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.

Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards

Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards by Dan and Dave is an experimental playing card project that explores the intersection of cardistry, architecture, philosophy, cinema, design, and Japanese aesthetics within the traditional 52-card structure. The series is built around the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction, using iterative design as a creative framework.

Across the broader Case Study concept, 52 prototype back designs are reimagined through systematic variation, all derived from the foundational DD logo. This approach treats the card back not as a fixed graphic, but as a design system capable of endless reinterpretation... blending minimalism, structure, and conceptual art into a unified visual language.

Version 11 stands out within the series as an artistic hand-sketched interpretation of the card back, featuring the iconic DD logo as its central motif. This edition emphasizes raw illustration and expressive linework, giving the deck a more tactile, studio-study feel compared to more geometric or refined iterations in the series.

Produced as a limited collector’s release, Case Study Version 11 is numbered from 001 to 288. Available NOW on Dan and Dave store for $30.

Deck View: Legends #852 (Chromatic Edition) Playing Cards

Radiant. Innovative. Refined.

Legends #852 (Chromatic Edition) playing cards showcases the creative potential of cold foil printing, reimagining the iconic artwork of the original Legends #852 deck in a vibrant new form. 

Reimagined by Randy Butterfield and based on the original artwork by Mark Stutzman, the Chromatic Edition uses a silver cold foil base layered with full CMYK color printing. The result is a striking spectrum of color that shifts and catches light while preserving the intricate details of the classic #852 design.

Unlike traditional hot foil, the cold foil treatment creates a more subtle metallic effect, giving the deck a sophisticated sheen rather than an overt shine. This approach highlights the deck's ornate artwork while demonstrating the versatility of one of the industry's most advanced printing techniques.

Printed by Legends Playing Card Company on their Pre-Crushed Classic Finish, the deck offers a soft, flexible feel straight out of the box, complementing its visually impressive presentation. Available now for $22 on Legends Playing Cards.

LiaoZhai Playing Cards by ARK

LiaoZhai Playing Cards by ARK is an art-driven collection inspired by Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, the legendary supernatural anthology written by Pu Songling. Drawing from centuries-old Eastern folklore, the project transforms classic tales of spirits, fox demons, and human desire into an immersive collector’s experience that combines storytelling, luxury craftsmanship, and theatrical presentation.

Continuing ARK’s exploration of Eastern fantasy aesthetics following its ShanHai series, the deck uses traditional Chinese splash-ink painting techniques to create an ethereal atmosphere filled with flowing brushwork, softened forms, and dreamlike transitions between the mortal and supernatural worlds.Every illustration is designed to feel as though it has emerged directly from an ancient scroll, blending haunting elegance with contemporary collectible design.

The centerpiece of the project is ARK’s highly elaborate packaging system. Housed within a snake-bone-inspired slipcase featuring embossing and gold foil accents, the tuck case unfolds into a rotating cross-shaped three-dimensional theatre inspired by pop-up carousel books. As the structure rotates, four iconic Liaozhai stories gradually reveal themselves as miniature stage scenes, allowing the deck to function as both a playable object and an interactive display piece. 

The card backs continue this narrative approach through animated panoramic artwork that shifts from elegant Suzhou-style gardens into eerie supernatural landscapes when fanned. Each suit is tied to one of four classic Liaozhai tales. 

The custom courts features Chinese narrative characters symbolising “Beginning,” “Progression,” and “Ending,” turning every suit into a miniature visual story arc. The Jokers further reinforce the deck’s central themes by representing the coexistence of the mortal and underworld realms through contrasting yin-and-yang imagery.

Multiple collector editions expand the experience further, including holographic gilded versions, monochrome manuscript-inspired editions, large-format artist boxsets, and an elaborate wooden collector’s display box that transforms into a rotating theatre stand for the fully unfolded tuck structure. Across every edition, ARK maintains its focus on premium materials, intricate engineering, and highly tactile production techniques.

Pledge starts at $30 on Kickstarter.