleeving, even guarding against water damage in some cases. Since the card ends up much more tightly packed this way than it does when single-sleeved, it’s a process that requires more consideration and caution.
To start with, you’ll want to make sure the card you’re sleeving is free of any surface dirt or dust. Gently brush it on both sides using your finger or a dry cloth to ensure this. Do the same for the inside of your inner sleeve.
Once this is done, you can insert the card into an inner sleeve. Slot the card in, pushing the top edge into the sleeve so that the gap in the sleeve ends up at the bottom of the card. This part can be tricky since inner sleeves are so tight, and you’ll likely need to apply some extra pressure to get your card all the way in. Be careful when doing so, since it’s easy to bend or ding a card at this point.
Once your card is fully inside the inner sleeve, you’ll want to get rid of any excess air before proceeding. Double-sleeved cards hold air a lot more than their single-sleeved counterparts, which can make your deck awkward to play with. Hold your finger along the top of your card and run it down, pushing the air out of the gap at the bottom. Turn the card over and repeat this process.
Now you’re ready to get the card into an outer sleeve. Slot the card in just as you would normally, so that the bottom edge of the card lines up with the bottom edge of the outer sleeve. Make sure you push the card in as far as it’ll go. To finish off, repeat the air removal process from the previous paragraph with your newly double-sleeved card.
What Are The Best MTG Card Sleeves?
Opinion on which MTG card sleeves are the “best” varies dramatically depending on who you talk to. Each brand offers something different, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. To help you pick which sleeves to go for, we’ve broken down some of the best options below.
Best MTG Outer Sleeves:
- Dragon Shield Matte Sleeves – These are extremely popular sleeves due to their great shuffle feel and durability. They also come in a wide range of colors.
- Ultimate Guard Katana Sleeves – Similar to the Dragon shield Mattes, these offer great shuffle feel, and they’re durable to boot. Unfortunately, they’re tighter than average, which makes double-sleeving difficult. Players also complain of limited color options with this range.
- Ultra Pro Eclipse Sleeves – This is another quality outer sleeve option, with similar advantages to those above. The main downside here is the high price tag, which puts them out of reach for budget players.
Best MTG Inner Sleeves:
- Dragon Shield Perfect Fit Inner Sleeves – These are widely regarded as the best inner sleeves around for their snug fit and high quality. You can also get sealable versions that can be closed off at the bottom for extra protection.
- KMC Perfect Fit Sleeves – These are some of the roomier inner sleeves on the market, so they’re not as tight a fit as others. They are a great budget choice, however, since they tend to be very affordable.
- Ultra Pro Pro-Fit Side Load Sleeves – These are notable mainly for being a side-loading inner sleeve option. If you like this style of sleeve, they’re a solid option.
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