In the 18 years that I’ve been writing on this site, I have never before reviewed a wallet. Until now. For the past 10 years or so, I’ve been using a department store purchased wallet. I’ve carried it with me on a daily basis. And the only time I’ve really noticed my wallet is when it’s in my front pocket. Over the years, my wallet has accrued a lot of detritus. Beyond important identification cards, credit cards and cash, my wallet has ballooned to carry “valued shopper” cards, receipts, insurance cards and other junk. It’s a thing that happens to most of us. We gradually wind up carrying more stuff everywhere we go, day in and day out.
I usually clean out my wallet once every few months. But I wanted to go one step further this time. I wanted a new, minimalist wallet that would carry only my absolute essential items. One that would fit comfortably in my front pocket. And that wallet is the Serman Bifold Front Pocket wallet. Each SB front pocket wallet is made with real full grain leather, and comes in a variety of finishes (California Desert, Charcoal Black, Chocolate, Jet Black, Mahogany, and Texas Brown. Regardless of the color you choose, the SB Front Pocket Wallet retails for about $60. I purchased mine (the Texas Brown model) for about $35 on Amazon.
Unlike conventional wallets, the SB front pocket wallet comes equipped with RFID blocking capabilities. Specifically, it can block 13.56 Mhz or higher RFID signals to protect information stored on RFID chips from unauthorized scans. This doesn’t really mean much to me. To be honest, I purchased my SB wallet for its minimalist qualities and its small form factor. I do not carry any RFID cards of any kind in my wallet so whether it can, in fact, protect me from the nefarious hackers on the street corners is still up for debate. It should be noted that the SB wallet does NOT shield low frequency cards (hotel cards, employee ID badges, transit passes, etc.).
What I can tell you is that the SB Bifold is a really well-made wallet. I didn’t expect that there would be much in terms of unboxing. Everything is presented well.
Inside the box, the wallet comes wrapped up in a cotton pouch with the SB monogram on it.
And here are the contents:
Below is a photo of the SB wallet (top) and my old wallet (bottom) for comparison. At 4″ by 3″ by 0.4″, the SB wallet is just a hair smaller than my old wallet. The stitching is uniformly excellent and feels comfortable to hold in my hands. It’s streamlined and not bulky at all, unlike my old wallet. The red pull-tab is on the back of the SB wallet; it lets you easily store and retrieve up to two cards.
The front of the wallet has a nice S|B monogram on the front and a pocket that is made for your most used card.
Here’s what it looks like with a card inside the pocket.
Upon opening the wallet, you’ll see a photo ID slot. Unlike my old wallet, the SB has a recessed opening in the ID slot that makes it easy to slide my ID out. On the opposite side, you can place two cards.
Documentation is minimalist, but effective in telling you everything you need to know about using your wallet. It’s a nice touch.
For holding cash, the SB comes with a money clip. The money clip looks great and effectively handles its task. The clip can be removed if need be. Before anyone asks: this wallet does not hold coins. If you need to carry coins, you’re out of luck here.
I’ve had the SB bifold wallet for over a week now and not only is it super light, it’s also very comfortable to carry around in my front pocket. It can hold up to 10 cards and your ID, which is more than enough for my day-to-day use. Having a minimalist wallet forces me to make decisions on what’s essential and what’s not. Best of all: No more wallet clutter!
Believe it or not, I still use my old wallet for those cards that I need on rare occasion. But now my old wallet lives in my car’s locked glove compartment box. Truth be told, I won’t miss carrying around my old wallet. In hindsight, it was too bulky for my front pocket. I didn’t really fathom how uncomfortable my old wallet was until I used the SB model for a week. For my everyday wallet needs, it’s perfect. The SB bifold wallet is light, well designed and fits my minimalist needs. It also comes with a no hassle money back guarantee, in case you aren’t fully satisfied. Give it a try if you’re sick of that big, bulky wallet and the baggage that goes with it. Your front pocket will thank you. This one gets 5 out of 5 Bob Weiners.
-Krishna
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