When it comes to everyday carry, wallets are quite possibly the most ubiquitous item-type. Nearly everyone carries some version of one – from the eternal minimalist to the tactical fanatic – and that fact has opened up the market to a wide variety of possibilities in regards to size, shape, and even construction. So you can customize your choice of wallet to your individual style. And that’s pretty great for anyone looking for something a little more unique than your classic leather bi-fold. If that idea speaks to you and you want to incorporate more substance and modernity into your carry: look to metal.
Modern technological advances have allowed designers and manufacturers alike to create some truly impressive offerings in the realm of metal wallets that are practical, easy to carry, and secure. If you are the aforementioned minimalist or tactician, guess what – there’s one out there for you. And while they don’t come in all varieties of metal (mercury, for example, is both poisonous and a liquid at room temperature), they do come in a vast number of different colors and finish options. That means it can be fairly painless to find one that suits you perfectly. To make it even easier, we’ve come up with a list of some of our favorites that could help get the ball rolling on finding your ideal metal wallet.
Trayvax Summit
Built for the person who likes their gear simple but tough, the Trayvax Summit is the kind of wallet you might have in your pocket at the top of K2. Probably in part because its slim and lightweight construction made you forget you had it on you. Don’t worry though, this American-made wallet’s steel frame and Mil-Spec nylon webbing can take the punishment.
Radix One
The Radix One is a sleek and clean take on a minimalist wallet. Its durability and material construction make it tough as nails, but the modern styling wouldn’t be out of place at a black tie event. And, for those who are worried about security, this slim card carrier also blocks out RFID signals.
Spine Titanium Wallet + Bottle Opener
Minimalist wallets are fairly easy to find nowadays. Do a cursory search on Google or Amazon and you’ll find pages and pages of results. Few and far between, however, are the bare bones wallets which offer another function. The titanium constructed Spine Wallet is one such item, as you can comfortably carry all your normal cards and cash, but you can also use the built-in bottle opener to crack open a cold one anytime.
Gerber GDC Money Clip
When the highly-lauded knife makers at Gerber decided to make a wallet, they realized that it needed something special and unique to make it stand out amongst the crowd. So they included a knife. This unassuming money clip is perfect for the man looking for an effective way to tote around their cash and cards, but also a discreet way to keep a knife on his person.
MSTRMND Apex
This horizontally orientated aircraft-grade aluminum wallet was designed with MSTRMND’s clever QuickSwipe thumb slot. This innovation allows the carrier to pop out a credit card and run it through a swipe-scanner – the kind you might find at a gas station or grocery store – without ever having to remove it from the wallet. And it looks good, too.
Machine Era stainless steel slim
Designed to be the slimmest, lightest, and strongest everyday card carrier on the market, the aptly titled Stainless Steel Slim from Machine Era features a stainless steel construction, RFID protection, and a thumb slot that also doubles as a bottle opener. The lightweight unobtrusive design and super-high durability of this wallet make it one of the best offerings out there.
Trayvax Axis
Another take on a tough bare bones wallet, the Trayvax Axis is a little beefier than their Summit model. Made primarily out of tumbled stainless steel with Type III 550 Paracord, this USA made bi-fold wallet features RFID protection, a cash clip, a key/change pocket, and an adjustable card tray. And the attached lanyard makes for easy-access in your pocket.
HuMn Mini Wallet
As minimalist as it gets, the HuMn Mini Wallet’s dual plates are roughly the same size, shape, and depth of a normal credit card and the super sturdy elastic strap ensures that your wallet’s contents will stay securely between them. And though it is a very basic design, this American-made wallet still features RFID protection.
Secrid Card Protector
This might be the perfect metal wallet if you’re looking for something super simple, but you also want it to look sleek and stylish. With Its silver exterior and complementary blue cash band, this wallet is restrained enough for daily use, but could easily fit right in amongst the elite.
Sapling Stealth
With styling that looks like something out of a futuristic utopian society, Sapling’s line of aluminum Stealth wallets wouldn’t seem out of place aboard a starship. But the forward-thinking design isn’t all that this card protector has to offer. It’s also lightweight, secure, offers RFID protection, features a cash band, and comes with free custom engraving – should you so desire.
The Ridge Aluminum Wallet
Every Ridge wallet – a slimline minimalist card and cash carrier – is as tough as it gets, but also comes with a T5 Torx driver, in case you ever want to take it apart in order to clean it. And the combination of the cash strap and easy-access thumb slot make this card a convenient addition to any EDC load out. It’s also available in either a cash strap or money clip variant.
Liquid Essentialist Wallet
For some people, a simple wallet is fine. For anyone looking for a little more functionality, there’s Liquid’s Essentialist. The wallet itself holds up to 6 cards and cash, but the secondary level can also be outfitted with optional USB, bottle opener, and keyring attachments – which can all be arranged to suit the individual carrier.
Silo Mesh Card
Possibly the most stylized wallet on this list, the Silo Mesh Card is actually more like a multi-tool that’s cleverly disguised as a wallet. Sure, it can carry all your daily essentials, but it also functions as a smartphone stand, a bottle opener, and comes with optional (read:removable) RFID protection. And since it’s made of scratch-resistant titanium, we’re sure you could find some other uses.
The Ridge Titanium Wallet
If the aerospace-grade aluminum just wasn’t enough, Ridge has another up their sleeve with this titanium offering. Similar in many ways to the aluminum version, this Ridge wallet has two chief differences. First, it is constructed from extremely durable titanium. It’s also available in your choice of either cash strap or money clip. For all intents and purposes, this is the upgraded version of the classic Ridge wallet, and the additions are well worth it. This wallet might be the last one you’ll ever need.
Grovemade Brass Wallet
Constructed from a combination of solid brass and vegetable-tanned leather, this wallet gives off an air of sophistication, whilst still retaining the toughness to survive through daily use. Made to fit up to five cards and a couple of bills, this wallet’s brass frame is custom built in Portland, Oregon and the leather is domestically sourced, as well.
