Every traditional leather wallet I’ve ever owned has sucked and never held up long. Plus I like the minimalist aesthetic. So, I got curious when my favorite YouTube creators were pushing the Ridge wallet. It’s been 6 years since then and I can FINALLY afford one. Now after 2 months of owning the ridge wallet, is it any good? Let’s find out with a little review.
Products in the Video (Amazon Affiliate Links)
The Ridge Wallet:
Lookiss Slim Aluminum wallet:
Shevrov SV Carbon Fiber wallet:
Yinoude Minimalist Aluminum wallet:
Check out the affiliate links to the gear I use in my videos:
Sony A7III:
13in Macbook Pro:
Godox SL-60W:
Rode VideoMic NTG:
0:00 Intro
1:03 Ridge Wallet Options
1:56 Physical Features
3:33 Personal Experiences
6:21 Comparison Against Budget Alternatives
9:02 Conclusion
I might show b-roll footage of a walmart gift card because I don’t feel like letting people steal my money by seeing my actual credit card info. 2nd I’ve been sponsored by a wallet brand before, but currently have no affiliation with them or Ridge wallet. This review is just my honest opinion. Let’s start. The ridge wallet costs’ between $75-$125. But you can get 10% off using a creator’s code. They come with either a money clip, or with a cash strap and come in plenty of different colors for each. I have a white aluminum one with the strap. But you can order the elastic strap separately. The box comes with the wallet, extra screws and screwdriver. If you happen to lose any screws they sell additional parts straight off their website.
The front Ridge Wallet plate has their name etched into it. The plates are held together by 14 screws, 7 on each side. When you remove the screws you can replace the elastic or switch your cash strap for the money clip or vice versa. These black plates that’s sandwiched beneath the exterior finish are super smooth, and very slightly inclined which lets the cards slide smoothly in the wallet. The wallet is sturdy with no flex or bending. The wallet itself feels nice in the hand, the painted aluminum ridge wallet exterior has this texture that feels like the exterior of colored Hydroflasks.
The ridge wallet is the shape of a credit card, just thicker so when you have cards inside they sit behind the ridge wallet plate and rest on top of the bottom elastic so the cards don’t fall out. If you compare the same amount of cards in the ridge wallet vs your typical trifold wallet, the trifold looks overstuffed.
The 1st week was rough. The elastic was stiff and wouldn’t stretch far so I only managed to squeeze in about 5 or 6 cards. But over time, it does get better and you can fit more cards in and I can get to the 15 cards they advertise. But I wouldn’t recommend that. The ridge wallet is great if you want to hold anything less than 10. When you take your cards out and are looking for a card, you have to swipe each one aside as if you’re looking for your favorite pokemon card. In a trifold wallet you keep your cards in the same place each time, so you know where they are from memory. If you have many cards in the ridge wallet it would take you just as long or longer than a trifold wallet to pull out the card you need.
It’s small and compact. With a regular trifold wallet I like to keep my keys and wallet in one front pocket, and my phone in the other. If I place the trifold wallet in one of my back pockets. I feel like I’m crushing it. But with the ridge wallet, it’s small enough that I can sit on it. If you have embossed cards then using the ridge wallet is more difficult. If you try sliding in a card that happens to slide where an embossed card is, it can be stopped and not let you slide your card all the way down. It can get really annoying if you carry around a ton of embossed cards. I honestly thought the white surface would get scuffed up like crazy considering that I usually keep it in the same pocket as my keys but the wallet stayed intact with some minor scuffs.
All the budget alternatives all have compromises that make them inferior to the ridge wallet. The ridge costs more but honestly, it’s overall the better product except for price. I bought all 3 of these for the price of my 1 ridge wallet.
