In this detailed review of the Ridge Aluminum wallet, we will go through all of its features, specifications, and all the pros and cons, so you can see whether it’s the right fit for you.
Ridge Aluminum Review
The Ridge Aluminum wallet is a premium, stylish, minimalist, tactical wallet that comes in 12 different colors and designs. It can fit up to 12 cards and 5 cash bills and can be easily customized to your personal preferences. It has an elastic, futuristic build with a smooth, modern touch, offering the best quality in its price range.
Why should you buy the Ridge Aluminum wallet?
Designed to be an elegant, minimalist wallet with a futuristic design, the Ridge Aluminum is the perfect combination of style and features for those willing to go the extra mile with their choice.
If you are looking for a high-quality item that can protect all your cards, won’t take up much space, and can be easily customized to your liking, then I would recommend taking a closer look at the aluminum-built version of The Ridge wallet.
Buying
The Ridge Aluminum wallet, at the time of writing, can be bought either from the official Ridge Wallet website or the Amazon. I recommend ordering it from Amazon, as you will probably get a better deal there.
Price
The Ridge Aluminum comes in 12 different versions, all in a different price range. The basic version will cost you around $85, while the most expensive ones, usually with fancier designs, can go up to about $105. In any case, this is one of the best wallets around $100 currently available.
The main difference between the lot is purely their color and aesthetic design, so you won’t be settling for any worse materials if you opt for the cheapest version.
Shipping time and price
The Ridge offers free domestic shipping on all orders, so you can have your wallet shipped in 2-5 days for free. You also have the option for express shipping in 2 days for $9.
Customer support
In case you have any further questions or inconveniences with your order, you can always contact the Ridge customer support team through their official contact form on their website, or email them at [email protected].
If you are lucky enough to live near one of the many stores that Ridge has opened throughout the US, you can also check their products personally and have a chat with one of their employees about what they offer.
Warranty policy
Ridge has assured that their Aluminum wallet is made from strong materials and comes with a lifetime warranty policy.
Certain damages, such as normal wear, abuse, neglect, improper usage, or storage of the product are not covered by this policy.
Return and refund
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you have 45 days to return the product for free and get a full refund. The wallet must be returned unused and in the same condition as when it was delivered. This policy, however, does not apply to customized products that can not be returned and are non-refundable.
You can find out more about Ridge’s return and refund policy on their return policy page.
The Ridge brand
Ridge has started as a father-son company in 2013, under the motto “Do more with less”. Since then, the brand has evolved into a signature company focused on building quality items you carry with you every day and transforming them into tools for a better life.
Ridge currently offers a wide range of products, such as minimalist wallets, backpacks, phone masks, and tactical gear for your daily life.
Where are the Ridge wallets made?
Ridges manufactures their products both domestically in the US, and in China.
Ridge Aluminum Basics
The Ridge Aluminum is definitely one of the best aluminum wallets ever made, if not the best one.
Focusing on functionality, Ridge has made their Aluminum wallet a simple, minimalist, well-designed wallet that’s still not limiting in any sense. Advertising the product as “a re-imagination of what the modern wallet can be”, the Ridge Aluminum allows you to both carry less and always have what you need in your pocket.
How to use the Ridge Aluminum?
Using the wallet requires almost no guidance whatsoever. It is made solely from two plates attached to one another with an elastic strap, allowing you to place your cards in between the plates and unload them simply by pulling them out.
What’s innovative about the Ridge Aluminum is that, unlike similar minimalist wallets, it offers you a choice to use either an elastic strap or a traditional money clip for your cash bills. This gives the wallet a sort of customizable feel, allowing you to choose the best option for your personal fit.
Unboxing
Upon delivery, the Ridge Aluminum comes in a simple white box that contains the following items:
- the wallet itself
- a bag with extra screws in case you need them
- a screwdriver you can use to assemble and disassemble the parts
Don’t let all these tools confuse you at first – the wallet is delivered fully assembled and ready to use. The screws and the screwdriver will come in handy only if you decideto customize the plates of the wallet, change the cash strap with a money clip, or disassemble the parts to clean them.
User experience
The feel and touch of the wallet’s frame are one of the biggest selling points.
The brand has made no setbacks when it comes to the smoothness of the materials, making the wallet feel quite nice in the hand. Many users have reported that they are yet to find a similar wallet with such a pleasant exterior.
On the functional side, the Ridge Aluminum offers practically no problems with its usage, seeing as it doesn’t have a single part that requires any meaningful effort when handled.
Aesthetics
The aluminum plates with a rugged design that come in 12 different colors offer a wide variety of choices. Whether you want a smooth, pastel palette, an elegant, metallic touch, or a colorful, visual aesthetic, the Ridge has you covered.
