Top 10 Ridge Wallet Alternatives You Need To See In 2026

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Ridge Wallet smidge wallet. You probably have seen this hunk of metal held together by an elastic band all over the place.

Whether it be sponsored videos from your favorite (or not so favorite youtube channels), to reviews like mine, or just hanging out in your friend’s pocket, you probably can’t get away from what many people call a waste of money.

Well, even though I think the Ridge Wallet might just be one of the best simplistic wallets on the market (even if it’s just replacing the humble rubber band), I totally understand why you might want to consider other options, and oh boy, do I have options.

At this point, brands have given me over 100 wallets to add to my collection, and the wallets on this list are the best competitors to the Ridge Wallet I’ve ever used, and the best one was just released.

If you feel like sticking it to the man, swimming against the current, going against the tide, going against the grain, and being that non-conformist your uncle told you you should just not be (cut your hair, man, and yes, I used to have long hair). These are for you.

1. Ekster Nano Cardholder

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Woohoo! Hurray! We are now at what I would consider THE BEST ridge competitor. I have the Ekster Nano Cardholder here on this list, not because it brings some massive innovation to the market, not because my great aunt told me to, and definitely not because my dog told me I needed to.

No, it’s because this wallet is a serious no-nonsense Ridge Wallet competitor that works, and works extremely well.

At the moment, you can have any color you want, but it has to be black. It has two metal plates, an elastic band, and a vertical card ejection point. I mean, this wallet is so no-nonsense that it doesn’t even have a cash strap (it just lives with the cards).

What I like best about this thing is that it’s inexpensive, doesn’t have any weird MagSafe markings (even though it is MagSafe), and it just does its job while trying to stay out of the way, and not trying to be anything that it’s not.

I like that. Even if my cash gets squished in there like that turkey that’s just too big for your oven on Thanksgiving day.

2. Proof Founder Wallet

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Oh man, do I like this wallet, like seriously like this wallet. Proof has long been one of my all-time favorite brands. They have done an amazing job of combining leather and metal into a wallet that feels great, but is still incredibly minimalistic. This Founder Wallet also stands out as my favorite of the bunch (and I have quite a few of these now, including their Alligator Leather version, Yep… that exists).

Anyway, this thing holds up to 25 cards without an issue, and its cash strap is extremely easy to put cash in and out of. It’s very reliable, and looks awesome while doing it. Even though it’s a pull tab wallet, they use a leather end, which means no jingly jangly in your pocket either.

In fact, as an overall wallet, I can’t think of much to say bad about this wallet, so I won’t.

3. Nomatic Slim Wallet

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At CES (a tech trade show) this year, I was talking with Nomatic at their booth about their products, and when I mentioned that their wallet kinda competes with Ridge, they straight up told me they don’t. Well, here they are…. on a list competing with Ridge.

This slim wallet is for all of those people who leave mean comments on my Ridge content, making fun of it, and saying it’s just a rubber band. Because, well, Nomatic basically made a fancy rubber band here, and I think it’s awesome.

With just an elastic band, they fit a main storage compartment for cards, a quick access slot for your main card, cash storage, and even a pull tab to easily get to just about any card you could want. All for around $20. It’s simple, it works, and it doesn’t break the bank. Sounds fun, eh?

The only downside I found on the wallet is that it doesn’t have the same paint job as a car, and I always get the two sides mixed up if I’m not paying attention.

4. Peakzooc Mech Guard Wallet

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Now, if you are one of those people who look at the Ridge Wallet and think, man, that is so awesome. But can it be a robot, and cheaper? Well, turns out I know just the guy.

This Peakzooc Mech Guard Wallet has to be one of the best deals for a 1-to-1 competitor of the Ridge Wallet. It has the EXACT same sandwich design, the same horizontal ejector, and oh, did I mention it looks like a robot?

I mean, it even has a place for an AirTag and comes standard with MagSafe capabilities (which work extremely well).

Now, if you can get past the fact that the metal plate on the face of the wallet doesn’t allow you to completely use the thumb notch, along with the fact that many people will wonder who in the world would be willing to carry something so… niche, then you might be the right person for this wallet.

Or yah know, it’s essentially a Ridge wallet for like a quarter of the price.

5. Aviator Aluminum Slim Wallet

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I have this much higher on the list than the other version (which you’ll see later on), because, well, it’s more for the USA market, and it’s an awesome wallet. This one is a bit more simplified than the One Wallet, in that it does away with the included change holder and the thumb press hole thingy.

