Here’s a hard truth: We don’t see baggy jeans coming back any time soon. And these fitted pants we’re wearing now just don’t have room for the bulky wallets that we grew up with. Slim and sleek, minimalist wallets are a great solution to this issue.
A slim wallet forces you to decide what you really need and what you can leave at home. Minimalist wallets pare things down to the basic necessities. Most can hold three to five credit cards, your ID, and some cash. Despite this simplicity, companies have found ways to make their slim wallets stand above the crowd. Features like tough materials, stylish design, and RFID blocking helped us identify the following standouts.
Our resident wallet enthusiast and tester extraordinaire is Billy Brown, a frequent contributor to GearJunkie in the EDC and fitness realms. After researching the best minimalist wallets available, Billy used each model as one would, stuffing them full of credit cards and cash and going about daily life. As an essential item that gets used almost every day, wallet selection has a surprisingly big impact. After a few months, Billy and the testing crew were able to make solid assessments about the durability and convenience of each wallet.
The list below represents our favorites in terms of features, style, and durability. We’ll keep updating it as we continue to test our products. For a comprehensive introduction to minimalist wallets, check out the Buyer’s Guide section of this article, as well as our comparison chart and FAQ section.
Editor’s Note: We gave the wallet market a fresh look for our September 15, 2023 update and added the slick-looking Groove Life Groove Wallet, which earned a top pick as our favorite metal wallet.
The Best Minimalist Wallets of 2023
Minimalist Wallet Comparison Chart
Why You Should Trust Us
In order to find the best minimalist wallet out there, we pared down our back pockets to the bare essentials and set off to test the best ways to carry a fistful of cards and cash. During testing, we paid close attention to the overall capacity, protection, durability, as well as carrying comfort of each wallet in order to stack them up against each other. Author Billy Brown rotated through these wallets with a quiver of cards and a wad of cash, swiping his way through credit card transactions and occasionally identifying himself. Each wallet spent plenty of time in his back pocket, and while a softer, leather wallet is marginally more comfortable, he was happy to find that some rigid metal wallets feel just fine during long periods of sitting.
Since minimalist wallets can be a bit of a race to the bottom, we attempted to assemble a broad spread of the available market — from the super minimal to the still-featured-but-elegant. We found that the ideal wallet lands somewhere in the middle, with organization being a big consideration in our final line-up.
And, since new wallets are landing all the time, we’ll continue to test the best of the best and incorporate them into our guide as time goes on.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Minimalist Wallet
Analyze How Much You Can Carry
Every wallet will be different. Some have more card slots, some have more space for cash, and some will have clips. The key here is to find out what you absolutely need to carry with you.
The first thing most people need is a driver’s license. After that, a debit card and a credit card are both good ideas. After that, some cash might be handy, so bring along a few 20s just to be safe. Because most slim men’s wallets have at least four card slots, that leaves you one free.
Some of our testers tend to use their final card slot as an interchangeable storage space. If you’re going to Costco, bring your membership card. Target, your Target credit card. Use that utility pocket however you like. This should keep you ready for any contingency.
Pare Down
Part of figuring out what you need is deciding what you don’t need. Yes, you’ll have to go all Marie Kondo here. Be ruthless with what you choose to discard. You will likely always need the big three: a driver’s license or ID, a credit card, and a debit card.
If you carry cash, you’ll need room for a few bills. For most people, three card slots are plenty and leave room for the occasional key card for people who have to pass security clearances. Everything else you keep in a big, bulky wallet is nonessential.
Pictures? They’re all on your phone. Receipts? Leave them at home until you actually need them. Those punch cards that’ll get you a free burrito after your eighth purchase? Stash them in your center console. Business cards? They’ll be safer in a business card case.
That should take care of all the unnecessary things you keep in your wallet. The remainder should fit just fine in a slim wallet, and ride along in a pocket just dandy with your favorite knife or everyday carry kit.
If you absolutely need to have more than four to six cards in your wallet, you can opt for a bifold mini wallet like the RUNBOX Slim Wallet. These give you more storage in a package that is still compact.
Leather vs. Metal
Both leather and metal have different perks. Leather wallets feel better in hand and don’t have any corners that can wear away at your pants over time. Metal is tops in terms of durability as long as the wallet is built well.
A lot of this comes down to style preference. People who prefer a modern, sleek look will likely gravitate more toward the look of the Ridge Wallet or the Groove Life Groove Wallet. These cases are generally bombproof, too.
One issue with metal wallets is that they can bend or scratch easily. If you want that sleek look to last, you’re going to have to take care of it. That means keeping it away from keys or other objects that might scratch it.
