Kickstarter Wallet Round-up [December 2020]
What that’s a wrap for this year folks. December is finally upon us, Christmas is a mere stone’s throw away and the hopefully better year of 2021 is in sight. We’re finishing our wallet Kickstarter round-up with a bang (or twinkle if you must) with a few well-known brands dipping their toes back in the crowdfunding space, and a wallet accessory that’s bound to make a buzz (that’s a great pun if you know what it was).
Along with this final Round-Up of 2020, we’re also going to be released an article looking at our favorite crowdfunding wallets of the entire year. This article will take the most unique, innovative, and funded wallets on Kickstarter/IndieGoGo and give not only an update and their crowdfunding status, but also an updated opinion on the wallets themselves.
Kickstarter Round-up September
Pioneer Altitude Wallet
Pioneer is back and they’ve once again reinviting the way we view wallets. Pioneer first successfully crowdfunded their initial Flyfold Wallet back in 2018. Since then they’ve gone on to cement themselves as a popular wallet brand mainly thanks to their innovative use of materials and distinctive wallets. This was mainly achieved through their use of 10XD material known for their insane strength and durability being 10 times stronger than steel and infinitely better to hold and feel in the hand.
The new Pioneer Altitude takes all the unique aspects that Pioneer is known for and effectively makes the wallet more functional. The Altitude takes its inspiration from classic leather bi-fold style wallets which can be seen through a full-width cash slot located at the top of the wallet. In the past Pioneer Wallets have had trouble fitting internationally sized bills (think of GDP or EUROs) which are sized much larger than American Dollars. This is solved with the Altitude which is a global wallet with a capacity for 4 – 12 cards, RFID Security (optional), and all the amazing benefits you can expect from the 10XD Material.
The wallet has currently raised more than enough to qualify with flying colors raising over $100,000, which is an amount in contention for the largest sum raised this year (for a wallet brand anyway). The Altitude wallet adds a new dimension to the Pioneer range adding new features for those who stay clear of minimalism and want a wallet packed with features. For more information on the Pioneer Altitude wallet check out their Kickstarter page using the link below.
Bagai Milano Wallets
Bagai Milano is an Italian brand that is trying to create a beautiful range of wallets made from exotic snakeskin leather. Snakeskin used in a lot of designer goods and primarily used for its attractive scaly appearance. Because of this, the leather creates a unique texture and design each unique to the individual piece of leather and therefore wallet. Bagi Milano has gone a step further a dyed the Snakeskin leather in eccentric and vibrant colors including blue, yellow, and pink.
Bagai Milano is not just raising funds for one wallet but a range of wallets, for both men and female. After browsing through the range the wallets are designed classically as you’d imagine but nothing innovative or special. You can choose between different sizes from minimalist cardholders through to traditional bi-folds or update to a clutch style wallet (for women).
The wallet has currently raised only $2,000 with a goal of around $15,000. I don’t want to sound pessimistic but it’s clear what direction this Kickstarter is taking. I’m not entirely sure the reasoning why it hasn’t succeeded. Generically designed wallet of this type, no matter the quality of craftsmanship, are not a great indicator of success on crowdfunding platforms. I feel Bagai Milano has fallen short of really showing what the wallets can do nor putting any marketing emphasis on its actual USP – The Snakeskin Leather (which is only mentioned one time in their entire Kickstarter page).
Cardlax 2.0 Portable Massager
Although not a wallet, the Cardlax Portable Massager is a highly popular wallet accessory with the idea of being a portable messenger that fits in your wallet and can provide ‘stimulation’ with 8 modes and 10 intensity levels.s I’m not going to lie, I personally don’t see the direct apparel to an item like this. I honestly never get the urge to randomly start massaging a part of my body when out and about so it seems strange to me other people have or would even want to.
That being said, I’m not the majority, and people clearly have an interest in The Cardlax 2.0 as its already raised over $100,000 with only a funding goal of around $1,000. The messenger is aimed at people who want the benefits potential messenger can provide. The Cardlax is said to relax muscle tension, enhance blood circulation, and ease any pain. The issue I’m having trouble with is its size. Yes, this thing is pretty small, but is it small enough to easily carry in a wallet?
The thing is shaped like a credit card, but its biggest inhibiting factor would be its thickness. Coming in a 4.5mm thin, compared to a credit card at 0.76mm it’s a big jump. It might not seem a lot on paper but card slots are not meant to exceed 1 – 2 cards at most and I can imagine it creating not only bulking but strain on the leather of your wallet.
All this is just speculation though. I don’t actually have one so it’s hard to say. But comparing it to say the Ekster Smart Card, which suffers from similar problems, it’s not looking good in my opinion. For more information on the Cardlax 2.0 Portable Massager check out their crowdfunding page on Kickstarter using the link below.
Concealed Carry Wallet
The final wallet on our list today is the Conceleaded Wallet by Hayes Bros. This wallet is a minimalist sized metal wallet. Its design is very similar to typical hard case style wallets with the entire contents encased within a single unit. This provides added protection to your wallet, gives peace of mind nothing will fall out and allows for better RFID Security. This case style design also allows for easy storage of other small items such as keys or coins making it very multi-functional.
The design of the wallet is also fairly attractive. Being made out of brushed aerospace-grade aluminum. This provides both strength and durability in a neat little package. On the pack is also another metal item in the added money clip. This enables better and quicker access to any banknotes you have which is nice. Functionality wise, the Wallet can carry between 6 – 8 cards easily, has RFID Security as standard, and comes in a lovely range of colors including back and sliver.
Currently, the Concealed Carry Wallet has not just launched on Kickstarter with many weeks left to go. Its current target is $18,000, which is ambitious, but totally possible. I think the Concealed Carry Wallet is unique enough to consider and when compared to other hard case style wallets has many great advantages. For more information on this wallet by Hayes Bros. check out their crowdfunding page using the link below.
