Traditional wallet vs. minimalist vs. other?

I just ordered a Trayvax Contour wallet. My wallets have always been the boring bi-fold type. Nowadays its mostly card carry with minimal cash, so this should work well. Its easy to thumb through all the cards and select the one you're looking for. Cash is less accessible, but looks like it should be ok.

I'll do a follow up if I remember after I receive it.

Pic's taken from internet

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Here is my dilemma: I have carried the traditional leather tri-fold wallet since day one. My pockets are bursting with stuff... keys, phone, pocket knife, notepads, etc. I am looking at going to a satchel (man purse?) to get some stuff, but not all, off body.

For those that rock the minimalist wallets, what do you keep in the wallet and what is carried else where? How do I "thin the herd" so to speak? I'm a writer and journal a lot, so the satchel will have my tablets and pens in, and perhaps I will keep my phone in there as well. Its a work in progress.

Thanks for the replies!

A couple years ago I switched to a Secrid wallet from a Bifold. I wanted to slip a pocket knife next to my wallet in my back pocket when riding the motorcycle(belt pouches don't work too well with a tight waisted riding jacket). It worked perfectly, and I now use it for everything. I've tried a money clip many years ago when I was trying to carry less around, but I now need to carry my own business cards and a few more cards/permits than a traditional money clip would handle, and I didn't want to dig into a leather fold everytime I needed my DL or credit cards... since it's rare that I have much cash on me nowadays. I have some friends and family that have "stuffed to the brim" wallets, and I don't want to turn into that. One friend had so many things in his wallet that it burst when he got on to an elevator, and half of it's contents slid down into the elevator shaft.

With the Secrid Slimwallet, I like the design, and look, and I can fit 4-5 credit cards and a DL in the aluminum shell that has a switch for easy access, it has two leather pockets that I have a couple permits and business cards in, and I keep some cash, a check, a BandAid, and sometimes receipts in the cash/fold area.

This is the version I have: https://secrid.com/en-us/slimwallet-vintage-brown/
 
I don't carry cash. Insurance cards, memberships cards etc. on in my phone. This Decadent Minimalist wallet holds eight cards. This includes my D.L., License to carry, company I.D., four credit/debit and the Decedent Minimalist carbon fiber RFID card. Mine is the aluminum gun metal ano'd version.

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I’ve carried a tri-fold for decades. A few months back, mine started to fall apart. I tried a minimalist for a few days and it didn’t work for me.

About a month ago, I purchased a Vintage Bison bi-fold that I am very happy with...
502JEy6.jpg

It’s thick leather with a beautiful grain. :thumbsup:
 
I went with "other". I have tried many different types of wallets, trying to find the right combo of having all of my stuff and a slim profile. Couldn't do it. I found the prefect wallet for me. It is thick, made in the US, clear plastic on the outside for drivers license, no Velcro and fits everything I want to carry (truly EDC). I have maybe 15 or more cards and a small zippered pouch for change. All this and it didn't throw my spine out of alignment. The Wallet Jr:
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Here is my dilemma: I have carried the traditional leather tri-fold wallet since day one. My pockets are bursting with stuff... keys, phone, pocket knife, notepads, etc. I am looking at going to a satchel (man purse?) to get some stuff, but not all, off body.

For those that rock the minimalist wallets, what do you keep in the wallet and what is carried else where? How do I "thin the herd" so to speak? I'm a writer and journal a lot, so the satchel will have my tablets and pens in, and perhaps I will keep my phone in there as well. Its a work in progress.

Thanks for the replies!
Big skinny super skinny leather bifold, great wallet
 
Cant go wrong with a 4 slot lay out in opinion.

You spread out the cards so having up to 12 cards in the wallet won’t bulk it up to much.

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I switched to an EXENTRI wallet about 3-4 years ago and I don't think ill ever own another brand. Its been such a good wallet. Holds all the cards I need, easy access to them and still holds a few bills if I need but I try to keep it thin. Its small enough for front pocket if you chose but I switched back to the rear pocket. It is a tiny wallet. Best part for me is the way the cards stack, my old wallets all had card slots that overlapped causing cards to crack over time. Never again. Also after 3-4years the wallet still looks damn near new. Got my brother one this last Christmas and hes a fan of it as well.
 
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I went with "other". I have tried many different types of wallets, trying to find the right combo of having all of my stuff and a slim profile. Couldn't do it. I found the prefect wallet for me. It is thick, made in the US, clear plastic on the outside for drivers license, no Velcro and fits everything I want to carry (truly EDC). I have maybe 15 or more cards and a small zippered pouch for change. All this and it didn't throw my spine out of alignment. The Wallet Jr:
n7XI4YMl.jpg

L5pnd0il.jpg




I’m glad to see another Spec Ops Brand guy here. I have a ton of their wallets. The J.R.’s, The larger versions, the checkbook wallets, and their shoulder pocket wallets.
 