On the other hand, a well-made wallet crafted from high-quality leather is ideal for people who want a more classic look. With the right leather and construction, leather wallets can last for decades.
Leather wallets are also dynamic in their appearance and feel. The material grows softer and more supple over time, and any scratches or wear marks give the wallet more character.
If you’re considering a leather wallet, try to find one with a good vegetable dye and opt for a lighter color. The leather will darken over time as it is exposed to the elements and the oils on your skin. The result is an antique-looking patina that constantly changes and develops over time.
RFID Explained
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. If your card is equipped with RFID, you can use it to tap or wave your card near a reader to make a purchase. This allows you to make transactions in seconds.
An RFID card never has to leave your hand, so there’s no chance of you forgetting your card in the reader. If you’re not sure whether or not your card is RFID-enabled, look for a symbol that resembles a Wi-Fi symbol turned on its side.
As RFID technology becomes more prevalent, a trip to the grocery without waiting in a checkout line may be a reality. Semi-passive chips can be placed on anything to track inventory, associate the items in your cart with your card, and charge you before you walk out the door. While this technology has huge potential for streamlining shopping, it also raises some big privacy and security concerns.
This convenience also makes it possible for a thief to find a way to skim your card with a portable scanner. Currently, many factors make this difficult for potential thieves. These include the necessary closeness and barriers between the card and the reader like a wallet with cash and other cards inside.
While the odds of your cards getting skimmed are unlikely, many wallets offer RFID blocking to completely eliminate any chances of this happening. This is mostly achieved by using materials that block or damp the signal put out from RFID-equipped cards.
When your card is in the wallet, the material blocks the signal. When you take it out to use it, the signal is unfettered.
Durability
You can find leather minimalist wallets ranging from $15 to $75. The key difference here is going to be in the build of the wallet and the quality of the leather.
The $15 wallet will likely use a lower-grade leather that will degrade over time. A good $75 wallet will use a higher-end leather that will soften, but not weaken, over time. A well-made leather wallet will not only last longer than a poorly made one with inferior leather, but it will also look better as it ages.
The same is true for other styles. Generally, you pay more for better build quality. That said, there are plenty of cheaper options out there.
Price
In addition to quality, another factor in cost is additional features. A higher-end wallet like the anodized aluminum Ridge Wallet boasts a money clip, RFID blocking, and an expandable tray for easy card access.
The plus side of less expensive wallets is that if you lose or damage them, you can replace them without taking a big hit to your bank account. If you’re just looking for a wallet and don’t want to spend much, a $20 wallet will work. Just don’t expect to get more than a few years of use out of it.
Another reason to get a wallet on the cheaper end is to see if you even like slim wallets. There’s no sense in spending 60 bucks on a slim wallet if there’s a chance it’ll be too small for you. If you’re just trying out your first minimalist wallet, get an inexpensive one as a test run.
FAQ
If less bulk in your pockets is a priority, minimalist wallets are excellent. They’ll fit in any pocket without unsightly bulges, and they force you to carry only what is absolutely necessary. The fact that they are small in size doesn’t mean they are small in features, either.
Depending on the variety, these wallets can carry eight to 10 cards and a good amount of cash. Plus, they can offer RFID-blocking materials. They come in a wide range of materials and designs, with styles available to suit just about every taste. If you’re looking to pare down your everyday carry setup, a minimalist wallet is a necessity.
RFID wallets do not ruin credit cards. RFID wallets are made with materials that block the RFID signal from credit and debit cards. The card still puts out the signal, but the wallet’s materials prevent the signal from leaving your pocket. This makes it more difficult for anyone to skim the card’s information when it is inside the wallet.
Because the wallet’s RFID-blocking technology doesn’t actually affect the card’s ability to put out an RFID signal, it has no impact on the card at all. If you take the card out of the wallet, it will still put out a readable signal.
Traditionally, the thinnest types of wallets are minimalist front-pocket wallets. These wallets usually consist of a pouch with several card slots and either a small space for bills or an attached money clip.
Two of the thinnest wallets we’ve seen are the ultraslim offerings from European company DUN and American company SlimFold. Both are 5 mm thick, but they also have enough room for a few credit cards and some bills. At this point, it looks like 5 mm is the minimum for a wallet that has more functionality than a rubber band holding your stuff together.
Keep in mind that these measurements are for empty wallets. Any cards, bills, or coins will make the wallets thicker.
Every wallet and every pocket is different. With that said, most minimalist wallets are designed to fit comfortably in either your front or back pockets. While traditional bi-fold wallets are often too thick to slide into your front jeans pockets, the wallets on this list should not have that issue. If you have especially tight or thin pockets, we recommend a thin metal wallet such as the Ridge.
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