Ridge Wallet vs Aviator Slide Wallet: Which should you buy?

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Back in 2013, when Ridge released its first wallet, the wallet game changed. You no longer had to keep a massive leather bifold in your backpocket, not only hurting your back, but storing far too many receipts from six years ago. Since that time, there have been plenty of rivals, iterating on the design that Ridge launched.

One brand that has stood out as a fantastic alternative to the brand is the Aviator Slide Wallet from Evermade. While they may share the same sandwich design (two plates and an elastic strap), they by no means copied Ridge and instead created a fantastic viable alternative.

In this article, I’m going to tell you how each wallet stacks up against each others in seven different categories so you can decide which one might be a deal breaker for you. So let’s get into it.

What is the Ridge Wallet?

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4.5

Pros:

• Easy access to your most-used cards
• It looks awesome
• Extremely durable
• You can't make it bloated.
• Compact sizing

Cons:

• More difficult to access lesser-used cards
• It could hold a bit more cash.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 0.24" by 3.39" by 2.13"
• RFID Blocking: Yes
• Card Capacity: 1 to 12
• Cash Organization: Strap or Money Clip
• Coin Storage: No (accessory available)
• Weight: 59 - 87 grams (depending on material)

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The Ridge Wallet was the first real (big-name) minimalist wallet on the scene! It utilizes a two-plate and an elastic band construction, which allows you to keep up to 12 cards on the interior of the wallet, and then you can choose between a money clip or cash strap on the exterior of the wallet (higher-end versions come with both).

The Ridge’s base model wallet uses an aluminum, painted plate on the exterior, but you can upgrade to plenty of other options, including Damascus steel, gold, and carbon fiber (which the brand gifted me).

As for the size of the wallet, outside of money clips, it can’t get much more compact than this wallet right here. It is exactly the size of a credit card, and it doesn’t add much thickness either.

What is the Aviator Wallet?

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4.3

Pros:

• Extremely high quality
• Great card capacity
• Easy access to card with pull strap
• Comes with coin tray

Cons:

• Fabric pull strap is loud in your pocket

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 0.41" by 2.12" by 3.37"
• RFID Blocking: Yes
• Card Capacity: Up to 20 Cards (Chosen at Purchase)
• Cash Organization: Cash Strap
• Coin Storage: Yes
• Weight: 42.4 grams

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The Aviator Slide Wallet follows a similar sandwhich design to the Ridge Wallet, however it flips it on its head, kinda literally. Rather than ejecting the cards horizontally out of the cardholder with your thumb, it’s ejected via a pull strap out the top of the wallet.

This wallet also includes a coin tray (which is extra on the Ridge), and you can adjust the wallet to handle anywhere from 1-3 cards to 18-20 cards.

Much like the Ridge, you can also choose multiple materials for the wallet, including a carbon fiber railing. I have the acrylic version that the brand had gifted me. That said, I do have the carbon fiber cash strap, which is a nice aesthetic addition.

1. Styling & Aesthetics (Winner: It’s a Tie)

In this article specifically, I am comparing the two base model versions of the wallets, the Aluminum Ridge and the Acrylic Aviator. I normally do my best to choose a clear winner in every category here, however styling an aesthetics was the only one that I came up empty handed on.

The Ridge Wallet has clean lines (other than the screws) and is extremely simple. The Aviator may have a bit more complicated of a design, but the beveled aluminum shimmers in a way not many other wallets do.

For me, I have a hard time choosing between the wallets on aesthetics alone.

2. Build Quality (Winner: Aviator Wallet)

Just like the category above, build quality was a difficult one to decide on between these two wallets. Ridge does a fantastic job with their wallets, they hold up well, can take a beating, and the paintwork on them is top notch. However, I gave this category to the Aviator, just because it uses a bit more unpainted metal. The wallet looks a bit more handmade, and has an overall better feel between the two wallets.

3. Card capacity (Winner: Aviator Wallet)

This is easy, the Aviator wins card capacity hands down. I have yet to find another minimalist wallet that can hold up to 20 cards. Ridge caps its capacity out at 12 cards (just like most others), and with an additional 8 cards, its hard to beat the Aviator wallet.

4. Durability (Winner: Ridge Wallet)

I have the Ridge Wallet winning the durability category, mainly because I have started to see some surface scratches on the Aviator with minimal usage. Meanwhile, the Ridge takes a LONG time to show any form of wear and tear. Even after a year of using the wallet almost exclusively, the Ridge looks like the day I was gifted it by a family member.

5. Overall Usability (Winner: Ridge Wallet)

There is no way around it, the usability of the Ridge Wallet stands out as being the overall better option here. While the Aviator may include quite a few additional features, like adjustable card storage, a coin tray and a pull strap. I found that the pull strap can be a bit annoying at times, and the added thickness of the wallet left the Ridge as the front runner.

Ultimately, it’s difficult to ignore that the simplistic design of the Ridge Wallet stands on its own. The Ridge Wallet’s major drawback

7. Warranty & Returns (Winner: Aviator Wallet)

Both Ridge and Evermade offer a full lifetime warranty on their wallets (which is even better than Groove Life’s 94-year warranty). So, on the warranty end of things, this is quite the tie.

However, where the tie is broken is the return policy! With Evermade’s 14-day return window and Ridge’s 99-day, it’s an easy pick as to which tipped the scales in this category. If you are someone who likes a bit of time to decide if you are going to stick with a product, you are better off with the Ridge.

Who are these wallets for? (Final Verdict)

There is no way around it, you either REALLY like the Ridge Wallet, or you REALLY don’t like Ridge. It’s a polarizing brand, just because it has such a following, and is one of the few household wallet brands.

If you are one of those that falls into the “Don’t Like It” category, then the AViator Slide is our obvious choice. It isn’t a copycat, and brings real value to the game, outside of just being like the leader in the category. It also is a fantastic choice for those that do carry coins, as the included coin tray is a gamechanger.

Now, if you are looking for a truly minimalist wallet, the Ridge is a fantastic choice of wallet. I personally don’t see the disadvantage of this brand’s popularity, and I am always impressed when I use the wallet. This wallet will be thinner than the Aviator and overall easier to use.

Where should you buy these wallets?

The best places to buy either the Ridge Wallet or the Aviator is directly on their respective website! You generally can get a better price on each one. I’d recommend using my paid links below to get yours!

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