REVIEW – I have tended to keep wallets for a very long time in fact, in the slightly over half a century that I’ve been on this planet, I have only had 3. I’ve worn them all out, and they’ve all been the same – a nylon billfold with a velcro closure. But what I keep in my wallet has changed pretty considerably in that time, so I thought I’d give one of the new card holder type wallets a try.
The first question you have to ask is if this type of wallet is for you. If you like to keep wads of cash, hordes of coins, and tons of physical photos in your wallet, this may not do it for you. But if you are ready to slim down to a some cards and just a few bills, the Ekster Cardholder Pro is a great option.
What is it?
The Ekster Cardholder Pro is an all-metal cardholder style wallet. There is a a whole ecosystem of add-on accessories to go with it as well.
What’s included?
- Just the cardholder wallet
Tech specs
Click to expand
Dimensions. 6 x 4.25 x 2.4 in (1.55 x 10.8 x 6.3 cm)
Storage Stores 1-14 cards; 5-7 in the cardholder, 6-8 in the backplate
Strap Expandable back-plate, cash or card storage
Materials Recycled 6061 aluminum with metal card ejector
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Design and features
The Ekster Cardholder Pro is designed to hold cards, and that’s about it. It holds them inside of an aluminum sleeve that is RFID-protected, which is really nice. There is a metal button on the bottom that when pushed, the cards pop up satisfyingly, in an even stair-step pattern. There is an aluminum backplate that you can stick extra cards, receipts, cash, or anything else under. That backplate is held on by a rubber strap.
While not included, there is a whole ecosystem of add-on accessories that you can use to customize your cardholder pro. These include an Apple “find-my” card, an air-tag holder, a coin holder, a mini-tool, and a different backplate with an integrated cash (or belt) clip.
Performance
I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to like this style wallet, after carrying a billfold for almost 50 years. But the way I use a wallet has changed. I rarely carry or use cash. Photos are now on my phone. So what I physically need or want to carry in my wallet has really shrunken. Here’s a quick preview – I really like it.
There are a few things that you have to get used to when switching from a traditional wallet to the Cardholder Pro. First, the emphasis is on cards and not bills. You can comfortably carry a few bills, but not many. Second, you are not supposed to carry it in your back pocket, like a traditional wallet. I’m still getting used to that. It’s very small and slim, and is easily carried in a front pocket. Ekster suggests not carrying the Cardholder Pro in your back pocket to avoid bending it. But it would be uncomfortable to sit on anyway. Third, if you commonly carry your wallet and phone in the same hand, you have to remember that your wallet is now metal and may scratch your phone.
All that said, it’s really working well for me. Ekster says you can carry 5-7 cards in the cardholder. I’m currently carrying 8, but some of them are very thin. It breaks down to two credit cards, one debit card, driver’s license, transit card, library card, and two insurance cards. Under the back plate I carry one more card and a “find-my” card so I hopefully can’t lose the Cardholder.
I find the cards are held very securely. I did drop the cardholder pro once, and the cards popped out slightly, but were still contained within the wallet. I find that it works better if the cardholder is full. With only 2 or 3 cards, they seem to pop out more easily.
I also found myself putting my most frequently used cards near the back, so when you push the button and they pop up, the most frequently used one is the highest and easiest to grab. If I need one of the lesser-used cards, I just pull them all out and sort through for the one I need. But they are very easy to reinsert.
What I like about Ekster Cardholder Pro wallet
- Small, light, and slim
- Securely holds the cards you need
- All metal design seems robust enough to last a long time
- Lots of add-on accessories
What needs to be improved?
- Nothing so far
Final thoughts
If you are ready to move away from a traditional billfold and toward one of the newer style of wallets that focus on cards, the Ekster Cardholder Pro is a fantastic choice. Robust construction, great ergonomics, and a rich accessory ecosystem make for a a great way to hold what you really need in today’s world.
Price: $99
Where to buy: Ekster
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Ekster. Ekster did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
