streamline your billfold!
I carried a Tumi leather billfold for years that, with cash and various cards, was over one inch thick! The biggest issue with traditional bifold or trifold wallets is that cards are stored in pockets: a layer of leather between every card. Add RFID mesh and stitching, and a wallet holding 6-8 cards is over double the thickness of the card stack. Add in cash, particularly both domestic and foreign currency if you travel, and it's no wonder how a wallet can be over an inch thick!
Of the various button-actuated designs on the market that eject cards, the Ekster Pro leather wallet seemed to have the best and sturdiest one. Others have small buttons that stick out from the bottom or side, while the Ekster Pro has a large metal trigger forming the lower corner of the wallet. This seems less likely to snag on something or get accidentally triggered. Good mechanical action, and the cards consistently eject in an evenly staggered spread, making it easy to identify, pull out, and replace cards. This feature is a must, and why I didn't consider a Ridge. Leather is soft, supple, and appears to be of good quality. Elastic band is good for several bills folded in thirds; I found this sleeker than using the accessory clip, which holds cash on the backside of the wallet and adds significant thickness.
The only negative is that the interior pockets on the leather flap cover are the height of the wallet, which is closely sized to credit or ID cards; this makes for very tight pockets, and I found it very difficult to slide cards, or the accessory metal tool card, in and out. I suggest putting items less frequently accessed in these pockets.
Minimalist wallets are a "game changer", making you reevaluate what you need to carry, what you can replace with digital cards on your phone, etc. The Ekster Pro is a perfect way to transition for those who still want a classy leather wallet.
