The Card Wallet from Discommon Goods is about as minimal as you can get while still being able to call it a wallet, and personally, I love that about it. I have a deep appreciation for clean aesthetics and simplicity, and this feels like the distillation of what one would need from a wallet — basic function of holding a few credit cards and some folded bills while looking smooth and handsome.

This wallet is the sharply-dressed bartender in a small, upscale club who mixes you a perfect gimlet with a curl of lime balanced on the rim of the glass and slides it over to you with a nod. He gave you what you wanted, did exactly what you expected, but all the same it was really damn impressive.

In my testing, I found I could fit about at max 4 cards in both sides and still have it close almost perfectly flush. Anything more than that is simply too much for the thermoformed pockets to handle and the wallet doesn’t quite close all the way. In fact, I wouldn’t even go as far as 3 cards in both sides. It sort of ruins the appeal of the formed shape, setting it down and seeing it propped open a bit.

That’s a handsome piece of kit.

Fortunately, I typically only carry a few cards with me, so I kept my license, a thin insurance card, a couple business cards and a debit card in one side. I left the other pocket empty in the event I had some cash I wanted to place in that side. Even with a small wad of bills, the wallet sat closed, flat and flush.

And did I mention how small it is? The area of the wallet is only a few fractions of an inch larger than a credit card. The manufacturing process forms the leather into what looks like a slim, rectangular clamshell, with v-cut pockets on the inside, revealing soft gray tweed.

This might be an introduction to con #1… the wallet is so small, scarcely larger than a credit card, that you have to fold a dollar bill twice to fit it into the pockets. I don’t mind that, personally, because I don’t often have to deal with cash, but anyone who does might get a bit annoyed at having to unfold a wad of bills twice and smooth them out to hand to the cashier. Naturally, you could carry a billfold in addition to the card wallet, but it begins to undermine the simplicity of a piece like this. Why carry two things? You’d be better off with a larger bifold wallet at that point.

The wallet’s design is impeccable. There isn’t a hint of stitching anywhere thanks to the thermoformed lamination process, seamlessly binding the soft leather and blended tweed materials. It reminds me of the seamless look of today’s modern cell phones, where different textures and materials are combined and appear unbroken and natural. It feels good in your hand, looks great, and seems plenty durable.

The only other quibble I could mention is with the top lip of the pockets. Since the card cutouts are so precise, it only leaves a tiny bit of wiggle room for the cards.

That lip above the top of the card is like a little speed bump for your plastic.

The top of the pockets running along the spine aren’t tapered and make it hard to easily slip a card out of the pocket. I found that when I tried to remove the top card, it would push against this lip until I used my other hand to push the leather down out of the way of the card. It was irritating until I got used to it. I don’t know that there could have been a way to fix this, though. Maybe by continuing the pocket cutout all the way to the center spine of the wallet? It might have weakened the fold, made it too floppy.

Outside of those couple points, the card wallet is a quality piece. It looks expensive, and feels expensive. Which is good, because it also *is* expensive. At $125, it’s definitely reserved for a certain type of individual, like someone who has high expectations in their accessories and is really into the everyday carry scene and has no problem dropping a money on watches, pocketknives, key fobs and things that you use every day that are clearly worth that *investment*.

The company offering this wallet, Discommon Goods, seems to specialize in this very thing, touting high-end items such as a $230 Damascus steel bottle opener and a $1,200 carbon straight razor. Definitely a step up from your local Target aisle.

Don’t let that stop you, though. The things you use every day are worth the extra investment if you enjoy them, and if they make you feel like a globetrotting spy every time you pull it out at a bar, all the better.

The Card Wallet is available now from Discommon Goods for $125.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Discommon Goods. Please visit their site for more info and to order.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Wallets

Discommon Goods Thermoformed Leather Card Wallet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 14, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Are you in the market for a wallet? I’ve got something new to tell you about. Flowfold is a cool little company out of Maine that sent me a trio of their wallets for evaluation. They’re thin, lightweight, and made from high-tech, super-durable materials. They also rock a modern, distinctive look that stands out from your typical money/card carriers. Pretty cool, right? Let’s check ’em out!

