Like many in Redding CA, STOW lost nearly everything to the Carr Fire in 2018. With the help of a Kickstarter campaign and the local community, STOW is back on it’s feet and manufacturing quality wallets again.
I’ve been using a front pocket/minimalist wallet since 2015 . That summer I backpacked the High Sierra Trail. In preparation for the trip, I purchased a zipper pouch wallet from Z-Packs. I didn’t want to carry my normal wallet – I didn’t need to bring all of the items I carried on a daily basis and the idea of using something that was waterproof and that I could easily secure inside my pack appealed to me.
I continued to use that wallet for 18 months after that trip – until my wife bought me a leather card holder (she hated the once bright, now grimy orange pouch) for Christmas in 2017. I used the leather card holder for 3 years until I started looking for a new wallet.
I ran across STOW Wallets in a google search – I had seen some of the minimalist wallets made out of metal, carbon fiber and other materials. While I didn’t necessarily need my wallet to be waterproof, I didn’t really like the fact that the leather and cloth held moisture if it got wet. The material was also starting to breakdown, so I figured it was a good time to see what else was out there. I wondered if carrying one of these new, rigid wallets would work well for me. After a nice conversation with Tobe from STOW, I had a 10 Card Wallet in Crimson Red on it’s way to me.
FIRST LOOK
I’ve been carrying the STOW Wallet (Crimson Red – 10 Card version) for a couple of weeks now. So far, I really like it. Here are some thoughts:
- It’s not typically something I think about, but I really liked the way the wallet was packaged and presented – well thought out
- I didn’t realize this until I received it, but the wallet is machined out of one solid piece of aluminum – it doesn’t have screws or anything holding it together. I can’t foresee wearing this thing out.
- My credit cards, cash and business cards stay in the wallet well, but are not hard to remove.
- I thought I would notice the thickness of the wallet, but I’ve twice left the house and thought “whoops, I forgot my wallet,” when it was actually in my pocket.
- I have not used the phone mount yet – I need to purchase a different phone case to use it. Speaking of phones, I’m thinking that unless the wallet is attached to your phone, it may be a good idea to keep the wallet and phone in different pockets … similar to how I keep my phone and keys in different pockets.
FUTURE TESTING
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Before publishing a full review, I need to test:
- how it holds up over time
- how it compares to other wallets of the same style. I plan to take some weight and thickness measurements to compare this wallet to it’s competition.
