Bellroy Folio Wallet Review

Large passport wallets can come with the caveat of not being the most space-efficient way to carry cards and travel documents. And if you know us, we’re all about packing efficiency, so it sometimes leaves us with dilemmas recommending one. The practical stuff, such as capacity and features, need to outweigh the bulk the wallet brings. However, the Bellroy Folio Wallet also has a more subjective dimension.

There’s no getting around the “wallet” in its name. Yet, it’s also functionally more of a mini clutch bag because of its size and ability to accommodate a pair of AirPods, car keys, and even a smartphone. On top of that, unlike many other passport wallets we’ve tested, it looks really classy. So, while you can’t pocket it as easily as more compact alternatives, you can certainly clutch it confidently almost anywhere—let’s check it out.

The Rundown

The outside material is leather with subtle stitching around the edges and a very tiny debossed logo to top it all off. This simple yet classy design gives the Folio Wallet a look befitting formal occasions—something we can’t quite say about other passport wallets sporting nylon exteriors. That said, you may be surprised that the leather only comprises 30% of the wallet’s construction, with the remaining 65% recycled nylon and 5% “other materials.” That last bit sounds rather ominous, but it probably just means the metal alloys used for the zippers and such.

On that note, the lone zipper is from OOK. It’s not quite the YKK zipper we hoped for, but this one is holding up nicely, even after two weeks of testing. We’ve no real complaints about it since it hasn’t jammed or broken off in that time.

At first, we were quite excited when we spotted a small metal loop on the Folio Wallet’s exterior. “We can attach a shoulder strap!” Yet it wasn’t five seconds later that we realized two things: there was only one loop, and there was no included strap of any kind. In other words, this is simply an attachment point where you can hang a keychain or wrist strap. And, no, you can’t loop the zipper pull through it, so it’s not a security feature either.

The only real external feature here is the passport-sized pocket. Stick your passport in there so it’s ready by the time you’re at the gate, and you’ll save yourself a lot of fussing around. There’s not much to say about this pocket—other than it’s convenient—so we’ll move on to the good stuff (inside).

The entire wallet opens like a clamshell, and you can technically lay it flat—if you keep holding it. Once you let go, it clams up again. This is either a good or bad thing, depending on what you want to do with the wallet. A wide V-shaped opening is perfect if you just need easy access whenever and wherever. However, if you want to use the wallet as a sort of desk caddy on your table, you may want to look elsewhere.

The Folio Wallet’s internal layout is split into two main areas. A magnetically secured pocket dominates the left one, where you’re meant to store relatively bulky everyday carry accessories. For us, that meant a set of keys (including a car key fob) and an AirPods case. That said, you shouldn’t put anything too bulky here as it will prevent the wallet from zipping close. There’s also a card slot inside. You can use this for a card you want to keep very secure or a card-shaped smart tracker. Either way, it’s not as accessible as the rest of the card slots, so just keep that in mind.

The right side has four card slots arranged in back-to-back pairs. They each fit two cards, for an official total of eight. That said, we could squeeze as much as three in each slot, but that can result in a very tight fit. At the very back is a slip pocket for cash, receipts, or even more cards if you need to travel with so much. Lastly, there’s also a shallow coin pocket located near the opening. However, it’s not secured by anything, so there’s always the risk of coins falling out when you open the wallet.

Interestingly, Bellroy also says that the Folio Wallet can fit an iPhone 15 in a pinch. We checked, and it does, though you may have to sacrifice some of your bulkier gear in the pocket to make the wallet close. However, we find this benefit genuinely helpful based on our own experience going to weddings, concerts, and gatherings. Sometimes, you need to put your phone in your clutch to keep everything in one place—assuming it’s the only bag you have on you—and sometimes, the arena has rules prohibiting anything larger.

Packability

The Folio Wallet is large even by passport wallet standards, and that’s mostly because the leather and its rigid structure leave very little room to compress. To be fair, it’s marketed more as a clutch despite the name.

Clutching the Folio Wallet is easy enough since it doesn’t get heavy enough that we’re desperate for a handle or strap. We still wish there was an option for one, though, just so we could overlook the Folio Wallet’s overall size.

Quick Comparison

The ALPAKA Zip Travel Wallet is similar in functionality and size. Both are zippered and can fit a passport. However, the ALPAKA Zip Travel Wallet has three internal passport pockets and two card slots (with a capacity ranging from 12 to 20 cards) and can store more stuff in its main area. That last part is enabled partly because of the wallet’s layout and partly because it’s a fabric wallet, so there’s more room to expand and compress as needed.

Interestingly, Bellroy also has the Travel Folio, which is essentially a larger version of the Folio Wallet. It has more card slots, a proper passport slot, and generally more space for more stuff. In other words, if size isn’t already an issue for you, the larger Travel Folio may also be worth checking out.