The Best Card Holder Wallets
A high-quality and sleek card holder wallet is an EDC essential. We have compiled a list of the best card holder wallets you can buy and why.
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Best Card Holder Wallets To Buy
Growing up, every man always had a thick bi/tri-fold wallet in their back pocket. I always felt like a competition to see who had the fattest wallet. I was also one of those men, and you might be one.
Why is a Card Holder Better than a Standard Wallet?
I know having a nice thick leather wallet in your back pocket makes you feel like a million bucks, but sadly most of us don't carry that much cash. Your bulky bifold is probably full of old business cards and a ton of random crap you don't need.
All you need is some card slots to carry your credit or debit cards and your IDs. A cash strap or a central pocket also carries a bit of cash in there. There is no need to have a ton of random business cards you will likely not use.
Those business cards can be saved onto your cell phones and be physically kept at home if needed. You might argue that you want to steer away from tech and keep them on you in case someone or yourself needs someone specific, but you know that it will take five minutes to go through your whole wallet to find that one card. There's no need to carry that brick on your ass anymore.
When I Realized I had a Brick as a Wallet
Last year I took a little trip to the beach with a couple of friends. As I leave the house, I grab my wallet and put it in my back pocket like any other day. We all met up; of course, six of us did not bring a bag or something to place our phones and wallets in while we went swimming. We all stuffed our belongings in a tiny backpack and went for a swim.
Two hours later, we were all grabbing our stuff out of the bag and figuring out where to get lunch. As one of my friends pulls his keys out, something falls out and thuds into the sand.
I was the only one who noticed and soon realized it was my wallet. As I bend down to grab it, I see that this damn wallet has displaced all the sand around it, creating a mini crater. At that moment, I knew this had to change.
What is a Card Holder, and Who Should get one?
Card holder wallets are for those who want to ditch the back pocket brick, a modern nice sleek looking wallet, and for those who want a slimmer wallet to carry just the essentials for their daily life. They are mainly made out of leather, fabric, or metal; sometimes, they include all three materials. The materials used will usually determine the price of your card holder wallet.
A couple of wallets out there come with bottle openers, multi-tools, and even a place for an airtag so you can find your lost wallet. They usually carry a few bills, have a few quick access card slots, and are generally less than an inch thick.
Make sure to research and have a clear idea of exactly what you're looking for. A wallet is like your phone; it will be with you at all hours of the day. Just because a wallet is expensive or mentioned everywhere doesn't mean it's the best out there.
Don't cheap out because your wallet goes through a lot; a cheap one can easily come apart and lose things. Please read plenty of customer reviews to see what others have to say before purchasing.
What to Look for in a High Quality Card Holder Wallet
The best card holder wallet will consist of quality materials, a slim modern look to suit your personal style, and keep your cash and cards safe. Keep in mind that not all wallets are built the same or will be perfect, so there are a few things to look out for.
I suggest staying away from wallets that hold things with elastic bands because they tend to stretch over time and can easily lose whatever it is holding in place. Instead, look for one that has a strap with a button instead.
Another thing to avoid, especially in the metal ones, are any wallets with sharp edges that can poke or cut you while in your pocket. If you want a metal card holder wallet, look for one that is in a leather case.
Metal Card Holder Wallets
The metal wallets are great for those who will be carrying off their person or want to use it for anything more than a wallet. In my experience, I hate the feeling of having a second phone in my front pocket, and I couldn't keep both in the same pocket because the wallet would scratch my phone.
Also, carrying the thicker metal wallet in my back pocket was pretty uncomfortable, so I would see myself continuously removing it when sitting down, raising the chances of misplacing it. I do love the fact that the metal card holders are the ones that can be more useful, especially when outdoors or for a blue-collar worker.
Leather Card Holder Wallets
The leather card holder wallets are great for those who want something slim with a classic look. Leather combined with a thin metal inside of it to help it keep its shape is one of my favorites.
What I love about leather is that it ages over time and develops a beautiful, unique color that is the product of what the leather has gone through. I realized I loved my bulky wallet because of the patina, not the thickness or style.
The downside of leather is that it does not last forever and can usually get damaged easily. Remember that leather also stretches, so those with nothing securing their cards will most likely lose one down the road.
Fabric Card Holder Wallets
Fabric card holder wallets are great and very comfortable to carry around in either pocket, front or back. They are great for travel, and most have a ton of color options to choose from.
The fabric wallets tend to be the most comfortable and secure of them all but usually could be better looking to some people. They are also more susceptible to tears than any of the other materials.
When these card holders are empty, they tend to be very flimsy, but once you fill them up with a few cards, they will develop a nice firm shape. I suggest these for those who won't put their wallets through a lot and travel more than average.
What Card Holder I went with
I have decided to go with a slim leather Card Wallet from Nomad. Nothing beats the classic look of a leather wallet that has been patinated over time. Many other leather card holders caught my eye because of their appearance, but I loved that their wallets are thermoformed, meaning they will not stretch over time as others would.
I also picked out the best metal card holder wallet and fabric card holder wallet I would purchase if I decided to go down one of those routes.
