Sleeves
Gear forum
Posted on Jan. 31, 2015, 6:45 p.m. by Cheerlessbear
So i have heard a lot about dragon sheild sleeves, but I still prefer ultra pro. any opinions on which is better?
VampireArmy says... #3
Idc what kind as long as they aren't gloss. Sticky sleeves piss me off. If you're the same, go with kmc mattes
January 31, 2015 6:48 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #5
Dragonshield all the way.
I've found that Ultra Pros split really easily (I had black sleeves that split after I shuffled my deck twice, and I also did the rip test on them and it took no strength at all to tear them right in half). They're also thin and don't protect the card as well. Their only real benefit is how cheap they are.
Although Dragonshields have the glossy back, they still shuffle nicely and are the most durable sleeves on the market. They do tend to get dirty, so don't eat pizza and play Magic at the same time, and you'll be good. Some people think you need to use a playmat with them, but I don't use a mat and they've worked fine for me. The price may be a drawback, but they're great sleeves.
January 31, 2015 6:50 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
I use Dragon Shield sleeves on my EDH decks. They're very durable; I've never had one rip in the thousands of shuffles I've performed. Plus, they come in boxes of 100 with 5 extra sleeves in case one does somehow break.
UltraPros are kind of the standard. They're cheaper to buy, but you can see that reflected in the quality. For draft play, they're fine. I generally avoid them for constructed decks, though. They're sharp when new and prone to breaking when they aren't.
KMC is another good brand. The KMC matte sleeves are on par with Dragon Shields for durability, and they're the go-to for 75-card decks (they come in packs of 80, which gives you some room in case one or two break over time). KMC also makes perfect-fits (I think they're called "perfect size") that allow you to double sleeve your cards for more protection. The perfect-fits also work with other sleeve brands.
January 31, 2015 6:50 p.m.
Cheerlessbear says... #7
Yeah I have noticed a significant amount of wear and tear on my ultra pro sleeves
January 31, 2015 6:57 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Speaking of wear, Dragon Shields pick up dirt a lot faster than KMCs, so if sleeve aesthetics are important to you, you might want to go KMC.
January 31, 2015 7 p.m.
Seraphicate says... #11
From personal experience, I'd go with KMC Hyper or Dragon Shields, Ultra Pro's, especially the ones with the new artwork on glossy back (there's some shiny layer, then they apply artwork) split very easily. I've had instances where the art would start peeling off after a couple of games. Here, sleeves would cost you upwards of $15, and I'm sure as hell not some ultra rich guy, willing to spend heaps on Ultra Pro sleeves.
Dragon Shields are very hard to tear if you ... y'know ... aren't trying to break them, making them virtually indestructible. The old Dragon Shields come curled up in their box, which was slightly unpleasant for me, but their new sleeves seem to sit straight now. Also, try washing your hands or using hand sanitizer if your sleeves get dirt spots easily.
January 31, 2015 7:46 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #12
Look to TolarianCommunityCollege's reviews on sleeve products and then you can determine for yourself which one you like the most.
January 31, 2015 7:52 p.m.
I for one have never had any problems with matte coloured Ultra-Pro sleeves. Although I have noticed some inconsisticies in the opaqueness of the clear plastic. Some seem clearer than others. I bought my first pack of Dragon Shields a couple of months ago though and have been very happy with them since. I double sleve all my decks because I like the added protection and the added thickness. With Dragon Shields already being a thicker guage, it's a nice added bonus. They do however accumulate dirt and scuff marks faster.
January 31, 2015 9:23 p.m.
KMC is the best imo.
My brother unwittingly drove his 5000 lbs SUV over my black zombie deck a year ago when they were double sleeved in black KMC hypermatte and KMC perfect fit sleeves inside of a black Ultra Pro deckbox. This was on a rocky dirt road and only a single pebble had pierced a single card (Bojuka Bog).
Last week though, I did have a clear KMC Hypermatte sleeve split on me when my fiancee was playing and shuffling my Soul Sisters deck. But compared to Ultra Pro it is a different breed.
