Wallets can sometimes be the same, sometimes not. How different is the Ekster Carbon Fiber Card Holder and the Hayvenhurst Carbon Fiber Capsule box wallet? They may look the same, but there are a number of differences in this comparison and review. Price isn’t always the way to make a decision.
(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
The Hayvenhurst Capsule carbon fiber wallet and the Ekster carbon fiber card wallet look roughly the same, but how different are they? That is what we will find out in this review.
Starting with the Ekster carbon fiber card wallet, we have done quite a few reviews on different card wallets, including the Senate, the Parliament, and different variations, but I have come to like the Senate platform, which is what they use for the card holder. This wallet has an interior card slot, which is a little box. Furthermore, they always send some cards that give you information. It has a lifter at the bottom with a very, very smooth trigger mechanism, and has a capacity of six cards. It is made from space-grade carbon fiber. On the other side, it has a metal plate, which, when pushed up, expands giving you another example. It is RFID plate but this is metal and that is okay. I really love this plate and it has been a favorite of mine on the Senate platform because of what it can carry.
The Hayvenhurst carbon fiber Capsule wallet looks very much the same. It has got a carbon fiber box and the same kind of lifter. The button is a bit catchy, it is not as smooth and it has a strap. On the Ekster, the strap is silicon, whereas, on the Hayvenhurst, it’s elastic. This latter also has no plate in the back, which permits putting additional cards or cash folded twice, in addition to the box’s internal capacity.
If we look into the details, starting with the cards’ capacity, I used five cards, two of which are embossed, and they went in and out of the Ekster nice and smooth. In addition, you can get an additional nine cards. I used six embossed cards, a driver’s license, and three notes folded twice, and everything slides in and out without an issue. The Ekster can accommodate a significant amount of cards and cash. However, because this is built for credit cards, it may be difficult to fit in other types of cards such as the transit card.
The Hayvenhurst fit in the same five cards, two embossed, and three non-embossed. We inserted the six additional embossed cards and the ID, which slip in a little easier due to the elastic which renders it a little more flexible than the silicon. We also got two slips of cash, however, the problem that many have expressed over time when talking about putting things on the exterior of slim wallets is that all the cash and the content are exposed. With the Ekster, that is protected with the plate. Both from a privacy and security perspective.
From a measurement perspective, the Ekster, measuring 4.24” inches, is taller than the Hayvenhurst, which measures 4.17”. Furthermore, the Ekster is slimmer than the Hayvenhurst, with their respective measurements being 2.36” and 2.53”. And as mentioned through the card test, the type of band is different, with an elastic one in the Hayvenhurst and a silicon one in the Ekster. Moreover, the back plate that I mentioned, provides a different degree of presentation.
So what do we think now? Are they the same? Well, not really. So how different are they?
My favorite part has been taking a look inside each of the wallets. If you would like to see how each wallet operates inside, how they are loaded, how they eject the cards, and more, please watch the video.
In the Ekster, the button is very smooth, shows no stuttering, and its presentation of the cards and their fanning is very smooth and consistent. This is thanks to the double wide lifter at the bottom.
The Hayvenhurst, on the other hand, gives a feeling that the button is a bit clicky, it needs to be pressed harder, and there is some friction occurring. It might be haptic that you really like, but if we look at the presentation, it is a little haphazard and that is because the lifter arm is thinner than the Ekster. In addition, it starts to launch the cards out a lot further than the Ekster. The reason is the friction pads, which are rubber in the Ekster, something that does not apply to the pads on both sides in the Hayvenhurst.
With all that said, there is a distinction between the two wallets. Finally, considering the differences, the price should not be surprising.
