After having reviewed several Popov Leather Wallets previously, this time we’re looking at their trifold wallet which is a big mound of leather goodness.
The wallet leather is gorgeous and is hand-sewn with reinforcement in most places. The reviewed wallet is of an English Tan color, it was picked up when it was first being introduced and was a limited run. Therefore, there are likely some minor improvements to it since then, although it is still in the same basic design.
From a feature perspective, the Popov Leather trifold wallet has no features on the exterior, as is the case with most trifold wallets, unlike most bifold wallets. Moving towards the interior, the wallet has four card slots, which can hold one to four cards each, an ID slot on the right-hand side, which is the case with comparable wallets, there is no plastic, no mesh, nothing but leather. Mesh, despite being a better alternative to plastic, has a shorter lifespan than leather, and so it will go bad before the wallet will actually deteriorate, especially if the leather is of high quality. In the interior, there is a very generous billfold pocket. Trifolds are always very generous in that case because of the material which provides wonderful access and capacity for cash.
Concerning the cash insertion, all currencies fit, and the wallet ended up at one inch thick. Minimalist carry is six cards and reasonable carry is probably eight cards, while the company recommends up to 10 plus cards. From a quality perspective, this is designed and made in Canada and the Popov Leather folks have been making great products like this for a long time, reinforcing the fact that it is thick cut leather. It is a heavy weight and a full grain veg-tan Horween Derby leather, a heavy leather that helps ensure longevity by taking the abuse of daily use, in addition, it is sewn by a tiger thread which is of a tan color, similar to the wallet. If it is tan, it means that it is hand sewn, if it is cream, it means that it is machine sewn.
There are no shortcuts on this wallet, all the card slot leather pieces go all the way down. What does that mean? It means that the leather piece goes all the way down in the slot. Sometimes this piece is cut short to reduce bulk in the wallt, its function is to guide the cards down, but once the cards goes beyond that point, they begin to touch, which is not the case with this wallet, since this leather piece goes all the way down. The wallet becomes very thick in nature because of all the pieces that are incorporated within but quality is not sacrificed.
The wallet burnishing is very light, if at all in some places. From a usability perspective, trifold wallets can go in the front or rear pocket, traditionally in the rear one. If cash is put in properly, it allows more room which can be used for additional cards or receipts. Design is important, for example, when opened up, this wallet gives access to cards first instead of the ID, which is practical as cards are more often used compared to ID. It is not always the case in designs, but this wallet gives convenient access to what is frequently needed, in addition it gives good protection to the ID.
The Popov Leather Trifold wallet measures 4.1 x 3.5 x 0.8” and weighs 123 grams of leather goodness. Started in 2013 by Ryan and Jill Popov, Ryan’s drive to find the perfect wallet, which seems to drive many of the entrepreneurs in the wallet business these days, pushed him further and further, allowing it to grow from just a hobby into a thriving business. Popov Leather has an infectious feeling of family as they enjoy working together, doing the day-to-day work and keeping quality front and center. Their customer service is fantastic and highly recommended.
One item that has been mentioned many times is their wallet gauntlet card that provides an RFID protection by placing it in the wallet without feeling the need to get a wallet equipped with RFID. There is no need to do that and it is just not worth it, as RFID is kind of a scam and a mere marketing thing, however, if it is a concern for you, getting a card will be more meaningful instead of buying a wallet with it.
The Popov Trifold wallet scores a 5 for quality, a 3 for the price, another 3 for the features, a 4 for usability and a 5 for the perception, giving a final score of 4.2 out of 5.
The Popov Trifold wallet, made from Horween leather is amazing, able to handle all the cash and cards you can carry, but with it's heavy leather weight, is it too thick to use?
