Updated February 19, 2024
If you’re a carry-on traveller or light packer, chances are there are several multipurpose items on your packing list. Does that include a phone wallet case? If not, or you’re looking to upgrade your phone or a case, the following list of must-have features of a phone wallet case for travel might help you in your search.
What is a phone wallet case?
A phone wallet case combines the functionality of a wallet and a protective cover for your phone. It contains one or more slots or pockets to house things normally carried in a wallet or purse.
Folio designs open like a book, providing protection to both the front and back of a phone.
Slim versions typically cover the back of the phone, and may have features offering minimal protection for the front.
Benefits of a wallet phone case
The main benefit of a phone case is to protect your phone from harm.
It offers protection from dirt, dust, pollution, germs, rainfall, and sun. It provides a measure of protection from damage from falls or scratches.
It can extend a phone’s working life.
It might increase resale value when upgrading.
Different designs and colours can add a touch of style, or changed to reflect one’s mood or wardrobe.
At a glance, it helps distinguish a phone from others.
A phone wallet case offers the compact convenience of not having to carry both a wallet and a phone. It can also act as a storage unit, or another place to stash emergency cash.
In the slot, pocket, or vault, carry an emergency contact card , a piece of ID, a financial card, and some cash when you don’t want to carry a wallet or purse. If you drive, it’s a convenient place to stow your driver’s licence.
At home or while travelling, carry a single bill to use in an emergency. It could come in handy when other payment methods aren’t accepted, or if a credit card terminal isn’t working. Make sure it doesn’t have any markings or damage, and is a currency and denomination that can be easily used or changed.
When inserting a local SIM card, tape your home SIM and SIM card remover tool to the inside of the cover. Or look for a thin holder with slots for SIM cards and a removal tool. With your home SIM and SIM card remover tool behind your phone, It will be at your fingertips as soon as you return to your home country. Chances are you’ll be connected to your home network by the time you reach the terminal.
12 Must-have features of a phone wallet case for travel
1. A secure fit
Chances are it will fit your phone if it’s rated for a specific make and model. Read the reviews from verified purchasers to make sure. The fit should be snug, but flexible enough for the case to be removed without much difficulty.
2. Attractiveness
It looks good, but not so good that it’s a magnet for pickpockets and thieves. Without sacrificing durability and functionality, look for something inexpensive and unpretentious. Also, consider how it will withstand the rigours of everyday use. My first phone wallet case was a cheap case made of silicone. Unfortunately, ‘cheap’ translated into a tired, somewhat grimy look over time and an on/off button that took some persuasion to do its job.
3. Functional and secure
It securely holds what you want to store behind the phone and within the pocket or slots. I once made a hurried purchase of a Poetic Nubuck case. It featured a hidden slot with pull-tab access.
I don’t recommend this design. The slot and pull strap were made of leather that became more pliable with use. The day my driver’s licence slipped out and fell at my feet was the day I purchased my current phone wallet case’s predecessor.
4. The phone’s functionality isn’t limited
It allows complete access to the screen, camera, ports, and controls. Look for references such as “tactile click buttons” or “optimized button profile.” Grappling with hard-to-click buttons is annoying. So is wrangling a flap that can’t stay out of the way when taking pictures. Also, if you have an external battery with integrated charging cords, check that those cords are compatible with the case.
5. Easy access
Credit cards and other financial and identity cards are easy to access, but not so easy that one could inadvertently fall out.
6. Secure grip
It needs to be easy to grip and hold. Look for a textured anti-slip surface and side grip.
7. Wireless charging compatibility
It offers MagSafe compatibility for Apple devices or is compatible with your wireless charging pad, if you use one. Remove your financial and identity cards before charging. Otherwise, they might become unreadable after being subjected to electromagnetic induction.
8. Durability
It’s made of durable materials capable of absorbing shock on impact. Look for reinforced corner bumpers, or air-pocket corners that act as tiny airbags for your phone.
9. Screen protection
A raised bezel on the side grip offers a measure of protection for the screen. Folio cases invariably have a screen cover.
10. Lightweight
It shouldn’t add unnecessary bulk or weight. Check the specifications for the unit’s weight, and decide if it’s one you can tolerate.
11. RFID-blocking technology
Does it feature RFID-blocking technology? Some cases offer RFID-protection against electronic pickpocketing of identity and financial cards.
12. Adhesive accessories
Do you use lost-and-found tags? If so, the surface needs to be a able to accommodate an adhesive tag. Do you use a phone tether tab? If you prefer one with adhesive backing, it needs to stick to the inside of the case.
