Very Well Designed - Bellroy Slim Sleeve Wallet

Bellroy is a company that takes a refreshing amount of care in making wallets. As unusual as it may be, this Australian brand takes great care in to reduce the size of the modern wallet in pursuit of more practical, comfortable and stylish minimalist design. Here is how they describe themselves on their about us page:

Bellroy exists to slim your wallet.

But just slim isn’t enough. We want our products to look elegant, be functional yet delightful to use, and offer a surplus in value.

With a narrow focus, constant learning, agile processes and creative thinking, we can continually improve the solutions and insights we share. If we do this well, you'll be able to move between work and play, having your pocket contents adapt along with you.

Our efforts should also be respectful to all stakeholders in the business and friendly to the environment. If that sounds kinda interesting, jump in to our community, join in some of the conversation, and perhaps even become a part of this evolving group that is Bellroy.

If personality and imagery are important to you when looking at brands, +Bellroy  deserves a lot of respect. They've nailed it. Everything from their website design to their product packaging shows a very creative and deliberate attention to detail. Of course, what matters most, is the quality of the product. This is a review of Bellroy's Slim Sleeve every day wallet.

I've had mine for about six weeks and am incredibly pleased with it. The premium cow leather is thin, but feel strong and of high quality. The colouring is smooth and consistent. I prefer natural tones with leather products so any fading would add character rather than show degradation, but I haven't really experienced any. Although the normal signs of use - dirt and colours from pants pockets, are starting to show, the vegetable dye itself is still very much in tact.



The beauty in the Slim Sleeve, and all Bellroys apparently, is in the design. These wallets are engineered from a single piece of leather which, when folded and stitched smartly, makes for a much more durable construction in a less wasteful and more compact finished product. The image above show all of the materials involved in making the Slim Sleeve and quick animation of what they call the nude approach can be found here.

The intelligence in this design is appreciated immediately. Coming from typical department store bifold wallets, I was instnaly amazed at how much smaller, lighter and more premium this wallet was. The style elements are noted only by the stitching and small pressed branding on the outside corner. As understated as it seems, the look is still incredibly distinct. The a simple bifold with cards stored in portrait rather than landscape and the two quick access slots in the inside instantly had me wondering why all wallets weren't designed in this way and what the point was of having any more than one or two individual card slots. As you can see, there are spaces to quickly access your two most frequently used cards, in this case, my two credit cards. All of my other cards can easily go weeks without ever needing to be pulled out. 

These necessary but unused cards stack and fit inside the two inner sleeves. The one on the right is expanded to hold the majority of cards, I have six there. That grey tongue you can see is a pull tab to make accessing these cards easier, relieving you of having to dig them out with your fingers. I'm not entirely sure how necessary this is, it's not that difficult to get them out, but it does add a design element which I really love. Also, I'm sure grasping them without it might stress the leather a bit. 

As far as numbers go, my full wallet, with everything I need to carry (and nothing more) measures about 1.5cm thick. To put this in perspective, this is thinner than the old wallet it has replaced when empty. Looking at the full Bellroy and the empty old one side by side leads me to shake my head at how wasteful and excessive we can be with our resources as a result of poor product design. 

Officially, the Slim Sleeve is meant to old between 4 and 14 cards and a few notes, bills or receipts. I've never really carried coins with me regularly, and in the odd circumstance where I need some change, my pocket it fine. I always have 2 bank cards, 2 credit cards, my driver's licence, my medicare card, my private health coverage, a grocery store loyalty card, my organ donor card, work ID,  and my automotive assistance card. Not all 11 of these are essential, but they do cover both emergency and convenience situations and I've never had any trouble slotting in a few receipts or folded bills if need be. 

I should mention that this isn't the only option +Bellroy makes, they have larger variation to account for passports, coins, and hidden compartments as well, depending on your needs. Believe it or not, but there are two styles that are even slimmer - the Card Sleeve and the Very Small which are essentially single sleeves for all cards or notes to be stacked together. For me, the Slim Sleeve hit the perfect balance between form and function. I do love the aforementioned quick access slots, and I just really like the look of a good bifold which closes everything up from prying eyes. If there's one thing I don't like, it's a wallet which exposes everything inside, which is why money clips and phone wallets will never be for me.

As time passes, one thing that can be said about people in this day and age is that mobility is becoming increasingly important. Whether it's for travel or everyday commuting, the desire to comfortably carry is becoming ingrained in modern culture. As far as function and practicality are concerned, there are few items that are more important than a wallet. There is also a higher standard we hold our companies to socially. In a world that is becoming increasingly shared and transparent, +Bellroy understands that we expect our companies not just to make quality products but to also do so in a distinguishable, responsible and thoughtful manner.

For more information on +Bellroy head to bellroy.com  and to check out their great blog +Carryology  which presents brilliant deisgners "exploring better ways to carry" click here

The SPIbelt - A belt for small personal items.

