This is a detailed review of the Fantom S minimalist wallet, also known as Fantom Aluminum.
In this review, you can find all the answers you need about this wallet and decide if this wallet is the right choice for you.
Fantom S Review
The Fantom S wallet is an elegant, thin wallet with a minimalistic design. This wallet is a slim alternative to your conventional leather wallet with several great functionalities, such as RFID/NFC blocking, coin holder, and money clip.
Should you buy the Fantom Aluminium wallet?
The Fantom S is designed to be futuristic, sophisticated, and elegant. This minimalist wallet is the perfect combination of safety and compactness, which will perform all the functions that you need from a modern wallet.
If you want to get rid of classic leather wallets and replace them with a slimmer, more simplistic version, this may be the right choice to go with.
The Fantom S is not like the usual minimalist wallets because it comes with a coin holder, and thus efficiently fulfills the purpose of a classical wallet, which greatly increases its utility overall.
Buying
You can buy the Fantom S wallet quickly and easily from Amazon. You will get all the usual good stuff when ordering through Amazon, such as fast shipping, a limited lifetime warranty, and a 30-day return period.
Price and value for money
The price will probably depend on where you buy the wallet from, so you should always check all of the options.
Having a wallet that is secure in every possible way is a must these days. The Fantom S is a long-lasting investment, and the majority of its customers are very satisfied with it.
Shipping
If you are from the US, it usually takes 5-10 days for the Fantom S to arrive at your destination, and a few days more if you are from Canada. Of course, there are factors like location and holidays that can make the shipping of the product last a bit longer.
There is an option of DHL Express that will ship the wallet in less than 5 days if you are a US citizen.
If you are from Canada then the express shipment may be up to 7 days.
The shipping is free of charge for US citizens.
Customer support
If you have any doubts or questions, you can contact the customer support team on their official customer support website by filling the given form. They usually respond within 2 business days.
You can also send an email to [email protected] if you need to ask something or report a problem.
Warranty
For this Fantom S Wallet, as for every other Fantom Wallet, you get a limited lifetime warranty. This shows us that the brand is very confident in the quality of its products. Be aware that you will get the warranty only if you purchase this product from their official website, and not from Amazon.
Officially, this is what a limited lifetime warranty means, according to Fantom:
Ansix Designs warrants that the purchased product is free from any manufacturing defects and will function as intended for the life of the product. This warranty does not cover: normal wear and tear of the plastic and aluminum parts; scratches on the outer plates and inlays; damages caused by accident, abuse, neglect, shock; improper use or storage of the product; unauthorized alterations or repairs. Shipping & handling fees may apply.
For any additional information, you can visit Fantom’s policy page.
Returns and refunds
The first important thing you should know about the Fantom S wallet is that there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means, if you are not satisfied or you did not receive what was shown and presented, you can return the wallet and take your money back.
You must have in mind that if you want your money to be refunded, you must send back the product unused, unaltered, and with the original packaging. Also, the shipping fee is non-refundable.
After the company receives the returned product, you will be refunded within 5 working days. Sometimes, this process may take up to several weeks, depending on your bank.
If you want to learn the specifics about the refunds and returns policies, check out Fantom’s refund policy page.
The Fantom brand
Ansix Designs was established in 2014 when a group of Canadian mechanical engineers came together to design high-quality products.
Thanks to four successful Kickstarter campaigns, they have been able to introduce the LensRacks camera gear storage system and the LensPacks quick change camera lens caps to photographers around the world.
The Fantom Wallet was their third Kickstarter project launched in December 2017, and shortly after that came the fourth project called Fantom Wallet R.
Where are Fantom wallets made?
Fantom S wallets are designed and made in Canada.
Fantom S Wallet Basics
Fantom Wallets are designed with security as the main priority, whilst allowing easy access to your cards at the same time. These wallets are minimalistic and suitable for everyone. Their different styles give you a choice to find yourself a perfectly matching wallet for every occasion.
The Fantom S has an all-metal design, and provides a great way of accessing your cards easily. With one simple effortless motion, you can have the card that you wanted in your hand. You can adjust your wallet based on your preferences, even on a daily basis, and you can simply change the wallet by just unscrewing a few screws.
How to use the Fantom S
The Fantom S Wallet is very easy to use. Depending on what you want, you can choose if you want the regular version or the one with a coin holder. It comes in different sizes, and you can choose between Fantom 7, Fantom 10, and Fantom 13. The number represents how many cards can fit in the wallet.
When you take the wallet, you can start putting your cards in the compartment. When you need a specific card, you’ll find a special lever designed for pushing the cards upwards, which will give you access to all your cards and you can just take the one that you need out.
