We Tested a $55 Travel Wallet, and One That Costs Double. Here's Our Take on Both.

We hope you love one of the wallets we tested. Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

Me: “Which of the new wallets did you like better?”
Him: “The square one”
Me: “Why?”
Him: “Better.”
Me: “Why?”
Him: “Works better”
Me: “How?”
Him: “Holds things better”
Me: *Bashes head against my laptop keyboard*

After a few more back and forths, I finally got some useful info. If you’re in the market for a new travel wallet to hold only a few items — and want it to be from a thoughtful, non-fast-fashion brand — you may want to consider the Aviator Slim Wallet, or the Bellroy Card Sleeve. Both are travel wallets that double as minimalist wallets, but with some noteworthy differences (including the price).

Both options are a huge upgrade over a bulky billfold wallet, though if we had to pick one, it’d be the Aviator Slim Wallet. But that’s not to say the Bellroy Card Sleeve won’t have plenty of fans.

Battle of the travel wallets: The Aviator Slim Wallet vs. the Bellroy Card Sleeve

Aviator Slim Wallet	Bellroy Card Sleeve
Comes in multiple materials	Environmentally conscious leather
Optional add-on accessories like coin holder or cash clip	Extremely light and slim
Adjustable elastic band prevents wallet from stretching out	No adjustability (may stretch out)
Holds between 1 and 20 cards + cash clip	Holds up to eight cards + cash
10-year warranty and free shipping	Three-year warranty and free shipping
Pull-tab for easy access	Pull-tab for easy access
Weight: 1.5 ounces	Weight: .67 ounces
Price: From $94 – $1,072	Price: $55
Buy Now	Buy Now

The Aviator Slim Wallet

What we liked: Lots of materials and customizations, adjustable elastic strap, great warranty, easy access to cards and cash

What we didn’t like as much: The price

Aviator Slim Wallets are a popular choice among the social media set for buyers looking for a minimalist and secure travel wallet. Aviator essentially makes just one product — the Slim Wallet — though it comes in various materials and with add-on options like a money clip or coin tray. My husband opted for one of the more basic options, priced at $105 (or $94, in a different color). It’s the Slide One Aluminum Wallet, with capacity for up to 20 cards and an included money clip, but no coin tray. But who carries coins anymore, anyway?

It’s a good example of the brand’s commitment to minimalist, durable design, with just one card area, a pull-strap to access the cards, and a 10-year warranty. It has a slim profile (though not as slim as the Bellroy option), and at 3.4 by 2.12 inches, isn’t much bigger than a credit card itself. The cash clip is on the same elastic band that holds the cards in place, so you can stuff a few bills in even if they aren’t perfectly folded.

 

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One of the standout features is its capacity, holding up to 20 cards. Of course, if you’re someone who uses a minimalist travel wallet, you probably don’t want to carry that many. But if you go from 10 or so cards down to four, you don’t need to worry about the wallet being too stretched out. It comes with a small screwdriver to adjust the contact points on the elastic band, so you can make it tighter when you have fewer cards. In our testing, however, once you had more than five or six cards in it, it was a bit difficult to find the one you wanted, as you basically had to pull them all out and shuffle through.

Like the Bellroy Card Sleeve, it has RFID protection, which blocks signals used by scamming devices to steal your credit card info from a distance. Provided you like the design and materials (which obviously don’t flex like a standard wallet), the only significant downside is the cost. At $105, it may be more than the average buyer wants to spend on a wallet. And if you’re interested in the fanciest version — the Titanium Slide One Edition with a high grade double titanium, Air Tag holder on the money clip, and gold screws — you’re looking at a whopping $1,072. It’s safe to say that’s reasonably more than most people pay for travel wallets.

We also like the that brand sells products with slight production defects at a lower cost, rather than throwing into a landfill.

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The Bellroy Card Sleeve

What we liked: One of the most minimalist wallets available, great price, modern design, two cut-outs for cash

What we didn’t like as much: More than five or so cards feels too tight, questions about long-term stretching

The Bellroy Card Sleeve is the smallest, most minimal offering within the entire line of Bellroy wallets, making it an obvious choice for buyers who prioritize size and weight above all else. It’s significantly lighter (though a touch taller and wider) than the Aviator wallet, weighing just over half an ounce. It’s also thinner, at 7 mm wide versus the Aviator’s 10.5 mm. That may seem like a small difference, but my husband reported it was much less noticeable in his back pocket when sitting or driving.

It’s a sleek design, with responsibly sourced leather and a similar pull tab to access cards. It also has a slot on each side for cash, and while they requires folding the cash a bit thinner than the Aviator wallet’s elastic cash/card strap, having two is nice. You can use one for cash and one for whatever card you access most, or use one for business cards, making it easy to hand over a card with minimal fumbling.

 

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A post shared by Bellroy (@bellroy)

Overall, my husband prefers the Aviator wallet, mostly because he feels it’s a more secure card-carrying solution. With no adjustability on the Bellroy Card Sleeve and a leather build, it’s easy to imagine that the main compartment could stretch over time. If you go from carrying six cards to carrying three, you might find those three cards sliding out easier than you’d like.

We’ve only been testing it for a month and haven’t noticed that happening yet, but it’s something to consider going forward if you frequently change how many cards you’re carrying.

Otherwise, the price is right at $55 (and an excellent price point for gift-giving), and it comes in several colors.

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Which travel wallet to choose

If you want a lightweight travel wallet with a sleek design and a price that won’t break said wallet, opt for the Bellroy Card Sleeve — just consider keeping it to the same number of cards all the time. And the Bellroy Card Sleeve also gets our vote for a thoughtful and useful gift, especially since it comes in a range of colors and has a three-year warranty.

But if you want a wallet to last for a decade with a little more versatility and durability, consider shelling out for an Aviator Slim Wallet. And let us know if you buy the $1,000 option.

What are travel wallets?

A travel wallet is just a catch-all term for a small wallet that generally holds only a few items. The idea is that it’s a small, easy-to-carry wallet you can use on vacation when you only need a few cards and a bit of cash handy. Most travel wallets hold only about six or so cards, and may just have one small cut-out for storing cash. They take up less space in your bag or pocket and draw less attention than a big, bulky wallet.

But if you’re a 21st-century person who uses ApplePay or GooglePay and doesn’t need to carry tons of membership cards and family photos with them, a travel wallet is a great full-time option. If you prefer minimalist travel wallets that don’t unfold, hold coins, or take up much space in your bag or pocket, you may want to consider a travel wallet for everyday use.