I know my collection (if you can call it that) is probably not as impressive as what most people here have, but then again, I'm just not as much of a collector as I was when I was younger.
But, at any rate, as I previously mentioned, the first time I bought a deck of cards was about eight years ago, and I just needed a deck for a party - I was already at Party City getting supplies, and a dollar store was right next door, so I grabbed a deck of Classic by Cartamundi. A year later, I misplaced the deck, so I decided to grab a pair of Bicycle decks at Walmart, and it was then I realized what
real playing cards are like. Even more years after that, I found Bee decks after only seeing them in older shows and movies, and I liked them even more (the way they appear on film doesn't do the cards justice). Since then, I'll grab a deck if it peaks my interest, and now, here's what I have:
So, here's my personal rundown of the decks I have:
Least Favorites:Overall DeckStreamline. I know Don said some nice things about them recently in another thread, but I clearly got the short end of the stick with this Chinese-made, Canadian imported deck: they plastic coating is terrible (and smelly), the handling is poor, and the design is just wonky.
DesignAt the risk of running it into the ground . . . once again, Streamline. The pips look like they belong on cheap, off-brand decks; the face cards look stoned and are poorly printed; the back design is so-so, but I do like the shade of blue. Aviator to a lesser extent for its back design - it's plain (no pun intended) and simple, but it's not horrible.
Ace of SpadesThat distinction also goes to Streamline: it's just too bland and plain.
HandlingClassic and Streamline tie because they're plastic decks, which I don't particularly care for in comparison to paper decks: they don't really fan, spread, or shuffle well at all. Less pressing for my Limited Edition Ace and Hoyle decks, mainly because their stocks are so thin and flimsy, they clearly won't hold up in the long run.
Most Favorites:HandlingAviator. Even though it doesn't have that nice air-pocketed finish like Bicycle's Air Cushion or Bee's Cambric, the smooth and slick finish it does have makes it excellent for handling: fans, faros, spreads, and shuffles great.
Ace of SpadesBee. I always love an AoS where the design takes up almost the entire card, and when the design is also very distinct and eye-catching, and Bee's AoS meets both of those criteria.
DesignFor back design, Limited Edition Ace: the two-color back design just pops, and I also like biplanes, so that catches me as well (I will say the face design is better than other Cartamundi decks). For face design, just USPC Standard in general. I have a special place in my heart for Bicycle's standard Rider Back.
Overall DeckBee. When it comes to regular use, Bee is definitely the way to go - the sturdy stock and air-pocketed finish makes for durable playable playing cards, and the diamond back design is a nice change of pace from your typical bordered designs.