My opinion as a collector...We Cardists collect Anyone/Fontaine decks to support the cardists behind the brand. Most of us cardists have been here before the existence of hype decks and genuinely enjoy the work of the men behind the brand.
This is exactly it, Zach the creator of Fontaine is a great guy! I loved him way before I ever bought my first deck of cards. He really innovates and pushes the boundary of what cardists do! He's entered prop dance battles against pro dancers and was great! I'll buy fontaine cards to support him
Hats off! Great review! I initially assumed you'd praise Fontaine, because so many playing card review channels are very biased and scared of valid criticism or just want a quick buck. I appreciate your honesty! At least Fontaine finally put a bit of effort in their decks, after so many color variations. I mean not even the 'f' is original, only copied from a font. I got into flourishing, magic and deck collecting in 2011 and own meanwhile over 1000 decks, but not a single hype deck. They're cool, but totally not worth it! I go as far to say I'm disgusted by the marketing of hype decks. It feels similar to what companies like EA do with computer games, targeting a young audience with ridiculous offers. I mean come on, those decks are from cardists for cardists! They should have fair pricing and no limited runs. They should take a good example of Theory11, stunning designs from almost every deck and they all go for reasonable 10$ and there's been barely any limited release over the years. All this hurts, because I'm a big fan of the cardists behind those brands. Hope this will change and if they release affordable reprints, I'd consider supporting them.
So you have 1000 decks of just bicycle playing cards? There are no hype decks in your collection? No Nocs, no TGW Parlour playing cards , no dan and dave’s? Mint?
Stfu, it's obvious which decks he means. Those that are created by newschool cardistry kiddies who want to become rich by selling their overpriced decks with minimal effort put into them.
Well said Adio, very well said... I totally don't understand why this brand which is simply recolors and sometimes collaboration with other brands, gets so well hyped. It creates that marketing scheme in which for godly people who manages to buy the decks from the site can afford them very cheap of 20$, and create a nightmare for those who buy at the aftermarket for 50$-600$. This is the reason I feel disillusioned with collecting cardistry decks, because there are TONS of it, and older versions will costs as equal to buying daily necessities. TGW, well said of the honesty on the Fontaine decks. Glad that someone does agree with me and to some people.
You would have to dive into that world. The world of Cardistry. Card collecting is like the world of shoes. sneaker heads collect so many different she’s but they will have 12 color variants of the same Jordan’s or air force 1s because some are limited and more rare than others.
Your opinion on the Fontaines design is exactly how I feel about the Noc decks, they're literally just a solid colour on the back of the card, such low effort yet for some reason have this huge following. It's like bruh if you want me to give you a Noc deck just buy a blank one and give me a sharpie in your colour of choice and i'll make you one.
I came back to this video because I 100% agreed with you. But I recently stumbled upon the new Fontaine Dabsmyla edition, it is a fantastic deck I feel and I think it would be a cool deck to use as an update for the direction that Fontaine is taking to make their decks more custom.
Great discussion, Omar. I would rather have a fully-custom Stockholm 17 deck for $20 rather than a standard deck with the Fontaine branding, or A1WW, NOCs, etc. I will never understand the appeal, but I do have to admit these hype groups are marketing geniuses. They sell out of thousands of decks in minutes, so they truly understand their niche they don't have to put much effort into a new drop. Just change the color of the dot. Boom. Instant success.
For the prices of hype deck i can agree with all your points. Only e exception are blue,black (feels different due to ink?) and rip n dip which for the prices and design it is good.
Personally as a card collector for nearly a year, I buy cards mainly intended for ‘long term value’, and usually with nice design. I do like the simplistic design of Fontaine, the two letter F’s do something to make me approve them subconsciously. I have a more difficult time accepting the other brand with country flags and checker board design. I will continue to collect them simply because they are affordable to me when they get released, but even I have come to accept that the ‘long term value’ for the recent hype decks is fairly non-existence anymore since most people buying them are into making quick profits and fewer are actually using them, the reason for demand has shifted (and becoming artificial), and eventually people will realize it.
Great to see your reviews back, Omar! I think the issue is not buying the Hype decks at the original $15-$20, but more so why one would pay so much , at 2-4x the original amount. It'll be curious to know just how many actually are fans and how many are speculators looking to make a quick buck.
I generally totally agree with this for both Fontaines and Anyone. The exception for Fontaines are the Carrots. I love that deck and every time I see them in collection pictures I get a little jealous so I broke down and bought a deck when I saw a "good deal" on ebay. I really like the deck and am glad I have it but dont see myself getting other Fontaine decks or chasing decks on the secondary market.
I literally laughed out loud when you said your opinion. Couldn't agree more. Maybe someday there will be one worth buying, but that day has yet to come. However, I would say the same about Anyone decks. I just don't get their popularity. I can't recall, but you kind of like those sometimes, right? What do you feel is the difference?
