A lot of Magic the Gathering players are looking for the perfect MTG backpack. I have found what I feel like is the ultimate trading card backpack that I take with me whenever I am playing cards on the go. The bag fits everything I could need, is very comfortable to wear, has tons of pockets and provides some excellent anti-theft measures to boot.
An MTG backpack needs to be able to carry everything you need while providing a bit of security to protect your collectables. With a little bit of organization and neat packing, you can easily create your own perfect trading card backpack. This article will go over, in detail, the contents of my bag along with images to show how everything works. If you are in need of an MTG backpack, follow along!
Table of Contents
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My Trading Card Backpack Wish List
When I was researching for my MTG backpack, there were a few key features I was looking for. First and foremost, I wanted the trading card backpack to have enough volume to carry 4-5 Commander decks and 4-5 regular decks along with a playmat and some dice. Next, I wanted something that was a bit secure, so I started looking into anti-theft backpacks. Lastly, while not entirely necessary, I really wanted the backpack to have a built-in USB port so I could hook up a batter bank and charge my phone by connecting it directly to the backpack, rather than find and pull out the battery bank. All of this led me to the 17in Kopack Security Backpack.
The MTG Backpack
The 17in Kopack Security Backpack literally ticked all of the items on my MTG backpack wish list. It is marketed as an anti-theft laptop backpack that features hidden zippers. As the name suggests, it satisfies my security wish.
I figured the laptop slot would make a great spot to put a binder. Volume wise, it seemed like it could hold a fair bit, so that item was checked off the list. Finally, it has a built in USB port which was great to see.
Another really nice thing about this bag is that it has got pockets all over the place. There are pockets in the main compartment, on the sides of the main compartment, pockets on the outside flaps, and even pockets on the backpack straps. So. Many. Pockets. The bottom of the bag even has a pocket with an included waterproof rain cover for the bag, which is great. Especially for keeping trading cards dry!
The next thing I looked at were the reviews and price. Overall, this bag sits at a 4.7/5 star rating with hundreds of positive, detailed reviews. I ultimately chose the 17in version. Initially, I purchased the 15.6in version, but I wasn’t able to fit everything I wanted comfortably in it. For example, the bag wouldn’t close if the binders were inside with everything else. So I returned it and tried the 17in version and it worked out great. From a price standpoint, it was well within my budget, especially considering all the features it has, including the anti-theft measures.
The MTG Backpack’s Anti-Theft Measures
The Kopack Security Backpack has a couple of anti-theft measures built into it. The biggest is that there are no zippers on the front, top or sides of the outside of the bag. The only pockets not inside the bag are on the bottom, for the waterproof rain cover and two pockets, one on each side of the flaps near you waste/hips. Those flap pockets are only accessible to the wearer as well. The main compartment’s zippers are on the backside of the backpack. So when you’re wearing the bag, the zippers are against your back, rather than exposed from the bag’s exterior.
Additionally, the main compartment’s zippers also have a hole on each one so they can be locked together, which is a nice detail that was added. Kopack also claims that the bag is cut resistant. Though I have not tried to test that claim, for obvious reason. In regards to being cut resistant, the fabric does feel tough and durable, but I’m not entirely sure if it would stand up to a razor blade, for example. It is supposedly made up of 6 individual layers of material, so maybe it is?
All Other Features of My MTG Backpack
Apart from the functionality mentioned above, this bag is extremely comfortable to wear. The straps and back support have ample padding and is made from a breathable material too. One really cool feature is that this bag can be setup to open at 30 degrees, like a traditional backpack, 90 degrees with easy access and finally a full 180 degrees with both halves laying flat! Initially, I didn’t give that one thought. But now that I have a bag than can open 180 degrees, I don’t think I can ever use a bag that doesn’t open that wide.
Everything was pointing towards an amazing trading card backpack. I was feeling very positive towards the Kopack Security Backpack and did my final round of research. After reading some product reviews, I headed to YouTube to see if there were any reviews. I found a really thorough review that went over every square inch of this bag in detail. Truth be told, I think this video is what drove the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, and pushed me to purchase the backpack. If you’re on the fence or want to know more, I’d recommend giving this video a watch.
What’s Inside My MTG Backpack?
Now that you’ve seen the bag I ultimately chose as my trading card backpack, what all is in it? The image above shows everything currently inside my MTG backpack, all laid out. I have the basic stuff like my decks (obviously), a playmat and some dice.
But I also have a couple binders, some 3D printed MTG accessories and some other odds and ends. This section will breakdown everything I have inside my MTG backpack in detail. If you find something you like and want more details, I have an extensive article all about the MTG Accessories you’ll see here.
Binders
I have two different binders in my MTG backpack. The first binder is a 9 pocket folio style binder. This binder is used to house my Commander cards that live in multiple decks. I have some printed cards that I use in the decks and keep the real versions in the binder. I did remove the elastic strap from the binder by snipping it off with some scissors. Personal preference and all that. The second binder is a Pokemon 4 pocket folio style binder that I had lying around.
Gun to my head, brutal honestly, it is really bad quality. The plastic sheets are splitting at the seems, so I’d recommend this 4 pocket folio style binder instead. I have one of these (not pictured) that I use as my Sliver binder. Regardless, this is what I use as my trade binder. Anything I am willing trade away goes in this binder. Usually it is cards I have multiple copies of, or cards that have a misprint or factory defect.
Deck Boxes
I like to have some variety on me when I am on the road to play Magic. I carry two deck storage boxes in my MTG backpack to hold all my decks. Right now, I have 11 decks in my MTG backpack consisting of 6 Commander decks, 1 Pioneer deck, 1 Pauper deck, 2 Modern decks & 1 ‘kitchen table’ deck. I also sometimes carry a fatpack box which holds another 2 commander decks, 1 token box and a couple of cards I have in some magnetic cases.
