Large in stature, the Trayvax Renegade zipper wallet is made from high quality leather and zipper components and will protect whatever you put in it. But is it too long to be a suitable pocket carry?
(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
Do you know what a man clutch is? Are you intrigued? I have for this review a wallet from Trayvax that might qualify. Its name is Renegade, which sounds manly enough. As with all Trayvax wallets, it tells us who built it. This is a very interesting wallet, or if you prefer to call it the clutch or the long zipper wallet. The edges and the stitching look pretty nice. It also looks like it has some metal and some rivets as well as a zipper. It is very supple, very nice on the hands, and quite pliable. But I think it needs a tether to help ensure it does not get lifted, otherwise it might feel like a paddle in my front pocket, though I am not quite sure.
The first thing noticeable is the attachment point that is a good piece of metal and what provides the ability for tethers. When using the zipper, it can overlap. By putting the zipper over, you can use a carabiner or a tether, and it keeps the zipper closed. This is a metal sheath at which point the paracord is burnt so it melts, maintaining itself in place rather well. The interior compartment is accessed by unzipping the YKK zipper. It is considerably smaller than the width of the wallet itself, and it divides into two interior compartments, one on each side. The separator provides space for cards, cash, coins, paper, small animals, anything you might want to try and fit in. This is a whole lot of sweet leather goodness. It measures 6.5 x 3.2 x 0.3″ and weighs 58 grams. Comparing this wallet to some other zipper wallets at the end will be fun so make sure you keep reading until the end.
From an accommodation perspective, I inserted eight cards and nine slips of cash. Unfortunately, the taller currencies such as the Yen and the larger euro notes do not work. You would have to fold the cash once to get it in. The credit cards that were inserted are a combination of both embossed and non-embossed. One thing to note is that because the opening is square in the middle, you have the possibility for more room on the side, which is so that you can put other things like a lighter or a charger, or maybe even headphones, an iPod, or whatever thing that works there. Reasonable card carry is six or eight cards. The company makes no recommendation, but with a zipper, the sky’s the limit, because many things including coins and SD cards, can be captured there. This wallet is long, therefore, from a back pocket perspective, you would have to have deep pockets, but having it hang out a little bit is okay. From the front pocket, it is like having a paddle in your pocket.
From a quality perspective, it is designed and made in the United States. It is hand-stitched Latigo leather, which is very supple and pliable-type leather. For those interested in Latigo leather, it is cowhide and the name means whip. It is first chrome-tanned, then vegetable-tanned so it provides great durability, but also the supple nature. This wallet was built by opening the leather and sewing the zipper into this opening because there are no other openings. The leather folds over, then it is turned inside out and that is what gives the unique opening. The stitching is done very well all the way around. It does not have any special embossed or burnishing on it. The logo is stamped on the bottom right-hand corner. It is rugged, which means that it was meant to take some abuse. The zipper is a YKK zipper, and a high-quality YKK is at the top of the market. Only two or three others compete, so you are getting a high-quality zipper. The rivets are coated brass so they will wear for a long time, even if the coating wears off. You will develop a really beautiful patina. In addition, it is backed by Trayvax’s 65-year heirloom warranty.
From a usability perspective, the proportions are off for me, and for some reason, it does not work for me. It is hard for me to get my hand into it to retrieve things since I have inserted cards and cash in, and decide to put some iPods or AirPods in there. If the wallet was more of a zipped half-moon, like in some other wallets, or if it was cut down on the sides allowing full access to the wallet, it would become much more functional and easier to use. That aside, the zipper is of high quality, it opens and closes smoothly, the leather is fantastic, and the partition on the interior is what you need for simple organization. I am not sure I would carry this in my pocket so much as I would use it as a secondary pouch.
Finally, Trayvax also sells a Roam Clutch in both a full and mini size. We have not reviewed them yet, but they look much more functional, especially if you remove the purse strap.
So is this a zipper wallet or a man clutch? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.The final score of the Trayvax Renegade is five for quality because it is very well made, four for the price, which is reasonable for what you are getting; three for the features, two for usability, and four for perception. Trayvax makes great products of great quality, all made in the United States. That gives a final score of 3.7 out of 5.
Is not your typical zipper wallet. Hand-stitched latigo leather is used to create a supple leather sleeve for storing coins, cash, cards, receipts and more.
