So compact, I put this on my Keychain....
April 16, 2015
I have been using this wallet for a few years now and I love it -- its the best wallet design I have ever used. I added, after purchase, a metal grommet to one of the lower corners, to which I attached my keyring, with the wallet on a detachable clip. My fear of "going skinny" was a fear of an increased possibly of losing my wallet (a problem I have gone through more than once, and would hate to endure again). With my keys firmly attached to the wallet, however, I can never unintentionally drive off without my wallet, and the keys act as a kind of jingling alarm bell when I accidentally drop my wallet, or alas, if a pickpocket ever tried to lift it. Also, when I get home now, I automatically stash my wallet with my keys -- no more need to hunt all over the place for a misplaced wallet just as I am trying to get out the door.
The zippered side pocket (used for cash and coins and/or an emergency key) is also a perfect place to put my public-transportation "contactless smart card." It keeps it away from everything else in the wallet (The smart card never needs to be removed from the wallet when used -- just swipe your whole wallet by the reader -- and, despite claims to the contrary, the technology still seems to work best when the smart card is right next to the outer wall of any wallet rather than buried beneath other stuff). This placement of the smart card also provides a nice smooth and rigid plastic surface for any size bundle of folded cash to slide effortlessly in and out of the little pocket every time, without it ever snagging on the zipper or wallet material.
My BigSkinny wallet has held up really well over the past few years of daily use even under the added punishment of always bashing around against my keys in my pocket. No tears, no worn/frayed cloth, no broken zippers or lost zipper pulls, and no split seams. There is one insignificant tear on the the finger hole of the clear plastic side-pouch which was intended to hold a picture ID. Also the clear plastic has also become quite "foggy" over time from friction against it and possibly age. Neither issue, however, affects its functionality or integrity of the pouch. I prefer to use this pouch for my most used CCs rather than for my ID, so the clear plastic likely gets a lot more wear and tear in my case. Over all, the wallet seems to be made of really rugged materials, despite being an "ultra-light" design, and I absolutely love how small it is (roughly the size of the CCs it contains). I could never go back to a bi- or tri- fold wallet again.
Merchant Response:Hi Scotty! Wow! Thank you for the awesome in-depth review! We will certainly take your advice into consideration. Have a great weekend! Big Skinny
Pros
- super compact -- but has room for everything
- Great for the "stuff it all in one pouch" kind of person
- side zipper pouch perfect for "contactless smart card" (e.g. Clipper cards in SF bay area).
Cons
- exterior key chain anchor point (i,e, grommet on a lower corner or on an added flap stiched into one of the side seams) would be nice addition