It sounds like there is a lot of agreement that hype decks are overrated. Personally, I've never seen the appeal of Fontaines. I really prefer it when a designer puts more effort into making something unique and detailed.
When you can buy a whole brick of Tally-Ho's for the price of one deck of "Designer" cards there's literally no point. The best cards are printed by USPCC (Fontaine's included) so you are literally just paying for a name and a design. Worthless in my opinion. The only real exception are foil cards which have more to them than just a different back / box and are more appealing for collectors as USPCC do not put out many foil decks.
Designer decks or not, I believe that some commercialization for cardistry is beneficial for the hobby as it allows these cardistry businesses to make changes/contribute back to the community, e.g. competitions, publicity, Cardistry-Con
I totally agree with the review, I have a modest collection of around 200 decks, and I don’t own a single Fontaine deck. I took a close look at them and just couldn’t see where the value was, they are plain, standard, quite boring, though quality manufactured. I thought I must be missing something, but I’m glad I avoided this brand and design. Each to their own though.
New found respect for the Gentleman Wake, he is a man of culture and like many of us, do not know why you would spend this much on a deck of cards xD its truly robbery in disguise!
As someone who just recently got into fontaine (after resisting the hype for so long) but has been into cardistry since the trilogy came out, I *love* the feel of fontaines, especially once they’ve been broken in. Zach is a marketing genius, no question, his passion for streetwear and how they market and the style of their products and his collabs with them distinctly influences that, but just the product itself, I’m a huge fan. Now I 100 understand some of the hate when they only changed the color before, but with the nature of the drops…. Blame smoke and mirrors 🤷🏼♂️ I mean, you have to blame dan and Dave. Which would be absurd but, yknow? BUT with that said, I’m also a big fan of minimalism and the only reason I caved was because I really fuck with the artistic side of the last few drops, especially fever dreams and now fantasies. Still respect the review and the opinion hella!
I would say that fever dreams and fantasies don’t fall into what I would traditionally call hype decks. Yes they generate a ton of hype and they come from a hype brand but my definition is both of those parameters AND a “lazy” design. Those new releases are certainly trying to do something different and fun and require a lot more effort.
@@TheGentlemanWake goooootcha in that case we’re 100% on the same page, a lot of the colors I’ve seen from fontaine are mildly asinine. I Think too the added concept of the blind packets brings a different element to the feeling of buying cards and getting that ultra rare variant that you DONT plan to sell, had me feeling like a kid again honestly and isn’t that what it’s really all about? Either way off track, great video my guy!! Been watching your channel a bit lately and I big appreciate the content
So... I just wanna explain the point of view for the people who support Fontaine. Yea it's probably a "hype" deck. But it has a nice design, and (other than the f's) a very unique design each and every time they release. The design ( the f's) and the company in general has a long history of doing good in the cardistry community. As an example of this you can see the Fontainetrials on Instagram. For a lot of people holding a Fontaine deck feels like it might feel to you when you hold a reprint Jerry's nugget... There's something legendary about it. Also the hype is rly fun seeing, you see a lot of good cardistry and so on...
For the same money, you can buy FAR MORE elaborate greatly designed decks. Good luck to the wallets of those who buy into these standard Bicycle faces hyped at tremendously steep prices. You have to understand, for kids who can afford these decks, either (a) they come from a wealthy background, and/or (2) they have parents that spoil them.
A very unique design each and every time they release? Oh come on. Sure, the branded ones have some other design besides the f, but most of their decks are just recolors of the f on a blank colored field.
@@reanimation777 i think you have to understand that there is a difference in what designs people like to have on their decks. And secondly you cant just judge people from what cards they buy, deny it if you want to, people look differently at a fontaine deck to how they look at a deck of bikes. So A: the "kids" who buys fontaine decks want to show their skills on the internet and the fonts gives more attention and everyone watching has a fellow understanding of what this deck means. B: the kids like to have these cards... You can't just call these kids spoiled right away, maybe these kids just prioritise differently, to a lot of these kids, having a deck that means something is wayy worth 5-6 extra bucks.
@@emilpind1005 As this video explains, owning and showcasing one's Fontaines does not equal to better cardistry. One does not play better piano by owning a Steinway & Sons; one does not drive better by owning a Koenigsegg. So what's the similarity between Fontaine, Steinway, and Koenigsegg? People without the skill flaunt themselves/make themselves feel better/think others would see them as superior with the branding of that high-end product. Your (B) exists with the prerequisite of (A), which is not true at all: In XCM days, a lot of cardists used Tally-Hos to showcase their skills with no problem, D&D used the crappy-ass Jerry's Nuggets and Absolut Vodka. Did these decks "mean something" to those early day cardists? No, they're just cards that are more catchy than Bicycle. Fontaine is doing just the opposite: creating or collabing on mostly bad designed or no designed cards, marked up by the branding "f" that gives no apparent shine besides giving the cardistry community a sense of "oooo, expensive stuff." Zach simply used his cardistry talent to create a cult following, then redirected that following to a capitalist branding that has nothing to do with what he could achieve in terms of skill. In this sense, Jaspas is even better than Zach for continuously improving his skills and teaching cardistry to his audience. What does Zach do now? Fontaine, and literally nothing else, not even a new vid, and not even any tutorial. If you think this phenomenon is justified, so be it. Just don't cry when the bubble bursts, when the cards are so over-saturated on the market to the extent that demand is low. Believe me, it's slowed and very evident if you're a meticulous observer of playing card trends. When the brand grows their lineup to the size of NOCs, no one cares anymore. That day is soon coming.
