Customer Reviews

Saddleback Leather Wallet Small Coffee Brown

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was the perfect wallet for me. I have way too much stuff to fit in any one wallet without causing serious back pain, so I've gone to a two wallet system with this as my main wallet with everyday cards and my license/metro card. Saddleback's small leather wallet proved to be just what the doctor ordered.

I would like to second the other reviews on here that say you need to break it in a bit. Start from the middle (cash slot) and stuff the wallet full for a couple days. I would recommend 8 folded bills, three plastic cards in each of the back slots, two cards in the front card slot (plus a slimmer card if you have it), and one card behind the license on the front. When you think the wallet is ready, cut down to 2 cards in each pocket and 6 bills or so. It will hold everything securely, no worries about anything falling out, but you can easily get what you need. Keeping another card behind the license is key to getting the license out quickly.

I ordered the wallet in the dark tobacco color and I couldn't be happier. Looks terrific, shows some character from use, just a great looking wallet. To add to what an earlier review said about his success using the wallet to start conversations with guys: girls also notice the wallet! Surprisingly they really like the smell of the wallet in addition to the feel and look. Everybody appreciates good craftsmanship, just an added bonus I suppose.

Only potential negative is the Saddleback leather brand on the back of the wallet. It is about 1" x 0.5", probably a bit bigger than I would have liked, but by no means overwhelming or gaudy. I am sure that it will look better with age, but it's something to consider.

I am fully confident that this will be the last front pocket wallet I ever buy.

UPDATE: I wrote the below review a while back. Based on my experience, Saddleback contacted me and offered me a replacement wallet. They could not have been more kind and easy to work with--even though i was not the most cooperative. I have ad the new wallet for a few months and absolutely love it. This is a great company with an outstanding product and exceptional customer service; I can't use enough superlatives to express how happy I am with Saddleback and my wallet. If it is not right, they will make it right. Do not hesitate to order a wallet (or any other leather piece) from Saddleback.

This is a great looking wallet; I got the tobacco brown. I am absolutely sure it will last a long, long time. I was very excited when I got it. When I first put all my cards in place I noticed something that is pointed out in another review. The upper pocket on the side opposite the drivers license side is not low enough. Your cards are above flush with the top of the wallet. This would not be a big deal if it weren't that all the images show that this pocket allows the cards to sit below the top of the wallet and below the stitching. I would assume I just got a flawed one but am not so sure now that I read another review mentioning the same thing. Plus, after ordering it I suggested this to a few friends who bought them on my advice and then noticed the same issue.

The real issue for me is that after deciding it really wasn't a big deal I used it for a few months I noticed that the tops of the cards I kept in that slot began to grow rough and frayed. When reaching into my pocket to grab the wallet, I often felt rough plastic instead of soft leather as I expected. This is probably a minor issue but it is enough of a design flaw for me that I had to retire this wallet that I had hoped would last forever. I would add that the information the other reviewer shared about the cards resting that high in the wallet making it hard to use the center slot intended for cash is entirely true. I recently pulled it out of the drawer to use again because I like the look and feel so much. However, after only a few days, I put it away for the same reasons as before. I should have gone with my initial impression and returned it when I got it but I hate the hassle/wasted time of dealing w/ refunds or sending in a defective product for a replacement via mail then waiting three times as long as you originally planned for a quality product when it isn't a very expensive item. That is really my issue since I know this is a good company and they would have accepted a return but given that I have seen the same issue on multiple wallets I am not sure it would have been worth it. I still think this is a good wallet (everyone I know who got one likes it and think the virtues of this wallet far outweigh this minor design issue) and a cool company but this wallet is just not for me.

It's a little tight but I've found that if I cram a few extra cards in for about a week the leather stretches nicely. Just like a good pair of boots or a baseball glove you've got to break it in. Keep an eye on it and test it daily to be sure you don't over stretch the slot. I also bought the passport holder and slip this one inside to hold my important stuff which works beautifully. A man's wallet is an item that can define him, and over time his [...] defines it. Unlike most women and their purses.. it's a symbiotic relationship that is meant to last. When I set this baby down on the bar I look out of the corner of my eye at the guy next to me and wait for him, like clockwork, to lift an eyebrow and then turn his head. My wallet has started more than one "interesting" conversation. I have been searching for the perfect wallet for 4 years ever since my 3rd fossil gave out. No more rubber bands for me, I'm done. This is it. I get the feeling that somehow my leather will save my life. But if it doesn't I'm sure my children and grandchildren will fight over it.

With the bold claims of "lifetime warranty" and "fight over when you're dead", I thought I'd wait the full year before I came back to review this. I bought the "Chestnut" color on March 16th 2010 - one year and two months ago - and I've used it everyday since.

I consider myself a little bit of a front pocket wallet nerd. I've only ever used a front pocket wallet, and I've tried the money clip type (Fossil), the small bifold with money clip on the inside (Dockers), the "this-is-supposed-to-be-an-insert-to-a-much-larger-wallet" type, and a couple others. I loved the Dockers wallet configuration but it fell apart around 6-8 months of daily use.

This Saddleback Leather small wallet is by far the most well constructed wallet I've ever used. It's made of nice thick high quality leather, and the stitching hasn't come loose anywhere even after my year+ of daily use. The finish is wearing quite nicely. It takes a scratch well and mine has a lot of character, without looking beat-up or ragged.

Functionally, I love it. I can pull it out of my pocket and pull out a card with one hand. I don't often carry cash but when I do it gets folded in four and stuffed in the middle pocket. I carry 8 cards (two in each back slot, two in the ID slot, and two in the "behind-the-ID" slot) and it isn't overstuffed. Honestly if you're looking to carry a lot of stuff you probably aren't reading this review. It's a great compact package that gets the job done for me everyday.

