Any man would agree that a wallet is just more than an accessory. A wallet is a fashion statement that mirrors your style and mindset.
But we assume you are buying a wallet for a man in your life, and men never consider spending money on wallets unless they get another one as a gift. If you find that special guy suffering at the hands of a worn-out wallet and want to get them a wallet, we consider going for a leather wallet.
Not only are leather wallets stylish, but they are highly durable and will surely last a long time. But, the real problem arises when you don’t know how to look for and choose the best one for that guy.
Buckle up, as this article will include all the essentials you need to know when we talk about choosing the best leather wallets for the men in your life!
1. Leather Quality:
If you haven’t shopped for leather products before, this will surprise you; Not all leather is created equal. Leather is a very versatile material that comes in various shapes and forms. Knowing the good leather quality is important as it can be the very thing that may separate it from being the best wallet out there.
Keeping that in mind, there are different types of leather, and all of them vary on which part of animal hide they are made from. Two kinds of leather categories are usually used by manufacturers when making leather wallets:
1. Full-Grain Leather:
Leather wallets made from full-grain leather will appear thicker and much more durable. They are also the right choice as far as quality concerns arise since they are not too overly processed. However, quality comes at a price, and wallets made from full-grain leather run at a higher price.
2. Split-Grain Leather:
Split-grain leather is of considerably lower quality. However, in terms of looks, it shares resembles full-grain leather. However, it has a composite material due to which the bottom layer is a thinner form of leather while the top layer inherits the looks of full–grain leather.
But, when put against a full-grain leather wallet, wallets made from split-grain leather don’t do all too well in terms of durability.
So, now that you know the two common types of leather used in making these wallets, you know that the best leather wallet will always be made from full-grain leather. Full-grain leather is a tougher material which allows it to resist wear and tear compared to split-grain leather.
Identifying full-grain leather is a different story. Full-grain leather will always have small dots on the surface. These dots are the places where hair was once attached. Additionally, full-grain leather comes with natural imperfections, such as scars from an insect bite.
2. Design and Capacity:
While durability is an important aspect when looking for a leather wallet, the main function of the wallet remains that being, the wallet able to offer functionality.
A wallet made from good quality material but unable to fulfill your everyday needs will not help you. While there are many manufacturers on the market for leather wallets, we have seen a fair amount of leather wallets failing to balance functionality with looks.
These days, people are usually looking for a slimmer and minimalist wallet. However, they have their catches and don’t have much room for storing everyday essentials. Keep in mind that the perfect wallet would be the one that fulfills the needs of the user.
To buy the right wallet, you must know how many cards and other items a person carries daily. If the person you’re buying the wallet for is a minimalist and doesn’t have much to carry, you will want to incline your choice toward a slimmer leather wallet and minimalistic.
A normal person usually carries around 6-8 cards and a good amount of cash. Considering that requirement, a bi-fold wallet would be the right choice. However, if not redesigned properly, the wallet appears a little bully.
In conclusion, look for a wallet that balances looks and functionality, and you will buy that person a wallet they will never want to replace!
3. Size of Wallet:
The size of the wallet directly resonates with the functionality a wallet will have to offer. Choosing the size of a men’s leather wallet depend on how much stuff you want to carry in your wallet.
However, a bigger size always does not mean more carrying capacity. A wallet with a bigger size is also likely to be a wallet with unnecessary pockets. It may come with extra layers of leather, making it bigger without adding any advantage or space to it.
Wallet size depends on how you carry your wallet. If you like to carry your wallet in jeans or chest pockets, the ideal choice is to choose a front-pocket wallet. While these wallets are smaller than traditional-sized wallets, they are suitable for smaller pockets.
However, if you carry your wallet in your jeans back pocket, like most people, you should consider looking for a traditional bifold wallet. However, if you like to be precise, the average size of a wallet of the optimal height is around 4 x 3.5 inches. Choosing a wallet any smaller than these dimensions will keep moving around in your wallet, and choosing a larger wallet may not fit in your pocket properly.
If you require a bigger wallet, consider going for a long one. A long wallet is a great choice for people who hold their wallets mostly in their hands. They are so big that you can also easily fit a smartphone.
In conclusion, the choice falls to you and your preferences. The perfect wallet size will depend on how many items you want to carry in your wallet and where you normally keep your wallet.
4. Craftsmanship:
To put it simply, craftsmanship means how things are made. Craftsmanship means paying attention to every minor detail in the product, which only a person with years of experience can do. Working on products for years is what helps in attaining practice and perfection.
Going for a wallet made from poor craftsmanship will overshadow a good design and high quality leather. Hence, having good craftsmanship is important for making a wallet look great and have a durable life, making it an important factor when looking for the perfect wallet.
For inspecting the craftsmanship of a leather wallet, you have two choices:
First, you can look at where the manufacturing is based; when we talk about craftsmanship, cultural traits matter significantly when doing a routine job. For example, craftsmanship is significantly better in the south Asian region as people have been more familiar with the art of leather crafting for more than ten decades.
As we said, craftsmanship is all about doing things right and paying attention to the details, and it comes with time and practice; it’s essential to know about the origins of the product.
Secondly, you can inspect the product thoroughly. Once you pay enough attention to things such as sewing, corner bends, internal pockets, and other hidden areas, you will find out if something is wrong with that wallet. These are some areas where a bad artisan may ignore the details and rush the work. Since you are looking for the best product, craftsmanship will be very important.
5. RFID Protection:
What is RFID protection? Cyber Ghost VPN says, “RFID-blocking material blocks your card’s electromagnetic signal.” You might be wondering what that RFID does with leather wallets.
There is no denying that our life is changing very fast with every passing day, courtesy of the new technologies popping up with every passing day. So, it’s only fair that our daily life objects, such as our wallets adapt too.
Previously, people had credit cards using magnetic strips to carry out transactions at checkout. Howevr, RFID-enabled cards today have made the transitions contactless. However, RFID-enabled cards come with a downside; RFID cards are vulnerable to a way of stealing your money known as “RFID Skimming.” In short, your RFID card can get scanned without your access which may compromise you and your financials.
Hence, the leather wallet you are looking for must come with at least one or more RFID-protected pockets to protect you against RFID skimming attacks. The wallets with RFID blocking technology will block all electromagnetic and radiowaves from penetrating the wallet, ensuring that the user data stays safe and protecting your information and money.
Final Words
Leather wallets are a catch. But many of them are available in the market, making it difficult to find the right one. However, we are sure that if you follow all the points mentioned in this guide, you will find the best leather wallet.
These factors are important in ensuring you have made the right decision. So don’t hesitate to look around. You can narrow down the best choice by searching the market for features.
We know that the criteria we have laid out above are tough but being the best is not easy. We hope that the information in this guide helps you find the best leather wallets for the men in your life. Happy shopping!
