When Connor Ferster of Braithwaite Wallets ferst first contacted me, I knew this guy was the real deal. His passion for offering high quality products was immediately apparent in the verbiage on the Braithwaite website and in his correspondence with me. (To see what I mean, check out the “Read the Story” blurb on The Vagabond details page for a “Peterman from Seinfeld” type traveler’s tale about the wallet’s origin and inspiration. Priceless.)
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Their latest offering — aptly named The Vagabond — is a premium travel wallet with enough pockets and folds to keep the typical flashpacker’s documents, international currency, passport, moleskin, what have you in check. I’ll admit a certain blind fondness for anything dubbed “The Vagabond” so naturally I couldn’t resist testing it out.
The Skinny
According to Braithwaite, these are The Vagabond’s specs:
- Holds eight cards
- Contains an extra hidden pocket
- Water-proof, full-grain exterior leather
- Solid brass YKK zipper
- Stitched with KevlarTM thread
- Made for exterior jacket pockets and bags
Simple and to the point. And that’s really all you need and expect a travel wallet to be.
In Detail
Excellent Construction
Fit and finish are impeccable. The Vagabond is crafted from premium leather — sourced from the same leather manufacturer that Coach buys their high end lady goods from, so you know it’s the real deal. A resilient, waterproof oil coating on the whole package means you never have to worry about spilling your macchiato all over it (though I don’t necessarily recommend this). And a fine Kevlar (as in bullet-proof Kevlar vests – yes, that Kevlar) stitching holds it all together.
Size (insert phallic joke here)
This wallet, like most travel wallets, is big. And I can already see ultra-minimalist travelers rolling their eyes.
Truth be told, I carry a slim, front pocket wallet with me on every trip. In it, I place my driver’s license (a single credit card sized ID card here in the States), frequently used cards (two debit cards and a credit card) and a bit of currency. The Vagabond then become a perfect repository for all the other paper bits I inevitably collect during my travels — U2 ticket stubs, passport, backup money stash, airport parking lot ticket, photo of my goldfish Bubbles back home … you get the idea. It’s like a travel filing cabinet. All these now fit into one convenient place, which I toss into my messenger/day bag.
Unique Design
For me, this is perhaps The Vagabond’s best selling point. This ain’t some dime-a-dozen, department store brand, nylon bit of business. The stitching and unique exterior pattern were enough to get the attention of more than a few ladies on my recent European jaunt. Seriously, gents: short of prescription strength tranquilizers, nothing makes the ladies weak in the knees like the name Coach.
Bottom Line
The pricing – $133 (US) to be exact – won’t suit everyone. Sure, there are cheaper travel wallets out there, but few as stylish and unique as The Vagabond.
And seriously, guys, if you’ve ever wanted to test out the Pavlovian response for yourself, next time you’re out at the bar with your lady friends, just whisper the word “Coach”. I guarantee they start salivating.