When I bought it, I thought it was for me. But as I kept using it I realized it came with too many compromises that I wasn’t willing to live with. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it. It’s a cool concept. Just not for me. So, who is it for? This is for someone who can get by without using their wallet much. Meaning someone who uses apple or google pay often and needs a card holder for their id, a few cards that they don’t use too often and some cash. Or, someone who’s willing to live with form over function. It’s durable and it’s not a bad wallet, just a wallet for a specific type of person.
Ominus Libra - August 21, 2020 @ 19:01
I’ve been really waiting for someone to actually make a review about it.
10,000 Subscribers With 0 Videos Challenge - August 21, 2020 @ 19:45
Never heard of it.
But I’ve been looking for a new wallet.
Me being an actual minimalist, loves this & is thankful for the review!
Tikimohn - August 24, 2020 @ 03:37
@10,000 Subscribers With 0 Videos Challenge check out Dango. Love my D01 Bifold. It’s slick, but functional and I don’t even notice it. Plus i can order other bifolds or get another wallet and swap it out, like that he’s talking about early on.
10,000 Subscribers With 0 Videos Challenge - August 24, 2020 @ 03:52
@Tikimohn Will do.
Brandon Gao - August 21, 2020 @ 19:03
Ah yes. I have been waiting for this one
Seth Colby - August 21, 2020 @ 19:04
his next video is gonna be like “i was wrong about the ridge wallet , you know why..
*It’S bEcAuSe It’S tOdAy’S sPoNsOr* “
Acron Vron - August 22, 2020 @ 13:20
Well he praised it a lot here so he won’t have to do that . Only expect him to do that when he’s actually exposing a product not praising it way more than it needs to be .
Fernando. - August 21, 2020 @ 19:05
i want to see an ad where the youtuber ACTUALLY USES IT
instead of going “buy this , i like this , i use it ALL THE TIME”
then when the ad is over , that product is never seen again
Cam Whit - August 23, 2020 @ 03:25
@nicninja Thanks the more you know
William Endo - August 23, 2020 @ 04:04
Yeah because it’s in their back pocket.
WEZZY BABY - August 23, 2020 @ 06:08
If the YouTuber does used the wallet , it wouldn’t be sponsored . That’s very likely
zwerko - August 23, 2020 @ 06:46
_PhillyD exited the chat._
Tolly Hill - August 24, 2020 @ 09:58
I mean they’ve been paid to make an ad, they’re basically just saying what a company has told them to say, so there’s no real reason for them to actually use the product.
87 Seconds – Short Educational Videos - August 21, 2020 @ 19:13
I’m really glad you did the comparison between the Ridge and knockoffs!
CountSmackula - August 22, 2020 @ 22:13
@Elann Suvat Exactly. If the edges are too sharp, a few minutes with sandpaper, et voila!
Dan Rye - August 22, 2020 @ 23:14
I bought a carbon fiber wish knock-off for £4, and although it is just plastic it’s been great and would never fork out 20 times the price for a ridge wallet.
zwerko - August 23, 2020 @ 06:49
@Elann Suvat – Well, somebody needs to pay off all those YouTubers to promote the crap out of it. That’s why it’s so expensive—their marketing budget is probably an order of magnitude higher than the whole product side of the company.
Jasper Jones - August 23, 2020 @ 22:58
@zwerko And they run TV commercials too.
Smokey Jef - August 24, 2020 @ 04:19
@CountSmackula I have one of the knockoffs, and honestly, I hadn’t even thought of the edges. Yeah they’re a bit sharp on mine (I’ve had it a couple years though, so that probably doesn’t help). The clip works great, and is made of a malleable enough material that you can bend the clip tighter or looser if you’d prefer. It also came with extra screws and a screwdriver…. and I think I paid like, 7 bucks for it. It just doesn’t seem like it’s worth the price, even if it does meet a compromise between function and comfort. I just don’t care to spend that much on a wallet. Jimmy said he used to only buy $30-$40 wallets…. even those are steep for me. $10, $15 at most. No need to go overboard. It’s a wallet.