January 31, 2015 9:26 p.m.
Squisherton says... #15
As far as price goes if you want to stay on the cheaper end of the spectrum and still get some durability go with the deck pro clears. all the colored deck pro's are made out of 2 different pieces of "plastic" and are pressed together at every edge except the opening. (i.e. why they split.) The clears are made from one piece that is folded over and pressed just on the sides and tend to be a bit thicker. IMO they end up getting dirty and scuffed up very easily, though. If you have the $10, go get dragonshields all day!! i've built 7 edh decks all sleeved with dragonshields, and over 4 years i can count on 1 hand how many i've had to replace. Very easy to shuffle too!
January 31, 2015 9:32 p.m.
ZooGambler says... #16
KMC is fantastic. Double sleeving is fantastic and their perfect fits literally are the perfect fit. I Bought so many ultra pros because I was like "they're cheaper they'll do the job fine" but the corners bent, shuffling sucked because of it, and I bought several pairs of ultra pros. Since I've switched to KMC I've encountered none of those problems. They come highly recommended by many users
January 31, 2015 11:09 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #17
I love how the op didn't even ask about kmc, it just randomly appeared on his post.
January 31, 2015 11:13 p.m.
Because KMC -Hyper Matts are sexy. The purples kick ASS. Haha. That's all I use now. I'm going to pick up Dragon Shields for EDH...but for constructed I'd go Hyper Matts all the way. However, make sure you get the HYPER matts and not the regular ones. Major difference there
January 31, 2015 11:24 p.m.
HolyFalcon says... #19
Like everyone else has been saying, Ultra Pros are cheap, but nothing compared to Dragon Shields. I've never played with KMCs, but I sleeve my standard in the Ultra Pro sleeves with the Mardu symbol on the back, and not one has split since I got them at Christmas. The Ultra Pros I mentioned at the beginning are the generic black ones, which I've ordered a lot of. I mainly play with my Mardu Ultra Pros because of the art, whereas Dragon Shields have none. Anyways, it's almost always preference.
January 31, 2015 11:30 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #20
Just to let everyone know, KMC's Hyper Matt are the only sleeve TCC has given an A+ on. Purely because they don't get dirty like the Dragon Shields do.
February 1, 2015 12:17 a.m.
Cheerlessbear says... #21
Well thanks for all the help, I think i will look into kmc and probably get some dragon sheild.
February 1, 2015 10:59 a.m.
I have gotten all 3 of the brands listed: KMC, Dragon Shield, and Ultra Pro.
KMC Mattes do the best job of keeping my cards safe, but after 2-3 months, they start getting sticky.
KMC Hypermat has very good durability, with the shuffle feel of Ultra Pro. However, treat them nicely around the corners or they will get trashed easily.
Ultra Pros are not durable at all. I only use them as a cheap option for deck testing and backup decks, also as sleeves for my binder.
Don't get me started on the Ultra Pro art sleeves. They are terrible, and the backing gets torn of easily. They are sticky too. I use these only for tokens and as a last resort.
Dragon Shield is by far my favorite sleeves. They are durable, shuffle good, and last for a heck of a long time. I bought my (pink) sleeves back in August, and they still are lasting for my standard deck today.
February 5, 2015 8:25 a.m.
00xtremeninja says... #23
Nobody mentioned legion sleeves. They are awesome.
February 5, 2015 10:15 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #24
Legion sleeves if remember correctly are only good if you get the image matte back sleeves.The rest are terrible. But I could be wrong, check TCC's reviews.
February 6, 2015 1:57 a.m.
Gorgosaurusrex says... #25
Does nobody else have their Dragon Shield sleeves get scratched? I play on a playmat and they are the only sleeves I've had that get scratches on the back. It's very noticeable and very annoying! That's the reason why I switched to KMC Mattes exclusively.
bigguy99 says... #2
Ultra Pro have never been too good for me, except the solid color ones are really smooth when they're fresh. Dragon Shield sleeves are tough and last a very long time, very worth the $10.
January 31, 2015 6:46 p.m.