Minimalist wallets often have a problem accessing the card that you want easily, and you have to put the most used cards on top, but that is not the case with Fantom S wallet because it has a mechanism specifically designed to solve this problem.
Unboxing
The packaging is modern and simple. It will arrive in an elegant black box. On the back of the box, you can see some nice characteristics printed out, and on the opening, you will see the wallet safely stored inside. There is nothing you need to do more, just take the wallet and start using it right away.
User experience
Having the Fantom S Wallet may give you a luxurious feeling. Customers have reported that people often show interest and give you compliments based on the wallet when you take it out.
The smoothness of the material may be the biggest selling point. It feels nice to hold in your hand, and it is not hard on your pockets as some metal wallets can be. It will definitely not tear your pockets apart.
The Fantom group has done its best trying to make this wallet worth its price and popularity.
What matters the most is that Fantom wallet owners haven’t practically experienced any problems with their design and usage. As the majority of the reviews suggest, people enjoy their experience with the Fantom S wallet.
Aesthetics and design
The Fantom S Wallet is minimalistic, designed with a few fine touches of modernism, elegance, and simplicity. And besides all of that, it is still useful, slim, and most importantly, compact. You can carry your cards, money, and coins in a lightweight wallet while enjoying its comfort.
Colors
If you order your wallet from the official site, you will see that you have an option to choose which color fits you the most. You have a variety of choices, like silver, black, golden, red, and also carbon fiber. Keep in mind that the carbon fiber Fantom S version comes without RFID protection.
You can also choose the color of the money clip, which is optional and you can buy it separately if you believe you need it.
Clothing style fit
Another important thing about Fantom S wallet is that you can wear it with everything. Its modern, minimalist design gives you the opportunity to use it on any occasion, with any clothing style. Even if you don’t have a strong sense of fashion, you don’t have to worry too much because the wallet will usually match whatever clothes you are wearing.
Features
The main feature of the Fantom S wallet is simplicity. This means that although you won’t have a lot of features, its main purpose, which is carrying your cards and money, will be done in the most secure and simple way.
The Fantom S wallet comes with RFID/NFC blocking, which guarantees safety and security. But there is more to it than just a card space – you have a money clip and coin holder as optional features.
As an additional safety feature, you have an AirTag Holder so you can always know where your wallet is, and whether you’ve lost it or it was stolen.
Weight, size, dimensions
The dimensions of the wallet are as follows:
| Fantom Aluminum S 7 | Fantom Aluminum S 10 | Fantom Aluminum S 13 | |
| Dimensions (L x W x T) | 4.6 x 2.8 x 0.30 in 11.7 x 7 x 0.77 cm | 4.6 x 2.8 x 0.39 in 11.7 x 7 x 1 cm | 4.6 x 2.8 x 0.50 in 11.7 x 7 x 1.27 cm |
| Weight | 1.4 oz / 40 g | 1.5 oz / 43 g | 1.6 oz / 46 g |
| Card Storage | 7 | 10 | 13 |
You should also know that if you choose the version with a coin holder, you will have an additional 0.16 in / 0.4 cm of thickness and 0.4 oz / 11 g in weight.
RFID blocking
If you want to buy a wallet that will protect your information then you should definitely shortlist this wallet.
The aluminum plates give you great protection against RFID hacking.
Is the Fantom S TSA-approved?
There is no official statement about TSA approval or disapproval for the Fantom S. Based on its aluminum build, you will probably have to take the wallet out while passing the scan check, but you should have no issue taking it with you on the flight.
See my guide on the best TSA-compliant wallets if you want to be 100% certain that your wallet is fully compliant.
Coin Holder
The Fantom S has a very unique feature that you can use to store your coins, or even a key in some cases. This feature is rarely seen on minimalist wallets but is actually very useful and people really love it.
However, we should mention that this feature comes as optional, and it will incur an additional expense.
Card fanning lever
The Fantom S solved the problem of accessing the cards that you put in the middle by designing a lever that you can pull and the wallet will list your cards so you can pick whichever card you like.
How many cards can the Fantom S wallet hold?
The Fantom S gives you 3 options regarding the card holding size. You can choose between the Fantom S 7, which can hold up to 7 cards, the Fantom S 10 which holds up to 10 cards, and Fantom S 13 – up to 13 cards.
They also each have a minimum requirement. With Fantom S 7, you must have at least 4 cards, a minimum of 6 cards with the Fantom S 10, and 8 cards for the Fantom S 13.
How much cash can the Fantom S wallet hold?
It is not specified by the manufacturer how many cash bills you can carry with the Fantom S wallet, but it will fit up to 5-6 cash bills, probably more.
