RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) is a constant in our world that operates below most people’s radar. Originally used to track cattle, it is now used to track a multitude of products and personal items. Odds are good that unless you’re living in a cabin with strictly analog items that you made yourself, something you own has an RFID tag. In many ways it can be useful, scanning items for checkout quickly or keeping track of dangerous criminals. It can also be an easy way for technological thieves to steal your credit card information, and your identity.
The smarter our credit, debit, and identification cards become, the more connected they are to the invisible web that surrounds us. Using a process known as digital skimming, a person with an RFID reader can pick up your credit or debit card number, all while doing nothing more than standing nearby. Wallets that disrupt RFID signals prevent this from happening and are quickly becoming the only way to stay safe in a WiFi world. So that you know your money and your identity are covered, we found the 10 best RFID blocking wallets in the world.
Dash Co. RFID Blocking Slim Travel Wallet 4.0
True Minimal: You can’t measure the 4.0 in ounces, because it doesn’t even weigh one, and only has an eighth of an inch worth of depth. In spite of this miniscule profile it uses a triple compartment system that gives you just enough organization to get by without becoming cluttered. The backside is made of elastic allowing you to stuff cards in until it bursts. The front is tasteful saffiano canvas that has a window for slipping your cards in and out like a blackjack dealer nicknamed “The Widowmaker.” Dash uses a slender foil sheet to block RFID without adding weight or changing the incomparable appearance.
Trayvax Original
Tactical Advantage: Metal is one of the easiest ways to disrupt RFID waves because they cannot travel through it. The Original uses steel that has been cold-rolled, backed by aircraft-grade aluminum. It holds 10 cards and a fistful of dollars (or however you choose to arrange it) and is bound up with heat-resistant elastic and has a nice 550 paracord connector that will hold on for dear life; being difficult to saw through by even the most determined pickpocket. An industrial-grade bottle opener and the badass looks are just icing on this rich, 100% RFID-guarding cake.
Axess “Smooth” Compact Wallet
Less is More: Hailing from Sweden, this wallet’s name says it all. Constructed entirely out of Italian vegetable-tanned leather with hand-cut edges, there’s a surprising amount of craftsmanship devoted to this tiny piece. It holds 7-9 cards handily along with bills, giving it nearly as much storage as a standard wallet, while still keeping a low profile. Corespun thread is used on the stitching which is unlikely to unravel, difficult to cut or break, and capable of surviving untold abuses without coming undone. RFID blocking is handled by a plate in the larger outer pocket, leaving the inner pocket able to pay without removing your cards, but still keeping you safe.
MSTRMND Collective Slimplistic Wallet
Style Selection: The time MSTRMND saved in not using vowels clearly went into the design of this wallet. They begin with a solid block of billet aluminum meant for aircraft that is machined down to a tiny holster capable of toting around 7 cards along with cash. A knitted elastic band is used to help hold everything in place as a quick-draw thumb hole reminiscent of a Spyderco knife allows for you to deploy your credit card in a flash. This would have been enough, but they also offer it in a few different styles, including gold for the flashier set and ostrich for those who want an item that is sure to stand out from the crowd.
Machine Era Ti5 Slim
Deathproof: When you want a wallet that can protect your hard-earned cash, and can also survive a re-entry burn from orbit, then you need one that is built using 6al-4v aerospace titanium. Ounce for ounce and inch for inch one of the toughest wallets in the world, this is also wonderfully light, since titanium is the preferred metal for the everyday carry fanatic. You can carry as much or as little as the woven elastic band allows, or get a band that is the proper size for all your stuff. You can also open bottles with it, because that’s what really matters.
Secrid Cardslide
Hidden Depths: At 14mm, the Cardslide is a little larger than an average minimalist wallet, but it uses that space to great effect. Initially, it doesn’t even look like a wallet, more closely resembling a pillbox, which is part of the reason for the enhanced girth. Backed by aluminum for protecting your precious signal, it has a plastic cover which slides away to reveal a small area for bills, medication, keys, or other low-profile items. Cards slip easily but slowly out of the top with a clicker that prevents them from ever going rogue should the Cardslide be put into your pocket on an inverted dive.
HuMn Aluminum Mini Wallet
Animal Lover: Using nothing but synthetic materials, there’s no leather or other animal hide to be found anywhere on this wallet. On top of that, it doubles down with the RFID protection by using aircraft-grade aluminum on the outside, with a carbon fiber lining on the inside for a softer place to stash your cash. Completely customizable thanks to a sturdy elastic band, you can cram in as many or as few items as you need, while still being able to easily access it with comfortable thumb grooves for quick flipping.
Silo Mesh Card
Holey Roller: It’s a card multi-tool. It’s a stand for your phone. It’s an interesting piece of titanium that is coated in TiCN to add scratch resistance to its exceptional bundle of tricks. Around the center rests a silicone band for holding your cash and cards, or for anything else you feel like strapping it to. A polycarbonate bumper helps protect your card from the titanium, and permits you to still use any RFID card for transactions without needing to detach it from the body itself. Beauty and brains, now if only it could dance…
Madera Union Wallet
Woodsman: For all its beauty, oak does not also block RFID signals, which is why a plate is specifically built into the Union to guard against digital theft without ruining the gorgeous aesthetic. Fully loaded it carries six cards comfortably, but a few inner slits that help you conceal other slender items alter that load somewhat. At a scant ⅓ of an inch in thickness, it’s handy for front pocket carry, but won’t be comfortable to sit on should you decide to tote it near your hindquarters. Every single wallet is made from its own unique hunk of wood, which gives you a piece that won’t look like any other, but also means you can’t always predict precisely how it’s going to look coming out of the box. Rest assured that whatever the grain, each Union is hand-polished and checked for quality by a real human being.
The Ridge Carbon Fiber Wallet
Back in Black: Carbon fiber is one of the easiest materials to use to block RFID signals, and it does it extremely well. The Ridge is a set of fiber plates held together by expandable elastic. The full coverage of your cards makes skimming from any angle completely impossible, blocking signals from getting out or going in. The screws and the elastic can all be easily replaced, and are the only parts likely to wear out, unless you anticipate this wallet taking gunfire on a regular basis. Capable of holding approximately 12 cards without stretching out, or whatever combination of cards and cash you so deign necessary, it comes in both an elastic band and money clip style to suit your EDC purposes.
