Ridge Vs. Dango

There’s no denying two of the biggest brands in the wallet world are Ridge and Dango. Having not even existed only a decade ago, both brands reinvented the men’s wallet helping fuel an industry that was once a stagnant market only offering the likes of bulking leather bifolds we’re all used to.

Now although Ridge is just a single wallet Dango actually have a huge array of different wallet and designs. Because of this, it wouldn’t be fair, to write a review comparing all different Dango Wallets against the Ridge. Because of this, we’ll be comparing the Standard Ridge Wallet to the most popular wallet in the Dango range – The D01 Dapper Wallet.

We’ve split up each aspect of the wallet into 4 different categories where each wallet will go head to head in things like design, functionality, and price. At the end of each section, we’ll give our own verdict regarding the winner of each. You can skip to the end of each section for a quick overview of the winner. Once we’ve discussed each wallet in detail we’ll then summerise with our final winner. 

Design & Craftmanship

The designs of both the Ridge and Dango are closely related. They both have very unusual designs incorporating cleverly designed and shaped metal to create a wallet that has both charm and a distinct look. I can only really describe each as having a futuristic look. It’ll be entirely down to you whether you prefer the look of the Ridge or Dango. 

The Dango is a bit more in your face with a combination of materials. It not only uses a metal frame but full-grain leather and a rubber band. The Ridge is a lot more simplistic and hosts an entirely metal wallet with the added addition of a money clip or elasticated clip.

Personalization is another consideration in the design. Ridge provides a nice simple varied array of color options to choose from, sometimes releasing unique patterns and artwork versions of the wallet (like the above Hawaiian version). The same can be said for the Dango as well. They provide a lovely and varied mix of customization options with unique colorations like red, silver, and even gold. 

I honestly prefer the look and design of the Ridge wallet. I love its classic yet minimalist look and think the range of colors and designs is vast and varied. But the design of a product is entirely down to personal opinion. The craftsmanship of both wallets is nearly indistinguishable providing amazing quality and materials. Because of this, I find it hard to award either the victory in this round declaring it a draw. My recommendation is to choose the wallet that looks the best to you. 

Winner: Draw

Functionality & Utility

In terms of general functionality, both wallets are very similar. This is due to both wallet’s smaller sizes both having a very similar style to storing cash and cards. This is achieved with a stacking system where two plates hold your stack of credit/debit cards securely. Both wallets can store the same amount of cards (up to 12) with a decent amount of cash being tucked under both wallets (folded). 

Apart from cash and cards the ridge wallet can’t really do anything else and acts as a simplistic way to store your cash and cards. The Dango has innovative beyond and created a wallet with additional features. The first is an included bottle opener built and seamlessly integrated into the wallet. Another version available of the Dapper wallet also has more features including an included pen (wow).

In daily life, I found the Ridge a lot more pleasant when accessing cash and cards. I found the Dango’s rubber band to be overly tight and restricted access to cash and cards more. The Ridge had a good level of tension providing much easier access to when storing and taking out the credit/debit cards you need. The Dango isn’t bad just not as flexible as the Ridge.

Winner: Ridge Wallet

Price & Value

Both Ridge & Dango are what I’d consider on the higher end of the price spectrum. This is mainly down to everything we’ve talked about so far. Both wallets are very premium in nature with materials that last and craftsmanship to match. Along with this, both brands have a pretty good reputation so you can expect to pay the price to get your hands on one. 

The Ridge Wallet comes in three price tags varying depending on the type of material you want. The cheapest, the aluminum, starts at $75.00 which is a pretty high starting point for most people. This then gets bumped up to $105.00 for the Titanium model and $125.00 for their most expensive wallet made from carbon fiber. Optional extras for the Ridge include replacement parts (screws, elastic) and a cavity tray that enables the Ridge to store small items like coins or keys (extra $20.00). 

The Dango Dapper on the other hand starts at a cheaper price of $69.00 with their most expensive version, the D02 Dapper, coming in at $129.00. Unlike the Ridge Wallet though as the price increases so does the functionality of the wallets. A good example of this is with their pen wallet which has an entirely dedicated part for storing a pen.

To say there’s very little difference in price between the cheapest version of both wallets is an understatement. That being said Dango has the cheapest version of the wallet at $69.00. Along with that the more expensive versions of the Dango also provide additional functionality to really make it worth the increase in price tag.

Winner: Dango Wallet

Warranty & Returns

A great warranty or returns policy is paramount in today’s competitive marketplace. It can be the difference between choosing between one wallet over another so it’s definitely worth a mention here. This section looks at both Dango’s & Ridge’s warranty and returns policies. We’re looking for fair and just policies with companies that go above and beyond to satisfy customers’ every need. 

Dango themselves provide a limited lifetime policy. This means’ they will cover manufacturing defects including the likes of missing parts, torn leather, broken metal, and ripped paracords. That being said, if damage or parts naturally break overtime then there’s very little you can do. Examples of this include scratches, fading, ripped leather, chipped metal, chipped coating all regardless if it was your fault or not. Dango offers a 30-days return window for all products.

On the other hand, Ridge provides a full lifetime warranty. Although that doesn’t cover misuse, Ridge specifies that if anything was too ever breaks or ceases to function with the Ridge they’ll do their best to fix the issue. This includes the likes of screws coming loose, elastic snapping, or metal molding out of the place. Claims are made through a contact form on the site and it seems to be an easy process. Ridge Wallet offers a 45-day returns window. 

Both companies do an excellent job of supporting customers in the unlikely scenario something is to go wrong. Both companies also sell on Amazon, which also has a great warranty and return policies including next-day delivery (with Amazon Prime). This is always a preferable option. Nevertheless, Ridge Wallet wins is round as its lifetime warranty is fantastic and provides lifetime peace of mind for as long as you use the wallet. 

Winner: The Ridge Wallet

Final Verdict

So who ultimately came out on top? If you’ve been keeping count then you’ll already know that the Ridge Wallet won 2 rounds, Dango 1, with 1 being a draw. Because of this, I have to declare the Ridge Wallet the winner. But there’s a catch. I’d be lying if I said any one of these rounds could have gone to the other wallet – they’re both just that close. 

At the end of the day, you should make your decision based on which wallet you like the best. Whether this is because of the price, material choice, or simply design. Both wallets offer are some of the best on the market and for that, you can’t really choose wrong. For more information on both the Dango D01 Wallet and the Ridge Wallet check out their respective official websites using the link below.