I stopped using card sleeves on my board games and the table is better for it
Everyone in my local group in Phoenix insists on sleeving every card before a game hits the table, but after losing 2 hours of setup time one Friday I just quit doing it. My copy of Wingspan has hit the table 30 plus times bare, and the cards still shuffle fine and nobody has complained once. Sleeves add cost, bulk, and a weird slippery feel that makes shuffling worse for me. Does anyone else skip the sleeves, or am I the odd one out here?
Saying sleeves make shuffling worse is backwards for me, since bare cards get sticky and clump after enough plays. But you're right that most games don't need them, just don't let Wingspan get too worn or a marked card will give away the deck.