I’m a firm believer in minimal wallets. I don’t like to carry much. My normal everyday carry is a small, single-fold card case made by Filson, which they don’t seem to make anymore. However, I also have to carry my phone, which frustrates me a bit, having to find pocket space for two bulky objects, along with the other things I have to bring with me. But a month ago, Edward Field sent me a phone wallet to try out.
Until today, Edward Field made one wallet, available in two colors and three sizes. That’s changed (more on that in a bit), but the iPhone 5/S/SE model got you three card slots and a couple pockets for receipts or a little cash. The iPhone 6/S and 6 Plus/S Plus versions were bigger, of course, earning you a few more card slots, but otherwise were about the same. Your color choices were brown and black.
Upon receiving the wallet, I was really impressed. The Italian calfskin leather is top quality, it’s luxuriously smooth and supple and it broke in very, very quickly. The phone adheres to the wallet via a micro-suction tape, which can handle the phone being removed from, and adhered to, over and over and over, as long as it is cared for properly. In the month I’ve used it, being pulled to and from my pocket day after day, the tape holds on to my phone as well as it did on the very first day.
I feel like four slots is just about perfect for me, room for a couple of credit cards, my driver’s license and my health insurance card. The pockets are nice, although small for carrying cash, which is something I like to do. You can fit a folded bill or two in there, but anything more than that starts to feel a bit unwieldy.
There are a couple of other minor drawbacks. First, if you fold the wallet back on itself so you can speak on the phone, everyone around you gets a good look at your credit cards and cash in your wallet, which I’m not so crazy about. Second, pulling your phone from your pocket to snap a quick picture becomes a two handed affair because, after the leather breaks in, it will want to swing in front of the camera lens and you have to hold the wallet flap away.
That said, I still really like the Edward Field phone wallet and I’m considering buying one after I return the sample they sent for me to try out. It’s everything I want for minimal EDC. I love only having to grab one thing on my way out the door. The materials and the workmanship are of really great quality and, should your wallet ever wear out (or you get a different-sized phone), they will allow you to upgrade to a new wallet for 40% off. All Classic Edward Field phone wallets are made in the USA, in San Francisco, and retail for $109.
My future purchase may be made easier by today’s announcement that Edward Field will be adding three colors to the Classic line: tan, burgundy, and navy. But a “timeless and sophisticated” new phone wallet for women is also being announced today. Called the Libby and inspired by Edward Field’s founder’s mother, the Libby addresses demands women have concerning the phone wallet line. The Libby is largely similar to the Classic line, but includes a gold-plated clasp and comes in a wide range of more vibrant colors: kelly green, orange, royal blue, “danger” yellow, red, black, tan, and navy. The Libby (along with new Classic colors) is available today at edward-field.com and retails for $115.
