ALL-ETT
SPORTS WALLET
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
E-mail
address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including backpacking,
day-hiking, car camping, and canoeing. Most of my excursions
are confined to weekends, although I try to fit in at least one
longer backpacking trip each year, and have started section
hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT), accruing a little over 300 mi
(483 km) so far. My style varies with the activity, but since
becoming a lightweight backpacker, I've noticed I tend to pack
somewhat minimally even on trips where I have more space.
Still, I don't like to sacrifice warmth, comfort, or safety.
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Initial Report - May 5, 2010
Product Information:
Manufacturer: ALL-ETT
Model: Sports Wallet, spinnaker cloth
Year of manufacture: 2010
Advertised weight: 0.10 oz
(2.83 g)
Measured weight: 4 g (0.14 oz)
Advertised dimensions: 3 1/8" X 3 3/4" X 1/32"
Measured dimensions: consistent with above
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Product
Description:
ALL-ETT bills the Sports Wallet as the 'World's Thinnest Wallet', with
which I have to concur. I have never seen a thinner, smaller, or
lighter wallet. The Sports Wallet in spinnaker cloth weighs half
what a quart size ZipLock freezer bag does! And it is thinner
than a dime, about the thickness of a dollar bill.
The manufacturer explains on their website that Spinnaker Cloth is a
Rip-Stop nylon that is as thin as paper, but very strong. It is
also water-resistant, and yet breathable. As can be noted in the
photo above, the fabric has a grid pattern. I am testing the
black color ~ although the lighting in the picture above makes it look
like a dark blue, the actual color is definitely black. The
fabric has a crinkly sound when touched or flexed, something like a
brand new dollar bill sounds when handled - not so loud it's annoying,
but definitely noticeable.
Construction of the wallet is simple - it appears to be cut from a
single piece of fabric which is wider on one half. It appears to
then be folded in half, and the longer edges then folded over the
wallet body and sewn in place with a straight stitch to form pockets
for licenses or credit cards. A partial line of stitching makes
the pockets small enough to keep the cards in place.
The cut edges of the fabric are folded over and also sewn with a simple
straight stitch. There is no binding or noticeable
treatment on the cut edges, but they are straight and fray-free.
My guess is that the edges may be heat-cut to seal them and prevent
fraying, but that is merely speculation on my part, as I did not see
any information about the construction on the website or packaging
materials. A small manufacturer label is located on the left rear
interior.
And that's really all there is to the Sports Wallet ~ simple and
minimalist.
Trying it out:
I was rather happy to pull everything out of my old wallet as it was
getting a little worn and misshapen. The first thing I did was to
weed out a few non-essential cards I had fallen into the habit of
carrying, even though I used them maybe once or twice a year, and put
them in a plastic sleeve to be stored elsewhere in my purse. I
was easily able to slide three credit cards, a debit card, blood
donor/type card, emergency phone card, my drivers license, and
answering machine instruction card into the two pockets of the wallet,
with room to spare. Currency fits into the longer interior pocket
with only a bit of room to spare ~ perhaps 3/16" (5 cm) at the top and
3/8" (10 cm) on each side.
When I was finished, the wallet was still incredibly light and thin,
much smaller than what I am used to carrying around. It is so
small I am a little worried about losing it out of my purse, but it is
also so small I can zip it inside the interior pocket of my purse, so
that's what I did, and now it is more secure than my older, larger
wallet.
Preliminary Impressions:
The ALL-ETT Sports Wallet certainly lives up to its name as the World's
Thinnest Wallet. I like its simplicity, and I think it will look
better than carrying money around in a ZipLock bag when I emerge from
the woods into a restaurant or store after a hike. I also hope it
will be more comfortable, as carrying a plastic bag in a pants pocket
can soon make my skin feel uncomfortable and sweaty in that area.
Field Report - August 3, 2010
Field
Locations and Conditions:
Ramsey's Draft area of George Washington National Forest, May 2010 ~ 17
mi (27 km) overnight backpacking trip. Temperatures ranged from
about 60 F (15 C) during the day, down to freezing at night, with heavy
wind, but no precipitation. Carried the wallet in a front
zippered pocket of my Royal Robbins Zip N' Go Convertible Pants.
Cranberry, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, May 2010 ~ 25 mi
(40 km)
weekend (2 night) backpacking trip. Overnight temperatures were
in the 50 F (10 C) range, high humidity, light rain one night.
Carried the wallet in a front zippered pocket of my Royal Robbins Zip
N' Go Convertible Pants.
I have also used the ALL-ETT Sports Wallet for everyday use, carrying
it inside my purse, in my front pants pockets, and in light jacket
pockets.
Use and Conclusions:
I have used the ALL-ETT Sports Wallet to carry all of my cash, my
drivers license, and an assortment of credit, debit, and identification
cards for nearly 3 months now. I've had only two problems with
it. First, unless the wallet is pretty full, my cards can slide
out rather easily when the wallet is opened. This has not been a
problem with the wallet closed, so I've just learned to be careful when
I open it so that I don't drop and lose a card. The second
problem is that it is so thin and light that I sometimes have trouble
finding it in my purse. I've taken to always trying to place it
in a small zippered pocket, so I can consistently find it. A
couple of times I just tossed it in the main compartment, and almost
panicked when I needed it, thinking it had been lost or stolen, because
it blends in so well with the black interior of my purse, and it is so
small and light it can easily slide under larger articles like my cell
phone or checkbook.