Did I miss who won the N.P.C.C.D. deck? There where a few deck giveaways from videos around that time I never heard the winner for. Didn't know if you are just going out of order or if I missed the winners. Thanks!
Never understood these either. First time I saw one of these I thought it was a fairly cheap; couldn't believe some of the prices I saw when I started searching around. I guess it'd be nice to have, but I try to avoid decks that appear to be what I call "edited bicycle decks".
Much respect for giving your "controversial" opinion straight-up. However, last year you reviewed Fort NOCs and featured Alex Pandrea (great video), so how can you criticize Fontaine for lazy design but rave about the NOCs?
Nocs are cheaper, i guess. The simplistic design reflects the price. Whereas fonts have better diversity the overall design is repetitive that may or may not be justifiable by the pricing. Props to Zach for making the brand as popular as it is. I just hope that someday my broke ass could afford those cards of his. I would love to hear the gentleman's opinion on this though.
@@Graciousweasel thank you for the reply. The retail price on Fontaine's is $15 I believe which is pretty standard pricing. I will say that I think Zach creates an artificial scarcity for his decks that drives up the secondary market prices. He limits access to new decks by releasing them thru restricted channels, like special events in a brick and mortar Rip n Dip store in LA or in Tokyo, etc. But I can think of decks that are even more "lazy design" color swaps than Fontaine, but NOCs take the cake, you can't get lazier than that.
@@ohroonoko i haven't factored in the fact that prices skyrocket once you buy it after it was released which is what happens where I'm from. And added that the store i buy cards from has to get it shipped from America and international shipping (as far as I know) isn't very cheap. The prices of regular plain nocs are about half the price of Fontaines here last i checked and nocs with "edition" in the name is roughly two-thirds the price. And to me that's pretty steep. I guess our ideas of cheap and expensive differ greatly. If your normal price is expensive for me what more are the things expensive for you 😄 but in that regard I'd choose nocs over fonts for price but comparing the designs I'd choose fonts.
I have to disagree with you on this one because first it is absolutely not because a design is simple that it is easy to make or don't take effort it's a common misunderstanding and personally I love simple design more than overly complicated one and it's probably the case of all the people who love those deck
I think people buy Fontaine cards simply because its become a brand, its the status of having a Fontaine. I like them but won't pay the high price on eBay for one. Good video, thanks.
Just because they don’t have embossed foil on the tuck case, and they don’t have filigree everywhere, with a tribal spade design with hidden logo inside it, lookin like a pair of affliction jeans, doesn’t mean they are not worth it. When it comes down to it, all playing cards over the $3.99 price tag of a standard deck of bicycle cards are not worth it, because usually USPCC printing them! So in the end you are paying to support who made them. Be it The Gentleman Wake’s hype deck-parlour playing cards(his aesthetic, his brand) or Zach Mueller’s hype deck- fontaine’s(his aesthetic his brand) they are both overpriced decks, but it’s who you want to support. This world of Magicians, slight of hand performers, and Cardistry folks, is a lot like skateboarders, BMXers and rollerbladers at the skatepark, arguing over style, technicality, and who does it better. We forget that we’re all here for one thing, the love of cards. And If you don’t like em’ don’t buy em’!
I understand that certain brands promote the community but these decks are all hype. The price does not match the design (or lack of). Because these are hyped there are "community members" who buy these and then posts them on eBay for an inflated price. Impressed with the marketing and brand though.
I have a question, how many cards do u have total? More or less and how long you have been collecting playing cards?hoe much have you spend for your collection
I hope I win this giveaway also I think these cards are great pretty basic but great for Cardistry but to damn expensive in the aftermarket I still would rather get tally hos bees and or standard rider backs
The most straightforward choice is Monarchs. They feel great and the faces are standard so they don’t distract audience attention. Heck, they are even featured in Now You See Me. Then again, TXI decks usually aren’t overly customized with some exceptions like High Victorian and National, so if you like what you see on their store page, go for it.
Agreed. And the other ones are even worse. Just 2 letters on stocks bikes. Don’t get me wrong. I love the minimalist design but the faces are essentially stock. No real effort or artistic value and the ones that do have even that lil bit of a change on some decks are collabs with other companies.