ExtraSync - August 21, 2020 @ 19:13
“ I can afford one” wait what. How much is this thing!!?!? xD
Edit: nvm lmao
Tri Dinh - August 23, 2020 @ 04:58
Tbh it’s not that expensive
zwerko - August 23, 2020 @ 06:56
@Tri Dinh – For 14 screws, 2 metal and plastic plates and one elastic strap? It’s uber-expensive for what it is, I got a high-quality veg-tanned calf leather Italian hand-made wallet for $110. It’s super stylish, it oozes quality, it can fit all of my cards + cash + receipts + anything else I can throw at it and it will probably last me a life time. In what universe Ridge can even compare to that to be priced roughly the same? Ridge is super expensive because they need to pay off all that promotion—by getting it you’re not paying for the product, you’re paying for the marketing.
Anish Singh - August 23, 2020 @ 07:14
@zwerko good for you
Matas Kart - August 23, 2020 @ 08:38
It isn’t that expensive considering a quality wallet is also over 50$, I’ve had multiple 30-50$ wallets and all broke after <5 years, with most often the leather simply ripping or crumbling, most even rubbed off some kind of black glue-ish substance onto my cards, so the comparison is fair looking at price for quality. The materials alone probably don't cost more than 20$, and the manufacturing more than another 20$ for employee wages and machining per product, and the rest of the price is the ridge name and marketing costs passed on to you, but what you get is really a quality product, that does what it says it does, with no compromises, and based on the reviews of the top 3 lower priced competitors, it's still the best by a long shot.
It's a wallet for people that have <5 cards and don't need a full-on wallet to carry them, most people these days don't carry receipts or cash- so they don't need a full-on bulky as hell wallet to do so, this is a decent alternative.
Dis Dic - August 23, 2020 @ 16:57
@Matas Kart Cope
Duncan Donuts - August 21, 2020 @ 19:20
This man needs more subs
Ask Sebby - August 21, 2020 @ 19:28
9:33 Damn! That construction worker shade.
10,000 Subscribers With 0 Videos Challenge - August 21, 2020 @ 19:46
Oof.
SkyBlueOcarina - August 21, 2020 @ 19:37
Construction Worker here, I do actually have a Ridge wallet.
Cereal Killer - August 23, 2020 @ 09:33
@⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻frostinqer You should try getting a job
Kipper - August 23, 2020 @ 10:04
@⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻frostinqer ok but u should play deus ex
Jpp 3030 - August 23, 2020 @ 16:03
@⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻frostinqer Lol, you mean your parents have more money that they give to you? Check your privilege, its ok to work your way through college and earn your way in life, and not just be handed a silver platter and act like they deserve it, like you.
Masterjohn - August 23, 2020 @ 21:01
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻frostinqer he’s making a joke there’s a prank call with JC and in one line he says “ how about you get a job” or something along those lines
ProtoMario - August 21, 2020 @ 19:40
I actually use this type of Wallet and guess what, it’s not worth $75 at all. I got mine for $2 at a thrift store and love it. But I would not love it for $75 or higher… pointvis buy a knock off on Ebay for $10 and you’ll be much happier.
Yulian of Rivia - August 22, 2020 @ 17:24
I bought a cheap one from Amazon and I love it. Very cheap and useful for me.
Chris Foltz - August 23, 2020 @ 01:56
But, proto
Connor Brown - August 23, 2020 @ 02:23
How are you in every comment section
wall mob - August 23, 2020 @ 04:12
You and John riggs are in every comment section
rGunti Gaming - August 24, 2020 @ 10:22
I bought one for 40€ and it‘s very nice. But I wouldn‘t spend up to 125$ + import tax on that.