On the positive side, the ALL-ETT Sports Wallet has helped
reduce bulk and weight inside my purse, which makes it much more
comfortable to carry. And, it is much easier than a thicker
wallet to tuck into a front pants pocket to keep it handy and secure if
I want to go purseless.
The Sports Wallet has been perfect for backpacking. It easily
fits inside the front zippered pocket of my favorite pair of hiking
pants, and rests there very comfortable. Again, it is so light
and thin that I occasionally find myself needing to touch it just to
make sure it's there! I formerly just either tossed my money and
cards into a zippered pocket with no other protection, or used a
ZipLock bag for them. The ALL-ETT is not only classier, but keeps
everything better organized. In very hot weather I sometimes
found plastic baggies made my leg feel uncomfortably hot and sweaty,
even with a layer of fabric between the bag and my leg. The
spinnaker cloth of the Sports Wallet seems to be more breathable,
and it has never felt uncomfortable in my pocket.
Even with daily use over the last 90 days or so, the Sports Wallet
still looks almost as good as new. Although the fabric is paper
thin, it has been very durable. The top outside corners have
developed a small crease, nothing that affects performance. The
stitching on the right side top corner appears to be fuzzing somewhat;
again, nothing that is affecting performance. In the photo to the
right, the wallet is filled with about 19 bills (um, mostly $1,
unfortunately), and 8 cards.
I am not used to carrying change in my pants pockets, so I do miss
having a change compartment in my wallet. It has been a little
strange using the wallet and then getting out a separate change purse
if I am paying with dollars and coins. I would rather like
to see a ladies model that incorporated a small zippered coin
compartment.
Summary:
The ALL-ETT Sports Wallet lives up to its name - it is certainly
thinner and lighter than any other wallet I've ever carried. In
fact, when I have it filled, it seems about the same thickness as an
empty fine leather wallet.
It's better for organization and classier than a ZipLock bag for
backpacking, and a good all around everyday wallet also. Overall
I am really enjoying using this wallet, and I am impressed with its
durability, but I do wish a model was available with a small zippered
compartment for change.
Long Term Report - September 21,
2010
Field
Locations and Conditions:
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, August 2010 ~
weekend (2 night) tent camping. Temperatures in the 70-90
F(around 20-30 C), with high humidity.
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, August 2010 ~
overnight camping in half cabin. Temperatures in the 80-90 F
(around 25-30 C) range, with high humidity.
Roaring Plains section of the Monongahela National Forest, West
Virginia, September 2010 ~ weekend backpacking trip with 3 mi (5 km) of
easy trail into a base camp, 13 mi (21 km) rugged day hike, and a 3 mi
(5 km) return trip to trailhead. Temperatures in the 40 F to mid
70 F range (around 5 C to 25 C). Dry weather, with high wind the
first night and high humidity the second night.
Watoga State Park, West Virginia, September 2010 ~ weekend cabin stay,
canoeing, hiking, and stream exploration. Temperatures in the 40
F to 80 F range (around 5 C to 25 C). Dry weather, low humidity.
I also used the ALL-ETT Sports Wallet on 5 day hikes of 3 mi (5 km) on
a local nature trail, and for every day use.
Use and Conclusions:
I have continued to carry the Sports Wallet in my purse daily, and in a
front or side pocket of convertible pants for all my hikes, camping
trips, and other outdoor activities. The wallet shows no visible
signs of wear beyond the slight creasing of the corners and slight
fuzzing of the ends of the stitches at the top edge, as noted in the
field report phase. I have recently been carrying 6 cards in the
wallet (3 on each side), and this seems to be working well. I'm
not sure why, but the tendency for the cards to slide out that I noted
in the earlier part of the test has lessened, and I no longer have to
be careful that I don't lose a card when I open the wallet.
The wallet is so light and thin that I don't even notice I am carrying
it in my pocket during my backpacking and hiking trips. In fact,
I found myself checking my pockets occasionally just to reassure myself
it was still there, since it never felt bulky or heavy in my
pockets. In my purse, I've found I like to always place it
in a zippered pocket to make it easy to find. This has the added
benefit of being more secure - something I could never do with a
bulkier wallet.
The Sports Wallet is a perfect size for the essentials I need to carry
on a daily basis and while enjoying outdoor activities. It easily
accommodates 6-8 cards and a good amount of currency (about 25 bills is
the most I ever carried). I do still miss a change compartment,
and would still love to see a ladies model with a small zippered
compartment suitable for a few coins. Other than that, I consider
the ALL-ETT Sports Wallet about as perfect as it gets for both hiking
and every day use.
Summary:
The ALL-ETT Sports Wallet definitely lives up to its billing as the
"World's Thinnest Wallet". It is so light and thin that I can
place it in a pocket and forget about it until I need it.
And it's much classier than dumping all my cash and cards into a
Zip-Lock to save weight while backpacking. It's also a lot more
breathable than a Zip-Lock, and that makes it more comfortable to carry
in my pocket warm weather.
Overall I am very pleased with the Sports Wallet and will continue to
use it as my every day wallet. Although it has been very durable,
when the time comes that it eventually wears out, I expect that I will
be purchasing another as a replacement. I really don't see myself
going back to a bulkier leather wallet (or a Zip-Lock bag for
backpacking) after using this nice little featherweight. It's a
definite 'keeper'!
Thanks to ALL-ETT and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test
the World's Thinnest Wallet Sports Wallet.
Read more reviews of All-Ett Billfolds gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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