Q about Japan Rail Pass revised format

Hello,

I'll be coming back to Japan 1st time after COVID restrictions were lifted.
During all my previous trips I was using JRP or mix of regional passes but they were old paperback versions.
It will be my first time using new type of JRP that is accepted by automatic gates, and here my question about it.
Is the pass in new format durable enough to hold 15 days use through the automatic gates or it's advisable to buy some sort of plastic cover for it ?

I had a 21 day pass that started failing on day 18, after which I switched to using manned gates. The ticket was stored in a fabric/plastic card holder, and it still looked intact. It was probably the magnetic band that was corrupted, so covering it in plastic would probably not help.

I bought a 3wk JRP and kept it in my passport, and it still looked new after 3 weeks of use. They will exchange it if worn/torn, but you will need to show the original receipt.

If you are careful what you do with it between uses, it will hold up.

I followed another forum posterfs advice (I canft remember who it was, but thanks!) and bought a pass case at a 100-yen store at the beginning of the trip. That worked well for me, protecting the pass and making it easier to find in my stuff. I got two cases in the package and used the second one to hold reserved seat tickets.

The new pass has the same format as a credit card. It is much easier to keep "in shape" than the old version. I kept mine in my "cards wallet" and had no problem with it. I used a 14-day pass and stayed in the same city for the first 10 days of my trip, so I kept it for more than 3 weeks in total and it went well. Just keep it in a case or wallet and you'll be fine.

I used a 21-day pass this year to take advantage of the old prices - I kept it in my wallet where it would not get creased or mangled, and it held up just fine. Of course, how many times you're pulling it out and running it through the turnstiles may also be a factor.

I store my pile of tickets in 100-yen card wallets. Works for the passes as well which are essentially just paper tickets (the "new" pass format has been around for more than three years).
You might note that even near new passes fail and need to be replaces, even without any obvious signs of wear.