I couldn't get into the Fontaine decks either. I found a state local card seller that hyped these cards and I watched them sell out immediately. Especially the ones that were in foil. I don't get it.. but there's a lot of people that love and bought into it.. that's ok.. just not for me
First off, congrats to the success of the fontaine brand. I do not own any fontaine decks, nor will i. I almost gave in to the hype then snapped out of it. Funny you made this video Mr. Gentleman's Wake. Get what speaks to you, not at you i guess
Often I see the hype deck supporter defend the two brands with one point: To support the cardistry community and the creators. I do believe cardistry community is tightly knit and do need people support each other. But how often is it that to get a deck from Fontaine/A1WW is through a secondary seller, and with ridiculous markup? Their popularity is already high enough to go for a larger print run to satisfy the demand bypassing the scalpers. Virtuoso and Orbit does this well--each limited edition keeps the deck with vintage prestige, yet the latest edition is always available and affordable. Do the hype deck supporters sincerely want to support their favorite cardist like Fontaine's fund-raising root, or do they want to feel special holding a low-supply deck as an identity, akin to hype brands like Supreme and Off-White's market strategy? Beside, I do believe criticism towards playing cards should stands on its own, not linked to the creator. Food critics judge the food in front of them, not how flashy the moves chef pull off in the kitchen. This ain't teppanyaki, chief.
I never said I don’t like the visual of Fontaine. They do look nice and a good choice for cardistry. The problem is the supply are purposefully kept low to artificially increase the value. They sell at around $15 on drop, a reasonable price, but if you don’t watch their instagram religiously and cop it within 3 minute, the bots will have them and you will be looking on eBay at $30 minimum. I believe this is the main gripe most people have for hype decks. Just have enough decks available for the market and I bet all the criticism will go away. I can’t help but ask the creators “do you really want the fans to support you, or the bots and resellers have already taken their positions?”
Those decks are from cardists for cardists. If those hype brands really care about their fans then they should have fair pricing and no limited runs. They just simply exploit their status to the max.
Shrewd and smart marketing 100%. Better decks? Nope. But I respect the hissle that markets to the ever growing cardistry community, which I tremendously respect as a brilliant art form.
The reason behind buying a Fontaine deck is the same as buying a pair of Valentino boots instead of $35 leather boots, is all about the design, history, brand, and believe it or not the quality. Fontaine decks handle surprisingly good and they look better than most decks when doing cardistry, that’s why they are aimed to cardists, not poker players or collectors. And the fact that the design is so simple makes doing Magic more about the tricks and not about the deck, since a super busy deck can create some suspicion to the deck.
They handle good not because they're Fontaines, but because of the right stock and finish which literally any card producer can use when they print with USPCC. If you want to justify yourself, at least say that the borders are thin. Otherwise, besides those collab decks, Fontaine's individual lineup is just Bicycles with a NOC back plus two "ff"s.
My opinion as a collector...We Cardists collect Anyone/Fontaine decks to support the cardists behind the brand. Most of us cardists have been here before the existence of hype decks and genuinely enjoy the work of the men behind the brand.
Although they are not my cup of tea, I very much respect this. Thanks for putting this viewpoint out there!
This is exactly it, Zach the creator of Fontaine is a great guy! I loved him way before I ever bought my first deck of cards. He really innovates and pushes the boundary of what cardists do!
He's entered prop dance battles against pro dancers and was great!
I'll buy fontaine cards to support him
Fontaine are like the Supreme of Playing Cards, all hype.
Hats off! Great review!
I initially assumed you'd praise Fontaine, because so many playing card review channels are very biased and scared of valid criticism or just want a quick buck.
I appreciate your honesty!
At least Fontaine finally put a bit of effort in their decks, after so many color variations. I mean not even the 'f' is original, only copied from a font.
I got into flourishing, magic and deck collecting in 2011 and own meanwhile over 1000 decks, but not a single hype deck. They're cool, but totally not worth it!
I go as far to say I'm disgusted by the marketing of hype decks. It feels similar to what companies like EA do with computer games, targeting a young audience with ridiculous offers.
I mean come on, those decks are from cardists for cardists! They should have fair pricing and no limited runs.
They should take a good example of Theory11, stunning designs from almost every deck and they all go for reasonable 10$ and there's been barely any limited release over the years.
All this hurts, because I'm a big fan of the cardists behind those brands.
Hope this will change and if they release affordable reprints, I'd consider supporting them.
So you have 1000 decks of just bicycle playing cards? There are no hype decks in your collection? No Nocs, no TGW Parlour playing cards , no dan and dave’s? Mint?
Stfu, it's obvious which decks he means. Those that are created by newschool cardistry kiddies who want to become rich by selling their overpriced decks with minimal effort put into them.