I’m glad to see another Spec Ops Brand guy here. I have a ton of their wallets. The J.R.’s, The larger versions, the checkbook wallets, and their shoulder pocket wallets.

I have had this one for many years and it wears surprisingly well. Love the fact that it doesn't use Velcro. Probably gonna get a backup for 5-10 years down the road.
 
I've tried a few minimalist wallet setups and just keep going back to a standard bifold. I prefer a natural leather that patinas over time.

Surprisingly, My favorite minimalist "wallet" I tried was a CHUMS brand "Surfshorts" wallet.
 
I’ve carried a tri-fold for decades. A few months back, mine started to fall apart. I tried a minimalist for a few days and it didn’t work for me.

About a month ago, I purchased a Vintage Bison bi-fold that I am very happy with...
502JEy6.jpg

It’s thick leather with a beautiful grain. :thumbsup:
Some of the nicest Grip scales I've ever seen:eek::cool::cool::cool: DOAT?
 
I carried a bi-fold for forever, until it wore out. I then moved to a tri-fold, which I preferred, and carried it until it wore out. Went for another tri-fold, but it wasn't the same. From there, I moved to Maxpedition. I also had gotten to the point of carrying enough cards, and the credit-card types had changed, and they would get curved. Once they curved, they were problematic when inserting into the pay-slots, as well as the company card that allowed IT access being problematic to insert as well. I first tried Ridge. But it was constantly a pain in the a** to try to get the card out or back in, even if it was the front card. Didn't like that at all. The money-clip set-up was OK, but not ideal. It's binned now. I moved to Dango, getting one of their M1 wallets. I liked it better.... but it just wasn't ideal. Then they came out with their rail attachments. THAT nailed it. A little on the large side, but I liked it. Didn't carry quite enough cards, though. I also bought one of their A10 .... things. I have fought that thing almost as bad as I did the Ridge. We've come to a truce for now. But with it's set-up, I still have to carry the M1R. When I move back into the office, I'm probably going to sh**can it for everything except for carrying my company ID around my neck. I recently picked up a SCUDO Switch, and I think that is going to be the one I use the most, perhaps using it with a M1R to spread the cards across two (I have been carrying two wallets forever; one with all IDs that have my address, along with CC and some cash, that never gets shown unless I'm digging out my DL. The other has cash, CCard, ATM, insurance cards, etc. That is my "user" wallet, and would be the one I give up if robbed.) The Switch will probably be my "user," with the M1 being my hidden one.

So... guess I'm rambling... but bottom line, Dango and Scudo are my choice.

SCUDO
I believe Dango has already been linked?
 
522609798eae7f1a74634b2071ad6d8c_original.jpg I've been running the "Decadent Minimalist" wallet every since they started off on kickstarter YEARS ago. Like yourself, I had a bi-fold / tri fold in my rear pocket and it just hurt. I have since switched to front RH pocket carry. I've played with the Aluminum and now am using their TI 12 card DM1 wallet. Only reason for 12 card is I also use their "Money Clip which takes up a (1) card slot, and (2) of their CF RFID blockers. So really, my wallet holds 9 cards.

Check them out as I am a huge fan of their work. There is something very satisfying about hearing a "click" when a card is inserted knowing that it is secure.
 
I switched a few years ago, from a leather bifold to a simple, leather card sleeve that I keep in my front pocket. Just carry enough to get by... DL, LTCF, debit/credit, and a few others... maybe 7 or 8 total. Rarely catty cash, and when I do, it’s just folded in my pocket.

I used to keep a ton of stuff in my bifold, and when I switched I found, I just didn’t need most of it on a regular basis. I never put cash in it. All the membership cards were rarely needed. The pics of my daughter were always outdated. And receipts would just pile up. The wallet just became a black hole.

All those loyalty cards for groceries/gas/etc are now keychain sized, or on my phone. As are a lot of my documents... insurance cards, vehicle registrations, club memberships, etc. My bank app lets me balance immediately, instead of holding on to all those receipts. And it always has updated pics of my kid, my wife, my dog, etc, and is backed up almost daily...

But the best part is, I’m not sitting on that damn thing all day at work, or while driving, or any other time. You don’t realize how much it’s affecting you until you switch from wearing a bi or trifold in you back pocket, to something minimal in your front.
 
Good ol tripple fold leather. It keeps one's debit and credit cards from cracking, unlike with a thin bifold. Once I even made a trifold using duct tape and cut-up index cards. It worked, but the wife ordered me to ditch it because the adhesive on the tape was collecting too much grime. :D
 
Did somebody say minimalist wallet.
You don't get more minimalist than the Spine Wallet.
I have one and it's absolutely brilliant.
As much as I love leather, taking up less space in the pocket trumps all.
https://spinewallet.com/
 
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Still my (re-stitched) Saddleback card wallet. Can’t get much more slimmer than this. Might be little boring but darn just nothing about it annoys me!
 
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