Anti-pickpocket accessories
(i) Phone tether tab
A phone tether tab is a handy little accessory that sits behind a phone in its case. The tab has an attachment point that protrudes through the charging slot, allowing a leash to be attached and tethered to a secure attachment point in a pocket, purse, or bag.
There are lots on the market. Mine is from COCASES.
When paired with another accessory, its main function is to prevent damage, loss, and theft.
(ii) Retractable coil
Some travellers prefer to attach a lanyard to carry the phone around the neck, much like wearing a crossbody bag. My preference is to keep a phone out of sight as much as possible. A hybrid version of a combined lanyard and crossbody bag is a crossbody phone case.
I’ve experimented with various leashes and tether straps to attach a phone to a plastic O-ring sewn into a pocket or purse. On a recent trip to Africa, I used a retractable coil with a lobster claw clasp at each end. It worked beautifully.
One lobster claw clasp was attached to the phone tether tab and the other to an O-ring sewn into the lining in a corner of my crossbody purse. It was possible to grab the phone and close the zipper of my purse, almost completely. The retractable coil permitted using the phone to consult Google Maps or receive a call. An added advantage of this arrangement is that the phone remains attached to the bag at all times and is never placed on a tabletop to be stolen or left behind.
My favourite phone wallet case
After several missteps, I finally have something that works for me. It’s a Smartish iPhone 14 Pro – Wallet Slayer Vol. 1. It has a feature I like in a pocket — different sized openings on each side so a card can be pushed or pulled out of the card slot. At 40.8 grams (1.4 ounces), it’s built for packing light travel.
The pocket holds three items securely: a driver’s licence, laminated emergency contact card, and one financial card. A single bill for emergency use is kept inside the cover. For many years, I had the identical version for my previous phone, an iPhone X.
Special mention: Folio phone wallet case
I’m not a fan of the folio design, but my spouse loves it on his iPhone 13. He likes the convenience of going wallet-free with enough slots for a driver’s licence, health card, financial cards, and a banknote. It’s an ICARERCASE iPhone 13 Premium Leather Wallet Case with a magnetic closure for the front cover when it’s not protecting the screen. It weighs 5.3 oz (150 g). Like me, it’s his second purchase. For many years, he had the identical version for his previous phone, an iPhone 7.
If you found this post helpful, please share it by choosing one or more social media buttons. If you’d like to chime in, or recommend another product, please do so in the comments. Thank you.
Care to pin it for later?
The Amazon links are affiliate links. This means that if you click on one and purchase something, Packing Light Travel earns a small commission which helps with the costs of maintaining the site. Thank you for your support.
(Visited 2,833 times, 15 visits today)
If you look into your pocket right now, you will probably find at least three things; your phone, keys, and yes, your wallet. The wallet is such a universal thing when it comes to items people carry in their daily life. No matter what your job is and how you spend your day, you will need a wallet. It carries your cash, business cards, credit/debit cards, driving license, bills, keys, coins, and many other things and makes sure that they are accessible right away. The purpose of this post is to help you chose among the best leather wallet out there.
When it comes to choosing your wallet, leather made is the obvious choice. Metallic and carbon fiber wallets are also out there to experiment with. Still, when style and class are in focus, nothing can outmatch the beauty of a perfectly crafted and skillfully stitched top quality leather wallet.
In this article, we are going to look at 5 features that makes a nice wallet.
Not all leather is created equal. Leather is such a versatile material that it comes in all shapes and forms. The type and quality of leather from which the wallet is crafted can make it the best wallet out there or just an average one.
We have discussed the types of leather in a separate blog post so without going into much details, here is the tldr;
There are many classifications of leather. The most important classification is based on the part of animal hide from which the leather is made. The animal hide is quite thick and unusable as it is. So, to make it more useful, it is split into several layers. The topmost layer is called full grain leather, which has many natural imperfections. When these imperfections are buffed/sanded, the resulting layer is called top grain leather. The leather obtained from all the other layers below that is termed genuine leather.
Good quality wallets are almost always made from full grain leather. Full grain leather is tough, resists wear & tear more than other grades of leather, and develops a beautiful patina when used for a long time. On the other hand, a genuine leather wallet might not last very long.
Pic: Aurochs Gravity Bifold Wallet
Question is, how to identify full grain leather wallet? Full grain leather has small dots on the surface. These are the places where the hair was once attached. Apart from the small dots, full grain leather surface might also have natural imperfections and scars from insect bites. To identify a full grain wallet, examine the leather surface closely and, if possible, use a magnifying glass.