Colors and designs
As we previously mentioned, the Ridge Aluminum comes in a total of 7 colors:
- black
- gunmetal gray
- navy blue
- matte olive
- rose gold
- matte white
- raw white
And if none of those suit you, you can choose from one of the 5 additional designs:
- half dome
- narrows
- north shore
- tiki
- tropical
Clothing style fit
The Ridge Aluminum is pretty much one of the typical minimalist tactical wallets with a sophisticated and elegant design. These attributes, combined with the 12 different colors you can choose from, make it suitable for literally any type of person looking to jump away from their old, bulky, awkward wallet.
Whether you want to compliment your professional attire with a black or gunmetal gray wallet, or go for the Tiki design that will suit your colorful wardrobe, you simply can’t make a mistake with the Ridge Aluminum assortment.
Features
Although fairly small and built simply, the Ridge Aluminum effectively combines its elegance with functionality to deliver one of the best minimalist wallets in this price range (if not the best one).
Weight and size
As usual with these wallets, the Ridge Aluminum is built solely from two plates attached to one another, and it is a fairly small item. Its dimensions are:
- width: 3.38 in / 8.6 cm
- height: 2.12 in / 5.4 cm
- depth: 0.23 in / 0.6 cm
With those dimensions, the Ridge Aluminum definitely falls into the category of the slimmest wallets available.
The wallet weighs around 2 oz / 56.5 g, which is on par with other similar minimalist wallets, despite its heavier aluminum build.
Customizing build
While the build of the Ridge Aluminum seems fairly simple at first glance, the brand has made sure to offer the choice of fully customizing the looks and features of the wallet to your personal needs.
The cash band, that’s placed on the outer side of the wallet, can be easily replaced with a money clip if you like that option better. This is enabled due to the 14 screws placed on both plates that hold the wallet together, which can be removed with the screwdriver that comes in the packaging box. You can even remove the outer parts altogether and use the wallet solely as a cards holder!
Furthermore, the removable screws allow you to completely change the main plate of the wallet as well, switching to a different color or design. This customizable feature gives the Ridge Aluminum a strong feeling that you most probably will use the wallet for a long time since you can never really get bored of it.
The Ridge website allows you to order any single part of the wallet separately, so make sure to check their store and try to create your own perfect design for this wallet.
RFID blocking
This is one of the best RFID-blocking wallets available today. The strong aluminum build makes this wallet very safe from scanning and RFID theft, so you don’t have to worry about someone trying to scan any valuable cards in your pocket.
Elastic strap
What makes this wallet especially easy to use is the elastic strap which connects the two main plates.
With most of the other minimalist designs, you might have a hard time picking up a specific card, or even be forced to take them all out to choose the one you need. The Ridge Aluminum, however, has this thing sorted out for you. With its elastic form, you can simply spread the wallet wide open and pick the card you need without any trouble.
Additionally, this makes the width of the wallet completely adaptable to the number of cards inside, tightening it completely without any loose angles.
How many cards can the Ridge Aluminum hold?
Officially, the Ridge Aluminum can hold up to 12 cards, but some users have managed to stuff up to 15 cards in it.
However, you should bear in mind that putting in more than 10 cards will make the wallet quite difficult to use, since the elastic strap can only spread so much.
How many cash bills can the Ridge Aluminum hold?
The number of cash bills you can carry in the Ridge Aluminum can vary greatly, depending on whether you got the strap or the money clip on it, how many cards are there inside, etc. Most of the users have reported stuffing up to 5 cash bills when only a few cards are inside, so this seems to be the max amount it can carry. Additionally, putting more than that will make the wallet bulky, ruining its aesthetic elegance and compactness.
That’s really not a lot of capacity for cash. I suggest checking out my guide on the best wallets for cash if you often rely on cash.
Have in mind that while tight, the wallet is probably the most secure of all those that come with a rubber strap. So even though you might not be able to carry lots of bills with it, you can be sure that all of them will be completely safe and sound in your pocket.
Is the Ridge Aluminum TSA-compliant?
The Ridge Aluminum is TSA-compliant and you will be able to take it with you on the plane.
Naturally, as it’s a metal item, it might need to be additionally checked by the airport security, but there shouldn’t be any concerns around it.
Is the Ridge Aluminum waterproof?
Although very secure, the wallet is not completely air-sealed, so the contents of it will not be safe if it comes in contact with water. The aluminum plates will not be seriously damaged as well, although you should immediately dry them up if they get wet as they can corrode.
Build quality
The build quality of the Ridge Aluminum wallet is almost unmatched among its competitors currently on the market.
Lifespan and durability
Although it comes with a hefty price, the strong, military-grade materials, easily customizable features, and lifetime warranty ensure you will probably use this item for life. As with any item in the higher price range, you will make a small sacrifice with your budget, but you will get the best quality product the market currently has to offer.
Materials
Both plates of the wallet are made from 6061-T6 aluminum, which assures its user that this is not just some cheap steel item, but a strong wallet fully capable of protecting all its contents against any damages. Some of the users even joked that you can use it as a self-defense tool against possible muggers!
Steel is, of course, used for the screws of the wallet but on no other part. The strap that holds the plates together, on the other hand, is made from elastic leather which wears off significantly slower than the traditional nylon rubber bands used in these types of wallets.
