(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
Today we are going to do a comparison between the Ridge and Aviator band wallets. There are some differences, but people are wanting to know what they are. The Ridge and Aviator are both band wallets.
Packaging and Tools:
- Both the Ridge and Aviator wallets come with torque wrenches for screw adjustments, a handy inclusion for wallet maintenance.
Both of the packaging includes torque wrenches which are utilized for the screws and something you would expect every vendor to provide. If they don’t, then I would be concerned about that.
Card Handling:
- Ridge: Top-down card entry with a thumb push mechanism at the bottom. It features an elastic backstop that prevents cards from slipping out, offering added security.
- Aviator: Side card entry with a quick thumb push from the top. Unlike the Ridge, it lacks an elastic backstop but provides a straightforward card insertion and extraction process.
For the feature review, we know they both can handle cards very well. There are some differences in how you put the cards in, and how you get them out. . The Ridge is a top-down card entry. The Aviator is a side entry wall or a card entry on the side. By way of extraction, the Ridge has a thumb push down at the bottom. The Aviator uses a quick thumb push from the top to push cards out. The Ridge has an elastic backstop on the bottom, so as you put cards in from the top, they are going to run up against the backstop to prevent them from coming out which then provides you the ability to push them back. Conversely, the back of the Ridge has a cash strap. It also comes with an optional cash money clip which you can buy separately and install yourself or you can buy it with it already in place.
Cash and Coin Storage:
- Ridge: Offers a cash strap and an optional money clip that can be purchased separately and installed.
- Aviator: Utilizes a horizontal strap for cash storage.
- Aviator: The standout feature of the Aviator is its coin tray, allowing you to carry coins conveniently. The Ridge offers a separate coin tray for purchase.
The Aviator, on the other hand, has the cards go in on the side. There is a bevel just like the bevels on the Ridge and the cards slip in there. Unlike the Ridge, there is no elastic backstop, so cards can push out either side, but there’s no safety net provided. I’m not sure that’s really necessary or required, but there are some differences in capacity and the way the cards come out. The difference between the Ridge and the Aviator comes down to coins. The Aviator makes allocations for coins.
Card Capacity:
- Ridge: Recommended for up to 12 cards to avoid stretching the elastic. Limited in card capacity.
- Aviator: Can hold up to 20 cards, thanks to an adjustable mechanism on one of the plates.
For the card and cash insertion and coin test, they each have eight cards and five pieces of cash folded over twice. In the Aviator, it is more of a horizontal strap that comes down and stores it. If we look at the Ridge, we have to put the cash in lengthwise and kind of move it in, which takes a little more effort. One thing to note is that both of the wallets have mechanisms to make sure there is a good “grippiness” on the currency. There are little gripper nodules on the back of the strap on the Ridge which helps hold cash in place so it doesn’t inadvertently move back and forth and fall out. There is the same type of thing with the Aviator. They don’t have grips, but they actually have a kind of felt on the bottom which helps grab the currency that is placed underneath to make sure the cash is not going anywhere. The one thing the Aviator has that the Ridge doesn’t is a coin tray. The coins slide right inside. Another thing that is different is the Ridge recommends you put no more than 12 cards in their wallet. Otherwise you begin to stretch out the elastic. The Aviator, however, can hold up to 20 cards, and the way that is achieved is through an adjustment mechanism of one of the plates.
Materials and Variants:
- Both wallets come in various materials, including aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium. The aluminum version is available in multiple colors.
After looking at both of these, the materials available for their products are complementary. They come in aluminum like what we are comparing today. They also come in carbon fiber and titanium versions. The aluminum version comes in multiple colors. The one thing I do want to point out, is that the main difference between these two is the coin slot in the Aviator. However, The Ridge actually sells this tray separately on their website if, in fact, you want to put it in and have coins in your Ridge. It’s not just one or the other. You can make accommodations. There is felt type material that attaches to the bottom of the coin tray which reduces the rattle of the coins. I am sure a lot of people are wondering, “who needs to carry coins?” Well, if you live outside of the United States, coins are still used very heavily, so having coins in such a small footprint is a tremendous advantage.
Usability:
- Ridge: Cards are easily accessible from both the front and back due to its push slot mechanism at the bottom.
- Aviator: Requires a push from the top, which, if done incorrectly, could accidentally release the coin tray.
If we look at the usability of these, as I mentioned, the Ridge has their push slot at the bottom, which helps bring the stack out. Of course, the cards on the front and the back are the most accessible because they are easy to grab from the back or front. Conversely with the Aviator, it is a push from the top out. The difficulty, of course, is if you’re not familiar with how you are pushing the cards out, you could accidentally pull the coin tray out, at which point coins are going to fall out.
Scoring and Conclusion:
- Quality and price are fairly similar between the Ridge and Aviator.
- The Aviator excels in features, thanks to its built-in coin tray and elegant card extraction design.
- Usability also favors the Aviator due to its more intuitive card access and convenient coin tray.
- The Ridge scores well in perception, having been in the market longer and actively promoting its products.
- In the final scores, the Ridge received 35 points, while the Aviator scored 37 points.
- Ultimately, the choice between these wallets comes down to your specific requirements, preferences, and how you intend to use them.
When we look at these from a scoring perspective they were done fairly close. From a quality perspective, they both score the same. Price, very close. Features, this is where the Aviator stands out, because it has a coin tray in it and was designed where card extraction is a little more elegant. It’s not as clumsy, and so it wins in that category. Same with usability. Again, being able to pull cards out, fan them, pull them, put them back in. And the accessibility of the coin tray is well done, and the adjustability for capacity really helps it win there.
Perception wise, Ridge has been around and pushing and advertising and making their product aware in the market more, and that’s where I think it scores well. The final scores were 35 for the Ridge, 37 for the Aviator. They are very close in how they compete, and honestly it comes down to the features you like. So there you go. Depending on what your requirements are, I don’t think either wallet is a bad choice. It depends on what your intent is, how you use them, what bothers you and what doesn’t. That’s all it comes down to as with most wallets. But hopefully this comparison gave you a good idea of the differences between them and how they operate.
The Aviator is the minimalist among the AVIATOR wallets. Focused on the essentials, this slim wallet in credit card format deliberately dispenses with a change pocket.
The Ridge wallet is an excellent band wallet. It’s materials and presentation provide a great experience.
