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I’m a simple guy. I don’t like cream and sugar in my coffee; I buy the same brand of t-shirts, briefs, and socks; and I especially hate bulky items that I have to carry around in my pockets. Out to dinner: phone, keys, and wallet on the seat next to me. Working out at the gym: phone, keys, and wallet on the ground. Writing this at a coffee shop: phone, keys, and wallet on the table. I hate extra “stuff.”
I’ve always viewed wallets as a necessary evil. My whole life I’ve had just two wallets: a bi-fold souvenir wallet from Guatemala, and when that broke last year, a simple leather wallet that looks pretty but isn’t very functional (the cards are extremely hard to pull out because it’s packed) and is starting to lose its shine and build.
I don’t want to think about my wallet – it’s not a fashion statement or a fun trinket for me. It’s something to carry my necessary cards in and then forget about. Which is why, ironically, the past week I’ve been thinking a lot about my new tool: The Ridge Wallet.
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The Most Efficient Wallet I’ve Ever Seen
The Ridge is a slim, metal wallet that focuses solely on essential features to help you get the most out of its utilitarian design. It’s constructed from premium materials that are designed to last a lifetime (which The Ridge stands by; the brand offers a stress-relieving 45-day trial and lifetime guarantee on all of its products).
The whole wallet is basically three components: two RFID-blocking metal plates that protect your cards, an elastic band that holds everything together, and either a strap or clip for loose cash.
And that’s it. That’s what makes The Ridge so great.
When I received my wallet, it came with the cash strap installed by default; I preferred the money clip so I read the instructions to remove the screws and replace the strap. After watching an online tutorial, I figured it out pretty easily. Then I loaded all of my cards in and was off to the races!
Photo: The Ridge
I love the money clip feature. 99% of the time, I’m looking for one of two credit cards or a driver’s license when pulling out my wallet, so having those three cards readily accessible saves me time and frustration.
One of the best things about The Ridge is that it functions like a file folder: you can put as much (up to 12 cards) or as little and it will hold its shape. The visual representation on this page is really helpful to understand how much space you’ll be saving when you switch to Ridge.
A friend mentioned to me that their Ridge wallet left an outline on their pants; I’ve been using mine for a week and haven’t noticed anything, but it may be something to keep an eye out for, although what wallet doesn’t leave an outline when you’re carrying it 24/7?!
Lookin’ Good
As I mentioned, I like to keep things simple, so I usually opt for neutral colors. But if you’re someone who likes a little flare, The Ridge offers an extensive number of different colors and patterns. Prior to getting The Ridge, I was tied to the idea of a classic leather card carrier, but in reality, people rarely see or notice your wallet. It’s not a watch or necklace.
The Ridge wallet starts at $95 for the standard colors and goes up to $250 for a newly released 24-karat gold edition. This is the last wallet you’ll ever need, so you might as well invest in it now and forget about it later. For example, the leather wallet I got last year cost $42, but I already need a replacement soon-ish, so I have no problem paying $100 for a wallet that The Ridge literally guarantees will always be functional.
The Added Bonus
Wallets aren’t the only products The Ridge makes – the brand’s suite of goods is designed to streamline your life. I also tried the matching Keycase, and wow, this seriously competes with the wallet for the best life upgrade. The Keycase mimics the wallet’s form—I put all of my metal keys in the tiny silhouette, and there was no more jingling and rummaging to find the exact key I needed in a moment.
Now my keychain is just my car key, my apartment-building key fob, a Tile, and The Ridge Keycase, which holds everything I need to get inside work, my apartment, etc. It sounds so silly, but the Keycase took out a huge random annoyance in my everyday life.
The Ridge is the luxury I didn’t know I needed. No, it’s not some fancy device with a million different features—in fact, it’s the exact opposite.
It takes the functionality of any other wallet and cuts the fat so you can focus on the important things in life, because you shouldn’t have to shuffle through a bulky wallet to find the one card you need at any given moment.
Five More Reasons to Carry The Ridge Every Day
- Free Personalization for a limited time: Customize your wallet, keycase, pen, or pocket knife at no extra charge
- Save on bundles: Want to make every part of your EDC life better? Snag a better deal with these Daily Driver Kits.
- Patented design: The Ridge wallet is a patented design, so you’re not going to get the same quality anywhere else!
- Over 3 million customers: The Ridge has a bunch of people who already love their products, so you know they have to be good.
- Trial and lifetime guarantee: As stated earlier, there is a 45-day trial and if you’re not 100% satisfied with your order, you can return it. Additionally, The Ridge will make it right if their products are performing.
The Ridge Wallet FAQs
If you’re considering a Ridge wallet, here are all of the quick and dirty details you’ll want to make sure you know.
Who is Ridge?
Ridge is a father-son business that first started by sharing the Ridge Wallet on Kickstarter. The brand’s campaign ultimately helped launch the business, and now Ridge makes one of the best wallets on the market.
The brand’s signature Ridge Wallet is designed to be super slim and made from metal. It blocks RFID (radio-frequency identification) signals, so it keeps your cards safe from anyone trying to snag your personal information. Plus, it holds up to 12 cards without any problem, so you can take whatever you need wherever you’re going.
How Many Cards Does the Ridge Wallet Hold?
The Ridge Wallet can hold up to 12 cards comfortably, but you likely won’t want to carry all of those unless it’s really necessary. Because the Ridge Wallet doesn’t have the internal separators and card slots present in other wallets, you might find that it’s harder to keep yourself organized if you’re regularly carrying around a stack of 12 cards.
Is the Ridge the best minimalist wallet?
The Ridge Wallet is one of the most versatile wallets out there, making it one of the best options on the market. A few more great selling points? The Ridge Wallet is relatively affordable—it’s not much pricier than other similar wallets available—it’s super durable, and it comes with a lifetime warranty, so you’ll buy once, but use it for years.
What's the Ridge Wallet made from?
Ridge makes its wallets in three different materials: titanium, aluminum, or carbon fiber. Each wallet is made from two metal plates that are screwed together and held together with black elastic bands. In addition to a choice in material, you can also choose the color of the metal plates. The Ridge wallet comes in a few different colors including black, navy, gunmetal, and rose gold. There’s also a line of premium designs and colors that come in the aluminum wallet. These include desert tan, white, raw (which is color-less), tropical, and more.