At Aurochs, all our wallets are crafted from full grain leather obtained from one of the finest tanneries of South Asia.
Functionality is as important as longevity when choosing a wallet. You don't want to be stuck with a very good quality wallet for a long time that isn't helping you much with your everyday needs.
Designers often tend to struggle with balancing functionality with aesthetics. Slimmer and more minimalist looking wallets are all the rage these days, but they come with a lot of compromises and not much room for anything.
Before you get the perfect wallet to suit your needs, you will have to look into your current one and figure out how many cards, cash, and other items you carry daily. If you are a minimalist and only carry a few items, your choice of wallet will be different (think of a card holder) from someone who carries a lot of these.
Most bifold wallets can carry 6-8 cards and a good amount of cash. That's what a normal person would optimistically carry in his wallet. A trifold wallet can have slightly more carrying space but it will be a little bulkier if not properly designed. We kept this in mind when we were working on designing the Infinity Wallet.
Also, there are wallets designed for special purposes. For example, if you are buying a travel wallets, it should have space for your passport and boarding passes and should be able to accommodate major international currencies. Similarly, zip wallets have special zip closure to protect your valuable items inside and are quite popular with both ladies & gents.
Again, the size of a wallet depends on how much you want to carry in your pocket. But do keep in mind that bigger size doesn't always mean more carrying capacity. A badly designed wallet with unnecessary pockets and extra layers of leather might make it big without adding any considerable space to it.
Wallets come in all different sizes. Which one is better for you depends mainly on how you carry your wallet. If you mostly carry your wallet in your jeans front pocket or chest pocket, you might want to look at front pocket wallets. They are smaller in size than normal bifold or trifold wallets and are suitable for smaller pockets.
If you carry your wallet in your jeans back pocket like most people, then any bifold wallet will work fine, but the average size of a wallet we have found to work best is around 4 x 3.5 inches. A wallet smaller than this will keep sliding left & right in your hip pocket, and a large one will not fit properly.
Some people are also accustomed to carrying large wallets mostly in their hands. These are generally called long wallet. Their size allows them to fit even a smartphone inside which is pretty handy.
So, the perfect size depends on how many items you want to carry in your wallet and where you normally keep your wallet. Make sure you get the wallet that meets your usage behavior; otherwise, it will be a pain the a** not just figuratively but literally.
If this was a sorted list, I would have put this at the top. Craftsmanship is how things are made. It's the name of paying attention to every minute detail in the product and only comes from years and years of practice and perfection.
A poor craftsmanship can completely overshadow a good design and high quality leather. A great craftsman can make a product look great and live long so its an important consideration while searching for your perfect wallet.
To judge the craftsmanship of a leather wallet, you have two options.
First, look where the manufacturing is based. Cultural traits matter a lot when it comes to doing a routine job. You can find high craftsmanship in the south Asian region, where people are associated with the art of leather crafting for thousands of years. The habit of doing things right to the core, attention to detail, and dedication to their art is something that has been transferred from generation to generation.
Secondly, look at the product itself and pay attention to the sewing, corner bends, internal pockets, and other hidden areas where a bad artisan might ignore the details. As they say, the devil is in the details; a perfectly good looking wallet might have serious craftsmanship issues when looked at closely.
Our way of life is changing every day with arrival of new technologies. With the constant changing demands of our everyday life, our wallets have to adapt too.
Credit cards were previously using magnetic strips to conduct swipe transactions at checkouts. Now, RFID enabled cards have made the transactions contactless. But at the same time, RFID cards are prone to unauthorized scanning called RFID skimming. If you want to know more, we have a dedicated blog post just to explore RFID skimming.
Your new wallet should have one or more RFID protected pockets to shield your contactless cards from skimming. RFID blocking wallets blocks all electromagnetic and radio waves from penetrating your wallet to read the classified user data on your card, thus making your pocket more secure.
To summarize the whole discussion, you should be looking at the following points before you buy your next leather wallet:
Apart from these general features, you should also look at any specific feature that you want, like a special passport pocket in case of buying a travel wallet, a phone pocket in a long wallet, and a coins pocket if you carry a lot of coins.
At Aurochs we design and refine all our wallets keeping in view how people use them in daily life. One of our best selling design, Aurochs Gravity, has gone through 3 major design upgrades since we first launched it in 2016 to make it better and more versatile based on user feedback.
For more Custom iPhone 15 Pro Case, customized leather phone case, leather crossbody phone caseinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.