We often take them for granted, but the wallet is one of the most essential parts of our everyday carry. Along with our phone and our keys, it’s something we almost always remember to bring along when we leave the house and it’s something we almost always come back for when we forget it. Being out and about without a wallet in your back pocket just doesn’t seem right.
That necessity and its accompanying utility is why a lot of us develop an attachment to our wallets. So much so that it’s not unusual to see people using the same billfold for the better part of a decade. Many guys we know, in fact, keep using the same wallet even in their tattered and crumbling state, only letting go once it finally rips and falls apart with no salvation in sight. Granted, we prefer swapping out an old wallet for a new one as soon as the seams start ripping or the shell starts crumbling, but so long as it don’t look like it belongs in a trash heap, even a beat-up billfold does bring its own unique charms.
Basically, your wallet is something that will stick with you for a while. That’s why, it’s worth taking the time to look up different options and even spending a little extra for a good one that both suits your exact needs and complements your everyday style.
These are our favorite wallets.
Inkleaf Snap Wallet
While most modern wallets are designed around cards, some people still prefer to carry a bit more cash and a minimum of cards. This wallet is designed for those folks, with a main pocket that can hold a fair bit of bills and a slit pocket sized to hold up to three cards. A flap with two snap buttons ensure you can keep it shut tight to avoid having any of its contents fall out, while a full-grain leather construction, saddle stitching, and burnished edges give it a classic rugged aesthetic.
Filson Tin Cloth Smokejumper Wallet
According to Filson, this wallet was developed at the request of firefighters, who wanted a wallet that can resist tears, punctures, water, and wind. As such, they made a wallet using the same material as their popular tin cloth bag, which Filson hails as their toughest waxed cotton fabric. They pair the tough canvas with a lightweight nylon webbing, too, so it’s durable all around. It’s a tad bigger than it looks in photos, offering four card slots and a section for bills, with a fold-over flap that slips into an exterior pocket to neatly wrap it close. Comes in three colors: tan, cinder, and otter green.
Ekster Parliament Wallet
Want a wallet that offers a bit more than the typical notecase? Ekster calls this model “a premium leather smart wallet,” integrating quick card access button, RFID blocking, and even a card-shaped Chipolo Bluetooth tracker, so you can easily find your wallet when you forget where you last put it. The quick access button is particularly nice, as it slides up your cards with a single press so you can quickly grab them. Do note, the button only works for cards in the aluminum slot inside, which accommodates a maximum of six cards. That aluminum is covered in leather, complete with an outside fold, allowing them to integrate another two card slots and an elastic band for holding cash inside. The tracker is optional, by the way, and can be slipped inside one of the slots if you want to use it.
Ridge Wallet
Billed as a “21st century wallet,” this metal notecase is slim enough to carry in a front pocket at just 6mm thick, all while accommodating up to 12 cards in its expandable dual-track compartment. An elastic strap on one side allows it to hold down any small amount of cash you need to keep on hand during the day, although you can also opt for a spring steel money clip in place of the strap, which is a little thicker. It’s RFID-blocking, too, so your credit card info is perfectly secure the whole time. The wallet, by the way, comes in a choice of materials, including aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium, as well as a range of colors and designs.
Bellroy Hide & Seek
If you prefer the old-world charm of traditional leather billfolds, this option from Bellroy makes for a conventional yet contemporary pick, combining an ECCO leather construction with painted edge that eliminate extra folds to keep the whole thing as slim as possible. They also reinforced it with RFID lining, ensuring it provides the same protective tech as most modern wallets. It has a bill section for all the cash you prefer to have on hand, along with four quick-access slots for your most frequently used cards. There’s also a slot in the bill section for storing extra cards, along with a hidden section in the back for any backup cash you’re stashing for an emergency. As if the supple leather isn’t good-looking enough, they also added stitched thread embellishments and subtly contrasting leather textures just to give it an extra dose of style.
Edward Field iPhone Wallet
While people don’t walk around carrying their checkbooks anymore, Edward Field found another way to get people to use the checkbook wallet form factor. In this instance, they replaced the checkbook pouch on one side with a microsuction foam sheet that you can use to attach your iPhone onto it. That way, you can use the same wallet you use to protect your cards and cash to serve as protective cover for your phone. It’s designed so that you can use your phone while it’s attached to the wallet, complete with a cutout in the back for the rear camera, making for quite the unique billfold. As a traditional wallet function, it gets four card slots, an L pocket for receipts, and a side access slot for bills. Make sure to specify your iPhone model when buying, as it comes sized for all 12 and 13 models.
Il Bussetto Billfold
Want an elegant-looking wallet that will go well with the fancy suits you wear most days of the week? You’ll probably love this wallet from Il Bussetto, who make some of the finest small-batch leather goods you will find. Using a special Tuscan technique that molds the leather on wooden structures, this wallet is rendered in a beautiful exterior shape that’s devoid of seams, making it incredibly durable. They use different leathers for the inside and outside, too, creating a stark contrast that feels especially refined. Because it’s made using traditional techniques and materials, it doesn’t have modern niceties like RFID blocking, but that utterly gorgeous build should more than make up for it.
Shinola Trifold Wallet
Shinola’s take on the trifold wallet folds out to reveal three panels with two faille-lined card slots each, three side-access pockets, and a leather-lined pocket for your bills for neatly organizing your wallet essentials. It’s handmade with Navigator leather, which is infused with oils during tanning that give it a rich and creamy feel in hand, all while being durable and developing a nice patina over time. The wallet has RFID-blocking, too, so your card info is duly protected the whole time.