When I started working in London, catching the tube everyday, I became aware of the vulnerability of carrying all my cards and finances in my back pocket. When I injured my back I quickly became aware of the musculoskeletal implications of sitting on all of your cards all day – it really isn’t very good for you.
Since then I’ve been using a front pocket wallet, and as I’ve simplified my finances and the items I need to carry everyday I’ve sought out simpler more minimal wallets and the internet has delivered a wealth of choice.
The first simple wallet I bought was the aptly named Slim. The Slim is possibly the most minimal wallet ever made, but it is also possibly too minimal. It really is just a length of elastic sewn together in a loop, with an X sewn on the side. Yes it will hold your cards, and folded up notes, but it is in no way pleasing to look at or to use.
Having said that I still use the Slim today, I keep it in my car with all of my store and loyalty cards in it. If I’m going shopping I know I’ll drive there, so I see no need to carry my cards with me at all other times.
My next simple wallet was the Bellroy Card Sleeve. Bellroy make fabulous wallets, all designed to help you slim your wallet; my last back pocket wallet was a Bellroy Note Sleeve, which I still use on occasions when I find my self with too much cash to carry in a small wallet, for cash is still the achilles heel of the minimal wallet.
The Bellroy Card Sleeve has been my everyday wallet for some time now, and I’ve been very happy with it, but when I came across a new slim wallet design, I was intrigued and thought I’d take a look.
Trove Slim Wallet
Trove was another Kickstarter success, but one I missed due to being a very pleasant holiday in the sun. Upon my return I contacted Trove who they kindly sent me a Factory Edition Trove Slim Wallet for review.
The Trove Slim Wallet delivers both simplicity and flexibility and is hand-made in the UK from higher-quality materials than certain other slim wallets. Trove takes the basic concept of the Slim, an elastic loop to hold your cards, but instead of simply sewing up the bottom a leather strip is added at ninety degrees.
This leather strap or loop adds a structural element to the Trove Slim Wallet that adds a degree of rigidity and provides two extra slots for cards, notes or receipts. The leather used in the strap is of very high quality and is already taking on a lovely patina from being carried.
Trove say their wallet is flexible enough to carry between one and ten cards. I carry three cards on a daily basis: my bank card, my Amex card and my drivers licence and the Trove Slim Wallet is perfect for this.
I’ve experimented with more cards, and whilst the Trove Slim Wallet will accommodate them, removing them becomes trickier and far less stylish.
The two slots front and back between the leather strap and elastic loop are perfect for holding a rail or parking ticket, a particular card you need often or a couple of folded notes.
Which brings us onto the Achilles heel of the Trove Slim Wallet and, in fact, all slim wallets: carrying cash, especially the ridiculously large UK notes. Yes, you can fold the notes up; let’s face it, you have to, but then, of course, they become four times their original thickness, and more than two or three soon makes a wallet bulge. The sooner everybody takes cards or contactless payment through our phones the better – cash cannot die quickly enough for me. But I digress…
Final Thoughts
The Trove Slim Wallet is a great slim and minimal wallet, beautifully made from high quality materials and more versatile than most other slim wallets. If you are in the market for a slim wallet I highly recommend the Trove Slim Wallet and if you aren’t I strongly suggest you take a look at the cards you carry on a daily basis and look at slimming your wallet – your back will thank you and pickpockets will not.