This Air Deck Playing Cards Review post may contain affiliate links meaning if you click on a link, we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Please read our full policy below, thank you for your support!
Air Deck 3.0 Playing Cards
Weight: 2.4 oz. (28g)
Dimensions: 3.43 x 1.26 inches (87 x 32mm)
Materials: 0.31 Waterproof PVC
Origin: Made in China
Overview
I originally bought these cards for backpacking so I could have a lightweight option for playing games and entertaining myself in the tent. Travel games are great on the road also and I find myself taking these cards with me on almost all my trips now.
Design
If you like to take game with you on the road like I do, these Air Deck playing cards are a much smaller, lighter option than a full-sized deck.
Dimensions
These are a good option over those mini-playing cards, which are small and hard to hold. Because these are the same length as a regular deck it makes fanning them out, shuffling, and playing a game with them almost the same as using a full-sized deck.
Durability
One of the reasons these cards work great for backpacking is the durability. Made from waterproof PVC material, you can bend, twist them and they’re not going to break or fall apart like regular playing cards. If you spill something on them, or they get wet in your pack during a rainstorm, you can just wash them off and you’re good to go.
Use
Air Deck is about the same thickness as a regular set of playing cardsBecause the Air Deck is plastic, but because they’re make out of PVC, they’re quite a bit more slippery. The shuffling is considerably less satisfying than with a regular deck. If you’re good at it, you can do a real nice shuffle and bridge with regular cards. And over time, they get a nice broken in feel to them.
Shuffling the Air Deck playing cards will never be the same as with a regular deck. You can shuffle them just fine, but because they’re so slippery, the bridge is almost impossible. They also have a plasticy feel, so they tend to slide around on you when you try to shuffle them.
Pros
Air Deck playing cards are great for travel or backpacking. They are small, lightweight, durable, and waterproof. You can play with them outside without worrying about ruining them, and they’re a much lighter alternative to a regular set of cards
Cons
The plastic material that makes them so durable also makes them not as satisfying to play with as a regular deck. You can’t get a nice shuffle, you can’t get a nice bridge. The cards tend to slide around in your hand and feel a little weirder in your hand when playing with them. And they’re never going to break in the same as regular cards.
The Air Deck playing cards are also much more expensive than regular cards. At almost $9 on Amazon, it’s at least 3x as much and a standard set.
Summary
All in all Air Deck is a great set of playing cards for travel. Carrying a full deck is a non-starter for me. I’d be much more willing to just carry pigs or dice or some other kind of mini game. With these cards I feel comfortable with the weight ratio. They’re expensive, but are very durable and are never going to fall apart.
Affiliate Disclaimer
I run One Bag Travels as an independent website, I am not directly associated with, nor do I take payments from any of the companies featured on this site. My opinions are based on my personal experience with these products, as well as years of experience as an independent traveler.
Any revenue I receive from One Bag Travels is from affiliate marketing relationships, meaning if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I strive to review products that I like, or are popular in the one bag/minimalist travel community, not just brands that I receive a commission on. Sometimes a company will send me a free product to review, I am however under no incentive or obligation to give them a favorable review.
The continued existence and success of One Bag Travels relies on the support of my readers. I believe providing thorough, honest, unbiased information is the best way to grow this support. I put a lot of work into my reviews, if you find this information was helpful in your decision, we encourage you to purchase through one of our affiliate links, at zero extra cost to you. This support allows me to continue providing the best reviews and content for you. Thank you for your support!
[…] Air Deck narrow playing cards; see entry on Tak-set, except here the Devil is trying to do some kind of tax-thing and seems to be trying to lose, but you don’t kn–like, you’re supposed to win at this game, but is he–does this change what ‘win’ means? Is there any way you can win this? Or is that what he wants? […]