Well said Adio, very well said... I totally don't understand why this brand which is simply recolors and sometimes collaboration with other brands, gets so well hyped. It creates that marketing scheme in which for godly people who manages to buy the decks from the site can afford them very cheap of 20$, and create a nightmare for those who buy at the aftermarket for 50$-600$. This is the reason I feel disillusioned with collecting cardistry decks, because there are TONS of it, and older versions will costs as equal to buying daily necessities.
TGW, well said of the honesty on the Fontaine decks. Glad that someone does agree with me and to some people.
I am also with you on this: like WHY? Why these Fontaines are so popular?
You would have to dive into that world. The world of Cardistry. Card collecting is like the world of shoes. sneaker heads collect so many different she’s but they will have 12 color variants of the same Jordan’s or air force 1s because some are limited and more rare than others.
Jimmy Griswold if only i am that well off to get them ;/
@@jimmygriswold9258 IM A SNEAKERHEAD AND IT DOESNT HELP ON SAVING MONEY ON CARDS
They are so expensive,great video and it's great to see you back.
JesseGthefantasticmagician I agree with ur opinion on this deck, but most other Fontaine decks I really enjoy!
I’m with you 100% just a hype deck but I got it I don’t mind the rip n dip decks but again to hype and to expensive for what they are :)
Thanks for the honesty. Good to see you back
Your opinion on the Fontaines design is exactly how I feel about the Noc decks, they're literally just a solid colour on the back of the card, such low effort yet for some reason have this huge following. It's like bruh if you want me to give you a Noc deck just buy a blank one and give me a sharpie in your colour of choice and i'll make you one.
True. Although at least the nocs are cheap
I came back to this video because I 100% agreed with you. But I recently stumbled upon the new Fontaine Dabsmyla edition, it is a fantastic deck I feel and I think it would be a cool deck to use as an update for the direction that Fontaine is taking to make their decks more custom.
Great discussion, Omar. I would rather have a fully-custom Stockholm 17 deck for $20 rather than a standard deck with the Fontaine branding, or A1WW, NOCs, etc. I will never understand the appeal, but I do have to admit these hype groups are marketing geniuses. They sell out of thousands of decks in minutes, so they truly understand their niche they don't have to put much effort into a new drop. Just change the color of the dot. Boom. Instant success.
Jamie Morrison Couldn’t agree more. Even Jackson Robinson admires their marketing genius.
Jamie Morrison ...
Noel Heath has a bone to pick w you re: his 909 🥚 deck. He couldn’t GIVE those away. 😄
For the prices of hype deck i can agree with all your points. Only e exception are blue,black (feels different due to ink?) and rip n dip which for the prices and design it is good.
Personally as a card collector for nearly a year, I buy cards mainly intended for ‘long term value’, and usually with nice design. I do like the simplistic design of Fontaine, the two letter F’s do something to make me approve them subconsciously. I have a more difficult time accepting the other brand with country flags and checker board design. I will continue to collect them simply because they are affordable to me when they get released, but even I have come to accept that the ‘long term value’ for the recent hype decks is fairly non-existence anymore since most people buying them are into making quick profits and fewer are actually using them, the reason for demand has shifted (and becoming artificial), and eventually people will realize it.
Great to see your reviews back, Omar! I think the issue is not buying the Hype decks at the original $15-$20, but more so why one would pay so much , at 2-4x the original amount. It'll be curious to know just how many actually are fans and how many are speculators looking to make a quick buck.
Glad you're back!
I generally totally agree with this for both Fontaines and Anyone. The exception for Fontaines are the Carrots. I love that deck and every time I see them in collection pictures I get a little jealous so I broke down and bought a deck when I saw a "good deal" on ebay. I really like the deck and am glad I have it but dont see myself getting other Fontaine decks or chasing decks on the secondary market.
I literally laughed out loud when you said your opinion. Couldn't agree more. Maybe someday there will be one worth buying, but that day has yet to come. However, I would say the same about Anyone decks. I just don't get their popularity. I can't recall, but you kind of like those sometimes, right? What do you feel is the difference?
Agree, I have same opinion about Noc playing cards, at some point they have to change nothing only color perspective,
Glad to see you back, hope you're doing alright in these hard times
As a collector, player and enthusiast I 100% agree I don’t get the price people are paying. Grate vid as always. 😎
Really nice video,i thought they were roses too and i was excited,but no.For me i prefer playing cards with more in them or really minimalistic
It sounds like there is a lot of agreement that hype decks are overrated. Personally, I've never seen the appeal of Fontaines. I really prefer it when a designer puts more effort into making something unique and detailed.
When you can buy a whole brick of Tally-Ho's for the price of one deck of "Designer" cards there's literally no point. The best cards are printed by USPCC (Fontaine's included) so you are literally just paying for a name and a design. Worthless in my opinion. The only real exception are foil cards which have more to them than just a different back / box and are more appealing for collectors as USPCC do not put out many foil decks.
