Looking for a travel tarot deck that won’t take up half my bag. My current one is ridiculously bulky and I just. never bring it anywhere because of that
Are mini decks actually usable or are they more of a novelty thing? Would love to hear what people are using if they read on the go
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The most common is the traditional RWT, but travel size (traditional deck on the right for reference):
And then a lot of oracle decks have their own mini variation these days (sizes vary based on the deck).
The WU travel set has a mini guidebook as well. Great for beginners but you could save even more space just carrying the cards.
If you really want to push it, there are also some mini Tarot decks, but you start to even get into keyring size at that point. You need good eyesight to work with a deck like that!
My full-size deck basically lives on my nightstand because I can’t be bothered to lug it around. The RWT is always a good choice, but if you prefer Oracle decks then these are my travel size picks:
I know some people think the deck is overhyped, but it is popular for a reason.
If that isn’t your vibe, then Everyday Witch is good too:
There’s a big difference between ‘mini’ and ‘pocket’ sizes, and that trips people up more than you’d think. The true minis from Lo Scarabeo are about 44mm by 80mm - roughly 1.7 x 3.1 inches - and they make a ton of them. Celtic Tarot Mini, Pagan Cats Mini, Art Nouveau Mini… the list keeps going. Cute and very packable. But some people find them genuinely hard to shuffle because they’re so small, and the cardstock on the Lo Scarabeo ones is pretty slick too.
If you want something small but still actually comfortable to handle, look at the pocket/bridge size range instead. The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck in a Tin is 2.25 x 3.75 inches, so bigger than a true mini but way smaller than standard tarot. Comes in a sturdy little tin which is great for throwing in a bag. The images are still clear and readable at that size, and the colors have this nice muted vintage feel since it’s based on Pamela Colman Smith’s original 1909 artwork.
Anything in that pocket/bridge range is fully usable for real readings. The keychain-sized stuff like the Tiny Universal Waite (literally 2 x 3.5 centimeters) is basically impossible to shuffle - more of a collector thing.
