This is a long-term, hands-on review of the Anson Calder Card Wallet (both versions).
Specifically, I’ll share my thoughts after having used the first and second generation Card Wallet for several years.
If you’re trying to decide whether or not to invest in an Anson Calder wallet, you’re in the right place.
Quick Take
If you don’t have time to read the full review, here’s what you need to know:
Pros
- Extremely low profile
- Calfskin ages well
- Can use one-handed
- Luxurious build quality and design
Cons
- Color selection is limited
- Expensive
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About Anson Calder
Based in NYC, Anson Calder is named after its founder, Curtis Calder, an investment banker turned leather goods designer.
Curtis loves minimalism, luxury materials and functional design, and you’ll see/feel all of these things when you interact with Anson Calder products.
The brand now makes several different types of wallets, bags and accessories with prices ranging from $60 to over $1,200.
Slim wallets were their first offering, and the Card Wallet is still a flagship product today.
The Card Wallet
Back when Anson Calder first launched, they were laser-focused one thing: making a better slim wallet.
And to be honest, they did just that. I love thin, minimal wallets, and I’ve tried out many different options.
The
I’ve used two versions of this wallet:
- Card Wallet with Cash Slot
- Card Wallet with Cash Pocket (formerly called the Cash Wallet)
They’re both small, but the
Both are incredibly low profile at just 1/8″ thick, and they carry everything I need:
- Driver’s license
- 1 debit card
- 2 credit cards (work and personal)
- Metro card
- 2-4 bills
There is room for more (up to 12 cards), but I don’t need anything else on a daily basis.
The main difference between these two different versions of the Card Wallet is how they carry cash.
The standard Card Wallet (not shown here) doesn’t have a spot for cash.
The Card Wallet with Cash Slot has a diagonal slot on one side for a couple of bills.
The
To accommodate this extra space, the Cash Pocket version is slightly bigger, but it’s just as thin and still very small compared to most other minimal wallets.
Each of these wallets is available in a variety of configurations. The default material is French calfskin, although the
I prefer the calfskin version. Just look at that grain!
Whichever material you prefer, you’ll have a variety of colors to choose from. I’ve had the cognac and black French calfskin for several years, and both have aged wonderfully.
I especially like the patina that the cognac leather developed, as the patina on the black leather is less noticeable.
You can also choose to add RFID protection, and you can personalize your wallet with a monogram.
What I Like
Spoiler alert: I love this wallet. This isn’t a paid review, and I’m under no obligation to publish it.
I just love sharing products that have actually improved my life, and the Anson Calder Card Wallet is one of those products.
I’ve tried so many different slim, minimal wallets over the past few years. I get emails every week from new brands who claim that they’ve just created the best wallet of all time.
I always try them out, and I always end up going back to Anson Calder, mostly because it’s just smaller and thinner than anything else that’s come across my desk.
Plus, the design of these wallets allows for one-handed use, which is rare and extremely useful.
I only need one hand to give a bartender my ID (yeah, still get carded sometimes) or hand over my credit card at a store.
Now, these wallets are so thin that I was sure they’d fall apart after a few months, but they’ve aged gracefully, which helps justify the high price tag.
Put simply, I like almost everything about these wallets.
What I Don’t Like
There are two things that I don’t love about the
First, the color selection. I’m not sure why AC offers colors like bright orange and red when they’re missing staples like dark brown and natural calfskin.
I’d love to see a color lineup that’s less saturated and more neutral. Then again, seeing how the brown leather darkened over time, maybe the brighter colors would look better after developing a nice patina.
Second, I’ve found that these wallets stretch to accommodate however many cards you carry, and they don’t unstretch (at least not quickly).
So if you carry three cards in one slot for a month, then you remove one card, the other two will be loose and could fall out, until the leather tightens up again (which will happen, just not immediately).
This happens with all wallets; it’s just the nature of leather. It hasn’t been a problem, but just know that you can’t really “go back” to carrying fewer cards once these wallets stretch out.
Cash Slot vs. Cash Pocket
You can’t go wrong either way, but unless you need to carry more than a couple of bills, I’d go with the
The Cash Pocket is nice to have if you want to carry a few bills and an extra card or two (like your insurance card, subway card, etc.).
With the cash pocket version, you can carry your bills folded in half, as shown above.
Or you can fold them twice for a cleaner look (albeit slightly less convenient).
But if you’re the type of guy who only carries a couple of bills and doesn’t need the extra space, go with the lower profile Cash Slot version.
I think this is the best set up for anyone who doesn’t need much cash. If you never carry any cash, the basic Card Wallet is also a great choice.
My Recommendation
Put simply, the Anson Calder Card Wallet is my favorite wallet of all time, and I’m still waiting for a contender to come along and present some real competition.
If you can handle the price tag, I think this wallet is worth every penny.
Do you know of a good Bifold card wallet with Cash Slot
Nice article 👌