(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
Using rubber bands for wallets is just fine, I guess, and I hear a lot about that. But you’ve got to give today’s wallet, the Machine Era Ti5, a look before you make that decision.
Feature-wise, we have a bottle opener and why not? And it covers as a thumb push. And of course we have a card slot and cash, using the elastic strap to hold it in place, with a capacity up to seven cards. They really come up to essentially the lip of the wallet all around here and that’s what keeps it in place. All this simplicity begs the question for people who want to ask it. Isn’t a rubber band just as good enough? Maybe.
It measures 3.4 x 2.2 x 0.3” and it weighs 21 grams. That is very, very light. This is designed and made in the United States of grade five aerospace 6Al-4V titanium. I don’t know what that means, but it seems pretty good to me. It has an extremely high strength to weight ratio, which means it’s very thin and light without sacrificing durability. It also has tremendous flexibility with alloy memory so it returns to its original shape.
From a usability perspective, one thing to point out is that there are no sharp edges on the wallet. It was tumbled well so no edges have the potential to cut your fingers as the metal is very thin. There are a couple methods to get cards out. You can of course use the thumb push or you simply use your index finger and thumb to grab the front and back and pull the stack out. If you do pull the card stack out, it does become a challenge to put the stack back in as you need to navigate the elastic band and the lip of the card in the back gets caught on the thumb push.
If you like a minimalistic but quality card wallet, you have to consider the Machine Era Ti5. I know I’ll have those who will comment that the rubber band does the same thing for pennies. And yes, you’d be right. Rubber bands really are more simple and cheaper, but I don’t want to look like a dork.
Now onto the final score. For quality, a 5. Price at 2, it’s expensive comparatively. Features, a 3. It does what it should. Usability, a 4. Easy to get cards out and no sharp edges. And perception, a 4. That gives us a final score of 3.8 out of 5.
It's the slimmest, lightest, and strongest you’ll find out there. Everyday objects should be enjoyed no matter how utilitarian they may be.The thumb slot doesn’t just give you quick access to interior cards, it opens bottles too.
