The first wallet I ever owned had a Velcro strap and a chain attached to it as I channeled my early 90’s punk rock persona as a high school student…but then I grew up. Like most males, as we get older, we tend to gravitate towards something more classic, leather made with multiple card slots but those too are often boxy and hefty for stylish slim jean pockets. The folks at Ekster, have reimagined the classic men’s wallet into something sleek yet versatile and should be in your pocket right now.
The Aluminium cardholder is unlike any wallet we have reviewed before with is brilliant cool to touch Space-grade 6061-T6 aluminum design with built-in RFID protection. Available in 5 different colors, the matte finish not only is eye-catching but is also a joy to hold in the hand and feels very premium, even more so than genuine leather in our books. Without sounding fanboy like, if Apple were to make a wallet, this would be it. It is just that good.
Unlike traditional fold-out wallets, the Aluminium cardholder is a solid one-piece design that can hold up to 6 cards between the two slabs reinforced by an incredibly strong elastane backplate which can double as a slot to hold bills or business cards. However, the real brilliance comes from the unique way you access your cards, with the push of a button at the bottom of the cardholder, your cards fan out like a switchblade. It not only looks awesome, but it never gets old and is a real conversation starter. It is also an unbelievably versatile and clever way to see all your stored cards in one place.
We never thought that something that could store your credit card, a few bills, and maybe a dusty old condom could be such an early contender for Product of the Year 2021 but after using the Aluminum Card Holder by Ekster this past month, we find it hard to put down and to quote one of our fellow product reviewers: Flossy Carter – “it just feels so good in the hands”.