The other reviews are correct that it requires a break-in period. At first you'll feel like the wallet is crushing the life out of your cards, but just stick with it and it'll be nice and supple in a couple weeks. I don't recommend "overstocking" to break it in like the other reviewers do, as I think you could potentially overstretch the leather and ruin it. Just put as many cards in as you want and wait it out.

My only word of caution is don't overstock it if you think you'll slim it down later. If you "downgrade" the number of cards in any pocket after having them in there for a while (weeks), the pocket can be too stretched out to securely hold the smaller number of cards. Example: I have had 2 cards in each slot (both slots on the back and the ID slot) for a year now. If I take one card out of one of the back slots, the other one will fall out when I turn the wallet upside down. With both cards in the slot they are perfectly secure, and won't come out even if I shake the wallet trying to get them to fall out.

Overall this is the best wallet I've ever used and highly recommend it. Looks great, super sturdy, built to last.

This wallet is obviously made very well. The stitching throughout the wallet is very complete and it is apparent that the leather is of high quality. It is of such high quality that I sometimes find myself locked in a dark closet and sniffing the wallet's euphoric smell for several hours on end.

Contrary to other reviewers, I don't see the need to stuff the wallet full of cards during the first couple days. I think it is easy enough to get the cards out of wallet without having to stretch it. After all, I think it's better for the cards to be a litter harder to slide out than to have cards falling out all over the place.

On the side with the hole for your ID, I have a plastic card and in front of that I have my drivers license. My drivers license can easily be removed when needed just by pushing up on it with my thumb. I wish that the hole (viewer) was a little larger as some of my information and picture is cut off and that tends to peeve the local employees at the various liquor stores I frequent. And I mean frequent. The plus side is that there is no plastic that will wear out.

On the reverse side, the two credit card slots hold cards securely. One reason for the one star deduction is the fact that when credit cards are inserted in the top slot, they extend to the top of the wallet and sit flush. The picture that is posted is NOT really representative of how the card sits in the top slot. Just a minor thing...

The cash slot is tight and there is stitching in the slot which kind of makes it difficult to insert and remove money. It also won't hold a lot of bills, but that's fine since I'm poor.

The owner of the company seems like a nice enough guy. The website for the company is quite entertaining and is worth a look. If my wallet breaks, which I do not anticipate, I won't hesitate to take advantage of the 100 year warranty. Then again, I plan on living at least another 120 years, so when year 99 comes around, I might have to get it replaced.

I like this Wallets "Man" Leather
The Wallet is compact and fits well in front or back pocket and has 2 credit card slots that hold the credit cards very secure.
On the back and Photo id window work well when you need to show your Photo ID but do not want to take it out all the time.

This is the perfect wallet for me. I've been through 3-4 different wallets over the last few years; they ranged from velcro surfer brands, DKNY carry everything types, and Kenneth Cole leather wallets. This wallet beats them all hands down. The quality of the leather and stitching is amazing, much better than anything I've seen in local department stores. I can tell this one is going to last, and with a 100 year warranty I'm not too worried about it. Similar to my Le Creuset pans, the quality is very apparent in the finished product and it really is a pleasure to own and use.

I chose this wallet because I wanted to downsize from a regular wallet. I (and my back) didn't like the idea of sitting on an approximately 1 inch thick wallet all day. I also wasn't sure if I could handle carrying only a money clip, and I have heard those can sometimes demagnetize credit cards on occasion. My biggest concern was if the small size would be adequate to fit my most important daily carry necessities.

In this wallet I currently carry 3 credit/debit cards, drivers license, AAA card, and my insurance card. I would estimate that I can probably fit 3-4 more credit card sized items in this wallet without any issue. The cards and drivers license slot hold firm, they are not loose and I see no risk of having items fall out accidentally. This wallet did take a few days to break in and loosen up so be aware of that when you first get it. I don't usually carry much cash, but I have carried 5 $20 bills in this with no problem, just fold them up and they fit fine in the center pocket. If I carried more cash I think this wallet would be slightly too small for that purpose. This wallet also fits neatly into my front pants pocket without issue.

This is a great wallet that I highly recommend to those looking for a quality wallet that is large enough to carry the daily necessities, yet small enough not to cause any back pain. There is surprisingly a lot of storage in this little wallet and I'm very happy with my purchase.

I have had this wallet for about a month now, and I love it. I think it's just starting to break in (good leather takes time). When I first got it, it was hard to get my ID and money in the center - but I realized that they use very thick high quality leather, and I hoped that through use it would soften and stretch, which it has.

As for the reviewer complaining about the credit card sticking above the top of the wallet - I have no idea what they are talking about. Mine is flush with the top just as it's designed. It did take some time to break in and slide down fully. You also can't load this wallet up with every George Costanza receipt you have around the house.

I love my Saddleback Wallet. Give it some time to break in and you will too.

Have really enjoyed using this wallet. A much less clunky alternative to a big wallet.

One comment...I disagree with the other posters who say that you should stretch out the sleeves with additional cards. Just put in the cards that you plan to use, and the sleeves will stretch to the correct size fairly quickly. I think that if you stretched them with additional cards, then reduced the number of cards, the sleeves would be too loose and cards could fall out.

I love the nice leather and the very high quality of this wallet. It seems indestructible.
The main problem is the fact that it cannot house many bills. I travel a lot and often need to carry quite a bit of cash since ATMs are often far and credit cards not accepted. Unfortunately you will need to fold the notes to fit and you just cannot cram enough of them in. You end up digging out all your cash and stuffing it back in - very troublesome.

I will continue to use and love this wallet - but only to carry some important cards for traveling. If you plan to carry a lot of cash I would rather recommend Saddleback Leather's standard sized wallet - much more useful.