Hello, Chaz Marler from Pair Of Dice Paradise here, with an addendum to my recent video featuring Six Board Game Card Storage Solutions. Yeah, that’s the one! As mentioned in that video, one of my favoritest board game card storage solutions is acrylic deck boxes. They’re easy to tote, they protect cards well, are waterproof, and you can sometimes even carry some components along with your cards. Thank you, acrylic deck boxes. No one could ever replace you.

Well, now I’ve discovered a new brand of deck boxes that threatens to replace my beloved acrylic deck boxes. Who is this new contender for my board game card storage affections? The Card Caddy from Narrows Hill Games. What advantages and disadvantages does this card containment contraption have over a basic bare bones box? Well, I’ll compare and contrast these storage solutions today, as your Component Proponent.

Alright, I let’s kick off our comparison with a five-point checklist of features and benefits offered by the two card storage solutions, and see how they compare to each other.

But, before we begin, I want to offer full disclosure. As of the time of this recording, Card Caddy has a Kickstarter running to fund a second generation of their deck boxes. This video isn’t meant to serve as an advertisement for their Kickstarter. But, I mention it, because it will be relevant to a point that I’ll come back to later on. For now though, let’s find out if one of these card encasement contraptions will beat out the other!

Usability (Point goes to: Card Caddy)

At first, this point may seem like a no-brainer. They’re boxes. They open, they close, and they contain components. It’s an “open and shut” case, right? Well, what happens once the game begins? A primary feature that the Card Caddy boasts is its ability to serve as a card holder while you play. Multiple caddies can even be chained together to serve as deck and discard holders. So, in terms of versatility, the point goes to the Card Caddy.

Protection (Point goes to: Acrylic Deck Box)

Now, that’s great for playing, but what about getting your games to the table? Will these storage devices keep your cards and components protected on their way to the game? Well, acrylic deck boxes are pretty straightforward. Put stuff in, seal it up, and you’re good to go.

By comparison, Card Caddy boxes have a hole in the middle of their lid. Now, I can see why this was done; to make them easier to open by allowing you to press your finger against the cards inside. But this hole means that they don’t offer as much protection against the elements, and it’s more of a challenge to carry dice or other components in the caddy. What’s needed is some sort of plug, like those used with piggy banks.

Capacity (Point goes to: Acrylic Deck Box… for now)

The Ultra Pro acrylic deck boxes that I prefer are listed as being able to hold 100 sleeved cards. That translates to enough room to carry a deck, sideboard and life counter all together in one box. In comparison, Card Caddy is designed to carry 40 sleeved cards. Neither has fuel injection.

Price Comparison (Point technically goes to: Acrylic Deck Box)

Both products can be found in a variety of places, including Amazon.com. On that site, acrylic deck boxes range from $3-$6 dollars each, depending on the size. Card Caddy boxes run about a dollar apiece more than their acrylic counterparts. Hey, a buck’s a buck, but are we comparing apples to oranges here? I don’t know if that’s as big a price difference as it may first appear, after you take the last point in this comparison into consideration.

Product Evolution (Point goes to: Card Caddy)

Okay, I mentioned earlier that Card Caddy currently has a Kickstarter running to help finance the production of their second generation of deck boxes. Their plans for their next generation of caddies include larger ones (holding up to 125 sleeved cards), attachable storage boxes, built-in scoring pads, and more. There’s a lot of potential here, and, to me, that scores a point in the Card Caddy’s favor.

These acrylic deck boxes already do everything that they’re ever going to do. And that’s fine. But looking at the Card Caddy’s prototypes, I get the impression that this product is being produced by a gamer that wants to continue inventing and evolving their product to better help gamers.

So, while this first wave of the Card Caddy is a decent little box, the potential of their next versions really intrigues me. Whether or not it will happen though, depends on how many other people are excited by that potential. If you are, I’ll include a link to their Kickstarter in the description below. Their Kickstarter runs until February 11th, 2016. I hope that this time next year I’ll be reviewing the next generation of Card Caddys. Time will tell.

Final Thoughts

In summary, I think the primary difference between the two storage solutions is their versatility. I feel that the Card Caddy is a “premium” item. It comes at a slightly higher price point, but was designed with special features in mind specifically for gamers. While I don’t think the Card Caddy will completely replace basic acrylic deck boxes for me, in just testing this sample one I’ve already determined that there are some games and situations that I definitely will seek them out for.

I don’t think one of these deck boxes is inherently “better” than the other. If Card Caddy’s second generation of boxes go into production, then that may change. But, for now, I think you can’t go wrong with whichever one of these card containment solutions you chose. It just depends on the amount of cards and components they need to hold, and whether the game can benefit from the extra features that the Card Caddy has to offer.

Thanks for watching this component comparison! Do you have a board game component that’s worth talking about? Contact me and perhaps I can discuss them on an upcoming episode. Until then, for more board game news, reviews and commentary, click that fancy-dancy subscribe button we all know and love. And, if you’re feeling especially bold, be sure to follow Pair Of Dice Paradise and The Dice Tower on Twitter and Facebook too for more fun and surprises. And until the next episode, I’ve been Chaz Marler, your Component Proponent.