@@chartedlife man the best cards are printed my cartamundi
Sure, but it's the same reason one would buy designer/expensive clothes. Some people just plain prefer it.
Designer decks or not, I believe that some commercialization for cardistry is beneficial for the hobby as it allows these cardistry businesses to make changes/contribute back to the community, e.g. competitions, publicity, Cardistry-Con
I'm so happy to hear you say that about Fontaine. I don't see the appeal either.
I have just started watching your videos, I really like your videos, hope you have a great future
I totally agree with the review, I have a modest collection of around 200 decks, and I don’t own a single Fontaine deck. I took a close look at them and just couldn’t see where the value was, they are plain, standard, quite boring, though quality manufactured. I thought I must be missing something, but I’m glad I avoided this brand and design. Each to their
own though.
New found respect for the Gentleman Wake, he is a man of culture and like many of us, do not know why you would spend this much on a deck of cards xD its truly robbery in disguise!
As someone who just recently got into fontaine (after resisting the hype for so long) but has been into cardistry since the trilogy came out, I *love* the feel of fontaines, especially once they’ve been broken in. Zach is a marketing genius, no question, his passion for streetwear and how they market and the style of their products and his collabs with them distinctly influences that, but just the product itself, I’m a huge fan. Now I 100 understand some of the hate when they only changed the color before, but with the nature of the drops…. Blame smoke and mirrors 🤷🏼♂️ I mean, you have to blame dan and Dave. Which would be absurd but, yknow? BUT with that said, I’m also a big fan of minimalism and the only reason I caved was because I really fuck with the artistic side of the last few drops, especially fever dreams and now fantasies. Still respect the review and the opinion hella!
I would say that fever dreams and fantasies don’t fall into what I would traditionally call hype decks. Yes they generate a ton of hype and they come from a hype brand but my definition is both of those parameters AND a “lazy” design. Those new releases are certainly trying to do something different and fun and require a lot more effort.
@@TheGentlemanWake goooootcha in that case we’re 100% on the same page, a lot of the colors I’ve seen from fontaine are mildly asinine. I Think too the added concept of the blind packets brings a different element to the feeling of buying cards and getting that ultra rare variant that you DONT plan to sell, had me feeling like a kid again honestly and isn’t that what it’s really all about? Either way off track, great video my guy!! Been watching your channel a bit lately and I big appreciate the content
@@gregmax1321 thanks Greg! Be sure to watch my next video for a preview of what I've got cooking later this month!
So... I just wanna explain the point of view for the people who support Fontaine.
Yea it's probably a "hype" deck. But it has a nice design, and (other than the f's) a very unique design each and every time they release.
The design ( the f's) and the company in general has a long history of doing good in the cardistry community. As an example of this you can see the Fontainetrials on Instagram.
For a lot of people holding a Fontaine deck feels like it might feel to you when you hold a reprint Jerry's nugget... There's something legendary about it. Also the hype is rly fun seeing, you see a lot of good cardistry and so on...
For the same money, you can buy FAR MORE elaborate greatly designed decks. Good luck to the wallets of those who buy into these standard Bicycle faces hyped at tremendously steep prices. You have to understand, for kids who can afford these decks, either (a) they come from a wealthy background, and/or (2) they have parents that spoil them.
A very unique design each and every time they release? Oh come on. Sure, the branded ones have some other design besides the f, but most of their decks are just recolors of the f on a blank colored field.
@@reanimation777 i think you have to understand that there is a difference in what designs people like to have on their decks. And secondly you cant just judge people from what cards they buy, deny it if you want to, people look differently at a fontaine deck to how they look at a deck of bikes. So A: the "kids" who buys fontaine decks want to show their skills on the internet and the fonts gives more attention and everyone watching has a fellow understanding of what this deck means. B: the kids like to have these cards...
You can't just call these kids spoiled right away, maybe these kids just prioritise differently, to a lot of these kids, having a deck that means something is wayy worth 5-6 extra bucks.
@@jasonburgess131 i think you should try looking at any decks they have made over the past couple of years buddy ;)
@@emilpind1005 As this video explains, owning and showcasing one's Fontaines does not equal to better cardistry. One does not play better piano by owning a Steinway & Sons; one does not drive better by owning a Koenigsegg. So what's the similarity between Fontaine, Steinway, and Koenigsegg? People without the skill flaunt themselves/make themselves feel better/think others would see them as superior with the branding of that high-end product.
Your (B) exists with the prerequisite of (A), which is not true at all: In XCM days, a lot of cardists used Tally-Hos to showcase their skills with no problem, D&D used the crappy-ass Jerry's Nuggets and Absolut Vodka. Did these decks "mean something" to those early day cardists? No, they're just cards that are more catchy than Bicycle.
