I got into the habit of carrying my wallet around in my backpack as it was so bulky and didn't really fit into my pants well. This has caused some issues over time like not bringing my insurance card along with me or by debit card when I needed it. This triggered me to look into getting a minimalistic wallet.
After looking at the many available I found The Ridge Wallet the most attractive. I was mainly looking for something that was aethetically pleasing, strong, small, super-light and wouldn't wear out with the 6-ish cards I wanted to carry around with me. I found the "Celeste" color (aluminium) which I think looks fantastic and I went with the cash strap as opposed to the money clip as I don't normally carry cash with me.
I've been carrying around my widget wallet with me for around a months now and wanted to share my thoughts.
Operation
Initially I found "operating" the Ridge Wallet a little clunky but I got used to it over a week or so. I can now use 2 fingers and my thumb on my right hand to slide the cards out by pushing the thumb slot with my thumb and stabilising the wallet by placing my index and middle fingers on the edges of the wallet on the opposite side. Once the cards are out it's very easy to slide out the front of back cards.
However, I've found accessing middle cards is a little more difficult. You're meant to push the cards out and them pinch the wallet to fan out the cards. This tends to work better if you have embossed text on the cards all facing the same way, in order to get the wallet slightly thinner I rotate my 2 middle embossed cards as I rarely use them. While it is less convenient it really works great for me as I'm pretty much always using my credit card which is at the front, all my other cards are there just in case.
Weight and size
The weight is great, the aluminium model that I got weighs in at approximately 2oz (57g). There is also a slightly lighter carbon fiber model and slightly heavier titanium models available.
With my 6 cards it comes in at around 1cm which is small enough not to cause any issues in my pocket.
Wireless RFID theft
While I wasn't particularly concerned about wireless theft, the Ridge Wallet's 2 aluminium plates protect your cards from this which is an added perk.
Cash strap and money clip
I was pleasantly surprised with the cash strap, when I was shopping around I was actually checking to see if I could get the Ridge Wallet without either a cash strap or money clip to make it even more minimal. Call me a convert though, it's very thin when not used, looks pretty good and can come in handy to hold the occasional receipt or two while I'm out.
Repairability
The kit you get comes with a hex screwdriver to disassemble the wallet and allow you to repair it with parts you can buy from the store. This is a really nice touch as I expect the cash strap to wear out long before the shell does.
Verdict
If you've been shopping around for a minimalistic wallet I highly recommend the Ridge Wallet, I expect this to be my daily carry for years to come.
Where to buy
You can get 15% off from the official website by using this referral link, this is the cheapest method I found and any referrals will also give me credit towards my next purchase!