Known issues and problems
On par with its hefty price, the Ridge Aluminum wallet doesn’t really have any significant issues that contradict its advertisements.
However, a couple of users have reported some difficulties with loading and picking out the cards from the wallet. This is especially noticeable when there are a dozen cards stuffed inside. The tight band seems to make the wallet tricky to use the more you fill it, as lots of user reviews have mentioned this specific issue.
Similarly, opting for the money clip instead of the cash strap would appear to be the safer choice, as it seems that the strap isn’t able to hold lots of cash bills efficiently. However, multiple reviews have mentioned that the money clip can often easily break, but on almost all such occasions the Ridge company has offered a free replacing piece.
Keeping the wallet in the same pocket with your keys can also be a bit harsh, as users have mentioned that the rugged aluminum can be easily scratched by your keys or other metal objects near it.
Ridge Aluminum vs Dango D01 Dapper
These wallets seem like the perfect representation of the two different approaches of the brands in the industry.
The Dango D01 Dapper wallet is fully covered with leather, giving it a more natural, old-school touch.
The Ridge Aluminum, on the other hand, comes with a more futuristic, naked-metal approach. This does make Ridge Aluminum more secure in terms of protecting its contents, but it comes with the price of less space.
Ridge Aluminum does have a slight advantage in terms of design, coming with twice as many color options, and a lot of options for customizing the wallet.
Although the Dango is slightly cheaper, the price difference is not that big, and both wallets can be placed in a similar price range. The big choice you will have to make here is whether you like a leather wallet for about $69, or a customizing, metal wallet for an additional $15.
Ridge Aluminum vs Trayvax Original 2.0
The difference here is a bit more obvious. The Trayvax Original 2.0 is a typical budget minimalist wallet compared to the Ridge Aluminum, which costs more than twice the price of the Trayvax.
But that price is rightly justified on almost every aspect between the two, except their size. The quality of the aluminum metal used in the Ridge is incomparable to the Trayvax, which uses stainless steel for one of its plates. The design offers better security as well, seeing as the Trayvax has multiple holes in its case.
Aside from its features, the Ridge Aluminum will be a more premium wallet, with a more futuristic look, and can be a valuable accessory in any style, compared to the cheap, sub-par look of the Trayvax Original 2.0 wallet.
Reviews and ratings
Unsurprisingly for this price range, the overall rating of the wallet on most of the stores is overwhelmingly high – especially on Amazon where out of almost 11,000 reviews, Ridge Aluminum has gathered 4.6/5 stars with 92% rating it above 4 stars.
Adding on the 4.8/5 rating from more than 5,000 reviews on The Ridge website, this is arguably one of the best-rated minimalist wallets currently available. Although much of it will come to your personal preferences, it’s hard to argue with such a big sample of user reviews.
Who should not buy the Ridge Aluminum?
If you are not overly keen to customize and rebuild your gadgets, especially small pieces such as this wallet, then you might not see the value in the Ridge Aluminum and won’t be too satisfied with its features.
Holding too many cash bills or cards can be a bit troublesome with this wallet as well. Even though you might be looking to transition from your old bulky burden in your pocket, suddenly getting rid of most of its contents can be quite difficult. So, if you are looking for a minimalist wallet that can still offer space for all your cards, bills, and other items, I suggest you check out my guide on the best wallets for many cards.
Related to that, the wallet isn’t really designed for holding coins. See my guide on the best wallets for coins if you frequently use them.
It’s hard to look over the price of the Ridge Aluminum wallet, especially if you plan on buying multiple pieces, such as both the money clip and cash strap. Granted, buying two or more colors of the main plate plus all of the features can cost you up to $200, which might be too much over your budget.
Who should buy the Ridge Aluminum?
If money isn’t a problem for you and you want the best quality product the market can currently offer, then this might just be the thing you were looking for.
Paying the premium price for something is often hard to justify, but getting a wallet that can suit all your clothes and complement all your appearances sure is worth it. If you are the type of person who commutes in various different environments and constantly changes their style, while trying to give off the impression of constantly being ‘in tone’, the Ridge Aluminum wallet is definitely your thing.
Moreover, a seemingly small but significant advantage the Ridge Aluminum has over other wallets is that it can easily be a front pocket wallet. It’s small and smooth enough to not be of any inconvenience in your front pockets. This will make it easier for you to go about your day freely and without having to take it out whenever you are required to sit for a few hours.
Where to buy the Ridge Aluminum from?
Ridge Aluminum Specifications
| Type | minimalist |
| Max n. of cards | 12 |
| RFID blocking? | yes |
| TSA compliant? | yes |
| Materials used | 6061-T6 aluminum, leather, steel |
| Height | 2.12 in / 5.4 cm |
| Width | 3.38 in / 8.6 cm |
| Depth | 0.23 in / 0.6 cm |
| Weight | 2 oz / 56 g |
| Features | RFID, cash band/money clip, elastic strap, customizing plates |
| Water resistance | some |
| Warranty | lifetime |
| Return period | 45 days |
