Ekster Aluminium Cardholder (Brushed Copper)

£96

Nothing is worse than when I’m trying to fit my traditional foldable leather wallet into my jean pocket, but it is simply too wide and leaves a large dent in my jeans. This is where Ekster’s innovation comes in to provide space for up to 12 cards plus cash, whilst remaining remarkably thin in your pocket yet durable.

I was super excited to see the Ekster Aluminium Cardholder come across my desk as I’ve been on the lookout for a wallet which reduces space without sacrificing functionality or security. The cardholder is made of durable aluminium, and the one I tried had a lovely brushed copper design. 

To use the cardholder you simply pop up to 12 cards in the main case which all sit seamlessly together inside the shell. To access the cards, you just press the side button, and your cards are pushed upwards whilst staggered to make picking your needed card super easy. For bills, or any extra cards such as loyalty cards, you can strap these to the side of the cardholder to sit under the aluminium back plate and elasticated band. I have a ton of loyalty cards and always like to carry a little bit of cash, but I worried this might add excessive bulk to the back plate, but the band around the cardholder keeps it all super compact and secured.

After using the cardholder for a few weeks, I’m super impressed with the compact and secure design. I loved the button mechanism to access my cards, and the RFID blocker ensured I didn’t have to worry about wireless theft whilst out and about with the cardholder in my pocket. Throughout the first few days, I did notice myself tapping my pocket a few times to ensure that the cardholder was still there as it is remarkably thinner and more lightweight than my previous traditional foldable leather wallet. With each tap, I realised just how secure and minimalist the design was, whilst still delivering everything I needed from a wallet.

I will say, that if you want to carry coins the cardholder, as the name suggests, does not cater to this, so they might have to be thrown in your pocket or bag separately. However, I don’t know many people who use cash anymore, so even a coin or two in your pocket alongside the cardholder doesn’t seem to be too much of a hassle.  

Overall, this would make a perfect gift for the person in your life who is constantly lugging around a giant purse or wallet full of unnecessary things. With the Ekster Aluminium Cardholder, you can gift yourself or a loved one a streamlined premium feeling cardholder that cuts down on space whilst still delivering all you could need from your wallet.

Pros:

• Space-grade sturdy aluminium design
• Quick and compact card access with button press
• Great security for cards with RFID-blocking technology built-in

Cons:

• The cardholder is not designed to carry coins, so you will need to keep them separate from your cards and bills