Apparently it’s a trend that most men just receive wallets rather than buying them
I never got one as a gift I really wanted to use. Care nothing for style, but look for practicality for me. After much trial and error have found a trifold made of sailcloth to be most lasting and useful for my sloppy wallet needs.
Do men tend to ask for wallets as gifts? If so, it makes sense they would tend to get them as gifts then. My dad certainly did. He was very particular about brand and model, and he showed genuine appreciation when I tracked one down (especially prior to internet shopping being what it is). It made for a good gift.
I got several wallets as gifts ages ago, but I got sick of carrying fat wallets and found a slim wallet to buy for myself and have used it for as long as I can remember now. I would never trade it out unless I somehow found an even skinnier one (or it gets lost or destroyed).
I checked out of curiosity, its an Allet Original (was called classic leather when I bought it) and I’ve had it for 9 years. Its still in great condition, but apparently they cost almost twice as much now (I paid $35, they’re $66 now).
What’s it look like that makes it thin? I don’t have a change pocket or such, but I still think my wallet is larger than needed. Tri fold wallets I never liked because they are thick as well.
Its a very thin layer of leather on the outside and very thin layers of fabric on the inside. It is 2 credit cards tall, so depending on how many cards you have, you distribute them across 4 pockets. The billfold section is split into a shallow and a deep compartment, so you can arrange things at 2 levels, if you want. I rarely carry cash, so that part usually just has some small notes or receipts or nothing at all.
So it is partly the layout and partly the materials that keeps it thin. “Nice” wallets are usually all leather or mostly leather, which makes them much thicker and tri-folds are the worst.
I dunno, it tends to happen more when people are forced/tricked/want to provide a gift without really knowing what to get.
It’s a reliable generic gift because wallets wear out, and there’s usually room to switch between several.
It gets less common as you age, but it still happens unless you have the habit of refusing to switch wallets, or have talked about exactly what you want in a wallet and people realize they’re better off going a different route.
I’m really particular about my wallets. Right size, right pocket configuration, right materials. I want my wallets the be able to be pulled out and I can find what I need blindfolded because of decades of familiarity. I like a licence window. I want durable materials over pretty materials, when the choice is necessary.
So, I buy my own damn wallets when one is wearing out. Nobody buys me wallets any more because I show the new ones off. Since I’m also known for saying “oh man, that’s a nice wallet, that’ll be what I use when this one wears out”, it kinda makes it a disappointing gift to give, even though I would never say that and it not be true.
As an adult? Never as a gift
I tend to be particular about my everyday carry equipment and so I think I’ve killed that kind of gift out of my circle. My current wallet is entering its 12th year of service in surprisingly good condition. A Big Skinny L-shape. I’m not in the habit of carrying all my airman certificates around with me anymore so if I were to replace it I’d just go with their basic nylon bifold.
Seems to be a cool company; when I bought my wallet in early 2013 the price was $26, it’s now $30. I think that’s slower than inflation.
no. i have had the same wallet since 2006
I’ve never bought a wallet for myself
I bought a Ridge over a decade ago before they went all crazy political, and beyond some wear around the edges it’s held up great. Which it should, it’s fucking aluminum and titanium. The elastic cash band got stretched out pretty bad over time but I contacted em for a replacement last year and they just sent me one for free.
I don’t think anyone’s ever bought me a wallet, which tracks with my wishes for everyday carry items honestly.
I keep getting wallets as gifts even though everyone knows I don’t use a wallet, I have a collection of wallets that will never feel the back of my ass.
I was taken to the store by my step father and he made me spend my money on a wallet that I no longer had money to put inside of. I have bought all of my wallets myself.
I bought mine
Works well as a lanyard too, ADHD would be having me leave it everywhere if it weren’t strapped to my noggin
How did you know
I have only gotten one wallet as a gift ever, it was a family heirloom of sorts. All my other wallets I have used I have bought myself
When I was younger, yeah.
I think wallets are for people nobody knows what to buy for. Like getting them a tie. No hobbies, no interests, no personal declarations of what they might like. Or people just don’t know them well enough to get anything other than some generic gift like a wallet.
