Bellroy Apex Slim Sleeve performed better than I expected!

[@walletopia]

QOTD: ⚡I'm still on the fence regarding the longevity of Bellroy as I've heard both sides, what's been your experience?

[@PandaCristos]

couldn't say much about this apex but I'm a few days into using my slim sleeve. love the size and the design truly lives up to the minimal nature but the longevity does concern me too since the leather is so thin, and the stitching is a bit funny on the interior corners. The pull tag works well when pulling out but kind da hard to put it back (i only put 2 cards in). Maybe the leather is not yet broken in, but right now 6 cards and 4 notes seem to be at the extreme limit for me, anything more will mess up the form of the wallet. Thanks for the review.

[@walletopia]

@@PandaCristos Thanks Bao, that's my same experience and the leather does break in a bit, so it will loosen up. The Slim Sleeve is still one of my personal favorites.

[@MidlifeMark]

I had a bellroy slim since december 2014. The sewing did fray but I burn it and had no isses. I love it other than that.

[@christianr9549]

Just got mine and looking forward to longevity experience. Thanks for review.

[@walletopia]

@@christianr9549 Great! Let us know how it performs!

[@Adam-rf7ni]

Having a pocket that allows RFID passthrough + isolates it from other cards is a huge pro for me. I can just shove my MetroCard there and not have to worry about my other contactless cards confusing the turnstile reader. If anyone knows any good wallets that have this underrated feature pls pls pls let me know.

[@radwandarkal7112]

As i commented in your previous Apex video i had an issue with the closing mechanism for more than 4 cards and i addressed that to Pellroy and they were very responsive and they immediately send me new wallet with better molding buffer and easily i can fit 5 cards and 2-3 slip of a cash and it close almost 100% with no gap. After 4 weeks using it i can say it's nice, light, comfy and thin wallet.

[@walletopia]

Great to hear! Glad it looks like it should work as expected!

[@erikkalifornia5182]

RFID protection on wallets typically only block certain frequencies. Those frequencies never include hotel key cards in my experience. There is also a question on how much RFID protection a wallet possesses. Trayvax advertises the contour to be RFID enabled, but says it only measures at 75% or so, however they measure that. Some of their other wallets score much higher. They do a video test showing them function, and you can see the contour cards become readable about 6 inches away from the RFID device they have scanning it. Some of their other wallets require the wallet basically be touching the scanner. My guess is this Apex would perform fine in an RFID test where a reader was a realistic distance away from the wallet. Obviously RFID is a scam anyways, but even if it was a real threat, you'll never be tapping your wallet on the scanner the person is using to steal your info. Likely the scanner would have to get very close to the wallet to work, which is how the RFID shielding is intended to be used, to block scanning from some distance over 6 inches.

[@walletopia]

Very good point, I was able to use a CC tap pay with this wallet despite the RFID claim, so I’m not sure what level of protection they’re meaning with this one.

[@O_Rei]

Looking forward to your review of Lo Essencial’s “Classic Wallet”, Mark! I’ve owned and used one for a couple of months now, and I’m very satisfied! One of the card compartments can even be used to fit 2-3 coins without having them fall.

[@walletopia]

Great! We have it so I’ll put your vote on it!

[@canyonblue737-8]

let's assume the heat welding holds up, i'm just trying to see the advantages? i suppose you don't see stitching for a cleaner look, but to me it looks unfinished? the bump up molding also to me makes the wallet look like a box wallet and isn't nearly as good looking as the regular slim sleeve. the magnets have some mild advantages like the parking pass storage you mentioned, but then you need to take an additional step to properly open by pinching it unlike a regular wallet. i'm all for new ideas and good on bellroy for trying, but this seems to be trying to solve problems that were never problems in the first place while introducing whole new issues and downsides to consider (including price.) i'd certainly go for a regular slim sleeve over this, even if the apex were the same price... and it isn't.

[@walletopia]

Great observations!

[@mohammedfaiisal]

It looks a bit big that wallet. If they made a smaller one, I'd have gotten it

[@aydenbauereis783]

I am currently waiting on the Thread Wallet that you had reviewed! Any chance your doing their bifold soon?

[@walletopia]

Eventually! We have it in inventory so I've added your vote to it

[@SantaZeede]

Thank you for the long term carry review! Any chance you'll be reviewing the Trayvax Ascent or Dango M1 Maverick Rail?

[@walletopia]

We just recently reviewed the Ascent (it’s published) and have the Rail coming up at end of the month!

[@VietGuy03]

SantaZeede, I currently use the Rail wallet and I love it! The only thing I would say is a downfall is two things. Cash carrying can be a hassle slipping cash in and outside the silicone band. This is easily fixed by using the as on money clip, available separately. Secondly, you need to have a minimum of 4-5 cards, depending on thickness on the silicone band side. If you have less they are somewhat loose and can fall out if the wallet is shaken or placed upside down. Other than that I love the wallet! It's a little heavy but great for everyday use.

[@walletopia]

Your experience sums up the review that’ll be published in a few weeks. 👍

[@collinfrazey3851]

I went with the slim sleeve designer bc as I'm not a fan of the pre-mold. Helpful videos !

[@walletopia]

An excellent wallet!

[@tanejashivamst]

This video was all i needed to keep the wallet. At first i was unsure how long the glue would survive

[@ChouChouDer]

I feel like all the Bellroy products look great but make me worry about if they could hold up long term.

[@walletopia]

It's the tradeoff they do in order to provide a lot of features the leather cut is very thin. I hear a lot on both sides that it holds up just fine and others who have problems with the durability.

[@alvinchng1982]

Happy that rfid doesn't work but sad that they charge that function onto their price tag.

