The Best American Made Wallets
This article goes into detail regarding the best American made wallets. It will go through a range of different brands and wallet styles and give our verdict on why they’re the best in America. The USA has a long history in leathercraft as a trade that dates back all the way to its early founding and the native Americans who were notorious for using the hide of the buffalo for way over 200 years. This trade has been passed on and has paved the way for a huge variety of leathercraft brands, with a rich heritage in amazing American made wallets.
From here American has become the No.1 Country for some of the most innovative wallets on the market in the world. Since 2010 and the explosion of wallets on crowdfunding platforms new brands have risen creating a range of wallets made from unusual or unique materials such as metal, some going even as far as to create and utilize some odd materials never before used in the manufacture of wallets.
Mr. Lentz Wallets
Founded in 2011, Colorado, USA
Mr. Lentz is quintessentially a stereotypical American brand. With a ‘cowboy’ western-style aesthetics and branding to match. Mr. Lentz is the founder and a man who owns the brand. If you want a handmade American made wallet with the true aesthetics of the midwest then you can do a lot worst than this brand.
The range of Mr. Lentz’s wallets is fantastic and made apparent by their unique designs and the variety of different styled wallets. Whether you’re looking for a slim bi-fold or a large biker wallet Mr. Lentz has you covered with a unique style and take using only premium high-quality full-grain leathers. The wallets are also all handmade in the USA so you can be sure that you’re getting premium-quality from a proper American brand.
My favorite wallet of Mr. Lentz is probably the classic Biker Wallet. With its slim design and the wallet is most notorious for its chain which comes included for free and enables you to attach the wallet to your belt, or bag in an easy to use manner. Another great aspect of the handmade aspect of the Mr. Lentz range is the fact you can choose to add optional personalization to each wallet. Whether that’s having your initials pressed into the leather or even a logo/image it’s a lovely option to have to add some unique individuality to your wallet.
Mr. Lentz’s wallets start at a price tag of $60 and range all the way up to around $114 which is a nice range for people of all budgets. For more information on the entire range of wallets by Mr. Lentz check them out by clicking the link below.
Dango Wallets
Founded in 2016, California, USA
Dango shouldn’t need an introduction. Being one of the most successful wallet brands to find success on Kickstarter they managed to raise over $300K on a variety of different campaigns over the years. Dango is best known for its tactical wallets creating a wide variety of innovative wallets meant for those looking for unique features. These features include anything from multi-tools through to key storage.
Not only that but each of their wallets is highly attractive with crazy unique designs that are seen by very many other wallet brands on the market. My personal favorite wallets by Dango are either the Dango D01 Dapper or the Dango T01 Tactical Wallet. Each is made from premium materials (with the main material being metal) in a neat minimalist style. Having traveled myself to America last year I personally took the dapper and it was fantastic to use while camping and traveling around the many national parks.
Dango isn’t known for its affordability with wallets starting at around $35.00 (this is for the S1 Stealth) and ranging all the way up to way over $100. I think Dango wallets are best suited for people who want some unique features included within their wallets that are best for people who spend more time in the outdoors and may need multi-tool style features. For more information on the Dango Wallet range check out our full reviews or check their official website out directly using the link below.
Trayvax Wallets
Founded in 2013, Washington, USA
Very much like Dango Trayvax first came onto the scene after a string of successful crowdfunding campaigns. Like Dango, Trayvax offers a variety of unique metal wallets with their wallet range more on the side of unique functionality, durability, and style. The Trayvax range uses a range of material and usually combines different materials including metal, elastic, and leather to create highly stylized and wallets that
Trayvax inspiration was too designed for longevity, inspire to action, and give from passion. The founder Mark King, set out to create a product that would give somebody back aiming to cut down on the world’s plastic bag usage. This dream was realized in the development of his first wallet, the original Trayvax.
My favorite wallet in the Trayvax range, and the one that probably best represents the brand as a whole, is the Trayvax Element Wallet. This wallet is a rugged take on a classic leather wallet and combines a strong metal frame wrapped in premium quality full-grain leather. The wallet is incredibly versatile with a huge capacity for cash and cards along with some unique features including its handy attachment hook so I could attach a chain and like it with my backpack.
Pioneer Wallets
Founded in 2016, California, USA
Pioneer is an unusual wallet brand with a unique take on the traditional men’s wallets. Born out of a successful crowdfunding campaign and based in California this brand is best known for its use of the materials 10XD and 3PN each which provides a range of beneficial features compared to other traditional materials such as leather. These materials are 10 times stronger than steel, have a smooth pleasant feel, and have benefits such as being waterproof and machine washable.
The range of wallets is also fantastic in terms of their functionality and the entire range is based around the needs of its users providing a range of different variations whether you want a minimalist wallet or one that can hold a huge amount of cash and cards. My favorite wallet in the Pioneer range is the Molecule cardholder. This ultra-minimalist wallet is simple in design with capacity for 4-6 cards and a variety of slots (ones of the front and back) for easy storage and a main top slot for folded cash.
