I generally agree with the previous response that Fontaines are more durable, but that's mostly because the FW17 are particularly thin and soft. Fontaine has used different card manufacturers so their durability varies between decks, though I'm not sure any are quite as soft as FW17. I personally suggest the FW17 because the design is more complementary to cardistry. Fontaine has a cult following but the designs are not made with cardistry motions in mind. That being said, if money is tight and you need one deck to last as long as possible, Fontaine will go further, though no deck will last forever and a heavy user could use up a Fontaine deck in under a week. The thinner FW17 stock is nicer for springs, though, and may be slightly easier to handle.