Since the establishment of Pokémon trading cards in 1996, it has been a challenging and interesting journey for Pokémon card collectors to choose the Best hard cases for Pokémon cards. This action was implemented to protect, secure, and use Pokemon cards during gameplay or to show their friends how they cherish them.

But before buying something so delicate to their feelings or something that fits their needs, likes, and pockets, they needed to do market research, which you will find here.

Before I get into the details and provide you with, a proper and detailed hard case buying guide, you need to understand the basics.

What is a hard case?

A hard case is a very protective and solid case or outer covering to protect different things that hold sentimental value to someone. Hard cases for holding cards are manufactured from high-quality transparent plastic and even acrylic material.

These hard cases are highly durable and prevent damage to the cards from dust, water, and grease. Further-on hard cases are designed to prevent things from spilling or falling outside if compared to other normal card holders or boxes.

As Pokémon cards are highly valued worldwide, there are special hard cases made only for this purpose only.

What are the best Pokémon card-carrying cases on the market?

Choosing the most durable Pokémon card carrying cases for your Pokémon card is essential to preserve and protect your cards.

If this is not done effectively your Pokemon cards would have a possibility of getting ruined such as getting dusty, scratched, and worst case scenarios torn apart. Although, there is a slight possibility for your Pokémon cards to wear out. But you never know. Here are the best hard case brands for your Pokémon cards.

1. BCW – Best Storage Box Case

The Benddi carrying case (BCW) is a specialized storage box designed, specifically to preserve a Pokémon card in the storage box. It is also known to give a more appealing look to your Pokémon card. Some benefits of it include:

  • Size: The overall size of this Benddi carrying case is about 125 mm in height, 160 mm in length, and a width of 70 mm. This is the appropriate size to fit in at least 100 Pokémon cards.
  • Non-bendable: The overall appearance of the Benddi carrying case is a rectangle with a hard covering outside, which protects it from bending and causing any damage to the Pokémon cards.
  • Non-reflective: The Benddi carrying case has a non-reflective surface surrounding the inside. This non-reflective surface results in a matte finish.
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Benddi carrying case also has other small features of Pokemon card carrying cases that are: 

  • Durability: They are composed of rigid plastic (mostly polypropylene).
  • Chemical-free: the overall Benddi carrying case is composed of chemical-free materials, which makes it more durable and less harmful for the Pokémon card.
  • Protection: Pokémon cards present inside it are protected from dust, creasing, warping, and outside damages (e.g. water particles)

2. Ultra Pro – Top Famous and Best Hard Case

Ultra Pro is the name of a brand that belongs to a community that deals with things related to trading cards. They specifically work in different ways, such as making products that are specifically designed to protect cards. This is also one of the top famous and best hard case brands among Pokémon card buyers.

It is mostly well-known for cards, sleeves, and top loaders. Some benefits of it include:

  • Size: The overall dimensions of each Toploader or sleeve are only a few millimeters more than a standard  Pokémon card (8.8 cm in length and 6.3 cm wide). Although the size may vary between a Toploader and a sleeve. Most top loaders are way thicker than a sleeve. Although the capacity of each Pokémon card carrying case may vary according to which size of Pokémon card it is formed for and how many it can hold at a time.
  • Bendability: Although both of them are made sturdy and rigid. This protects it against bendability or creasing of the Pokémon card present inside.
  • Non-reflective: Both the sleeves and top loaders have a non-reflective surface surrounding the inside. This non-reflective surface results in clear visibility of the Pokémon card and a matte finish.

Other features include:

  • Durability: They are made up of rigid plastic (mostly polypropylene).
  • Chemical-free: Both the Ultra Pro top loader and sleeve are made of chemical-free materials, which make it more durable and less harmful for the Pokémon card.
  • Protection: Pokémon cards present inside it are protected from dust and outside damages (e.g. water particles), creasing, warping, etc

If the Ultra Pro sleeve is disqualified from the picture, the Ultra Pro top loader would fall on Number 1 in the list of most durable Pokemon card carrying case.