As a big fan of minimalist wallets, the design look and feel are amazing mainly thanks to its unique material and build quality. For more information on the Pioneer range of wallets check out our review of the Molecule cardholder or check out their official website using the link below.
Buffalo Jackson Wallets
Founded in 2009, Colorado, USA
If you’re looking for a brand that fits the traditional American aesthetics then look no further than Buffalo Jackson. Being founded in Colorado Springs, USA the brand is built on the idea of a love for adventure and a dedication to choosing a similar way of living. This mantra is put into every leather product they sell, not limited to wallets, where they aim to add quality to your everyday life.
The range of wallets available from Buffalo Jackson is extensive, to say the least, with a huge variety of leather wallets in all different shapes and sizes. Whether you want a traditional bi-fold, a minimalist cardholder, or a large travel wallet Buffalo Jackson not only excels in the quality of these goods but also the huge variations in designs to meet the needs of everyone and anyone.
All wallets from Buffalo Jackson are made from top-grain vegetable-tanned leather. This is one of the most premium leathers I’ve come across and has a rich smell and hardy texture that needs to be broken in for optimal use. Not only this but over time the wallet will naturally develop a beautiful unique patina that adds a beautiful texture to the wallet and a unique patternation. My favorite wallets in the range are either the Denver Trifold or the Dakota Money Clip wallet each a unique take in a wallet with great functionality and features. Make sure to check those out.
If you’re looking for a fantastic brand that really encapsulated the American feeling then you can do a lot worse than a Buffalo Jackson wallet. For more information on their range check out their official website using the link below.
The Ridge Wallet
Founded in 2013, California, USA
It’s hard not to mention the Ridge Wallet on any list when you think about the success and popularity of this iconic metal wallet. Ridge Wallet first came onto the scene back in 2013 has raised a staggering $120,000+ on the Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Since then, the revolution of using alternative materials, besides leather, when creating and developing a wallet has taken off in popularity and I’d give some of the credit to the Ridge Wallet itself.
In essence, the Ridge Wallet is a metal made (titanium or aluminum) minimalist sized wallet that is lightweight, easy to carry, and doesn’t suffer from any sort of bulking that traditional wallets usually do. This size is perfect for people who do carry much cash or very many cards (max credit/debit card capacity of up to 1 – 12) and want a wallet to reflect that.
The Ridge Wallet is also a statement piece, one made for those who love to accessorize and own something that no many people do. This is made better with the sheer variety of options the Ridge wallet has in terms of unique designs and variations in color. At a price tag of between $75 – $125, I think that Ridge is a fantastic option for people who are looking for a slim sized wallet at a statement piece to match. For more information read our in-depth full review of the Ridge Wallet or check out their official website with the link below.
Craft & Lore Wallets
Founded in 2014, North Idaho, USA
Craft & Lore are a premium leather manufacturer developing and creating a range of attractive, built to last leather goods. Whether you’re looking for Bags, Belts, and of course wallets Craft & Lore provide their own unique take to developing high-quality premium apparel.
In terms of their range of wallets, you’ll find it hard to not find something that is amazing in both size and function. Craft & Lore really hit the mark with their range whether you’re looking for a slimdown EDC style wallet or more of a traditional bifold. Each of these wallets is made from the same premium full-grain leather that is known for its amazing aging process in which it develops the most beautiful patina over time.
My favorite wallet in the collection is the Port Wallet. This slim wallet has a distinctive design with overlapping layers of Leather creating a unique look. This overlapping leather naturally creates the pockets of the wallet with enough room for 3 – 6 cards and plenty of cash. The distinctive leather is also available in some amazing vintage colors including tan, light, and dark brown. For more information on the Craft & Lore Wallet range check out their official website using the link below.
Andar Wallets
Founded in 2015, Arizona, USA
I love Andar wallets simply due to their unique style, innovative in continuously improving their wallet range, and distinctive use of leather. Andar is the Spanish verb for ‘to carry’ and was founded on the premise of minimizing your EDC and organizing it in a clever and unique way. Since then, Andar has developed a fantastic range of wallets whether you’re looking for a classic style bi-fold (I recommend the Andar Apollo) or the innovation of a cascading wallet (The Andar Pilot).
The range is also improved by their use of a distinctive leather type called ‘Crazy Horse Leather’ (also known as Saddle leather). This leather is high in quality but is defined by the fact the leather is treated with a variety of waxes that give it an almost wet or damp feel. It’s completely subjective whether you like this type of leather or not, but to say its not unique or great quality would be a total understatement.
The Andar Wallet range is not just fantastic because of its innovative, but also due to its affordability. They could easily up their prices based on the brand and quality they’ve successfully built up but choose to offer their range at affordable prices for everyone to enjoy. For more information on Andar, and their range of wallets, check out their official website using the link below.