Fontaine is doing just the opposite: creating or collabing on mostly bad designed or no designed cards, marked up by the branding "f" that gives no apparent shine besides giving the cardistry community a sense of "oooo, expensive stuff." Zach simply used his cardistry talent to create a cult following, then redirected that following to a capitalist branding that has nothing to do with what he could achieve in terms of skill. In this sense, Jaspas is even better than Zach for continuously improving his skills and teaching cardistry to his audience. What does Zach do now? Fontaine, and literally nothing else, not even a new vid, and not even any tutorial.
If you think this phenomenon is justified, so be it. Just don't cry when the bubble bursts, when the cards are so over-saturated on the market to the extent that demand is low. Believe me, it's slowed and very evident if you're a meticulous observer of playing card trends. When the brand grows their lineup to the size of NOCs, no one cares anymore. That day is soon coming.
I lucked out and got a deck of pink fountaine in a Dan and Dave set.
Like this format!
4:03 AGREED
Did I miss who won the N.P.C.C.D. deck? There where a few deck giveaways from videos around that time I never heard the winner for. Didn't know if you are just going out of order or if I missed the winners. Thanks!
Wow! That's a bold statement... ready for fan hete wave... 3.. 2...
Same with the NOC decks. If you have one NOC can't seem to get why there is a need for another NOC deck
Never understood these either. First time I saw one of these I thought it was a fairly cheap; couldn't believe some of the prices I saw when I started searching around. I guess it'd be nice to have, but I try to avoid decks that appear to be what I call "edited bicycle decks".
Sir Wake! Good to see your handsome face :)
Seriously. Thank you for exposing the hype.
Much respect for giving your "controversial" opinion straight-up. However, last year you reviewed Fort NOCs and featured Alex Pandrea (great video), so how can you criticize Fontaine for lazy design but rave about the NOCs?
Nocs are cheaper, i guess. The simplistic design reflects the price. Whereas fonts have better diversity the overall design is repetitive that may or may not be justifiable by the pricing. Props to Zach for making the brand as popular as it is. I just hope that someday my broke ass could afford those cards of his. I would love to hear the gentleman's opinion on this though.
@@Graciousweasel thank you for the reply. The retail price on Fontaine's is $15 I believe which is pretty standard pricing. I will say that I think Zach creates an artificial scarcity for his decks that drives up the secondary market prices. He limits access to new decks by releasing them thru restricted channels, like special events in a brick and mortar Rip n Dip store in LA or in Tokyo, etc. But I can think of decks that are even more "lazy design" color swaps than Fontaine, but NOCs take the cake, you can't get lazier than that.
@@ohroonoko i haven't factored in the fact that prices skyrocket once you buy it after it was released which is what happens where I'm from. And added that the store i buy cards from has to get it shipped from America and international shipping (as far as I know) isn't very cheap. The prices of regular plain nocs are about half the price of Fontaines here last i checked and nocs with "edition" in the name is roughly two-thirds the price. And to me that's pretty steep.
I guess our ideas of cheap and expensive differ greatly. If your normal price is expensive for me what more are the things expensive for you 😄 but in that regard I'd choose nocs over fonts for price but comparing the designs I'd choose fonts.
I have to disagree with you on this one because first it is absolutely not because a design is simple that it is easy to make or don't take effort it's a common misunderstanding and personally I love simple design more than overly complicated one and it's probably the case of all the people who love those deck
I don't get the hype over fontaines either.
I think people buy Fontaine cards simply because its become a brand, its the status of having a Fontaine. I like them but won't pay the high price on eBay for one. Good video, thanks.
Just because they don’t have embossed foil on the tuck case, and they don’t have filigree everywhere, with a tribal spade design with hidden logo inside it, lookin like a pair of affliction jeans, doesn’t mean they are not worth it. When it comes down to it, all playing cards over the $3.99 price tag of a standard deck of bicycle cards are not worth it, because usually USPCC printing them! So in the end you are paying to support who made them. Be it The Gentleman Wake’s hype deck-parlour playing cards(his aesthetic, his brand) or Zach Mueller’s hype deck- fontaine’s(his aesthetic his brand) they are both overpriced decks, but it’s who you want to support. This world of Magicians, slight of hand performers, and Cardistry folks, is a lot like skateboarders, BMXers and rollerbladers at the skatepark, arguing over style, technicality, and who does it better. We forget that we’re all here for one thing, the love of cards. And If you don’t like em’ don’t buy em’!
I understand that certain brands promote the community but these decks are all hype. The price does not match the design (or lack of). Because these are hyped there are "community members" who buy these and then posts them on eBay for an inflated price. Impressed with the marketing and brand though.
I have a question, how many cards do u have total? More or less and how long you have been collecting playing cards?hoe much have you spend for your collection
I am right there with you as well. Don't own any and do not want any of these. Just not my style. Great for those who like them, just not my style.
I hope I win this giveaway also I think these cards are great pretty basic but great for Cardistry but to damn expensive in the aftermarket I still would rather get tally hos bees and or standard rider backs
I know I’m a day late, but does anybody know what Theory 11 deck is best for magic?
