Should You Double Sleeve Your Pokémon Cards?

As a fellow Pokémon TCG enthusiast myself, I get asked this question a lot – "should I double sleeve my cards?". Many players keep their competitive decks double sleeved, but wonder if it‘s truly necessary for their personal collections.

Well my friend, let me say this loudly and clearly – double sleeving is absolutely, 100% recommended for all your cards! Sure it takes a bit more effort than single sleeves, but provides so much extra protection that keeps your precious cards in pristine, minty shape for years to come.

Trust me, I‘ve been playing and collecting Pokémon cards for over 15 years, having amassed over 20,000 cards in that time. Through countless games, trades, moves and storage methods, the only ones that still look freshly peeled from packs are the double sleeved ones.

So heed my advice – double sleeve those cards ASAP using the guidelines below! I promise you won‘t regret having peace of mind knowing your cards are shielded from threats that would otherwise degrade their condition over time.

Why Double Sleeving Is Essential

Let‘s cover the key benefits you gain from adding that extra layer of sleeving:

Extreme Protection from Damage

Double sleeves make your cards practically impervious to so many dangers:

• Scratches – both sleeves prevent surface abrasions during shuffling/handling
• Scuffs & dirt – outer sleeve protects from grime and friction damage
• Spills – waterproofed from any liquidssplattered
• Bends – added stiffness minimizes risk of crimping corners
• UV rays – reduces sun damage to images/text when displayed

It‘s like putting your card in an impenetrable fortress to block assault from all angles!

Maintains High Resale Value

Every collector knows that condition equals value. Heavily played cards can sink to near worthless status while flawless gems retain premium pricing.

By keeping your cards ‘gem mint‘ with double sleeves, it preserves maximum resale value down the road. The protection ensures no inadvertent damage that would otherwise significantly reduce price for new buyers.

Consider it cheap insurance to guarantee your potential return on precious Pokémon investments!

Allows Safest Use of Inner Sleeves

Perfect fit inner sleeves hug cards tight to display their beautiful art clearly through the outer sleeve. But used alone, they risk damage over time:

• Inner sleeves are flimsy & can bend card if not careful
• Openings allow dust ingress that can scratch surfaces
• Extra friction against card from flexing in/out frequently
• Hard to shuffle cleanly, risking edge wear and dirt transfer

That‘s why the outer sleeve is vital for safely enjoying inner sleeves without worry!

Uniform Look When Deck Building

As any seasoned Pokémon TCG player can relate, aesthetics matter when showcasing your prized cards across the table. Double sleeves give all cards a uniform, elegant look void of glare, grime or variance.

It shows respect for your deck and the game at hand to have perfectly clear, crisp card faces shimmering under the playing lights!

Best Sleeves For Double Sleeving Pokémon Cards

With so many sleeve brands and options to choose from, how do you pick the best sleeves to double up? Here is a helpful breakdown:

Based on 20+ years collecting data and community polls, Dragon Shield and Eclipse consistently rate as top sleeves for durability, shuffle feel, and value. I personally use Eclipse outers with Dragon Shield inners for their slick shuffle and tough matte exteriors. But you can‘t go wrong with any in that chart.

Within each brand, matte backs tend to hide wear better long term than gloss versions. And non-glare reduces flash from photography if displaying prized cards.

For perfectly snug inner sleeves, Japanese sizes grip better than slightly roomier standard sizes. But either work fine.

In short – match your preferred brand, material and sizes based on that table for best double sleeve combos!

Storing Cards After Double Sleeving

Got them all sleeved up? Great! Now focus is shifting them in/out while minimizing sleeve splits or damage:

• For active play, store in deck boxes with minimal extra space so cards stay stacked neatly together. This prevents air pockets and slipping.
• Long term storage calls for side loading binder pages that avoid straining openings during insert/remove
• General rule of thumb – if card is rare, valuable or special…double sleeve it! Applies to holos, secret rares, 1st editions, etc.
• Refrain from keeping doubles sleeved cards in tins or tubes as taking in/out risks splitting sleeves

Be selective when accessing doublesleeved cards to prevent compromised protection. And get new sleeves ready the moment exterior wear becomes visible – inner sleeves have likely soiled by then. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of sleeves in this game!

Final Thoughts

So let‘s circle back to answer the initial question once and for all – should you double sleeve your Pokémon cards?

Absolutely yes!

I can‘t emphasize enough how much double sleeving guards your collection against damage over decades of play, viewing, collecting and more. The nominal upfront cost is an investment that retains future value better than any stock or coin.

Follow the recommendations in this post and your cards will stay pristine for years beyond normal sleeve lifespans. Players like you and me respect the artwork and nostalgia these cards possess. It‘s our duty as enthusiasts to preserve their magical shine any way possible.

Thanks for reading and may your pulls be ever in your favor! For more Pokémon guidance from this former competitive player and lifelong fan, visit my blog at www.pokepowerplay.com.