About Flowfold

Flowfold has been creating every day carry products since 2005, featuring a variety of modern and lightweight materials with an emphasis on functional design. Everything is made in the USA, and the company is committed to environmental sustainability and giving back to the community. The term “flowfold” is used in geology to describe layers of rock that flow smoothly together over time; this concept defines their design philosophy and how it translates to rugged, minimalist, interesting carry pieces.

I was sent three wallets to evaluate: a minimalist bifold wallet, a tri-fold wallet and a passport wallet for travelers. Each sample uses different materials, but the whole set demonstrates Flowfold’s approach to consistent, functional, elegant design. 

The Flowfold Sailcloth Vanguard Bi-Fold Wallet

First up is the super-minimalist wallet in the testing lineup: The Flowfold Sailcloth Vanguard Bi-fold Wallet. I’ve been using this as my go-to wallet for several weeks. Here’s a sample picture to give you a sense for what it carries:

The wallet provided for review uses a really interesting base material: high-performance sailcloth with X-ply technology that sandwiches additional reinforced threading between the layers of fabric. This stuff is made for use in racing boats as sail material (literally), and boasts extraordinary durability while being extremely thin and lightweight… while the wallet measures in at a fairly standard 3.25” by 4.25” folded, its only 0.1” thick and barely taps the scale at a weight of 0.7 ounces. That’s ideal if you’re looking for a thin front-pocket wallet, especially if you’re wearing dress pants and don’t want unsightly bulges.

In the sample provided, Flowfold uses a combination of clear fabrics with different embedded thread patterns that give the wallet a slick, modern look (more color combinations in this fabric are available on their web site). There’s a middle layer of solid gray X-pac material, and the interior card slots are faced by another layer of clear X-ply fabric that uses a wider “X” pattern of black threading. It’s a sharp combination that looks good dressed up with a suit or dressed down for casual adventuring. It’s a vey modern-style design, however, so it may not appeal to those who seek a more traditional wallet look. Check out the picture below to see what the exterior looks like:

I thought that the wallet felt a bit plasticky when I first opened it, and expected it to show scratches and folds over time… I should have paid more attention to the benefits of high-performance sailcloth.  For a super-thin construction, it’s really resistant to abrasion and scratches. The wallet also uses ballistic nylon to reinforce all the seams and stress points, including extra reinforcement at the card slots so that they don’t fray as your constantly pulling your credit cards in and out. I have yet to see any signs of wear and tear anywhere in the wallet. Here’s a shot showing a closeup of the detail in the stitching and edges:

From a design perspective, it’s a super-minimalist layout. You have a billfold slot that runs the length of the wallet and two pockets on each side (four total) for your credit cards, ID, etc. The clear material allows you to easily see what’s in the pockets, which saves some time when you’re fumbling for a particular card while in line at the grocery store. The pockets are also slightly oversized so you can fit multiple cards in each slot without feeling like you’re going to pop a seam. It’s easy to use and easy to live with on a day-to-day basis, which is about the best you can expect from a well-designed wallet.

I’m always trying to minimize my daily carry, and the Vanguard is a great choice for this. It’s just big enough to handle some cash, your drivers license and work ID, and a couple of extra cards that you may need for the daily essentials. According to the specifications you could fit 10-16 cards in this wallet, but I would expect that this would get pretty bulky pretty quickly.

If there is one drawback to this particular wallet, it may be the contemporary use of materials. It does have a very smooth surface, which makes it easy to slide in and out of your pocket… but some may be looking for a less “techy” look. I like it personally, but Flowfold also offers this style in a variety of materials that may be more to your liking.

The Flowfold Traveler Trifold Wallet — Limited Edition Heather Grey

The next wallet I tested was the Traveler Trifold Wallet, in a different material. This is a limited edition version and uses X-pac ultra lightweight fabric instead of the X-ply sailcloth material.

The trifold uses a 3-panel design which measures in at 4.4” by 3.1” by 0.2” when fully folded, and weighs 1.1 ounces out of the box. The cash pocket is deeper and wider, allowing for international-sized currency of varying sizes. You’ll also find 6 card pockets here, with a transparent center pocket. You’ll easily fit a dozen cards or more in this wallet, with room to spare for extras (like your frequent-buyer coffee club card, which I find critical for survival).