The most straightforward choice is Monarchs. They feel great and the faces are standard so they don’t distract audience attention. Heck, they are even featured in Now You See Me.
Then again, TXI decks usually aren’t overly customized with some exceptions like High Victorian and National, so if you like what you see on their store page, go for it.
Antaris thank you
Agreed. And the other ones are even worse. Just 2 letters on stocks bikes. Don’t get me wrong. I love the minimalist design but the faces are essentially stock. No real effort or artistic value and the ones that do have even that lil bit of a change on some decks are collabs with other companies.
£20 for 3 mins graphics design + standard card stock. Barely any customisation. I completely agree with your opinion Mr Wake.
I like the cards, but I don't love them, I can totally understand your point of view...
I couldn't get into the Fontaine decks either. I found a state local card seller that hyped these cards and I watched them sell out immediately. Especially the ones that were in foil. I don't get it.. but there's a lot of people that love and bought into it.. that's ok.. just not for me
First off, congrats to the success of the fontaine brand. I do not own any fontaine decks, nor will i. I almost gave in to the hype then snapped out of it. Funny you made this video Mr. Gentleman's Wake. Get what speaks to you, not at you i guess
Often I see the hype deck supporter defend the two brands with one point: To support the cardistry community and the creators.
I do believe cardistry community is tightly knit and do need people support each other. But how often is it that to get a deck from Fontaine/A1WW is through a secondary seller, and with ridiculous markup? Their popularity is already high enough to go for a larger print run to satisfy the demand bypassing the scalpers. Virtuoso and Orbit does this well--each limited edition keeps the deck with vintage prestige, yet the latest edition is always available and affordable. Do the hype deck supporters sincerely want to support their favorite cardist like Fontaine's fund-raising root, or do they want to feel special holding a low-supply deck as an identity, akin to hype brands like Supreme and Off-White's market strategy?
Beside, I do believe criticism towards playing cards should stands on its own, not linked to the creator. Food critics judge the food in front of them, not how flashy the moves chef pull off in the kitchen. This ain't teppanyaki, chief.
we buy because we like how they look and like the people behind it. if you don't like it, then don't buy it lmao
I never said I don’t like the visual of Fontaine. They do look nice and a good choice for cardistry.
The problem is the supply are purposefully kept low to artificially increase the value. They sell at around $15 on drop, a reasonable price, but if you don’t watch their instagram religiously and cop it within 3 minute, the bots will have them and you will be looking on eBay at $30 minimum. I believe this is the main gripe most people have for hype decks. Just have enough decks available for the market and I bet all the criticism will go away.
I can’t help but ask the creators “do you really want the fans to support you, or the bots and resellers have already taken their positions?”
Those decks are from cardists for cardists. If those hype brands really care about their fans then they should have fair pricing and no limited runs.
They just simply exploit their status to the max.
I agree ✋
Did I just watch a history lesson about Fontaine cards
assalamualaikum
@@dxnishnuckal5155 Waalaikumusalam
3.2.1. and get ready for all the Fontaine fanbois to start whining
Really true, too much hype
Found these on card cutz
Nice vedeo again
Shrewd and smart marketing 100%. Better decks? Nope. But I respect the hissle that markets to the ever growing cardistry community, which I tremendously respect as a brilliant art form.
It's the age Gap why people either love or hate the cards. The gold foil cards are looked at as pompus by the younger generation.
This is the first reasonable answer to the criticism I've seen in this post.
This comment section did not pass the vibe check
Just posting this comment so i can edit it later and still look early...
Really?
Wanted to give this video a hundred likes.. LOL
The reason behind buying a Fontaine deck is the same as buying a pair of Valentino boots instead of $35 leather boots, is all about the design, history, brand, and believe it or not the quality. Fontaine decks handle surprisingly good and they look better than most decks when doing cardistry, that’s why they are aimed to cardists, not poker players or collectors. And the fact that the design is so simple makes doing Magic more about the tricks and not about the deck, since a super busy deck can create some suspicion to the deck.
They handle good not because they're Fontaines, but because of the right stock and finish which literally any card producer can use when they print with USPCC. If you want to justify yourself, at least say that the borders are thin. Otherwise, besides those collab decks, Fontaine's individual lineup is just Bicycles with a NOC back plus two "ff"s.
💙
I agree. Fontaines seem pretty lame.
Hahaha I know you're not the first to say it but.... thanks for saying it I don't get it either xD
3rd
"Social" distancing is not a thing, I hate that this formula stuck, we need "physical" distancing.
Nicolas Duguay I’ve been saying that since the beginning physical message phone calls video calls all classed as being social well said dude :)
Hype decks suck. These are more like life style products for 15 year olds and not custom designed playing cards.
Simple: NO.
just a hype deck . clearly not worth it
Nothing to see here, move along.