Pretty near each and every man alive today carries around one style of wallet or another in their pocket.
They might choose to have a more traditional leather wallet or opt for a more sleek and functional metal wallet. One that is intended to hold just the essential items for everyday carry. Which begs the question, which type is better?
The answer, of course, depends on you and your personal style and lifestyle. Do you like the extra space provided and don’t mind carrying a larger wallet? Are you more minimalist and only carry a few things and would like a smaller wallet? Is it more a question as to which provides more safety and security for what is inside the wallet for you? And that's just a few different questions that may come to mind when considering which type is best for you.
For Those Who Are Looking for Card Safety and Security
If your main concern when deciding whether to carry a slim RFID wallet is the security and safety of your cards, then it would definitely be a good decision for you. Traditional leather wallets simply cannot offer the same level of protection as a thin RFID blocking wallet can, and they are much bulkier than their metal-framed counterparts.
Not only will having your wallet lined in metal help keep your cards from being bent or broken as opposed to leather wallets, which will allow them to be damaged and either break or completely fail to operate but thanks to their metal frame construction featuring RFID blocking technology, they also protect the data stored in your RFID chipped cards.
For the Minimalist Side
Do you find yourself from time to time looking at your wallet and wishing it was smaller? Maybe you just don't keep enough inside it to warrant carrying such a large object in your pocket. If either of these describes you, then a slim RFID wallet could also be a good option for you, as well.
This type of wallet is specifically designed to only fit the essential items, like your credit cards, debit cards, gym cards, and other important cards you want to keep handy and is, therefore, the perfect type for you if you prefer to only carry around what is necessary for your day to day routine. Not only reducing clutter and excess stuff in your pockets but holding the cards in place and making them easier and faster to find the right one when you need it.
For the Nostalgic Among us who Like Their Larger Sized Leather Wallet and its Space
Some of those among us will always prefer to keep their trusty leather wallet. This is likely the style that they have carried for the most part of their adult lives and even grew up watching the men in their lives carry the same in their younger years. Some people like the feel, flexibility, and even the smell that comes with leather made wallets.
If you aren't one who is much bothered by the idea of carrying a much larger wallet, or maybe you even prefer to have the bigger wallets as they tend to be capable of carrying much more than any slim wallets can handle, then you will likely want to stick with a tried and tested leather style wallet.
Or, maybe you don't have any RFID cards to worry about being scanned while you’re out and about. In this case, the blocking technology wouldn't be as relevant. At least until you get a card with the RFID tag in it, that is. But, if you aren't worried about the risk of scammers managing to activate and scan them anyway, it's up to you.
How Does RFID Blocking Work?
RFID chips work when they are activated by an electromagnetic field by a chip reader device, which powers up the tiny antenna built into the card to send out the signal and make rapid monetary transactions. The major flaw of this technology is that the cards can be activated by scanning devices that will then hijack the information from the cards, and the scammer stealing it never needs to come within arms reach.
You would never know it even happened until it was too late to stop it completely, then you are left with the monstrous pain of having to deal with the repercussions of someone shady gaining access to your highly sensitive personal information. Fortunately, this type of card fraud is easily blocked entirely in a completely passive way, known as RFID blocking technology. It is a constant blocking shield that you will never have to worry with, as it is always protecting any cards inside.
This feat is achieved by the metal frames that are either inside the wallet covered in a leather or fabric wrap or completely make up the entirety of the body of the wallet, acting like a miniature Faraday cage that you put your cards into. Faraday cage is a term for a protective metal structure placed around an object that basically captures the radio or energy waves and stops them from ever reaching whatever object has been put inside.
In the case of RFID blocking wallets, this means that the activating electromagnetic fields that are sent out by card skimming devices in an attempt to activate them and take their sensitive information cannot get through to the cards inside. This thereby creates the most secure scenario imaginable for these ever more popular cards that are rapidly replacing other forms of non-contactless cards, like the magnetic strip cards that can be easily wiped out completely with a strong enough magnet.
So, Should You Get a Slim RFID Wallet?
The shortest answer that can be given to that question is that it is completely dependent on your own personal preference or style choices, and on how concerned you are with protecting the cards and other items contained in your wallet. Therefore, it is a very variable question to be asked. There is no real definitive answer that will be correct in the case of every man with a wallet. There are, quite literally billions of them being carried every day by all different manners of people in all different manner of situations.
The wallet that perfectly fits into the lifestyle and preferences of one man could easily be the next man’s worst wallet nightmare scenario. One man will want to carry extra cards and cash in their wallet just in case, while the next might prefer to keep only their bank card on them and find an ATM whenever they absolutely have to have some cash. However, in an increasingly digital economy, these types of situations are getting more and more rare to encounter.
As there is no way to definitively say whether or not slim RFID wallets are the best, our only real recommendation is to take a few moments and do a little research into the different types and styles that are available for you to purchase before spending the money on a wallet that doesn't suit your individual needs. This is the only true way to make the best choice in wallets based on exactly what you are looking for in your next everyday carry wallet.
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