Ugmonk recently added some new items to their Lifestyle collection, my favorite being the Cross Pocket Wallet. Available in brown English bridle leather and natural vegetable-tanned leather, this slim, full-leather wallet is sure to develop an awesome patina over time. And like any good piece of leather, each piece has its own distinct markings and thus, every wallet is sure to be…
After a successful Kickstarter campaign that far exceeded their funding expectations, Kendall & Hyde are just about ready to start selling their leather goods to the world. Everything they sell is crafted from vegetable-tanned, full-grain leather, some of which sport top-notch hardware—such as snaps made from real 1930s buffalo nickels. As of this writing (May 28th, 2014) they are still allowing pre-orders…
Hard Graft, makers of fine bags and other accessories, today unveiled their “Ocean” collection. Like their other products, these items are crafted from vegetable-tanned, hand-stained Italian leather and heavy-duty wool felt, but what sets the Ocean collection apart is that each piece is shaded a deep, gorgeous blue. They’re really quite striking, but the wool felt’s muted gray tones keep everything nicely…
The SLIDE wallet by Stitch & Locke is a Kickstarter project for a wallet that is both eco-friendly and animal-free. A simple design, really—it sports a thin layer of cork on the outside and a thicker denim interior, with a notch cut at the lower corner that allows you to easily slide cards out (hence the name). They’ve already tripled their funding…
Not a lot needs to be said about the Navigator wallet. It’s made from oiled Nissan leather and waxed canvas, has six internal card slots and a single cash slot, and most importantly, it looks great. $50 on Amazon.
As slim as wallets have gotten in recent years, there are still times when it’s unfeasible to carry one. Some mornings, I enjoy a quick bike ride to and from my local coffee shop but I’m often wearing shorts with no pockets. I could toss my wallet and keys into a backpack, but I don’t need or want to carry all my…
“What if bags could be more? What if bags could tell stories?” This is the question Quanda Ong asked himself in May 2013, when he quit his banking job to found fashion company Gnome & Bow. This mindset led him to develop an imaginative brand that focuses on making great bags and other accessories that use clever, subtle details to tell a…
Bholsa is a small Portuguese shop that makes lots of felt, anti-pilling, water-resistant cases for various devices. This sleeve+wallet combo, which features two front slots for cards and bills, is available for iPhone 5/5s and iPhone 4/4s. It looks great, protects your iPhone, and may save you the trouble of carrying a separate wallet. Available on Etsy for $18.50.
Alright, you’re packed, you’re well-caffeinated, and it’s time to head out the door. Hopefully by now you’ve chosen a good way to carry your money and passport around, but if not, you should have a gander at the Saddleback Leather Passport Wallet. This thing was built with international travelers in mind. It has two credit card slots, each of which can hold…
The presence of RFID chips in our credit cards and international passports has greatly increased in the last several years, and you can bet there are thieves who want the data on those chips. A company called Ainste has come up with some products to help keep your information safe while traveling. For cards in particular, they’ve got the RFID Small Evan…
I wish I’d known about the Bellroy Passport Sleeve Wallet before the cruise I went on recently. A wallet that can hold my passport, boarding pass, credit cards, and a tiny pen would have been tremendously helpful at the time. Alas, I only found out about it this morning, but perhaps a Tools & Toys reader might find it useful for an…
In addition to their “Pony Express” leather pouch, the guys at Field Notes have added a beautiful new product to their lineup of leather goods: the “Everyday Carry” Memo Book Cover. Made of soft, vegetable-tanned cowhide leather, this cover sports inner pockets that can hold a Field Notes notebook along with other carryables, such as cash and a couple of credit cards.…
A handcrafted combination leather wallet + notebook cover.
Yesterday, I pointed out the excellent TGT Wallet, which was mainly designed with credit cards in mind. If the items you carry around in your pocket are more of the “loose change, keys, and earbuds” variety, the versatile Box Card Case by Hard Graft ($75) might be more your style. It’s the newest member of their ever-popular Heritage Collection and maintains the…
The TGT Wallet (pronounced like “tight wallet”) is a great new wallet that sports a part-leather, part-elastic design. The leather is of the soft Italian variety and the elastic allows for all kinds of colorful choices to pick from. It’s also very compact, despite being able to hold quite a lot of stuff. The elastic band can even snugly hold your iPhone.…
Much like the CINCH wallet I wrote about a while back, the Vestige wallet ($20) sports a minimal design along with a wooden “backbone” to help the wallet keep its shape. The biggest difference though is its leather exterior, in contrast with the CINCH’s elastic band. It can hold up to six cards, some folded bills, and most interestingly, a key on…
There’s a bit of a “minimalist wallet” trend going around these days, and a lot of them are starting out as Kickstarter projects. My current wallet, the Supr Slim, actually falls into this category but a new Kickstarter wallet called CINCH aims to be the top contender. Like the Supr Slim, the CINCH is comprised of an elastic band to hold your…
Daniel Kane, the guy behind these awesome Kickstarter sunglasses is back, with a front-pocket wallet that looks just great. The Bridge is built with a slim aluminum and stainless steel exoskeleton that provides easy access to cards and cash with the push of your finger. The sides are held together with bands that allow up to 8 cards to be stored in…
Phil’s wallets are crafted out of clean, durable leather that might have gone to waste but instead has been rescued and given new life. They sport that minimal look, yet can fit up to 20 cards and 20 bills at a time. If you need more than that, you may want to consider getting a backpack. Phil and his girlfriend maintain every…
In another entry in our long-running series of awesome wallets, the Obtainium Wallet might be my new favorite. Crafted from aircraft grade aluminum that is hard coated to a satin texture, the Obtainium Wallet is a metal bifold with built-in clips to keep cards and cash in place. The 15mm thick enclosure comes in one of three colors, but the platinum grey…