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I have been using Axwell Wallets for years at this point, as they were one of the first brands to reach out to me and gift me their wallets after I started doing wallet reviews, to check out their product!
At the time, they had sent me out their copper wallet and their aluminum wallet. While the copper version stood out to me as one of my favorite wallets, the Aluminum was a bit lack luster, as I didn’t quite see how it stood out from its main competitor (the Ridge Wallet).
However, Axwell just updated their Aluminum Lineup with new colors, but also a few fundamental updates which may seem minor but have made this wallet a true Ridge contender and possibly an overall better wallet (when compared to the base model Ridge).
So, with that said, let’s get into it!
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What is the Axwell Aluminum Wallet?
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- Stronger magnets
- It's a Fantastic value
- The Bolt Blue color is intense.
- Very Easy to swap cash strap for money clip
- Aluminum material is obvious and feels great.
- Large card capacity
- Clean design with NO screws
- Somewhat difficult to access cards
- A less mature design
- The vibrant color makes it difficult to mix and match.
- Dimensions: 0.31" by 3.39" by 2.13"
- RFID Blocking: Yes
- Card Capacity: 1 to 12
- Cash Organization: Strap & Clip Included
- Coin Storage: No
- Weight: 74 grams
Axwell has long been a company that has been riding on the coattails of Ridge’s products as a more value oriented alternative. They are quite similar to the bigger company, with the two plates and a strap-style design. However, they have differentiated themselves by offering magnetic plates, which makes swapping out cash straps, money clips, and the plates themselves a simple process (unlike Ridge, which requires a screwdriver).
The wallets can hold up to 12 different cards (just like the Ridge), and they come in tons of different colors! The most recent generation (I’ll call it the 2.0) aluminum wallet comes with 50% stronger magnets, and that is what changed my opinion of this wallet, but we’ll talk about that in a moment.
What do I like about it?
1. Stronger magnets
The reason I never reviewed the original Aluminum version of the Axwell came down to the magnetic plates. While the Copper version had its top-notch material to make it stand out from the competition, the Aluminum didn’t have that, and its lower level of magnetism on its plates made it feel like the plates might come off when they weren’t meant to. Now I don’t believe that ever technically happened to me, however, it did result in me never being quite as excited about that wallet.
Now that the wallets have a 50% stronger magnet for the plates, it takes a true thought process to remove the plates. It’s not difficult to remove at all, but you have to purposefully remove the plates now. I don’t have to worry about accidentally pulling the plates off when removing cash from the cash strap, but it’s still just as easy to remove them when I want to.
I genuinely said, “Oh wow,” the first time I pulled this wallet out of the packaging and tested the magnets. It’s a small but perfect chance to make this wallet more trustworthy and something I’m more likely to grab out of the 13 wallets (and growing) I currently have in my collection.
2. It’s a Fantastic value
There have always been two camps in the metal wallet space, the cheap no-name knock-off wallets, and then $100 wallets. With this Axwell, we finally have a less expensive, mid-range wallet that is actually good. If you are shopping for one of these two-plate and an elastic strap style of wallets, but want it at nearly half the cost, it really is a great value.
3. The Bolt Blue color is intense.
Axwell sent out their new “Bolt Blue” color, and it is intense! Neither the images online, or even on the packaging itself do it justice whatsoever. If you are looking for a wallet that makes a statement everytime you bring it out of your pocket, it is this one.
The color is incredibly bright, and the aluminum texture reflects the light in a really cool manner that I definitely appreciate. When it comes down to styling, this is likely one of my favorites, just because its so different than any other wallet I have in my inventory.
4. Very Easy to swap cash strap for money clip
Due to the fact that you have magnetic plates that are easily removable, you can also quickly swap out your cash strap for a money clip in just a few moments. It should also be mentioned here that this wallet comes with both options right in the box, rather than having to choose which you would prefer ahead of time (a huge bonus for those who don’t quite know what they want).
5. The Aluminum material is obvious and feels great.
This wallet feels really nice in the hands, like really nice. The Ridge Wallet (its main competitor) has an aluminum base wallet version as well, and I can easily say that Axwell’s feels considerably better. It’s cool to the touch, and feels like metal (while the Ridge’s could be mistaken for plastic, even if it isn’t).
6. Large card capacity
One of my biggest issues with many cardholders is their lack of card capacity (for example, the Groove Wallet). This wallet impresses me with being able to hold up to 12 cards! That is plenty for most people, and definitely enough for me. Thankfully its enough to take everything you need, but not so much that you are over-doing it.
7. Clean design with NO screws
A big part of a minimalist wallet is its minimalist styling, and this wallet does a fantastic job of just that. There aren’t any external screws, hard lines, or images on the wallet (they have other options for people that want to express themselves more). It really is a great-looking wallet that is simple yet elegant.
What do I not like about it?
1. Somewhat difficult to access cards
This is a big drawback to these two plate and an elastic strap style of wallets. They don’t have any complicated mechanisms that push cards around, and it is all left up to a simple push of the cards with your finger. However, this simple design also leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to card access.
When you push your cards out of the wallet, they come out in one big chunk, and it is up to you to fan them outward to make them accessible. Other wallets, like the Eketer Cardholder I also reviewed here, will fan the cards out for you, so you can easily choose the one you want.
It may not be a huge deal, but it can be quite annoying when you know there are other wallets out there that can do this better.
2. A less mature design
I’m not a designer by any means, but the Axwell feels a little less mature than the Ridge. I think this is due to the larger thumb notch and the more beveled edges. It just feels slightly “softer” than the competition. It’s hard to say exactly what I mean, but I hope my point has come across.
3. The vibrant color makes it difficult to mix and match.
One of the big selling points of Axwell is that you can mix and match the plates, as they are easy to remove and swap out. Unfortunately, even though the Bolt Blue wallet here looks awesome, I have no doubt it also limits the number of plate colors you could swap out with it. Not only are the plates of the wallet blue in color, but the railing is blue as well. This means you have to match the new color of the plate with the bright blue color, which I am going to bet is a difficult task.
Who is it for?
The Axwell Aluminum wallet is for someone who isn’t looking for a brand name in their wallet.
If you are reading this review, you likely have heard of Ridge Wallet (which I have also reviewed here), they are the big name in this industry. I really do believe that the Ridge is likely well worth the extra $30, as its a bit more refined appearance, and for the lack of a better way of saying it, a more mature feel.
However, if you are someone that is looking for a fantastic budget offering that competes with the Ridge (with the same two plate and a elastic strap style), you can’t go wrong with this base model Axwell. It does everything the Ridge does, and looks awesome while doing it. The updated 50% additional magnetic power is a big selling point for me.
Where can you buy it?
Now, if the downsides of the wallet haven’t outweighed the upsides for you, you might want to get yourself the wallet! To do that, you just have to visit their website (linked below). The wallet isn’t currently available on Amazon, so this will be your only option for now!
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