Wallets have been around since the 1700s, when they were introduced as a replacement to the coin purses men would carry as paper money first started to be circulated. Since then, there have been many advances in both the styles and materials the wallets are made from.
Leather has been used in wallets since their earliest beginnings, thanks to its toughness and durability. It still remains one of the most popular and widely used materials for the wallets that men depend so much on to keep their most valuable daily essentials organized and secure.
There are three main styles of leather wallets that are the most common: the bi-fold, which is usually the largest as they only fold over once; the trifold, which is slimmer, yet thicker due to the way it folds over twice onto itself; and the leather card holder wallet, which is a more minimalist style of wallet, usually made to carry little to no paper bills in favor of a slimmer, more compact wallet that can be easier carried in any pocket.
One main reason that leather has been such a longstanding material in wallet manufacturing is that it is an extremely tough material that is highly resistant to cutting, ripping, or wearing through. A good quality leather wallet is sure to serve you well for many years and look great the entire time.
Bifold Leather Wallets
This is likely the most common style of wallet you are likely to find, due to their capacity to hold many different cards as well as cash, and to do so in a way that keeps the thickness spread out over a wider footprint so that it is less intrusive when you sit down.
This style also tends to be the most flexible of the leather wallet styles, making them more comfortable for general everyday carry in the pocket.
The bifold wallet will normally feature a clear window slot on the inside that is made for your ID to slip in. That way, if you end up being carded when you stop for a bottle of wine or a six-pack, it is simple to hold open the wallet and display the identification to the cashier for age verification. Plus, it is definitely a bit of a “flashing a badge” kind of feeling, and that's nice for the little boy that all men have trapped inside their rough outer exteriors.
Trifold Leather Wallets
If the bifold folds into two sections, it makes perfect sense that a trifold would fold into three. These wallets are similar to the bifold in the sense that they offer many slots for cards and cash, allowing you to carry pretty well anything you would need.
The major difference is that the trifold wallet, by design, ends up being much thicker. Instead of the staggered stacking of the bifold, the trifold wallet has to directly stack one card on top of the other to make sure they fit inside the smaller folded ends of the wallet.
This folding pattern also does not allow for much flexibility in the wallet. Everything inside is stacked as efficiently as possible to help the wallet stay folded, and not get jammed up by a card that isn't lined up quite right with the rest.
These are probably the second most common type of wallet for men around the globe, and are exceedingly familiar to anyone who has ever owned a wallet before.
Leather Cardholder Wallet
The newest and smallest addition to the family of leather wallets is the leather cardholder style.
These wallets usually don't offer very much space for paper bills, if it has any place at all. But, these wallets are still rising in popularity thanks to the shift in monetary systems towards an increasingly cashless society.
If you can get by on your day to day without needing to carry cash, you don’t have a need for a wallet that’s made with the extra bulk intended to accommodate paper bills.
For some, the main appeal of the cardholder style wallet is more about the slim, sleek look. For others, they prefer the convenience of carrying around their essential cards while barely even being able to tell they are carrying a wallet due to its lightweightedness.
Much like the two more traditional types, if your cardholder is made with quality leather and high durability threading, it can last for many years to come--and, it may never fully lose that lovely and eternally nostalgic leather smell.
Which Leather Wallet is the Best?
When it comes to the question of which style of leather wallet is best, the only answer would be that each different type is best for different people, depending mostly on their preference to the look, feel, or functions offered by each different type.
Some things, like RFID blocking technology, can be part of all three styles of a leather wallet. RFID blocking technology ensures you have maximum cybersecurity for your credit cards and will give you the peace of mind.
But, whichever style you choose, a leather wallet is an excellent choice, as they have proven as a tough yet elegant wallet material.
The wallet a man carries can say something about the man himself. If he’s the type who likes to always be prepared for any eventuality, he will likely carry a larger wallet that will allow him to carry more things that he may need at any given point.
On the opposite end of that, if you are the type who prides themselves on their ability to adapt on the fly and you prefer a sleeker, more easily carried wallet without a ton of extra space, you would likely be more apt to carry a cardholder style for the absolute essentials.
No matter which style of leather wallet you may choose to go with, or even if you decide to go with an entirely different wallet material altogether, always do a little homework on whatever you’re looking to make sure you end up with high-quality materials.
Take the time to research many different types and styles of wallet-making materials. Invest a little more time and money into this important accessory piece that you'll rely on to carry and protect your day to day essentials for years to come.
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