General Nic - August 21, 2020 @ 19:44
I cracked up so hard when you actually read the entire name of the knockoffs LOL
Hduf Lolly - August 21, 2020 @ 20:48
LUCKY PICKER no kidding sherlock
noname - August 21, 2020 @ 23:51
those names look like my google drive pdf titles 😀 i always make long titles just because they are easier to search 😛
LUCKY PICKER - August 22, 2020 @ 07:46
@Hduf Lolly Many dont know this.
syxepop - August 23, 2020 @ 03:22
General Nic – I thought that was from Wish or AliExpress, as those Chinese drop ship sellers like to slam as many keywords as possible. Most likely those Amazon sellers are also Chinese drop shippers…
NopWORKS - August 23, 2020 @ 10:55
I love it when people said the full Amazon product name in their video.
Dennis Roberts - August 21, 2020 @ 19:44
I would like to see a review of the different VPN providers everyone is hawking
Payperheirplain - August 23, 2020 @ 01:56
@Olof Nilsson I can tell you PIA works for what a VPN is meant for. None of them work for unblocking region locked content from streaming services though. Well except maybe YouTube. All of the real video streaming platforms block proxy servers and know the IPs that are being used by the VPN companies as soon as they go live and have them added to the block list quickly. You’d be lucky to get a full 20 minute episode of a show out of the way before your IP was blocked as a proxy server. I’ve tested them all and none of them work that way. They aren’t meant for that. They are meant for secure end to end data transfers. The problem is no one would buy them for no reason if they tried to advertise them for what they are actually for. They are hinting at what a lot of people USE a VPN for: Downloading free stuff from the internet without your ISP knowing, but that is illegal. It’s also illegal to tell you how to circumvent a region lock, but since they all know that their product can’t actually do that and all of the creators who say they have done it can’t show you it not working because of copyright law you have to deal with the fact they paid your boy with your YouTube videos a large sum of money to read a script and lie to you.
Anshuman Malik - August 23, 2020 @ 02:15
Check out techlore
Guto Bernardo - August 24, 2020 @ 04:04
I came here to suggest exactly the same! It would be really interesting indeed
Music_is_Calming - August 24, 2020 @ 05:08
don’t forget shark vpn. I’m wondering if any of them are good tbh. been looking to invest in one
Alexander Noname - August 24, 2020 @ 10:09
A few years ago Perfect Privacy was really good an supposedly bulletproof but things can change and if you need a VPN that seriously protects you from government interference the best way is setting up your own VPN on a bulletproof hosting service outside the jurisdiction of your country.
If you simply want to stop Google/Facebook tracking you or even just watch Netflix shows that are region exclusive, you should just pick the cheapest VPN that performs well in speedtests.
unholyfatman - August 21, 2020 @ 20:03
Everything negative you said is what I was worried about thank you for saving me my time and confirming my suspicions and why I won’t be buying this product.
thenonexistinghero - August 23, 2020 @ 05:15
I would recommend Exentri wallets. Their a bit on the thick side(but not too thick), but they are small, stylish and practical.
bignate2814 - August 23, 2020 @ 09:35
@thenonexistinghero thanks, I’ll look into those. I was thinking about getting a trayvax wallet when I feel over this wallet.
yusef jefferson - August 24, 2020 @ 00:52
All the negatives he mentioned can be avoided if you use the wallet correctly.
unholyfatman - August 24, 2020 @ 00:57
@yusef jefferson I don’t want a wallet with a check list when I go to use it I was something to put cards and cash in and when I need them take it out, I mean one of the biggest things is me having to shuffle through all my cards to get to the one I want to use that’s a huge no go for me
Smokey Jef - August 24, 2020 @ 04:23
@yusef jefferson Lmao imagine needing fucking instructions for your wallet.
ROCKY. C. S - August 21, 2020 @ 21:17
We all know the next episode should be->
Raid: Shadow Legends
Smokey Jef - August 24, 2020 @ 04:26
I’ll save you the trouble, it’s just like any other mobile game. If you want a fun mobile MMO that actually has things going for it, check out Unison League. There’s a lot of enhancing mechanics and they are slightly pester-y about their mtx, but honestly, with the way that game throws gems at you, you won’t even think about spending real money on the game. I haven’t spent a penny on that game since I started playing like 3 years ago.