I’m totally fine with this, though, as it simplifies the wallet and makes it considerably more compact. Not to mention this carbon fiber weave, with the matte clear finish, makes for a really nice look.

Just like its more European cousin (all of these wallets are made in Germany, to be fair), I also found an issue with the pull tab jingling in my pocket, and the money clip is still annoying to put cash in.

6. Axwell Carbon Fiber

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Ahhhh, the nearly Ridge copycat. This Axwell Wallet is perfect for people that wanted a Ridge, but didn’t want a Ridge, but really just wanted a Ridge on a budget.

Now, that’s not to say this carbon fiber wallet that holds up to 12 cards is a carbon copy though (even if it carries many of hte same features), but it has these nifty bifty magnetic plates that make it incredibly easy to swap out the money clip and cash strap (both of which come with it) at any point in time (no screw driver needed people).

Outside of that change, which allows for you to swap plates out, and a bit bigger thumb notch, you have yourself a nearly identical formula to the Ridge wallet, even if it is a bit thicker because of the magnetic plates.

7. Trayvax Contour Lite

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For those who wanted a Ridge Wallet, but their rural one-stoplight town friends would make fun of them for being too “City” (I’m not bitter), then the Trayvax Contour Lite is going to be the right one for you, especially if you need to hold 13 cards or less. It’s the same sandwich design, but instead of two plates of metal, there is one, and instead of an elastic band, its high end leather, and made in the USA (I’m not doing that again). The perfect tactical feeling design, for those that can’t be seen as “urban”.

This thing is an incredibly nice wallet (which it should be for the price), and with its ability to adjust its card capacity with a screwdriver and a couple of hours on a Thursday night, it’s extremely flexible and usable. Keeping the cash behind the leather flap feels fantastic (even if you can remove and replace it without taking back the flap), and cards easily slide in and out (as long as you don’t overstuff the wallet).

8. Geogrit Black Carbon Fiber

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Continuing on with the USA made wallets (USA USA USA), we have the Geogrit Carbon Fiber which has a 12 card capacity! Oooooh carbon fiber, you can’t get away from it nowadays can yah, and for good reason, BECAUSE it’s awesome!

This is an incredibly simplified wallet with just an elastic strap cash strap two plates of metal, and a notch (just like the Ridge), only this time it also is a vertical wallet. You just push up, and bam you have your cards.

I will say, cars in general are a bit more difficult to get to than the Ridge though, as the vertical wallet without a pull tab is a bit more difficult than some of the competitors that do have pull tabs (but we’ll get to that in a moment).

As for the way it looks, this weaved carbon fiber is incredibly nice, and doesn’t scratch easily like some competitors.

9. Dango D01

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Now, this is not my kinda wallet at all. I’m not a fan of the way it looks, and honestly, the way it works. However, I have to give this company the benefit of the doubt, as it actually is a really good wallet, even if it isn’t for me, because let’s be honest, I’m just a guy with wallets.

This is the Dango D01 which holds up to 12 cards and kinda follows an outdoorsy themed design, its incredibly well built and is even made in the United States (USA USA USA). If this is your style of wallet, I would absolutely have no issue recommending this one to you.

Much like all of the other wallets on this list, it holds all of its cards in a stack, and you can just push the cards outward with your thumb, only to choose the one you want.

The only downsides I have are the fact that the rubber band is kinda annoying, as cash gets stuck in it, and the quick-access slot gets blocked when you put cash behind the strap.

10. Aviator Slide Wallet

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Now, just because this Aviator Slide Wallet wallet is at the bottom of my list doesn’t mean it isn’t a good wallet. Oh no, its only at the bottom because most of my viewers are based in the USA, and come on, we just discontinued the penny people. Why would we need a coin tray? If you don’t get what I’m getting at, it’s the fact that this wallet is an amazing wallet, it’s just more suitable for the European market, where coins are much more common.

This Slide Wallet from the German brand Evermade is a true to design sandwich wallet, that holds up to 20 cards, with two metal plates and an elastic band. However, unlike the Ridge, it is a vertical wallet, where the cards come out the top, and a pull tab is present to pull the cards out the top. Or, of course, you can also use the thumb notch to pull the top card out.

The main issues I have with this wallet is the fact that the pull tab has metal on the end, meaning it jingle jangles in your pocket, and the fact that the money clip is actually really hard to put cash into.