So whats in my wallet? Do I even need to carry a wallet anymore? If I don’t want to carry a wallet, how do I carry my basics for everyday life? A while back there was a news posting about the HuMn Wallet, which is not so much a wallet in the classical sense as a card holder. The HuMn Wallet looked good, but it seemed kind of large so I did not pay much attention to it. Recently the folks at HuMn Wallets introduced the new HuMn Mini Wallet and offered us a chance to review it. I was lucky enough to be chosen to do the review.
As you can see, I was sent an aluminum yellow HuMn Mini Wallet (a good choice, since I do like yellow) with a black shock strap. (It is also available with carbon fiber plates.) This wallet consist of a front plate, back plate and a shock strap to hold the plates together. It comes with a nice microfiber pouch to store your HuMn Mini Wallet when not using it. The aluminum version of the HuMn Mini is available in 15 basic powder coat colors, two Cerakote (a ceramic coating) colors, and a Bead Blasted finish. The carbon fiber version comes in only one color. The shock straps are available in four color: black, blue, green, and red.
The HuMn Mini Wallets dimensions are:
- Width: 3.8″
- Height: 2.53″
- Thickness: .10″ (for 2 aluminum plates)
- Weight: 1.6 oz (or 1.1 oz for carbon fiber)
These dimensions make the plates a little larger than a credit card or license, and it does not add a lot of bulk to your pocket.
The first thing I had to do when I decided to go to a front pocket-style wallet was to figure out what items I could do without in my wallet. As you can see, I probably didn’t downsize as much as I should have, but the HuMn Mini Wallet handles everything I do carry well. You will also notice that I carry some of my credit cards as well as my paper money on the outside of my wallet. If you want to carry credit cards or any cards in this same manner, you should be mindful of any that are equipped with RFID chips. The HuMn Mini Wallet, as well as the other HuMn wallet offerings, are designed block RFID signals when your cards are between the plates. This is a nice feature for security-minded people.
I have been carrying around the HuMn Mini Wallet for a couple of weeks now and have gotten to the point that I really don’t notice it anymore. While the wallet does add a little weight and bulk to my pocket, the ability to keep all my items organized and together outweighs that slight issue. I do still reach to my back pocket at times looking for my wallet (old habits are hard to break), but I find having everything in my front pocket more is more convenient, comfortable, and efficient.
So all in all, my changeover to the HuMn Mini Wallet has been a pleasurable experience. The size and weight make the wallet easy to carry, and with several color and material choices available, it is sure to please anyone’s taste. At $76 for the basic model I am reviewing, this is a high-end buy, but I believe the quality and workmanship do justify the price.
Update 01/30/15
I will admit that I have returned to my Dragonthorn Leather PC system, but the HuMn wallet has found a long term home with my partner. This is his every day carry and he loves it. The elastic band (shock strap) has held up well even when he has pushed the limits of what it should hold to the brink. The finish on the HuMn still looks new with no signs of wear. Even though the HuMn Wallet Mini was not to my taste I am glad to see it is getting good use.
Product Information
| Price: | $76 for the basic model |
| Manufacturer: | HuMn Wallets |
| Retailer: | HuMn Wallets |
| Requirements: |
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What’s the max amount of cards can you carry in this?
@Jackie Cheng that is a tricky question. I have six credit/ID cards plus four business cards on the inside and two cards and paper money on the outside. I am sure I could add more as the shock strap is elastic, but much more than that may make it hard to get your cards in and out of the wallet.
Do you have a smartphone? Why not use an app like Keyring to store your cards? All I need to carry is four credit cards, a building entry card and my driver license, and these fit (along with bills) in a simple six-slot card case.
@philippe radley I personally do not like to store that sort of information on anything that can be hacked without me knowing it (if I loose my credit cards I know I have lost them). Although I could downsize what I carry in my wallet, I do not have to be limited when I carry the HuMn wallet. I guess it is all a matter of personal preference.
I’ve read reviews where people are complaining about how hard it is to keep it open when trying to get to cards when they are in between the 2 plates. Can you comment on that?
@Graham I can actually, the HuMn wallet is being used on a daily basis by my other half and we have found that there are two factors that affect how hard it is to open and keep open the wallet. The first is the fact that it is held closed by a rubberized band the stiffness of the band makes it harder to open. The second factor and probably the main culprit in a lot of the complaints is the number of items carried in your HuMn wallet. Understanding that the band is rubberized it will only have so much stretch so that will cause issues. My current HuMn wallet is pretty packed but it is still usable. So it all comes down to your definition of “hard”
Got one of the (newer) HuMn minis after reading this review. Loving it so far. Helps with card clash on the tube.
For anyone struggling to find a UK distributor, you can buy them here with paypal, but they only have a couple of colours at the moment
https://www.faradaystore.com/rfid-blocking/wallets/humn-wallet-mini-red/