Community is super weeby and thirsty though. If you make a female character, prepare for the “Hi”s and “Want to rp”s.
Ev’ixyn - August 21, 2020 @ 22:26
I am disappointed that you did not test out how “bulletproof” that the Wallet is >w<
Not Patrick - August 22, 2020 @ 01:16
That’s FPSRussia’s job. When he can shoot guns again.
Lassi Kinnunen - August 23, 2020 @ 07:41
Pretty sure it isn’t
nigge r - August 23, 2020 @ 10:00
@Not Patrick what was happend to him?
Daniël Huisman - August 22, 2020 @ 07:54
I have a Secrid wallet, it’s basically a hybrid: a combination of a leather wallet and a card holder like the Ridge. It’s the best wallet I’ve ever owned by a mile.
J J - August 23, 2020 @ 08:53
You can also have it without leather part and picking right card is much easier than with the Ridge
Konzetsu - August 23, 2020 @ 13:58
And it also comes in twin variants for those who carry every card with em, for those wondering it is a metal case, top fed with a staggered ejector at the bottom, quick pull of the release lever brings the tops of the cards out so you can see each one and let’s you easily select the one you want.
Optimistic Pessimist - August 23, 2020 @ 14:34
Same, been using the Secrid wallet for a few years now and its been my favourite of all the wallets I’ve had.
Tikimohn - August 24, 2020 @ 03:38
Thats how my Dango is. It’s a card holder with a bifold and bill holder.
Just Some Person - August 22, 2020 @ 14:28
It’s also interesting to add that in Europe, there’s no way you could get by with a Ridge Wallet. Euro coins are E V E R Y W H E R E and way too often Cash Is King.
Blue Cat - August 23, 2020 @ 07:09
In my big, fat wallet I only need a small space for cards (and most of them are stuff like ID card, driver license…) and a loooot for coins. I nearly got a heartattack when I saw the money clip at the outside of this thing😱💶😂
Friso Smit - August 23, 2020 @ 11:55
That’s not true for every country in Europe. In the Netherlands you can pay almost everywhere with card, even in small shops.
TheRailroad99 - August 23, 2020 @ 16:39
@Friso Smit also food? Here in Germany, basically every shop, even small ones, support cards, but (fast/street) food? No chance, maybe 10% of the Asia or kebab restaurants, ice cream shops etc. support card payment.
Let alone giving money to friends, or paying for used products locally. Also, on the market place its bad as well.
Friso Smit - August 23, 2020 @ 17:15
@TheRailroad99 yep, you can pay with pin at all of the fast food places and most of the street food places. We are also used to using ‘tikkie’ for paying friends. You can send them a message with a link and they can pay you a set amount.
I went to Germany these holidays and I noticed that all small town have a bank with ATM and people are used to regularly get cash there. In the Netherlands most people don’t bother going to the ATM, as you don’t need cash for regular payments.
Isra Romero - August 24, 2020 @ 09:00
Weird, in Spain we can pay almost everything with card/Apple Pay.
BoardandArrow - August 22, 2020 @ 15:48
Thief “Give me your money”
Jimmy *throws ridge wallet at them
Durham 2 - August 22, 2020 @ 20:53
I have a John Deere wallet i’ve had this for two years and it still smells like fresh leather and is in perfect condition
McDuetchVan - August 22, 2020 @ 22:49
“If your getting robbed at gunpoint, you can easily take this [Wallet], Chuck it at the guy, and run in the opposite direction.”
*Tldr: If your getting robbed you can give them all your money for self defence*
pointblank2890 - August 23, 2020 @ 12:29
STREET SMARTS!
Rigil Kent Rosaldo - August 24, 2020 @ 12:10
You want it? Go get it!
Andres Acosta - August 24, 2020 @ 12:28
pointblank2890 john mulaney fan i see