Deck Storage Boxes
These deck storage boxes are great and can hold 5 commanders or 6 regular decks per box. The first one is a genuine Ultimate Guard Arkhive 400+. It is very nice and super ‘premium’ feeling. However, it is pretty expensive. Rather than buy more of those, I found some generic Arkhive clones on Amazon that are much, much cheaper. For less than the price of a single Ultimate Guard Arkhive 400+, you can get TWO generic ones, as they come in a 2 pack!
They are not as ‘premium’ feeling as the Arkhives, but at the end of the day, this is just a box to hold other (deck) boxes. Both the Arkhive and generic Arkhive clones have both stayed in really good condition since I’ve had them. Thankfully, size-wise, they are identical, which I was initially worried about. The only other major difference is the magnets. The Arkhive magnets are a bit stronger than the generic ones, but for my uses, that isn’t a big deal since these are tightly packed inside my MTG backpack.
Deck Boxes
For the actual deck boxes, I am a big fan of Ultimate Guard Boulders. I use the Ultimate Guard Boulder 80+ for my commander decks. I don’t double sleeve my Commander decks so they fit perfectly inside the 80+. In fact, I can fit 103-105 single sleeved cards in each one. I’m sure some sleeves, like Dragon Shield, won’t fit that many cards since they are thicker. The sleeves I am using are Ultra Pro Eclipse sleeves, for the most part. I do have a set of Ultra Pro Azorius sleeves I use that a bit thicker than the Eclipse sleeves. It is snug, but I can fit 102 single sleeved cards in one of the 80+ Boulders.
All of my other non-100 card decks, like my Modern or Pioneer decks, live inside the basic Ultra Pro Deck Boxes. These deck boxes can fit a regular 60 card deck and a 15 card sideboard single sleeved, or a regular 60 card deck without a sideboard double sleeved. Again, I am using Ultra Pro Eclipse sleeves for these decks as well.
Lastly, I have a single Ultimate Guard Boulder 40+ I use for some tokens. Though, I have been moving away from these types of tokens since I created my own 3D printed token counters and leaving the 40+ Boulder at home. I can easily fit 55 tokens in this boulder (not sleeved). If you have double-sided tokens, that is 110 different tokens you can carry in a single 40+ Boulder!
Dice & All Other Accessories
I have a variety of dice and other accessories in my MTG backpack. Some of this stuff is 3D printed. I will link to the 3D models so you can print your own if you have access to a 3D printer. All of these models are free from either ThingiVerse or Printables.
Dice
I keep all of my dice and counters inside a medieval style leather pouch that I then pour into a collapsible parts tray to act as a bowl to hold everything while I am playing. This set up works out really nice as I can easily riffle through the bowl to find the exact die or counter I need. And since the parts tray is collapsible, it easily tucks away in the back pocket on the outside of my MTG backpack. For my dice, I use a set regular (16mm) plus/minus dice and then have a set of smaller (12mm) dice. I love the 12mm dice because I can fit more into my dice pouch, and the plus/minus dice can act as normal d6 or as +/- counters.
Playmat & Playmat Tube
The playmat is the clear tube you see in the photo. For the actual playmat, I went with a custom playmat and submitted an image to have printed on it. It turned out really well, but the image I submitted was very high quality. It was basically an HD desktop background. For anyone curious, if you submit an image that isn’t high resolution, the playmay will arrive all grainy and blurry. If you go this route, make sure the image you want printed on the playmat has a very high resolution (at minimum 1920×1080 pixels). To keep my playmat safe, I use the Ultra Pro Playmat Tube. It has lasted years and still functions and looks great.
Commander Tray & Life Counter
The life counter I use is actually a free model I found and 3D printed. I printed the number wheels in white and the ends in black. Then, I took a toothpick and some black paint to fill in the numbers so they are easier to read. If you want to print your own, checkout the free Modular Life Counter 3D model.
I liked this Modular Life Counter so much that I designed an EDH/Commander Tray that the life counter fits in. This was one of my first 3D models I ever designed to try and learn from. It actually came out really nice. It has spaces for 5x standard sized d20 die, 2x 16mm die, 3x 12mm die, 1x commander card and 1x modular life counter. Click the link to download the free 3D models for this EDH/Commander Tray. Be sure to check out my other free 3D models while you’re there!
Punchcard Abilities/Counters
I found a really cool use for those Ikoria Punchcards, or any punch-outs from Commander pre-cons. I discovered that penny coin capsules work really well to hold them. If you’re interested in making your own, you will want to find 19mm Penny Coin Capsules. Amazon has some of these Penny Coin Capsules, but they are pretty expensive in my opinion. I actually purchased mine from eBay as they were much more affordable. Here is the exact set of Penny Coin Capsules I bought from eBay. Just be warned, I did need to trim some of the punch-outs for them to fit inside the capsules without crimping/pinching the edges of the punch-out.
Compact Dice Tower
The final accessory I keep in my MTG backpack is this awesome compact, collapsible dice tower. It is more of a novelty piece rather than a functional piece. Kind of like a conversation starter, if you will. I have a really nice set of heavy duty metal dice I keep with it. This is another free 3D model I found and printed. You can download your own Collapsible Dice Tower and print it out too! I printed all the steps in white and everything else in black. I think it has a nice color combination that way.
Wrapping Up
That wraps up my ultimate trading card backpack. This is my MTG backpack at full capacity. Depending on where I am going, I will often times leave some of these items at home. I wanted to illustrate that my MTG backpack can hold everything I could possibly need. I hope this has given you some ideas to use for your MTG backpack. Feel free to let me know what you use in the comments below. I love seeing and reading about what others are using as it may give me ideas to improve my own setup in the future! Safe and happy travels.
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