All-Ett Billfolds
By Mark McLauchlin
|
Wallet with Australian $50 and
personal cards. |
Reviewer Information
Name: Mark McLauchlin
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Height: 1.76 m (5’ 9”)
Weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
Email: mark at swanvalleyit.com.au
City: Perth, Western Australia
Backpacking Background
I have been hiking since 2006 with most of my hiking
consisting of day walks averaging 16 - 22 km (10 - 14 mi) and short
overnight trips where possible. Most of my hiking is along the Bibbulmun
Track and Coastal Plains Trail. I consider myself to be a light hiker
with an average pack weight of 6 kg (13 lb), which I am working to
reduce. I generally sleep in my tarp tent or huts that are often
scattered along the various hiking trails.
Product Information
Manufacturer: All-Ett Billfold
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Manufacturer's Website:
www.thinnestwallet.com
MSRP: $14.95 USD
Listed Weight: 2.83 g (0.1 oz)
Measured Weight: 2.83 g (0.1 oz)
Listed Dimensions Closed: 7.94 cm x 9.53 cm (3 1/8” x 3 ¾”)
Measured Dimensions Closed: 7.90 cm x 9.50 cm (3 1/8” x 3 ¾”)
Listed Thickness: 0.80 mm (1/32")
Measured Thickness: Unable to determine where the manufacture is
measuring however the double layer section looks to be 0.80 mm (1/32")
Material Tested: Spinnaker Cloth
Materials Available: Leather, Eco-Thin Recycled.
Colour Tested: Black
Colours Available: Charcoal Grey, Green, Red, Purple and Blue
Product Description
The Worlds Thinnest Wallet by All-Ett Billfold is an Ultra-Lightweight
sports wallet constructed from ripstop nylon (Spinnaker cloth). The
wallet was designed for hikers, cyclists and runners originally to help
people avoid sciatic nerve damage which can be caused by sitting on
larger or bulkier wallets. The wallet is washable and will never crack
and no animal products were used in it's construction.
The wallet has two card pockets which hold up-to 5 cards each, for a
total of 10. One large cash pocket that appears
to be of suitable size to hold multiple currencies. The image above
shows an Australian $50 comfortably occupying the pocket.
A note from the manufacturer on the material;
"The material used is called Spinnaker Cloth, it is also known as
Rip-Stop Nylon. Although it's as thin as paper, it's incredibly strong
(hence the name, rip-stop nylon). It is a very breathable material and
therefore, it does not make you sweat. Spinnaker cloth is water
resistant which keeps the contents dry. IT is a washable material. The
Spinnaker Cloth Wallet is Eco-Friendly because it is 100% recyclable and
no animal byproducts were used in the manufacturing of this product. The
expected lifetime of this wallet is between 3 to 5 years, but often
lasts much longer. The Spinnaker Cloth material is extremely efficient
and will allow you to wear a wallet comfortably like never before!"
The construction of the wallet appears to be very simple, yet
effective. A single piece of Spinnaker cloth is folded and sewn. The
assembly looks to be of a high standard and there are no defects in the
wallet supplied.
I am sure this wallet will serve me well both on and off the trail and I
look forward to testing over the next few months.
|
Paper thin wallet |
Thank you to All-Ett Billfold and BackpackGearTest.org for the
privilege of testing The Worlds Thinnest Sports Wallet
Field Report
27th July 2010
The first hike during this phase of the report which
I took The Worlds Thinnest Sports Wallet was on a geocaching trip.
The temperature at 8am was 6 C (42.8 F). I spent the entire day
hiking up and down hills and bushwhacking through some tough terrain
and covered about 15 km's (9.3 miles). The wallet was stored in my
pack during this and all following hikes.
Next I took the wallet with me for work to Karratha
which is further north of the state. The temperatures there are
vastly different to Perth. The few days I was there it averaged 27 C
(81 F). I went for a hike to the top of a look-out which has some
great views, unfortunately I didn't have my camera. The terrain in
Karratha is very harsh and there is little shade. Total hiking
distance was 16 km's (9.9 miles). Travelling with the wallet I
found to be very beneficial. The fact that it is so light, compact
and doesn't really hold a lot means that I was forced to reduce the
amount of junk I carry in a wallet. I also do not generally like to
travel with my wallet in any form or luggage, choosing to keep it on
me instead. I figure that worst case if my luggage goes missing then
I still have cash and identification. With The Worlds Thinnest
Sports Wallet I was able to keep it in my pocket and not have it
cause any discomfort, which was great.
For my last hike I found myself in a town in the south of the state called Collie,
primarily a logging and coal town. The Bibbulmun track also passes
through this town. I walked from Perin Lookout back into town, which
was about 18 km's (11.2 miles). Temperatures were really cold, I
would estimate between 10 - 13 C (50 - 55 F).
Additional to the above hiking the wallet has been used daily as a
replacement to my more traditional leather one. The change has been
great, quite liberating actually. On the odd occasion I have found
myself double checking to ensure I have not left it behind as it is
so light I hardly notice I am carrying it. The wallet shows no signs
at all of wear and tear or degradation in quality. I have put it
through the washing machine on several occasions, always inside of a
pocket or washing bag designed to protect delicates. I am very
impressed with the wallet and will continue to use it both on and
off trail.
This concludes my Field report.
Long-Term Report
21st September 2010
During the Long-Term Report phase The World's Thinnest
Sports Wallet has continued its use as my daily wallet. The wallet
has also been off trail on a number of occasions mainly on day walks
in the local national parks. The contents have remained the same,
namely cash and a few credit cards.
Taking a wallet hiking with me is not something I used to do before
this test series as the wallet I was using at the time was simply
too heavy and did not conform to my light weight hiking style. My
thoughts are that I will go back to not taking a wallet out on the
trail with me as I really see no point. I will however
continue to use it off trail as it has provided me with many
benefits.
I am recently recovering from surgery and have found on occasion
that if my sitting posture is not correct this can affect me. With a
traditional wallet there is often an increase in pressure on the
lower back due to its bulk, with The World's Thinnest Sports Wallet
this is not the case. The lack of bulk has made a difference.
The wallet shows no signs of deterioration or damage from continued
use, which is a great sign that it was built to last and from
quality materials. It has been put through the washing machine on
several occasions and I have not encountered any issues.
There is not too much to say about the wallet as it remains
functional and simply does its job - storing money and cards. This
is something I would recommend to anyone looking for a simple means
to carry the basics.
Thank you to All-Ett Billfold and BackpackGearTest.org for the
privilege of testing The World's Thinnest Sports Wallet
This concludes my Long-Term Report and the test series for
The World's Thinnest Sports Wallet.