Your wallet is one of the most essential pieces of gear you can carry, so it’s important to pick one that meets your needs as well as enables you to be smarter with your EDC. Paring down the number of business cards, credit cards, and cash you bring around can help, but the kind of wallet you carry matters a lot as well. Switching to a slim front pocket wallet is a great way to reduce size, bulk, and discomfort, and being able to EDC your card wallet in your front pocket makes it easier to secure while on the move. More durable or technical materials can also ensure a lifetime of usability and reliability. In this guide, we’re rounding up some of the best EDC wallets for you to consider. Each of them is exceptional in its own category, and all of them deserve a place in your everyday carry.
How to Choose the Best EDC Wallet For You
Of course, depending on a person’s preference, what’s best for them may vary, but we have a short list of things to consider in buying the best type of everyday carry wallet for you:
- Product durability: A broken-down wallet that can’t hold your cards and cash isn’t a useful one, so choosing a durable wallet that will last a lifetime of use is an important consideration.
- Wallet space / Capacity: Consider the absolute must-haves you carry day to day. Do you have a lot of ID or bank cards, or do you carry a lot of cash? These will determine how much (and how well) a wallet can carry them.
- Materials used: Everyone is familiar with the timeless leather wallet or leather card holder, but modern technology now allows manufacturers to create much more durable and premium wallets out of materials that won’t break down over time. You have hundreds of options, including everything from technical billfolds to tactical wallets made of aerospace-grade aluminum.
- Can fit most pockets: Just like other EDC tools, a bulky wallet that’s hard to carry is one that will be left at home, or worse, be actually carried and do a number on your pockets or your back. A good EDC wallet is one that can easily slip into or out of your pockets while still able to carry all your essentials.
- Lightweight: And like bulk, weight is also something to consider, as a heavy wallet can be inconvenient or uncomfortable to use.
Our Top Picks
The Best Overall Wallet: The Ridge Wallet [Buy]
The Best Metal Wallet: Hayvenhurst Pop Up [Buy]
The Best Minimal Wallet: Pioneer Molecule [Buy]
The Best Wallet on a Budget: CountyComm Matrix [Buy]
The Best Pouch Wallet: Alpaka HUB Hook & Loop [Buy]
The Ridge Wallet | Hayvenhurst Pop Up | Pioneer Molecule | CountyComm Matrix | Alpaka HUB Hook & Loop |
$$ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
Capacity: 12 cards | Capacity: 5-6 cards | Capacity: 6+ cards | Capacity: 12 cards | Size: 2.11 oz |
Materials: Multiple | Materials: Aluminum | Materials: 10XD / 3PN | Materials: Dyneema | Materials: VX42 X-Pac |
Key Features: Cash strap or money clip | Key Features: Button deployment mechanism | Key Features: Front and back card slots | Key Features: Water- and stretch-resistant | Key Features: Hook and loop field |
Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
The Best Overall Wallet: The Ridge Wallet
PurchaseThe Best Metal Wallet: Hayvenhurst Pop Up
PurchaseThe Best Minimal Wallet: Pioneer Molecule
PurchaseThe Best Wallet on a Budget: CountyComm Matrix
PurchaseThe Best Pouch Wallet: Alpaka HUB Hook & Loop Pocket Organizer
PurchaseOpen Sea Leather Gun Deck Mini
PurchaseDango A10 Adapt Titanium
PurchaseSkog Å Kust Plånbok Floating Waterproof Wallet
PurchaseEDC Wallet FAQ
What are the benefits of having a wallet that is compact and lightweight?
A lightweight and slim wallet not only prevents any unsightly bulges in your front or back pocket, but its smaller footprint helps avoid discomfort as well.
What are the best features of a wallet?
A good wallet features the ability to secure all your important cards and cash safely while still maintaining a slim design.
What are some features to look for when purchasing a wallet?
Look for durable, high-grade materials that can withstand a variety of conditions. RFID protection for its card holder and a compact profile are also important features to consider.
What measures should be taken to ensure that you are choosing the best EDC wallet?
Choose a wallet that suits your lifestyle and has features that you’ll find useful in your day-to-day activities.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with any of the wallets we’ve picked out for you here, but a wallet can also be an extension of your personality, from how it looks to its functionality. Whichever wallet you choose, what matters most is that it provides you with the three characteristics that you’d want in a wallet you use every day: convenience, durability, and comfort.
How we picked
Decades of experience and deep connections in the everyday carry industry give us a unique viewpoint on the market to inform our product recommendations. We have the depth of information for thousands of products that have come before and an extensive eye on the market to see what’s new and trending for each piece of gear. The result is a buying guide that we feel is informative and useful for EDCers of every trade, industry, and budget.
What is Everyday Carry?
Everyday Carry is both the concept of what people carry in their pockets and the process of picking out gear that thoughtfully considers what one wants or needs in their daily lives. It encompasses everything from style to preparedness to utility, meaning an entire industry full of valuable tools and essentials to choose from.
Why you should trust us
Our team has decades of combined experience in all aspects of everyday men’s essentials, from wallets to pens to bags and everything in between, and we know where to find great gear ideas that you may not come across at your local stores or when shopping online. Our expertise with the industry and familiarity in design, materials, and usability help you make more informed choices when it comes to picking up your next piece of gear.