The Best Card Holders you can Buy Now
I have compiled a small list of the best card holders you can buy now. Each one earned its place because of a few factors. Their size, style, capacity, and comfort.
Nomad Card Wallet
Why We Picked It
Nomad has been providing its customers with high-quality products for the last ten years. They offer various items, from iPhone cases to leather wallets.
Their most minimalist wallet would be this leather card holder wallet. It is made from their beautiful Horween leather that has gone through a thermoforming process to keep your wallet looking and feeling like new for longer. It also helps prevent the leather from overstretching, preventing your cards from falling out unexpectedly.
The leather is not sealed, meaning that it will develop a beautiful patina over time, unique to each wallet. The wallet’s slim design is perfect to carry in the comfort of your front or back pocket.
It has two die-cut pockets to make it easy for you to take out the right card and also helps reduce the overall thickness of the wallet. On the other side, you will find a quick access slot to access your most used card. This slim wallet has a large middle pocket that can easily store a few extra cards and some folded-up cash.
Features:
- Material: Horween leather with microfiber interior lining
- Size: L: 4.1in, W: 2.83in
- Thickness: 0.4in (empty)
- Capacity: 10-13 cards
Pros:
- Easy access to cards and inner pocket
- Slim
- Horween leather
- Thermoformed
- Very comfortable
- Great for back pocket
Cons:
- Only two color options
- Pricey (but you get what you pay for)
- Can scratch easily
Trayvax Element Wallet
Why We Picked It
Trayvax is one of the most well-known metal wallet brands out there. They specialize in building products that will last long enough to be passed on to the next generation.
Their wallet designs are the best looking out there and won't be found anywhere else. They have many options to choose from, and you can go with their all-metal wallets or their metal wallets in a leather case. Both will last you for many years to come.
The Element Wallet is the child of a modern metal wallet and a classic leather wallet, and it is a stainless-steel plate wrapped in a beautiful oil-tanned Horween leather bound with paracord.
The stainless-steel plate also serves as a bottle opener, RFID protection, and an integrated money clip to hold your folded cash. This wallet stands out because it has a strap that snaps closed to keep everything from falling out. It is perfect for any occasion, especially for those who tend to put their wallets through a lot.
Features:
- Material: Horween leather with stainless steel plate
- Size: L: 4.5in, W: 2.8in
- Thickness: 0.5in (empty)
- Weight: 5oz
- Capacity: 3-10 cards and 1-5 folded bills
Pros:
- Easy access to cards and inner pocket
- Slim
- Horween leather
- Thermoformed
- Very comfortable
- Great for back pocket
Cons:
- Only two color options
- Pricey (but you get what you pay for)
- Can scratch easily
Nik's Minimalist Wallet #3
Why We Picked It
Tom Bihn has been producing fantastic travel bags for the last 40 years, and they are one of the best in the game regarding quality bags.
One of their newer products has been gaining much traction in the minimalist wallet community. The Nik's Minimalist Wallets are just amazing. They offer four different styles, all the same when it comes to quality and fabric used, with little differences.
Style #1 is their most minimalist and slimmest card holder, but it lacks the exterior pocket that really comes in handy. The best one in their lineup is wallet #3 because it has a clear urethane pocket to display your ID and an exterior pocket.
Nik's Minimalist Wallet #3 comes in two fabric options, 210 ballistic nylon or 400 halcyon. All their wallets are offered in a variety of different colors, and all four versions weigh roughly the same.
This style can easily carry ten cards and cash without a problem. The exterior pocket is great for easy, fast access to your most used cards.
What I love about this card holder is that it can be folded and secured with an elastic strap, either with your cards secured inside or with your cards exposed on the outside. This feature makes it much easier to display your ID in the clear urethane pocket.
The wallet can withstand anything you throw at it and, when empty, are a bit unstructured but once filled up with your cards, it will be as stiff as any other wallet.
Features:
- Exterior material: 210 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic Nylon or Ultralight 400d Halcyon/420d Nylon ripstop
- Interior material: 120 deniers Aether ripstop nylon and 0.016" clear urethane
- Size: L: 3.9in, W: 2.9in
- Weight: 0.6oz
- Capacity: 6-10 cards and some folded cash
Pros:
- Easy access to cards and inner pocket
- Slim
- Horween leather
- Thermoformed
- Very comfortable
- Great for back pocket
Cons:
- Only two color options
- Pricey (but you get what you pay for)
- Can scratch easily
FAQ
Can a Card Holder Replace my Bifold Wallet?
Absolutely! Bifold wallets have a ton of room to fit many cards and cash. With all this extra space, we feel the need to fill up every slot and tend to overfill them, so, in the end, we end up with a very bulky wallet.
Most of the time, we only use a few cards on a daily basis and therefore don't need to carry cards we don't frequently use. A card holder wallet has a small number of slots and space for your stuff, so there is no possible way to overfill it.
Do Card Holder Wallets have RFID Protection?
Most do, but always check the product description/features to confirm. If ever in doubt, don't be afraid to ask the brand.
Are Card Holder Wallets only for your Front Pockets?
No. They can be carried anywhere you want to carry them. The metal ones are more uncomfortable to carry in the back pocket than the rest, but it depends on each person.
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