What do you run with? When you hit the road, are you suited up with all of the latest gear and technology? Do you have a phone strapped to your arm, a drink belt with water and gels, a GPS watch, ID tag, and sweat resistant headphones? Perhaps you're on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, hitting the trails "blind" with nothing but a few light layers of moisture-wicking clothing and shoes. These days, even shoes are becoming excessive for runners. The fact of the matter is, if you're truly a runner, you've put plenty of care into what you carry with you and how you carry it.

For me, it's my phone and keys. That's it, and at least for the phone, it's non negotiable. I often run when it's dark and should anything happen, having my phone would make a big difference. Injuries are inherent with runners and there have been many spills, cramps and blisters, and as I knock on wood now, having the ability to make a call in an emergency is essential. I have seen and heard of many people that run with nothing at all, but really, not having my phone while I'm out is honestly something I'm just not comfortable with.

The problem then becomes how to properly carry these items. The common solution seems to be arm straps. These are the pouches, usually with transparent plastic windows that allow you to view and control your phone while running. Odds are you've noticed how popular these are, they're everywhere. The big problem I've always had with these is stability. I've never been able to find one that stayed in place. My arm movement and sweat always lead me to constantly adjust and tighten the band. I suppose they come in handy if you want to easily glance at your phone for music options or tracking your pace, but with the added weight on your arm and the awkward strap, there is definitely a better option. If the most important factor for you is comfortably carrying a few small personal items with you while you run, what you need is the Small Personal Items belt. This is the SPIbelt.

The SPIbelt is an American made small elastic belt. That's really all it is, at least in it's original version. The belt is a fully adjustable press-clip elastic waistband with a single zipper-pouch made of a very stretchy spandex like material. It's so simple. It's a waistband and pouch that's incredibly well designed and manufactured. The SPIbelt is designed to "expand to hold any smart phone, keys, cash, credit cards and even a passport in a sleek, secure pack that does not bounce." There are plenty of variations according to colour and size, but this is about the original.

The photos here show off what I usually carry on my runs -- my phone and my keys. As you can see, the pouch is about 17cm in length and maybe 3cm wide. It may not look like it, but it expands a great deal to fit what I need. My Nexus 4 is probably considered a larger phone than average, and there’s still room for some cards or cash if I need them, but of course, the more you carry, the less secure the fit is. I can say with total confidence that if you only have your phone, keys and a card or some cash, the fit is so secure and comfortable you’ll forget it’s there.

This is really all it does. It's the epitome of a one-trick pony but it does this so effectively it makes a world of difference in comparison to common alternatives. Pants pockets are almost useless when running, the average running belt adds a fair bit of heft and therefore bounces around, and armbands are unnatural. Accessibility is the other amazing thing. Sometimes I need to take a call, other times, I am a bit pedantic with monitoring my pace. In these situations going into the pouch and grabbing my phone, then securing it back up is no problem. There's no need to stop, slow down or take my eyes off the road.

Like with most things I care a lot about simplicity, convenience and comfort. Those that know me understand I have a growing affinity for minimalism. Running is no different.If anything, this is stronger with my running because of the importance in comfort and lightness. I carry my phone and if I needed to drive to my route, I have my keys. Sometimes I take headphones, but usually I don't. I love running because of how pure it is. There's no machinery, other people, infrastructure, or technology that is needed to do it. I would argue that running is the minimalist form of exercise. All that's really needed is yourself and (arguably) shoes. However, in this day and age, there are a few small personal items most of us need to carry for a wide range of reasons. Whatever they may be, with the SPIbelt, these are less of a distraction, allowing for a more pure and enjoyable run.

Notes:

1. There's another problem I have with armbands. It's completely subjective, but I think they look stupid. This isn't exactly the most accurate adjective I can think of. You know how people look with bluetooth earpieces in their ears? That's how people with armbands look to me.

2. There are a few books that turned me on to "meditative running". Eat and Run by Scott Jurek, Running with the Mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham, and What I Talk about When I Talk about Running by Haruki Murakami. I highly recommend them, as well as training yourself to run without sound. Having only your thoughts, breathing, footstrikes, and surroundings to listen to, running becomes as therapeutic mentally as it is physically. We all love that "zone", the absence of audio, for me, gets me there quicker and keeps me there longer.

3. The direct website doesn’t seem to ship to Australia, but the first one I’ve owned, lost, and recently replaced (hence this article of appreciation) was purchased on eBay. The one I own now was found at a local REBEL Sport - a major sporting goods store chain out here. The fact that they have them in Australian stores indicates their ubiquity. Either way, for $20-$30 depending on your country and currency, this is a must buy.

THE ORIGINAL SMALL PERSONAL ITEM BELT ®

The SPIbelt™ will expand to hold any smart phone, keys, cash, credit cards, and even a passport. The SPIbelt™ is ideal for fitness, travel, medical needs, and so much more. The SPIbelt™ is sleek, secure, and does not bounce.

Product Features:

• Will not bounce.
• Expandable, secure, low-profile pocket.
• Comfortable, soft elastic prevents chaffing.
• Sturdy buckle and glides for even the most active users.
• Pocket expands to 6" x 3" x 2"

Fits waist size 25" through 50".

Proudly made in Austin, Texas.