Several days ago I discovered an item in my mailbox that I had been greatly looking forward to since nearly the beginning of the year. When I stumbled across a Kickstarter for a product called Articulate Wallets all the way back in February I was very interested in seeing what the final result would look like, so I backed it and waited patiently for mine to arrive.

I was looking to replace to wallet I had been using for years, partly because I was tired of it, and partly because it was falling apart. Although I was in the market, I hadn’t had any luck finding a wallet I liked. I was looking for something that was of high quality, looked great, functioned well, and had something unique about it. The Articulate Wallet description matched up with what I was looking for perfectly.

I’ve now had the better part of a week to spend using it full-time, and I feel comfortable in saying this: it’s my favorite wallet that I’ve ever owned. It’s not perfect, by any means, but it comes as close as any that I’ve used up to this point. I’ll highlight what they got right and what could have been a little better.

Overview

Pros:

  • Fantastic quality
  • Looks great
  • Back card pocket is superb
  • Inexpensive for what you get

Neither pro or con:

  • Cards easy to access, yet difficult to remove if there are many

Cons:

  • Cash pocket is a little tight

Design and Quality

<p>I have never seen a wallet with quite the same design, and in that regard, they completely achieved their goal. It’s made out of leather, and has the “genuine” feel to it that many inexpensive wallets don’t have. There is a single leather band (complete with gorgeous stitching, of course) that spans the length of the outside. On the front side the logotype for Aritculate Wallets is imprinted in the leather band.</p><p>On the back of the product there is a pocket for your most used credit card. While I’ll talk about it in greater detail in the functionality section below, I will mention right now that I really like the way this pocket looks.</p><p>Inside the wallet is another defining design choice: in place of your standard slotted card holders there are two sets of x-oriented elastic bands (see picture below). Cards fit under the bands and are slid out when needed. Again, I’ll discuss the functionality aspects of it, but it is a unique look that really helps set this wallet apart.</p><h2>Functionality</h2><p>The back card pocket is my absolute favorite thing about this wallet, and I didn’t expect that going in. It has a small window for your finger to slide the card up, and was designed with the intention of being able to slide the card in a card-reader without it ever having to leave the wallet entirely. I’ve been unable to test this, but I do know that it’s awesome to be able to get to the card without having to open up the rest of it. I only use one card, and it’s cool to be able to grab it quickly without having to fiddle around with all the other stuff inside. If that were the only selling point of the wallet, I still probably would have been sold on it.</p><p>The inside of the wallet is where the (very mild) functionality issues present themselves. If you have a lot of cards, removing them from under the elastic straps can be difficult and a relatively slow process. That said, if you only have four or five cards it’s not really a big deal. Besides, it’s not like I didn’t know that going in; this is pretty obvious from the onset. </p><p>The only real major functionality problem, and indeed the only truly negative thing I have to say about the wallet, is the cash pocket. I almost never use cash so it isn’t really a big issue for me, but if you’re a heavy cash user, I would have a harder time recommending this wallet. With cards in the straps, I’ve found that it can be stiff opening up. If you’re wanting to bend the wallet back wide and stuff bills inside, you may be slightly disappointed. It’s a possibility that it will loosen up over time, so I’ll report back if that changes after using it more. The divider also isn’t quite as tall as I would have liked, so if you do have cash it’s quite visible behind the cards- although this may be an intentional design.</p><p> </p><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><p>This wallet is absolutely superb. While it does have a few shortcomings, particularly in the cash department, I can’t recommend this wallet highly enough. It feels great, it looks amazing, and in actual use I’ve grown very fond of it in the short amount of time that I’ve owned it. If you’re in the market for a wallet, definitely consider the Articulate Wallet.</p><p></p><h3>Price: $30</h3><h3>Score: 4.5/5, Outstanding</h3><p> </p><h2>Links</h2><p>Articulate Wallet Website</p><p>Articulate Wallet on Indiegogo</p><p>Articulate Wallet on Kickstarter</p><p> </p><p> </p>