Wallet design is experiencing a renaissance after going unchanged for decades with new experimentations in shape, size, and material. And that’s largely because the last few years have seen massive changes in the way we, as a society, pay for things. Remember when you’re Mom would buy groceries using a check from the bank? Thankfully, those days are behind us. But as we move into a more digital and less cash-focused way of life, figuring out which type of wallet fits with your lifestyle can be tricky. Today, we’re covering an old-school classic, the leather wallet, and a brand-new type of wallet, the carbon fiber wallet, so you can find out which one is right your you. Are you team leather or team carbon fiber?
Leather Wallets
Leather has been the go-to material for wallets going back hundreds of years, and while the design may have changed from coin satchel to bifold, the choice of using leather has remained the same. This is thanks to leather’s unique combination of beauty and functionality. Not only does leather look and smell good, but it’s durable, long-lasting, and naturally water resistant.
But whether leather is right for you depends on how you want your wallet to perform. While leather is a durable material, it certainly isn’t the most durable, and thus comes with some weaknesses. The main one being that leather requires precise care to keep it looking good for a long time. This might mean investing leather care equipment, like a soft brush and a good leather conditioner. Secondly, even though leather is naturally water resistant because of oils present in the hide, it is not entirely waterproof. So you must be careful to not get it too wet or dirty, since leather wallets are notoriously hard to clean.
That being said, leather wallets do carry a certain old-world aesthetic that other materials just can’t imitate. Depending on the way you like to dress, a leather wallet may match better with your current accessories, such as watch, belt, or pair of shoes. Leather wallets are also available in a variety of designs, from classic bifold to ultra-slim trigger wallet. So whether you typically need space for lots of cash, or just your essential few cards, you can find a leather wallet with the perfect carry capacity.
Our slim leather wallet pick: The Parliament
- fast-card access at the click of button
- RFID protection
- holds 1-12 cards plus cash
- made from genuine full-grain leather in vegan, matte, and luxury styles
- pair it with a Tracker Card to make it unlosable
Our leather bifold pick: The Modular Bifold
- classic bifold with slim design
- inner magnetic cardholder with RFID protection
- holds 12+ cards and 10+ bills
- made from genuine full-grain leather
- pair it with a Tracker Card to make it unlosable
Carbon Fiber Wallets
Carbon fiber is quickly becoming one of the most popular materials for modern wallets. Ultra-lightweight and ultra-strong, this metal is known for it’s applications is aerospace engineering, motorsports, and competitive cycling. For our purposes, this means your carbon fiber wallet is can be very strong, like iron, without the extra weight that other strong metals have.
Being metal, carbon fiber wallets are very easy to clean, simply use a sponge, paper towel, washcloth, and whatever cleaner you want. Carbon fiber wallets are extremely durable and entirely weatherproof, it can withstand intense heat, cold, light, water, and doesn’t bend easily. If you’re looking for a wallet that can take a beating then the carbon fiber wallet is right for you.
Carbon fiber wallets have a much more minimalist and futuristic appearance than leather wallets, and don’t come in quite the range of styles. Most carbon fiber wallets are slim cardholders, and while almost all provide room for both cards and cash, carbon wallets do not generally come in bifold designs. The upside is that a carbon fiber wallet will be much slimmer than a leather one, perfect if you’re looking for a slim front pocket wallet.
A carbon fiber wallet is also likely to match much better with your accessories if you’re into a more modern style. Available in both normal carbon and forged carbon fiber, these wallets have an industrial, monotone, feel to them. But the modernness goes far beyond just looks. Carbon fiber wallets also offer wireless theft protection by naturally acting as a Faraday cage, so the data cannot be stolen off your cards.
Our carbon fiber wallet pick: The Carbon Fiber Cardholder
- fast-card access at the click of button
- holds 1-15 cards plus cash
- RFID protection
- made from top quality carbon fiber
- pair it with a Tracker Card to make it unloseable