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3. Monster Binder – Safe & Tight

Many individuals who own legendary Pokémon cards, especially the rare ones, prefer keeping them safe and tight inside a Pokemon card binder. Pokémon card binders belong to the category of what are the best Pokémon card carrying cases on the market, if card sleeves are not preferred. Some benefits of a monster binder (9 pockets) include:

  • Size: The overall size of the Pokémon card binder, mainly depends on how many Pokémon cards you wish to carry and the type of design you prefer. D-ring is secured (9 pocket is about 12 inches in length and width and 2.5 inches in height) compared to round Ring bound designs
  • Bendability: The cards are tightly packed together. This protects it against bendability or creasing of the Pokémon card present inside.
  • Non-reflective: The monster binder has a non-reflective surface surrounding the inside. This non-reflective surface results in a matte finish to the cards.

Monster Binder also has other features of Pokemon card carrying cases that are: 

  • Durability: They are made up of rigid, recycled plastic (mostly polypropylene).
  • Chemical-free: Most binders are made of chemical-free materials, which makes them more durable and less harmful for the Pokémon card.
  • Protection: Pokémon cards placed inside a monster binder are protected from dust and outside damages (e.g. water particles), creasing, warping, etc.

4. Graded Card Storage Box – Unique and High Price

If the price range of Pokemon card carrying cases is not an issue, then buying a graded card storage box is also an option. Their high Price is also one of the reasons they are not present in any hard case buying guide or list. Their unique benefits  include:

  • Size: They come in many different sizes, but they all start from 9 inches in height, 5.5 width inches, and 4 inches in length (smallest).
  • Bendability: There is no way the cards present inside a graded storage box can bend because of the extremely strong exterior covering. The only way the cards would bend is if they are mishandled or folded before being kept inside it.
  • Non-reflective: The inside of the graded card storage box, has a transparent layer to view the cards present inside it. it is also non-reflective.

Other features include: 

  • Durability: They are mostly made of laminated surfaces and very high-quality boards. Therefore. they can last years.
  • Chemical-free: These are mostly made chemical and bacteria-free.
  • Protection: The outer layer is so strong that no UV rays, dust particles, or any sort of moisture can enter.
  • Custom made: They can also be custom made but they are very expensive and start from 100$ at least.
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5. Dragon Shield – Famous Card Sleeves

These are very famous card sleeves. And are easily available in the market. it has different benefits such as:

  • Size: They have a standard size, which is 2.6 to 3.5 inches. It is easy to fit in about 70 Pokémon cards easily. The capacity of each Pokemon card carrying cases can start from 3 cards to over 500 cards.
  • Bendability: The bendability of Pokémon cards in a Dragon shield sleeve is very little as the sleeve is made of durable and rigid material. It prevents the splitting of cards.
  • Non-reflective: It has a non-reflective surface surrounding the inside. This non-reflective surface results in a matte finish.

Other features include:

  • Durability: Their strong durability and rigid surface of recycled plastic (mostly polypropylene) is the reason they are famous amongst Pokemon players.
  • Chemical-free: They are harmful chemicals that could damage the Pokemon cards present inside
  • Protection: Pokémon cards present inside it are protected from dust and outside damages (e.g. water particles), creasing, warping, etc.
  • Colors: These are present in different colors such as Black, blue, pink, green, metallic, etc.

Price ranges of Pokemon card carrying cases:

The price range Pokémon card carrying cases mostly starts from 5 to 30 $ if you’re buying a card sleeve, card binder, or card top loader.

But if you wish to buy a card storage box or a specially designed card storage box, their price range starts from at least $50 to 1000$.

Further on, with different prices, they also have different weights of Pokemon card packs. These weights may give you a reason to buy a higher-priced card-carrying case as not all card carriers can carry all types of cards.

Conclusion:

If the decision was pending of the Best hard cases for Pokémon cards for which one of our top 5 is the best, it would definitely be the UltraPro sleeve or UltraPro binder. Because they are easily available in the market at a reasonable rate of below $30 and come in different sizes too.