I’m looking to order new binders for some of my sets but the one I was using before has climbed about $8 in price over the past year and is just too pricey for the quantity that I need. ($35 a binder - room for 480 cards)
Any favorites out there? I’m looking for quality, side loading, and 12 pockets per page is a must. Preferably around 480 cards per binder.
I have watched every one of Tolarian Community College’s binder reviews on YouTube which is where I initially picked my first binder, the Starcity Games X4 binder. I thought that those of you who have actually bought several or maybe are just in love with one in particular and have used them for your Pokemon card collections might be able to add some valuable input. Feel free to link an amazon link!
**EDIT** ON this same note, can anyone provide an ebay link to a cheap perfect fit Pokemon card penny sleeve that they use. I was using a specific brand and seller for two years and then I ordered a few thousand only to find out that they were too tight to the point where they would bend cards. The seller referred me to his new batch of penny sleeves that were also “perfect fit” but they were way too big. I would like to find one that allows for only the slightest to no movement but of course will not warp/bend/damage the card in any way!
I watched that video based on your recommendation too! The binders were great, but when you need like 50+ of them it gets pretty expensive lol. I went for Ultra Pro Pro Binders in the end, they only work out at £10.95 each on Chaos cards when you’re buying more than 6, although they didn’t have many colours left so I opted for yellow (that’s the Pokemon colour, right? ). Here they are: www.chaoscards.co.uk/accessories-c1/folders-c5/ultra-pro-pro-binder-holds-360-cards-black-p362
I spent an inordinate amount of time researching options and deciding what to go with for my binders! I’m probably a bit OCD on the topic buuut I’m a designer and I obsess over protection and presentation. Granted, this is not where I decided to save money, haha.
I wanted a combination that offered the best protection while sacrificing as little as possible on the presentation side. For me, that meant double sleeving, but doing so in a way that the cards could still look as good as possible.
The KMCs fit Pokemon cards snugly, and pair perfectly when double sleeving with Dragon shields. Others have said you can damage them… but I’m only semi careful, and I’ve never had an issue.
The Dragon shields provide a semi rigid back, as well as a black matte backdrop. They also have more of a gloss finish, meaning holos come through pretty nicely. And they’re strong.
For the Dex binder, I just love how it feels in your hands. It makes looking at cards in a binder all the more enjoyable. It’s got a substantial, padded feel, the sleeves are pretty strong, and it also has a black matte background which frames the cards nicely and makes them look great. I wouldn’t spend that much on every binder, but for “special” ones that have a more premium feel, that’s my choice.
I’ve always had UltraPro Pro Binders suit my needs. They are very nice brand new and snug, but the more your OCD kicks in and tells you to reorganize the binder layout, the more it will stretch the pockets and scratch the surfaces of the pages. For playing magic or double sleeving cards KMS perfect fits + KMC hypermat sleeves are where its at! Dragon Shields mentioned above are very similar in quality to KMC hypers
For Outer Sleeves: Ultra Pro Standard Deck Protector Sleeves- I like to put my cards into the KMC sleeves upside down first before putting them into the Ultra Pro sleeves that way there’s no direct card exposure. I like the KMC for the fit and protection and the Ultra Pro for the clarity and double protection. I like Dragonshield as well but don’t like the feel of handling them as much. I use the Deck Protector version instead of the penny sleeves as they’re more sturdy.
Though I am thinking about switching to Ultra Pro “Black” Deck Protector as it would blend into the background better of my binder.
The binder is incredibly sturdy and looks amazing every time I pull it out. Over the years of having it, it really hasn’t show any outer wear on the binder which is what I love. I also hate big logos on binders so it’s great to find a product that gets rid of the logo all together.
The cards are secure with the pockets facing the middle of each page. I wish I took a better picture as it doesn’t do it justice but the images come out crystal clear and well protected.
The only cons of this binder is that the binding is actually pretty tight. Back when I had less cards and bought it, the edges of the binder bowed out:
However, this was solved easily by bending the crease back and forth a little bit:
Ever since then, it’s been my pride and joy binder. Thinking of purchasing a second one now since I’m running out of space.
I really love this design because it protects all the cards from dust, light, and anything else because they are all zipped up. I don’t have to worry about elastic straps stretching out too much over time, and they can’t fall out by accident because they are all zipped up.
It comes in 4,9, or 12 pocket too. The 9 pocket is what I have because I want it to fit on my book case. Very high quality too.
). Here they are: 
