Practical Functional Alternatives to Thick Wallets

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
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I noticed my regular leather wallet was ripping out after a few years use. I notice that I carry way too much stuff in there. What is a practical alternative to this?

Man bag? I don't know if I would routinely carry something like this. Fanny pack/pouch? Perhaps. These things are kind of foreign to me. What have you all done to accomplish this?

I ordered what amounts to a passport case that you can wear around your neck or on your belt. I believe I can keep my smart phone inside this as well. It wasn't expensive, but I don't know if this will work. What I envision happening is that I want to reduce the wallet contents to a bear minimum, but have the option of carrying all the stuff that I normally have inside my wallet in a fashion that I am willing to do. Not sure what that means exactly.
 
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You should really go through your wallet and work out what's needed.
That coffee discount card from a long ago closed shop isn't needed.
Did it with mine and went from about 25 cards to 4 that I need all the time.
Fishing and boat licences stay in the boat. Don't need them anywhere else.

Now I have my credit card, car licence, debit card and Medicare card.
I need them all the time.
Added an app on my phone that scans all the discount cards from places that have them so when I go to them just show them the barcode on my phone and they scan it.

Get one of the Bellroy leather Card Sleeves or get a leather guy to knock one up and you'll be laughing.
 
22-rimfire said:
I noticed my regular leather wallet was ripping out after a few years use. I notice that I carry way too much stuff in there. What is a practical alternative to this?

Man bag? I don't know if I would routinely carry something like this. Fanny pack/pouch? Perhaps. These things are kind of foreign to me. What have you all done to accomplish this?

I ordered what amounts to a passport case that you can wear around your neck or on your belt. I believe I can keep my smart phone inside this as well. It wasn't expensive, but I don't know if this will work. What I envision happening is that I want to reduce the wallet contents to a bear minimum, but have the option of carrying all the stuff that I normally have inside my wallet in a fashion that I am willing to do. Not sure what that means exactly.
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Is it a requirement that the new “wallet” be able to hold your phone? How large is that, minimum, 3D? (Does it have a case?)
 
I like my Bellroy Travel Wallet. I've considered getting a smaller model but this one works quite well and holds a passport when I travel.
 
Carry less stuff. It's easy.

Got too much cash and the wallet's splittin'? Buy more knives, problem solved.

I went from the big wallet a few years ago to the little sleeve RFID blocking one and haven't looked back.
 
Space for a cell phone is not required. For those that carry a "sleeve", how do you carry such things as insurance cards (auto and health), ID, credit & debit cards, and all the other crap? I don't have my wallet stuffed full of receipts and junk like that.

I know that I can simply not carry stuff, but there is little that I carry that is not generally needed from point of view other than maybe one credit card versus two. That's why I'm looking at other options. Can't see myself ever wearing a fanny pack.
 
i’m glad you asked 22-rimfire 22-rimfire , since this has been something i have been considering. like you, in general, i “need” most of the stuff in my wallet. but it’s thick and i hate carrying it. whenever i get anywhere, i immediately take it out of my pocket.

for me, i have been considering a “satellite” wallet. still bring my normal, big wallet with me, but leave it in the truck and just toss a couple cards, license and cash into a skinny wallet.

think i may try that, but i am also interested to see what other folks are doing.
 
I thought about the "satelite wallet" approach too with the ID insert in some wallets as the carrier. I'm looking for ideas. I don't know if there is a solution that I will like. Carrying a cell phone near credit or debit cards such as in the "passport case" might not be a good idea.

The Bellroy seems to be mostly a small man bag. The only good thing about a man bag to me is being able to keep my handgun inside it. Maybe not instantly accessible, but certainly more accessible than leaving it in the car. I worry that I would simply set the man bag down and walk away from it... instantly loosing cash, cards, perhaps handgun, cell phone and so forth.
 
22-rimfire said:
I thought about the "satelite wallet" approach too with the ID insert in some wallets as the carrier. I'm looking for ideas. I don't know if there is a solution that I will like. Carrying a cell phone near credit or debit cards such as in the "passport case" might not be a good idea.
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yeah, i’m not interested in putting more stuff in one (albeit different) container, a la the fanny pack or one of those other “gear” pouches above.

for me, if i just try to downsize and leave the house with a minimalist wallet, i fear i will forget something. so, i’m going to try the satellite wallet approach. why have one when you can have two!!? :rolleyes:

and heck, maybe doing it that way for a while will teach me what i really do or don’t “need”. shrug.

i’ve been thinking about this for a while, so maybe this thread will kick me in the rear a bit. thanks! :D

EDIT: i already do this with my keys. i hate having a lot of keys on my keychain. well, that’s not quite correct. i hate having a lot of “stuff” in my pockets. so, i have a set with the house keys, etc. then i have a set with just my car key. i leave the “keys” in the truck and i just bring my car key with me. seems to work ok.
 
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a pic ... why not?

hard to see the size of said wallet. but constanza would be proud. ;)

7AF33182-DAE9-4F61-8DF2-027906C2A1EE.jpeg
 
One thing I found in my old broken down torn wallet.... years worth of car insurance cars for three vehicles, a broken walmart gift card that I used to use for gas (to get the discount). It needs replaced hopefully they can give me a new one with the old money on it. I carried two credit cards I never used; They're gone. I have two debit cards to different bank accounts; both get used (one business and one personal). But there is still too much stuff from my point of view. I seldom use credit cards any more except for a walmart card. I shop there often, so why not have a card?

I keep insurance cards inside my vehicles too. Got pulled over once and all of my insurance cards were expired. I just didn't have the current one in there.

One thing on this new wallet I could do is drop the ID holder completely and insert those cards into credit card slots. That would thin things down a little.

I don't think I would mind carrying another container/wallet of sorts as long as it is fairly secure to my person without a lot of trouble. When I carry a 8" tablet, I really have to pay attention not to set the thing down and often have it tucked under my arm... that's an accident waiting to happen.
 
I have a gun deck and i really like it. Its slim and fits in a front pocket. It holds about 5 cards and for me thats all i need. Like many people have said i too was carrying too much junk. I found it easy to cut down to a few cards. Best of luck.
 
Stang Bladeworks said:
I have a gun deck and i really like it. Its slim and fits in a front pocket. It holds about 5 cards and for me thats all i need. Like many people have said i too was carrying too much junk. I found it easy to cut down to a few cards. Best of luck.
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haven’t heard of a “gun deck”. just looked it up. pretty cool.
 
I think whatever you do, having it on your person securely would be important, and subdividing into multiple wallets sounds like it could be confusing. If something is missing, which wallet had it been in? Or was it stolen or lost?

What about a passport wallet? It’s larger so it’s thinner when full.
 
I looked up magnetic interference with credit cards and cell phones and the answer seems to be that motel type key cards are very susceptible to damage but credit cards take a much higher magnetic pulse than produced by a cell phone even receiving a call. It's the speaker magnet that does the damage.

The passport wallet may be the answer. I agree it might get confusing if you have "important stuff" in two separate wallets that you carry. It would be easy to drop one and not notice it or forget to bring it along... find out you don't have DL or ID at the most inopportune times perhaps.

I keep two sets of keys on me.... house and misc and car/truck only. The whole thing might get really confusing with two wallets.
 
Forgot to mention another plus to a thinner wallet: reduces risk of triggering “sciatica” depending where you carry it.
 
I have a leather card holder. Holds 6 cards. I keep cash in my front pocket. I did this as it was a pain in the butt when driving.
 
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