★★★★★ 5
Great Wallet
I'm pretty particular when it comes to things that I need to carry at all times when I'm out. When looking for a new wallet back in 2014, I initially went with the oft recommended Saddleback Leather Medium Bifold. Initially, that wallet seemed to be both durable and well made. Unfortunately, after several months in the back pocket, two things became clear: first, the leather was so taught that it was breaking my credit cards in half at the pinch point of the credit card slot. Second, what I took for durability in the thickness of the leather quickly turned into nuisance as I ended up with an inch thick brick that ruined my seating comfort. I called Saddleback regarding the first point and they told me that it was a known issue and if I didn't like it I could send the wallet back, which I did. That left me at a crossroads with a new requirement: I wanted a leather wallet that was thin enough to not be uncomfortable, held 6 credit/id cards and a handful of bills. I searched around until I came across Bellroy. The travel wallet seemed to check all the boxes and added some features I never knew I needed. After 6 years of use, I finally decided that the original travel wallet I bought in 2014 had run its useful life, down to holes in the leather and all. I liked it so much, I bought another one. There are some subtle differences which I will highlight below.
1. Fits in Your Pocket
This is ostensibly the best feature of the wallet. It is large in the two dimensions you shouldn't care about and thin where it counts. I have not found a pair of pants that I would wear that it doesn't fit in. With my passport, 6 credit/id cards, and a dozen bills it is roughly 3/4 inches thick. Fabulous.
2. The Right Pen
I had no idea how useful the pen would be. I find occasion to pull it out at least once a week. I used to carry the wonderful Fisher Space Pen, but no longer do as this fills the role in a much for optimized way. Bellroy is kind enough to include an ink refill with every wallet and I still have the refill from 2014. That's not to delegitimize the previous point; the kind of things I write are forms and other short memos. I wouldn't use the pen to write a novel. The new wallet looks to have a pen that Bellroy have either white labelled or made themselves. I haven't yet written with it, but if it is at least as good as the Walkie it replaced, things should be fine.
3. Added Security
The new wallet takes the split billfold and adds a flap that conveniently hides away the back section from prying eyes. In theory this seems like a useful feature. In practice, the flap is not quite long enough to allow for more than one or two bills without the cavity being visible when the wallet is opened. The new wallet also has RFID shielding which I don't recall being a feature of the old wallet. It sounds like a useful feature now that at least one of my credit cards has a contactless payment feature.
4. Leather
It's a thin wallet so you should expect the leather to be thin as well. I got 6 years out of the first wallet and I'm not a guy who is easy on wallets. It has been in my pocket on rooftops doing solar installations, in machine shops, and on every kind of seat imaginable. My old wallet has been fully submerged in water more than once. With all that punishment, it outlasted the warranty by two times. None of the stitching has failed and the only real damage is two small holes in the outer leatherwork. If you are a business traveler, this should go out of style before it is rendered unusable from wear.
In short, this is a great wallet for everyday use. I approve to the extent that I didn't look for a new choice when my old one wore out.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2020
