Deck View: Survival (Charcoal Edition) Playing Cards

Rugged. Functional. Adventurous.

Survival (Charcoal Edition) Playing Cards blends practical outdoor knowledge with thoughtful design, creating a deck inspired by wilderness exploration and self-reliance.

Created by Bradley Mountain in collaboration with Art of Play and illustrated by Andrew Nguyen, every card features a unique hand-drawn survival tip, turning the deck into both a playable tool and an educational reference. From fire-starting techniques to wilderness skills, each card contributes to the deck’s outdoor theme.

The artwork extends beyond the tips, with custom pips, indices, and illustrated court cards designed specifically for the project. The Charcoal Edition embraces a clean, minimalist aesthetic, highlighted by a matte tuck box featuring a striking bird emblem and a letterpress finish produced by Clove Street Press.

Printed by the USPCC on premium crushed stock, the deck combines durability and flexibility with a distinctive design that appeals to both playing card enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.

On Kickstarter, The Ship of Theseus Playing Cards

The Ship of Theseus Playing Cards by MAINTEREST is a narrative-driven luxury playing card collection inspired by the famous philosophical paradox of identity and transformation. Drawing from maritime mythology, ancient symbolism, and the age of sail, the deck explores a central question: if every part of a ship is replaced over time, does it remain the same vessel?

This concept is woven into every layer of the design, from the artwork to the packaging. The deck follows a fictional crew aboard a symbolic vessel, each member representing different aspects of human experience such as memory, authority, craftsmanship, faith, and survival. 

These characters are divided across suits, with each suit functioning as a thematic chapter in a larger unfolding voyage. The four Aces expand this structure further by anchoring each suit in a core philosophical idea tied to transformation and identity.

Visually, the deck is built around a richly illustrated Age of Sail aesthetic, combining detailed character artwork with compass motifs, celestial navigation symbols, and layered ornamental borders. 

The card backs reinforce the theme of time and change through sun-and-moon cycles, maritime iconography, and symmetrical navigation diagrams that reflect the ongoing tension between continuity and renewal.

A defining feature of the project is its highly engineered packaging system. Instead of a traditional tuck box, many editions feature a pop-up creative storage structure that unfolds into a sculptural display piece. This mechanism reveals layered artwork of the ship and its symbolic journey, physically mirroring the philosophical idea of transformation as the box itself changes form.

Multiple versions exist, ranging from accessible single-deck releases to collector-focused sets that include acrylic display cases, wooden storage boxes, commemorative coins, and a limited purple edition restricted to 300 copies. Pledge starts at $18 on Kickstarter.

Army Men Playing Cards by The Futurist Co.

Army Men Playing Cards by The Futurist Co. is a nostalgic tribute to the iconic “Little Green Men” that defined generations of backyard battles and toy-box warfare. Inspired by the classic plastic army figurines of the 1950s and 60s, the deck recreates their unmistakable molded aesthetic with monochromatic green artwork, oval display bases, and vintage military styling throughout every card.

The court cards replace traditional royalty with battlefield specialists drawn directly from the classic toy soldier lineup. Kings, Queens, and Jacks appear as bazooka operators, machine gunners, officers with binoculars, medics, and flag bearers, each posed like miniature plastic figurines frozen mid-action. 

The Jokers expand the battlefield further with M48 Patton-style tanks and commanders emerging from their hatches, while the Ace of Spades features a saluting soldier integrated into a bold tactical spade emblem.

Army Men Playing Cards combines playful nostalgia, toy-inspired design, and military iconography into a deck that celebrates the enduring charm of one of the most recognizable toys ever created. 

Pledge starts at $10 on Kickstarter.

GRIT: Mountain Bike Playing Cards

GRIT: Mountain Bike Playing Cards is a community-driven, mountain bike-inspired playing card project created by riders, for riders. Designed by Jim Wittwer to celebrate the culture surrounding mountain biking as much as the sport itself, the deck captures the camaraderie, trail stories, crashes, progression, and post-ride conversations that define MTB life beyond the bike.

Rather than focusing purely on cycling aesthetics, the project embraces the broader spirit of mountain biking culture... the shared climbs, skill-building sessions, dirt-covered wipeouts, and social experiences that bring riders together. The deck is aimed at mountain bikers, collectors, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys premium custom playing cards with a strong thematic identity.

The design divides the suits into four rider “teams,” each representing different aspects of riding culture and personality. Hearts reflects riders who enjoy every moment on the trail, Clubs emphasizes precision and control, Diamonds represents strategy and focus, while Spades embodies endurance, toughness, and grit. Every suit symbol is custom-designed to resemble mountain bike tire tread patterns, subtly integrating cycling details into the gameplay experience.

The deck’s visual identity leans heavily into the rugged, worn-in feel of real trail riding. The artwork includes intentional “marks of the ride,” giving the impression that the cards themselves have been through muddy trails, crashes, and long rides. The Red and Gray editions share the same face cards and number card designs, creating a unified visual system across both colorways.

The Aces highlight real mountain biking trail locations across the United States, with elevation profiles based on actual routes and riding events. Even the Jokers reflect the duality of mountain biking culture, contrasting stylish trick-focused riding with the chaos of crashes and failed landings.

Produced in collaboration with Legends Playing Card Company, and pledge starts at $15 on Kickstarter.