Glade Smith Is Back: Introducing Glademade Wallets
Glade Smith returns with a new wallet brand after Hell-Bent Holsters went defunct.
Back in 2025, I wrote a detailed article looking into what happened to the once popular brand Hell-Bent Holsters. I personally first discovered Hell-Bent back in 2019, where their unique take on a metal wallet led me to purchase one and eventually write a review on the wallet. This wallet was the Hell-Bent Holster 3.0 and at the time I gave it a glowing review due to its incredible durability, unique style and minimalist design.
But something went wrong with Hell-Bent. I’m not going to cover that here - I did that in my article dubbed ‘What Happened to Hell-Bent’ - but what I will reiterate is the downfall of Hell-Bent wasn’t exactly the fault of the owner, with circumstances beyond his control leading the brand to become defunct.
After I wrote this article, the owner**, Glade Smith**, got in touch with me directly thanking me for explaining the situation with Hell-Bent and vowed he’d return in the future with a new brand and new line of wallets. I’m pleased to announce here that Glade stuck to his word and confirmed to me personally that his new line of wallets is in production and under the new brand Glademade - here’s what we know so far.
Introducing the new Glademade Wallets
The first thing to note about the new Glademade wallets is it seems they’re pretty much identical to the popular Hell-bent 3.0 wallets I mentioned earlier - let me explain. Made from emtal and with a sort of full hard case design the wallet is probably one of the most durable you can get on the market protecting cards while provuding an attractive case oozing with style and durbality. A cutout in the top right hand corner makes it easy to find the card you need with a money clip on the back avialable for storing your banknotes. It’s a creative design and also highly customisable.
Pricing & Materials
Glade himself also mentioned in his message to me the pricing sturcture and what you get with each wallet. The first thing to note while each wallet is designed the same your choice in material matters and this will effect the cost of the wallet. In total, there are 5 different materials to choose from including Titanium ($315), copper ($265), Brass ($225), Aluminum ($140) and finally Kydex, which is the chepaest, at $95. If you’re intersted in what the differences are between the different materials here’s a handy table i created below.
| Material | Price | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium | $315 | Extremely durable, lightweight, corrosion resistant, premium feel | Those wanting the ultimate in durability and weight savings |
| Copper | $265 | Develops unique patina over time, antimicrobial properties, heavier weight | Buyers who appreciate a wallet that ages and changes with use |
| Brass | $225 | Classic aesthetic, develops patina, solid and weighty feel | Those who who look the disinct look of brass |
| Aluminium | $140 | Lightweight, affordable metal option, good durability | A balance between metal construction and budget |
| Kydex | $95 | Thermoplastic, very lightweight, impact resistant | Budget-conscious buyers who still want durability |
The cost of the Glademade wallet is most likely down to the cost of each of the raw materials + the time it takes to handcraft each wallet. All wallets aldo come with a carbon fiber cash clip, that allows you to store banknotes alongside your cards which can be upgraded to a titanium clip for an addtional $55.00.
As each and every wallet is handcrafted you also get the rare opprunity to cusmtise your wallet to your liking. For an addtinoal $50 you can choose such customsiaton options as lasering custom patterns or Art, Titanium anodizing, controlled forced patinas on brass and copper wallets, and heat treat anodizing on any titanium wallet.
How to Buy a Glademade Wallet
As a one man band, and just starting out with his new brand, at present, its only possible to order a glademade wallet by directly getting in touch with Glade himself to start a custom order. Glade state’s that due to its capacity limits working through all making all these wallets himself, its unpracticale to create a website or store when demand will very likely outstrip supply.
He said ”’I’m going to do the final finishing on the wallets one at a time in the order they are sold. Much like a one cook fancy restaurant. And your wallet will have my full attention”. Psotage will set you back $14.00 (shipped domastically) in the US with $100 insurance included.
Overall, as a big fan of the orignal Hell-Bent wallet i’m very happy to see Glade back on his feet and producing the wallet that many people all know and love. It’s unclear whether Glade will eventually ramp up production to a point where he was with Hell-Made but for now if you want to get your hands on one of his new wallets, i’d recommend reaching out directly to him on Instagram.