The material and construction choices here shows the versatility in Flowfold’s design philosophy. You’ll find the same design language used in the Bi-Fold, with different base materials. The X-pac ultra lightweight fabric is an outdoor-use material that is found in a lot of outdoor materials these days, tweaked in this case to present a more refined & classic look while still maintaining the durability and lightweight attributes of the whole product lineup. It’s got a nice textured feel to the material, and a more traditional look (if that’s your thing). Build quality is just as tight as I found in the bifold wallet, with reinforced seams and stitching throughout. Here’s a closeup of the interior flap to give you a sense for the material combination:

Here’s a shot of the center panel, leveraging the clear sailcloth X-ply material:

Just like the Vanguard Bi-Fold, the Tri-Fold model can be had in a variety of different materials including the funky X-ply performance sailcloth. You’ll see a bunch of combinations on their web site if you want to explore other styles.

Overall, I found this wallet to be great for days when I need to carry more stuff, specifically multiple cards. It’s still plenty thin and light but offers you lots of room for extras without getting really bulky. There’s also some nice water- and abrasion- resistance to be had here if your journeys take you off the beaten path.

The Flowfold Navigator Passport Wallet — Limited Edition Grey X-pac

Finally, we get to the Big Daddy of the group: the Navigator Passport Wallet. The version I am testing is a limited edition in Grey X-pac fabric, but they also offer variations on their site in the high-performance sailcloth material used in the Vanguard Bi-Fold wallet that I tested.

This wallet is designed for international travel. It measures 6″ by 4″ by 0.12″ deep, and weighs in at 1.1 ounces. You’ll find a pocket specifically designed for your passport, three card pockets with the clear sailcloth material, and several internal pockets that run the height of the wallet for cash, tickets, receipts, and assorted bits that accumulate while traversing planes, trains, and automobiles.

This version uses the typical X-pac material that’s becoming more popular in bags & carry products today, and it’s lovely to use. It’s lightweight, extremely durable, and water-resistant without any additional coatings or liners. It works quite well here as the primary material choice making for a wallet that, while fairly large, is still super slim and lightweight. The look is clean, classy, and unobtrusive… an important feature when traveling so that you don’t draw undue attention. You can also get the X-ply material in it’s high-tech variations if you prefer,

Here’s a closeup of the seam construction for your consideration:

I was just on a business trip to Germany for work a few weeks ago, and used this as my primary wallet for all my travels. Unlike many passport wallets, this one is thin enough that its comfortable to carry around wherever you go and still keep your passport and essentials handy. As I mentioned above, it also offers some dedicated stash pockets for receipts and tickets on-the-go so that you can throw everything in one place and don’t have to carry around an extra envelope of stuff.

Pricing and Conclusion

There’s something I really like about what Flowfold is doing here. I really dig their modern design aesthetic, attention to detail, and use of innovative materials that don’t detract from the form and function of their products. As a community-oriented company that makes everything in the USA, they are also an easy company to like.

Here’s where it gets better: Flowfold’s wallets are very well-priced, ranging from $29 to $45 depending on the style and materials choices, with some super minimalist styles coming in at under $20. That’s a great buy for unique products using cutting-edge materials, made by a company you can get behind. They also stand by everything they make with a lifetime warranty. It doesn’t get much better than that. For more information and to check out their whole lineup of wallets, bags, and apparel, check out the Flowfold web site.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Flowfold. For more info visit their site

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Wallets

Flowfold Wallets review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 30, 2017 at 9:30 am.

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The popularity of minimalist wallets is driving innovation in this field, providing the people with what they have been craving – the downsizing of the traditional men’s and women’s wallets of the past. I’ll admit that I’m one of those people who has been craving a smaller wallet. This time I’m reviewing the SZNS (pronounced “seasons”) Burnt Sienna wallet. Thus far, I’ve found that it is an attractive minimalist wallet for today’s professional, it’s a nice size for credit cards and business cards, it’s made of very thin leather to minimize thickness, and has RFID blocking in each of its three pockets. However, because it is made of very thin leather, I wonder about the longevity of the wallet.

The SZNS wallet came in an attractive black box with a sliding drawer.

The wallet also came with an SZNS decal and a microfiber cloth to clean the wallet.