The money is stored within a Grade 5 Titanium money clip. The money clip includes a pair of screws and a hex key to install onto your Fantom. It can be installed on either the front or the rear side of the wallet. It is also available in an anodized finish (black, blue, or gold).
The money clip may provoke a series of questions from a potential buyer, relating its safety, tightness, etc. Some satisfied customers have shared their experience on the official Fantom website, saying that they are even surprised how tight and secure the money clip is and that they have succeeded in putting in more than 10 cash bills.
If you need an even bigger cash capacity, I suggest checking out my guide on the best wallets for lots of cash.
Is the Fantom S wallet waterproof?
Since it comes with an open design, the Fantom S is not waterproof. If your wallet gets in contact with water, your cards and your money will most probably get wet. The aluminum itself can corrode, but that is not really something to be worried about.
In case you drop your wallet in the water, you can just wipe it with a towel and everything will be fine.
Build quality
All the versions of the Fantom S wallets are of high quality. It is really difficult to lose or damage your cards with these wallets.
Even though the aluminum is strong, in case of a fall or a strong blow, the wallet can still get scratched or damaged.
Durability and lifespan
The wallet is designed to last for a lifetime. The lifetime warranty only confirms the fact that the brand stands behind this product fully, and you can probably expect this wallet to remain intact and keep serving you for decades.
Materials
Aluminum is the main material from which the Fantom S Minimalist wallet is made, with the exception of the money clip which is made of Grade 5 Titanium. Their frame is made of plastic.
Known issues and problems
The wallet hasn’t been on the market for too long, but so far, there are not that many issues and known problems. If you experience some kind of issue, contact the support center and report your problem, and you will probably receive some useful help or feedback.
Some of the customers have complained about the coin holder, which doesn’t fit some coins due to different coin sizes.
Other than that, there are no other real issues with the wallet.
Fantom S wallet vs Ridge Aluminum
The Fanton S and the Ridge Aluminum have similar designs, but other than that, they have many differences.
The first important difference is the price. The Ridge Aluminum’s price starts from $85, and it can go up to $105. On the other hand, you can buy most Fantom S wallets for a price of around $50-$60. The price difference doesn’t mean that one of the wallets is better or worse, as the two of them are pretty solid-quality items, but the Ridge may have a slight advantage in that area.
Another difference between these two wallets is the money holder. The Ridge Aluminum has an option with which you can choose whether you like the money clip or cash strap.
The biggest difference is probably that the Fantom S has a coin holder. This is a feature that’s rarely found in minimalist wallets, but it’s also really useful, and personally, I’m glad that the Fantom S has decided to push the traditional limits on what is expected from minimalist wallets here.
The Ridge Aluminium wallet doesn’t have a minimum requirement for cards, and you can put just one card, while that’s not feasible with the Fantom S.
You can see my full Ridge Aluminum review if it sounds like a better deal to you.
Reviews and ratings of Fantom S
On the brand’s website, the Fantom S has a perfect 5-star rating, but as we all know by know, reviews on the websites of the brands themselves don’t really mean that much, as the negative reviews can easily be filtered out.
Still, the wallet has almost perfect 5-star reviews on its Amazon listing as well, and that’s already a really strong indicator that the wallet may indeed be very well received.
Who shouldn’t buy the Fantom S wallet?
The Fantom S is a great wallet overall, but it doesn’t come at a cheap price. The wallet itself is not that expensive, but if you want the important features you will have to pay a bit extra, and those additional expenses can add up.
Some people may have a problem with the fact they have to pay more to have the features that a wallet should actually have by default. These additional features can raise the price of a wallet and this is definitely not a budget wallet, so if you are on a budget, you may want to consider other options.
Who should buy the Fantom S wallet?
Some people may like the customizable nature of the Fantom S. The fact that you can choose what you want to add to your wallet and in what color you want really opens up a large window of possibilities.
This is also one of the best minimalist wallets for many cards, and if you happen to carry about a dozen cards on your person, it will be a great fit for you.
If you are the kind of person that wants a minimalist wallet but you may also end up carrying some coins every now and then, then definitely give this wallet a closer look.
Where to buy the Fantom S from?
Fantom S Specifications
| Type | minimalist |
| Max n. of cards | 12 |
| RFID blocking? | yes |
| TSA compliant? | yes |
| Materials used | 3k Weave Carbon Fiber, elastic leather, steel; |
| Height | 4.6 in / 11.7 cm |
| Width | 2.8 in / 7 cm |
| Depth | 0.30 / 0.39 / 0.50 in 0.77 / 1 / 1.27 cm |
| Weight | 1.4 oz / 40 g 1.5 oz / 43 g 1.6 oz / 46 g |
| Features | RFID, money clip, coin holder |
| Water resistance | no |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime warranty |
| Return period | 30 days |
