LEMUR Travel WALLET Review

The LEMUR Travel WALLET combines a sleek, innovative travel wallet and the materials from a classic billfold. We’re curious whether it borrows the best from both worlds or if we’ll miss features from both. Let’s dive in and find out!

The Rundown

The LEMUR Travel WALLET is crafted from full-grain vegetable-tanned leather. At this time of this review, it comes in two versions: one in various colorways with silver stainless steel buttons and one in black with black brass caps. We have the latter on hand at Pack Hacker HQ!

The leather has a subtle shine and feels durable, though it isn’t very thick. That is handy for fitting it into tight pants but not for those who want something rugged enough for rock climbing trips. Still, leather will last decades of casual use if maintained properly, so keep that in mind.

The brass buttons are flatter than we initially thought from the images on LEMUR’s site, which makes it easier to slide into your pocket or sling without getting caught. The buttons are all brass—inside and out—which adds durability.

This wallet has three sections—one for cash, cards, and your passport. We’ll be the first to admit that the design is confusing at first. Still, we have to commend the unique design, which allows you to fit everything you need for a travel day without taking up too much space in your pocket, sling, or backpack.

The primary access method is via the two brass buttons on the wallet’s front face. From there, the storage areas are as follows: cards, a passport, and cash.

There are two card pockets, each rated for four cards. Three feel more comfortable, though four isn’t a chore. The more you stow here or the thicker they are, the harder it is to slide cards out. The top card is the easiest to access, so keep the one you plan to use most often there. Typically, this would be your ID or credit card.

The passport storage slot is simple—just slide it in. Your document is safe between two pieces of vegetable-tanned leather, and the card and cash sections add extra protection.

The cash storage area is simple, too. Bills from the United States won’t fit here without folding, and we expect this to be the case for most other currencies. In addition to cash, you can stow documents or an additional passport here. If you stow two passports, the buttons become challenging to close.

There’s a secondary access point from the wallet’s backside. A single brass button opens one of the wallet’s short sides, offering access to one of the card pockets. You can easily remove the top card from this position, though getting at the others is more challenging. Additionally, you can access the passport and cash storage areas, though they’re pretty flush with the sides of the wallet. In a pinch, you can slide things out without too much difficulty.

These are the only two access points that the wallet provides, which keeps things simple to use. The design takes some getting used to, but after a few days of use, you’ll be a wiz at grabbing your essentials to pay, identify yourself, or swipe onto public transit.

Packability

This wallet is pretty big but designed to hold a passport, so we can’t compare it to other standard models. If you like the design but want something smaller, check out LEMUR’s WALLET.

The travel wallet‘s footprint is similar to that of a standard passport, though it’s quite a bit thicker, especially when packed with gear. It’s roughly the thickness of a small mass-market paperback book.

The size enables it to fit into larger front pants pockets, though it won’t easily fit into the average pocket. Back pockets aren’t as much of an issue, but this wallet feels more at home in your sling, purse, or coat pocket.

Even though the buttons are pretty small, you can sometimes feel them poking into you, especially when you have it stowed inside tight pants pockets.

Quick Comparison

The Bellroy Travel Wallet is one of our favorite travel wallets, and it employs a much more classic design. Which is better? You decide!

The currency storage area on the Bellroy Travel Wallet is significantly wider, so you don’t have to fold bills to make them fit. In practice, this makes it quicker to get cash out, as your bills aren’t folded together. You can fit more than enough cash or documents in both wallets, but the Bellroy Travel Wallet is an easier experience when using bills. Additionally, the Bellroy has a hidden pocket divider, making it easy to separate currency or hide some for safekeeping.

The Bellroy Travel Wallet is larger than the LEMUR Travel WALLET; however, it’s hardly noticeable. It depends on how much you stow inside, but the Bellroy model is thinner in many situations. To get technical, the LEMUR is 84.96% of the area of the Bellroy, but as mentioned, it isn’t noticeable in use.

The Bellroy Travel Wallet works well with up to 10 cards, whereas the LEMUR can hold up to eight. You can sneak two passports into either wallet, but it feels more natural in the Bellroy. The Bellroy Travel Wallet also comes with (and has space for) a micro pen, which is handy at home and while traveling.

The Bellroy Travel Wallet is more like a classic billfold, and the LEMUR Travel WALLET is a modern take on the same idea. Both work well, but they’re different vibes to carry and use. We dig the brass buttons, but it takes a special person to appreciate using them. There’s something satisfying about opening and closing the wallet, which might be enough to sway some users!