How to Choose a Leather Wallet
The right wallet lasts a decade. Here's how to pick one that suits you.
A wallet is one of the few things you'll touch every day. It sits in your pocket, gets pulled out, put back and handled more than almost anything else you own. So it's worth getting right.
But with so many options out there — bifold, trifold, card holder, travel wallet — how do you choose? Here's what actually matters.
1. Start with the Leather
The leather is the single biggest factor in how your wallet will age.
- Full-grain leather — the best. The entire hide, grain intact. Ages beautifully.
- Top-grain leather — sanded to remove imperfections. Softer, but less durable.
- Genuine leather — a misleading term. Usually lower layers. Avoid.
- Bonded leather — scraps glued together. Not really leather at all.