Ekster-Wallet-Alternatives

The Best Ekster Wallet Alternatives 

Thinking of purchasing an Ekster Wallet but want to keep your options open. We’re personally a big fan of the Ekster Parliament or Senate thanks to its cascading card machine that makes it easy to access your cards at a whim. That being said, there are many options out there, with a variety of similar and different features, that you could also consider. 

Ekster is one of the biggest independent wallet manufacturers to date. Like many other brands, they rose to fame through a successful Kickstarter campaign and have steadily increased their range and following. Now they’re in competition with the big guys including the likes of Ridge, Secrid, and Bellroy. Before we look into the Ekster Wallet Alternatives on the market let’s take a quick look at why the Ekster range of wallets is great in the first place.

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Ekster Wallets

Along with a few other wallets, the Ekster range were some of the first wallets to popularise the famous cascading card (or fanning) style of wallet. For those who don’t know, these types of wallets usually use a metal device that at a flick of a switch automatically pushes your credit/debit out with little to no effort. The best thing about this is each card is spaced out perfectly allowing for easy access to the card you need without any aimless fumbling about trying to separate cards on top of each other. 

On top of that Ekster is famous for its GPS ‘Smart’ wallet device that can easily fit in any standard sized card slot. Although this is not included with any of the Ekster Wallets (costs an additional $59.00). Overall, the Ekster is probably the most famous wallet of this type with a clean attractive design, premium leather and materials, and additional items (such as the tracker) for those who want it. 

What makes the Ekster range of wallets different comes down to the fantastic build quality and brand they have built. As we previously mentioned, the first Ekster wallet was successfully funded through Kickstarter back in 2016 and went on to secure $150,000 in one of the best examples of crowdfunding success (for a wallet).

Secrid-Slim-Wallet-Review

Secrid Slim Wallet

I write a lot about the Secrid Slim and other wallets in the Secrid range. They provide a clean minimalist take on modern way wallets utilizing leather, and a cascading card mechanism, to provide an all-round fantastic experience. Although the Secrid Slim is the most popular in their range, they also offer a variety of different models that have more or less features based on what you’re looking for in a wallet. Need more card space? Need less? The various models will have you covered at varying prices. 

My absolute favorite thing about the Secrid Slim, and one reason why Secrid could be better than Ekster, is the choice of personalization options. This includes a variety of different color options, patterns of leather types to choose from to really make the Secrid personal to you. This is something Ekster doesn’t provide with only a small choice of colors to choose from. Our full review of the Secrid Slim can be found here 

Verdict: Is the Secrid a good alternative to the Ekster. We’ll actually have a full article on the subject here in our Secrid Vs. Ekster article. You’ll find in the case of these two it’s up to you. I prefer the quality of the Ekster but the design of the Secrid. Price tags are also the same so it’s a close one. 

Andar-Pilot

Andar Pilot Wallet

Andar has always been one of my favorite brands. With the use of Crazy Horse Leather, a distinctive and innovative approach to features the range is something I highly recommend and one of the reasons we stock them in our store. The Andar Pilot is actually probably the one wallet in their range that is slightly different from their usual typical wallet. It has a tall phone like shape with the typical cascading card mechanism encased in thin leather. 

The difference between the Andar Pilot and other cascading wallets is its use of a ‘cog’ mechanism. Instead of pushing a button to fling your cards out, like the Ekster, the Andar has developed a spinning wheel that you rotate instead. It’s the same principle but different.  Instead of having the cards all released in a fast-paced motion, the Pilot’s wheel needs to be turned continuously until the cards are expanded outwards for access. It’s really down to personal preference if this is something you like. It definitely takes longer to access your cards with the Pilot, compared to any other wallet on this list, but is very effective and enjoyable to use. 

The Andar Pilot comes in at a price tag of $65.00 but for an additional $5.00 you can get your hands on a money clip that fits on the back and allows you to store banknotes easily. Overall, the Pilot isn’t the most innovative alternative to the Ekster but the affordable price tag and attractive design make it one of my personal favorites. 

Verdict: A simple attractive version of a slider wallet. The Andar has a distinctive look, very much like the Ekster, with premium colors and a nice look. If you’re looking for simplicity with a classic look then the Andar Pilot might be for you. For more information on the Pilot check out our full review.

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The DAX Wallet

The Dax is the most different wallet on this list. While the Ekster range, and all other alternatives, use a metal mechanism to slide and fan out their cards the Dax wallet is entirely made from fabric material and uses a pull tab for easy access. This gives two distinct advantages compared to The Ekster. The first is it’s incredibly smaller size the Dax comes in at just 70 x 100 x 20mm and is a great minimalist alternative for those who want something more compact. The second is the price tag. Due to the absence of that metal device the wallet is very cheap at just $12.95 making it the cheapest wallet on this list by quite a considerable margin.  

The main issue with the Dax is it’s just not as good as a wallet when it comes to how well it stores your cash and cards. The material is also lower quality but this is all typical for a wallet that is priced at a lower end. For more information on the Dax (version 2) why not check out our full review of the wallet, or check out their official store below. 

Verdict: The Dax isn’t as good as the Ekster in functionality or design terms. But the Dax does have many advantages for people on a budget or those who want a smaller and more compact EDC. You can check out our full review of the Dax wallet here

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Innway Accent Wallet

If you’re looking for a similar wallet to the Ekster but want some added oomph then why not consider the Accent wallet by Innway. This wallet is actually one of newest on this list having only come into the market back in April after a successful round of crowdfunding. Where this wallet really differs is with its inbuilt smart tracking capability that gives the wallet a range of smart and GPS tracking features aimed at helping prevent the loss of your wallet and make life easier. 

I’ve personally never seen the appeal of smart features in a wallet but in the case of Innway and the Accent they’ve done a fantastic job of seamlessly integrating the technology required to make these functions possible. The setup process of the wallet is also very intuitive with Innway developing its own App that can be downloaded on IOS or Android. 

Ekster is also very famous for their own ‘card tracker’ that comes in the form of a plastic credit card-sized device that is made to fit in a standard size credit/debit card slot. The Ekster card doesn’t come included with any of the Ekster range but is fairly affordable at $30.00, while the entire Innway costs around $109.00. 

Verdict: The Innway Accent is a fantastic take on a slider wallet with the added benefit of inbuilt GPS that creates a pretty cool smart wallet. We also have a full review of the Accent wallet which you can read here

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The Craft Wallet

The craft wallet is probably the most minimalist alternative to the Ekster. What makes the Craft wallet different is the fact it’s just the cascading mechanism on its own without any additional bulk like a leather casing or additional card slots. This is great for people who look at the look and feel of a metal wallet (an industrial look) that keeps the wallet to a small size that can easily fit in your pocket with zero bulk. 

The craft wallet itself has its limitations though. It does have a limited card capacity of only 3-5, while it doesn’t include any option to store banknotes. This effectively makes the wallet a glorified cardholder that’s not ideal for most but great for those who deliberately don’t like carrying cash. The craft wallet comes in at an affordable price tag of $45.00 and comes in a small variety of nice color options (silver and black). For more information on The Craft Wallet check out our full review.

Verdict: A simple cascading wallet that has no frills and is straight to the point. It has an attractive metal look and feels great in the hand. A great alternative for minimalist lovers and those who hate carrying cash. 

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