The Shuffle Wallet 2.0 Has Arrived: First Impressions
The wallet I backed on Kickstarter a few months ago has landed. Here is what I think after a few days with it.
A few months back I wrote about the Shuffle Wallet 2.0 Kickstarter campaign, which raised over $140,000 and was funded in 90 minutes. I backed it myself and have been waiting since. It has now arrived, and after a few days of handling it here are my initial thoughts. A full review will follow once I have had proper time with it.
For context, I reviewed the original Shuffle Wallet and came away with mixed feelings. The fanning mechanism was genuinely innovative but left a lot to be desired in daily use. Shuffle clearly agreed, because the 2.0 scraps the original design entirely in favor of a more conventional pop-up format, albeit with their own take on how the cards fan out. Their campaign video even pokes fun at the first wallet. Brave move, and it worked.
The Size: Larger than anticipated…
The first thing that struck me was the size. I could have read the dimensions on the campaign page but clearly did not take them in properly, because the Shuffle 2.0 is larger than I expected. I am used to MagSafe wallets being compact, and this is not that. Comparing it to the Moft Tripod wallet, the size difference is significant. See the image below.
Size is not inherently a problem. But there is a reason MagSafe wallets tend to be small: when you stack a wallet on the back of a phone, the combined package can become unwieldy. That said, the Shuffle 2.0 is compatible with iPhone Pro Max models only, which makes sense given the footprint, and that compatibility caveat is at least honest about what kind of carry this is designed for.
The Mechanism: A ‘first’ of its kind(of)
What does work, and better than I expected, is the fanning mechanism itself. Cards fan out cleanly and evenly, giving you a clear view of everything you are carrying and quick access to whichever card you need. It genuinely impressed me.
The big question I am holding off on answering until the full review is whether this fanning approach is actually better than a traditional Secrid or Ekster pop-up. If it is not, then the point of the whole exercise becomes harder to justify. Early signs are promising, but I need more time with it before forming a verdict.
One thing worth flagging from my testing: with standard plastic cards loaded, I had no issue with cards falling out under normal up and down movement. However, the sides of the wallet are open by design to allow the fanning action to work. Shake the wallet from side to side and the cards will come out. That is a structural consequence of the mechanism rather than a manufacturing defect, but it is worth knowing. Whether this becomes a real-world issue in the pocket, I will be testing over the coming weeks.
Build Quality and Features: What to expect
The machined metal feels excellent in the hand. Substantial, well-finished, and you would not know there was any technology inside it at all beyond the small charging port on the top left. The built-in tracker is working as expected in early testing, though I want to run more thorough accuracy tests before commenting further. MagSafe attaches securely.
The modular system is promising. Currently only one accessory is available, the add-on module, which functions similarly to the approach Ekster take with their MagSafe wallet accessories. I do not own it yet, but the framework is there for Shuffle to expand the ecosystem over time if they choose to.
What Backers Are Saying on Kickstarter
I have been keeping an eye on the Kickstarter comment section. Two issues are being raised. The first, from backer Adam W, is that metal cards fall out easily, which is consistent with what I described above about the open sides of the mechanism. I cannot confirm or deny this myself as I do not own any metal cards. The second is a report of screws coming loose on the wallet fairly early in ownership. The backer in question was able to reseat them but noted it was early for that to be happening.
Worth keeping in mind that people experiencing problems are far more likely to post than those who are happy. As of August 19 the majority of comments on the Kickstarter page are from backers still waiting to receive their wallet rather than reporting issues with it. The sample size of negative feedback is still small.
Price Tag & Value for Money
Standard retail is $139.99. At the time of writing there is a launch sale bringing it down to $79.99, though I have no information on how long that will last. If the mechanism delivers on its promise in extended testing, $80 is reasonable. At full retail, it will need to justify itself more thoroughly against the competition.
Full details on the Shuffle Wallet 2.0 can be viewed using the link below. You can also read my original Shuffle Wallet review here.
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