[@walletopia]

Yes, really weird that way.

[@darkehorse71]

Great follow up Mark. Can you do a review on the i-Clip wallet?

[@walletopia]

Thanks! We have that one in inventory so we will put your vote on it!

[@MrFuturehistory]

whats a good RFID blocking card you recommend to put into a wallet?

[@vazquez7871]

I like this wallet but I think it's overpriced , I understand the quality of Bellroy I use their key holder and it's top notch but to me the functionality of this wallet is good but not top tier if a wallet doesn't have non foldable cash storage I automatically dock it a point , I love the eckster , the akeeni , the ridge , they're all cool wallets but currently I'm rocking with the open seas topsider bifold and it's pretty awesome

[@Kdaileyy]

What do you like best this or the apex sleeve

[@Richard_Barnes]

Parking ticket?? You mean you’ve been outside? 😮😬😂 Thx Mark. I’m not sold on this one at all for the price. Then I have UK notes so folding notes twice is 🤬

[@walletopia]

Yes, took a long road trip up to Spokane Washington then over to CDA to visit the Craft & Lore guys, beautiful part of the country, then over through Montana and back down into Utah. Great trip to get out of the house and actually go somewhere.

[@Richard_Barnes]

walletopia, I’m jealous I am. I want to see some of these awesome makers and places. It’ll have to be on my wish list. 👍🏻

[@y0giib34r]

Would you recommend this? I carry maybe 5 cards and only use debit. Sometimes carry cash or someone's business card I need.

[@walletopia]

For such a small number of cards and other items this wallet would work fine if you like it. I carried it and enjoyed it.

[@y0giib34r]

@@walletopia beauty, I love the look of the onyx version. Just might do it. I have a special edition Herschel but it's hard to maintain a lighter colored wallet to its brightest color.

[@walletopia]

Yes, everything develops a patina. Whether that is good like we see with leather or dirty due to fabric or a combination of materials.

[@a1tanner528]

Has it held up?

[@NetvoTV]

I hope there's a note sleeve version because I do use cash often

[@walletopia]

I haven't heard, they currently only have the Slim Sleeve and Passport in the Apex line.

[@NetvoTV]

@@walletopia yeah i mean i use coin and note often too, so hope they release a version for that

[@mrdeleteofficial]

I have a metal visa card. How do metal cards sit in this one?

[@dzuhhlunatic]

Im currently waiting for my note sleeve wallet, I’m so excited about it!!! 😊

[@walletopia]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@dzuhhlunatic]

walletopia yeah!! Hope I won’t get any of those puckering tho 😕

[@xonerate_5011]

Got mine last week in Java. Awesome product

[@r4zn.]

Do you think this wallet will develop a nice patina?

[@walletopia]

Being that the leather is the same weight and finish as other Bellroy products, yes. But the patina developed on Bellroy wallets isn't as deep as a heavier weight leather veg tanned leather wallet.

[@anurag1106]

Can you please review wallets by Rose Anvil?

[@ryanchan781]

Hey Mark, still a great review! Btw , bellroy now release a new line called coin wallet , Would you review about it?

[@walletopia]

Hi Ryan, I have it and will be recording the review next week. It should drop in about 2 weeks!

[@ryanchan781]

Thx , can’t wait to see it. Thank you so much for replying. So excite for your next wallet review

[@gjjakobsen]

Great review! Interesting that the RFID is not complete despite claims to the contrary. In any event, NPR did a recent interview with security industry leaders and the owners of two financial security firms. They pointed out that despite a robust market for RFID, ginned up perhaps by alarming anecdotal reports, the actual amount of financial crime caused by skimming was negligible at best. Miscreants can purchase CC data online for less than two dollars per card rather than take the risk of using a scanner around a victim's back pocket or purse. There are hundreds of millions of contactless cards, especially common in Europe. When pressed on how much actual skimming occurs each year, both guests said that the occurrence was too small to measure. My current card holder is rather tight (awaiting delivery of a slim sleeve here), and it can be tricky to grab the small edge of my Amex, wiggle it a bit, and if lucky, get it out on the first attempt to tap and go. An added bonus that it will function from within its place. I, for one, would move partial RFID from cons to pros.

[@walletopia]

Exactly! That's what I tried to get across in my "RFID is a scam" video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/h32VeXidhKuErsU. I'll need to look up that interview.

[@igylan]

Enfold card wallet please from craft and lore. The small one.

[@walletopia]

Hi Ian, we have the Insider coming ip soon so we will put the Enfold in the mix

[@igylan]

@@walletopia Thank you sir.

[@Santi-bm1cv]

Have you reviewed ‘the wallet’ from Farrah?

[@walletopia]

I’m writing the script now so expect it in early August!

[@Santi-bm1cv]

walletopia sounds great looking forward to it

[@hepgeoff]

This looks like a really nice wallet, but I'm not willing to spend over $100 for it.

[@tsenif]

If they had sewing on the inside of this wallet for better quality, this would be a great wallet.

[@walletopia]

It is an interesting experiment with this new manufacturing technique, we'll have to see if it stands the test of time.

[@renwalter3232]

I do not consider 3 weeks a long term wallet review.

[@walletopia]

With the wallet only on the market for a few months there isn’t much runway. And, unlike most wallets where a few weeks work to understand how the long term will evolve is pretty cut and dried, this one will take months due to the unique layers and if it will hold up.

[@chrisridd9423]

I agree with you both - hard to give a long term review if it’s only been on sale a few months! So now that a year has passed, how did it stand up @walletopia?

[@valistonfrancisco7524]

Como adquirir uma igual a essa

[@valistonfrancisco7524]

Só do Brasil walliston