I usually just buy a leather wallet at some store and it starts to get grungy after a year or so. Any recommendations? Thanks.
I am enjoying my Secrid wallet if you’re looking for a thinner card holder with room for some notes but not coins. They come in leather but also different materials. It’s made in the Netherlands and reviews say they last a long time.
Try to get one hand sewn with veg tan leather. It’s a traditionally made leather that’s better quality.
I’ve had the same one of these for almost a decade now, and it still looks brand new: MyWalit
Low profile, fantastic stitching, and great leather.
Bought one from German producer Feuerwehr, who make then out of old fire fighter’s hose. Had mine for 2+ years and it just doesn’t scratch/ruin. A friend has had theirs for 5+ years and it’s is only slightly faded but otherwise still in perfect condition (incl. zips etc.)
https://www.feuerwear.de/portemonnaies-aus-feuerwehrschlauch/
That seems like a great idea, I didn’t know anyone made something like this, thank you!
For solid recommendations you’ll probably need to give some additional details about what kind of wallet you prefer, how many cards and such you carry in it, and which pocket you carry it in.
Bifold vs trifold vs zipper vs money clip etc, front or back pocket, etc.
In general, if you’re looking for leather goods, try to avoid “genuine leather” that’s basically the lowest grade, and about the only nice thing that can be said about it is that it’s not fake.
Basically all leather goods benefit from a bit of care now and then, like cleaning with some saddle soap and some sort of leather conditioner. Over time all leather goods will tend to develop some creases and wear. In some cases that just adds to the character, in other cases it might look kind of grungy, and that’s kind of up to personal taste.
Personally I’m a back pocket wallet guy, and after using thicker leather wallets for most of my life that started to give me a little bit of back pain from sitting on it, so I switched to a thinner nylon wallet (I use a Chums surf short wall for my EDC) and that’s held up probably as well as any leather wallet I’ve personally used (not that I bought particularly great leather wallets) and a simple metal money clip for dressier occasions
But I also don’t carry very much with me. ID, a couple cards, and maybe a little bit of cash.
Interesting about genuine leather. I decided to check the wallet I’ve had with me for going on 20 years now the only mark I see on it says “genuine leather”. I never do any kind of care to it, it’s gone through all manner of weather from tropical rain to -30c, zero signs of damage. It’s perhaps the longest lasting most reliable thing I’ve ever owned and it sees daily abuse
I will admit that I’m simplifying leather quality terminology quite a lot with that.
Really that’s only part of the grading. There’s different layers to leather like there is to our skin
Full grain leather is basically what you probably think leather is- a slab of animal hide with flesh removed that’s been tanned
Top grain leather has basically had the very top layer sanded down to remove any imperfections.
Split gain leather has had ever more of the top layers removed (suede is a type of split grain) to
And genuine leather has had even more layers removed and usually needs a lot of processing done to it to make it look decent
The topmost layers are the most durable, and so genuine leather tends to not hold up as well as other grades, but it does have some valid uses, full grain leather can be stiff, and genuine leather tends to be pretty soft and flexible, and the other layers in between have their own properties that may or may not be desirable to preserve depending on the intended use.
And within those categories there are still other ways of grading quality- the quality of the hide you started with, different types of treatments and processing, etc. so there is genuine leather out there that is pretty nice, and trash full grain leather.
But as a genuine rule of thumb, if you’re looking for a sturdy leather thing, genuine leather usually isn’t the way to go
And then a step down you have stuff like bonded leather which is basically shredded up leather that’s been mixed with rubber and such and formed into a sheet.
Based on a previous BIFL thread I picked up a Flipside V4 wallet a few years back, it’s great. Apparently there is a V5 now which I don’t have so I can’t recommend one way or another, but the V4 is solid.
I have the V4 too. Those V5s look nice, but my V4 looks almost brand new after a couple of years. I’ll look into the V9 when the V4 finally kicks the bucket. I bought a bag of silicon rubber bands to replace the OEM one, but that’s the only thing that’s shown any wear.
Adrian Kliss makes Bison leather wallets. Not quite bifl, but my my last one lasted 22 years of daily use.
I’ve been rocking a leather wallet from Open Sea Leather. They have some interesting designs that work really well for me and the leather patinas nicely.
What does grungy mean to you? Is it patina on full grain leather? Is it the thinnest leather stitched by a machine that as started to fray and tear? Is it paint starting to rub off?
Better quality wallets are saddle stitched by hand using full grain veg-tan leather or other leathers from reputable tanneries. The edges are usually burnished and not painted. They will patina nicely but will have to be cleaned and oiled at least once a year.
Was going to ask this too. My leather wallet has lasted for years. It has some marks from being in my pocket with keys all the time, but that’s about it. It’s in a front pocket, so maybe that gets less wear than in a back pocket. Also it’s a Slimmy, a minimalist wallet that doesn’t fold. If you have a George Costanza bursting-at-the-seams wallet that could factor in.
Flowfold - made from recycled sailcloth
I got a wallet from Hanks Belts a few years back and it’s still going strong with minimal wear. Hoping it’ll be the last wallet I own
Go to an arts festival. There are usually leatherwork artists there. I got a really nice handmade trifold this year.
I second this. I have a nice shirt pocket wallet I use in my back pants pocket that was hand made. Thicker leather, heavy stitching. I’ve had it for about ten years. I bought it in a used hat store that also had custom leather goods from various local folks. Not sure if the photo will work as I haven’t done that yet.
Honestly it depends on what you want your wallet to hold. I use a Ridge wallet (I had a knockoff for a while but treated myself to a forged carbon Ridge with blue inclusions that I really like the look of).
I only carry 4-5 cards though, and a couple folded bills in the cash strap. It goes in my front pocket because that’s just more comfortable and is a somewhat more secure place to keep a wallet (not perfect, but marginally harder to pickpocket than a butt pocket and less likely to just slip out while going about your day). It’s made of metal, carbon fiber, and some replaceable elastic bands. It protects against RFID skimming, and is overall about the size of a trifold wallet. I consider it a BIFL wallet because it fits my needs in a wallet, that style may not work for you though.
I’ve had a ridge for years and it’s held up very well. I recommend blue loctite on the screws, with that it’s been pretty much invincible
What you want is a Nivisto kangaroo wallet, handmade in Australia.
Kangaroo leather is the toughest and lightest leather that exists. I’ve had my Nivisto bifold for well over a decade.
It’s worn in, not worn out.
Once a year, I give it a good cleaning with Bick 1 and conditioning with Bick 4. That’s the only care it needs.
It’s developed a great patina. Sure, it developed a few scars, but that only makes it more mine.
But I haven’t died yet, so I can’t truly call it BIFL!
How do the seams hold up? It always seems like my card slots are blowing out
I like Slimfold wallets. They are thinner than your standard leather wallets and are more of a “front pocket” wallet. They have different configurations and materials. They come in tyvek or soft shell material.
I have the “Original” in tyvek. Used it for close to a decade and it held up great. I switched over to the “Micro” in soft shell just because I wanted something new. Had it for 2-3 years now and no complaints. They’ve both been great. Personally I like the Original more because it’s slimmer, I could put it behind my phone in my pocket and not even feel that it was there. The Micro is more of a traditional wallet shape, so it feels a tad thicker. After trying both I like the soft shell material more than tyvek.