Design & Build Quality

First Impression: One of the first things that you notice about the SZNS Burnt Sienna wallet is that it holds your cards and paper money vertically. I love that feature. The front and back of the wallet are similar. Each side has a pocket with a diagonal opening to insert cards and/or banknotes. The front of the wallet displays the “SZNS” logo located along the bottom right corner and the back of the wallet contains a very nice self-retracting pull tab used to extract the cards or banknotes in the center pocket.

When I received the SZNS wallet, I took some pictures of it while it was empty. Then after having inserted all my cards and money into the wallet, I noticed a 5 mm slit in the leather above the logo that I don’t think was there before inserting my cards. It was such a clean cut that it was difficult to see, but it was there. I’m not sure how it happened since I hadn’t even started using the wallet yet – I only inserted my cards and money. However, Mr. Amir Sigari, the co-creator of the SZNS wallets with his mother, was very courteous and very quickly sent out a new wallet. They offer free returns on wallets with defects and will exchange it or give you a full refund. They also offer a two-year warranty on this wallet

Leather: The wallet is made of semi-aniline leather. What is that? Pure or full aniline leather is a full grain leather that has been dyed throughout and “has not received any coating of pigmented finish” (By the way, you want full grain leather as opposed to top grain, genuine leather, or bonded leather). Semi-aniline leather is also a full grain leather that has been dyed throughout like aniline leather, however, semi-aniline leather additionally has a “small quantity of pigment, not so much as to conceal the natural characteristics of the hide” (from leatherusa.org) which gives it a more consistent look, protects the leather from some stains, and makes it more durable. Since this wallet has a small amount of pigment on the surface, it will not develop a patina like full aniline leather wallets.

Thread: The thread used in this wallet is a thin a cotton/nylon thread. Although, according to Mr. Sigari, they intend on increasing the size of the thread in the future.

Lining: Each of the three pockets of the wallet is lined with a satin-like lining that incorporates RFID blocking. The above photo on the right shows how the center pocket has sewn into it a black elastic strap with a leather pull tab which extends through the top of the pocket to the back side of the wallet.

According to Mr. Sigari, “both the leather and the RFID blocking inner fabric are die cut by a large stamping machine, after that everything is done by hand.”

Size: The thickness of the wallet when it is empty is about 5 mm.

The wallet is about 4.25″ long (~11 cm). This is a good size to accommodate credit cards and especially business cards. 

When compared to the Benjamin Bott Chickadee leather wallet that I recently reviewed, the SZNS wallet is taller but about the same width. You can also tell the difference in the leathers and thread used, both of which are thicker in the Chickadee wallet.

Use

I placed two plastic cards in the front pocket and six cards (two plastic cards, 4 paper cards) in the center pocket. I also placed two plastic cards in the back pocket as well as some cash (two banknotes).

Extracting the cards from the center slot was easy with the self-retracting pull tab. It was also easy to extract the cards from the front and back of the wallet because they were exposed enough to do so. The wallet was tight when filled with all these cards/bills but not too tight to make extracting the contents really difficult and yet not too loose so that you would lose your money or cards.
When full, the wallet was a little less that 0.75 inches thick (or about 1.8 cm thick). The wallet fits well in my hand and comfortably carries everything that I need. It really does minimize the bulk of traditional wallets.

Final Thoughts

The SZNS Burnt Sienna wallet is a professional looking lightweight leather wallet. It has the benefit of having three pockets, each lined with RFID blocking material and is tall enough to accommodate business cards as well as credit cards and cash. I was able to insert all of my necessary cards without having to leave anything out (six plastic cards and four paper cards). The wallet was not too tight to make extracting the cards really difficult and yet not too loose so that I would lose cards or money. However, the wallet is made with very thin leather and thin cotton/nylon thread. In addition, the wallet has only a two-year warranty and it is my impression that the wallet may not last a lifetime.

When comparing the SZNS wallet to my two favorite wallets, the Benjamin Bott Chickadee wallet and the Garzini Essenziale Finestra wallet I find that I still prefer the other two. Even though the SZNS wallet has RFID blocking and a self-retracting pull tab, the Chickadee wallet is the best made and the most minimalistic of the three but I also love the design of the Garzini wallet for the accessibility of my cards and money.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by SZNS Apparel. Please visit their site for more info.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Wallets

SZNS Burnt Sienna wallet review originally appeared on on July 10, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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