Pioneer Flyfold 2.0 Review

In this review, we’re looking at the Pioneer Flyfold Wallet’s successor, the Flyfold Wallet 2.0. We like the original’s simplicity and lightweight design, though it has minimal organization. It’s more or less the same story for the Flyfold Wallet 2.0, though small improvements here and there make a big difference.

They’ve cleaned up the stitching, giving the Flyfold Wallet 2.0 a much more solid and refined quality. At the same time, though, the fabric isn’t as stiff as the original, so you can really feel your cards inside this minimalist wallet.

The Rundown

The key ingredient making the Flyfold Wallet 2.0 so thin is the 10XD material. According to Pioneer, this fabric is ten times stronger than steel and has a DWR finish that gives it a bit of water resistance. While it’s the same material as the original, we think the implementation is much cleaner in this iteration. The colorway of the sample we’re testing is Forest, by the way. It’s one of the two colorways that have RFID protection, with the other being the Onyx version.

First of all, the stitching is now much tidier. You can see a tiny bit of loose threading on the original, and Pioneer made sure to color within the lines on the Flyfold Wallet 2.0. The original also has visible bartack stitching on the inside, which is not present on the 2.0. That said, the 2.0 doesn’t feel lacking in terms of durability. If anything, it’s much tougher.

It’s also worth noting that they’ve smoothed out the corners on the Flyfold Wallet 2.0. The original has pointy corners, which could snag when you pull the wallet out of a pocket. And if there’s anything we know about pants pockets, there’s usually a loose thread or two just waiting to get snagged, so good job paying attention to detail here, Pioneer.

There are no magical mechanisms here, folks; the Flyfold Wallet 2.0 is simply what you’d call a billfold wallet. It unfolds, and voila! Everything is right in front of you with no loop and hook patches, snap fasteners, or zippers—not even magnets. Plenty of folks, ourselves included, dig simple and straightforward designs like that.

Inside, you get two inside-facing card slots and a lengthwise compartment for your banknotes. Apart from those pockets, however, there are no others to speak of, just the three. It’s the same basic layout as the original, and it’s admittedly minimal for those who travel with a lot of cards.

Fortunately, you can snuggly fit six cards in each card pocket, so there’s really no issue of capacity. We also like the inward-facing orientation since it prevents cards from falling out. The 10XD material is relatively slippery against PVC- and metal-based cards, so having the pockets’ openings up against the hinge makes sense. If the card pocket layout were horizontal and cascaded (and was made of leather that loosens over time), the chances of them falling out would be higher.

Accessibility is the reason we say the organization is minimal. Having six cards stacked on each side can leave you sorting through them to find the one you need. It’s one area where a cascaded card pocket layout has a clear advantage since you can see more of them at a glance.

The slot for your banknotes is a full-length compartment, so there’s no need to fold them. Note that taller banknotes, like the Japanese yen, may stick out a tiny bit. Pioneer left a relatively large amount of slack on the outer fabric. With room to expand when you open the wallet, you have a ton of room for cash despite its minimalist wallet-like size.

Packability

While the original Flyfold Wallet was already a thin wallet by most standards, the Flyfold Wallet 2.0 takes it up a notch. While overall thickness isn’t all that different, the softness sticks out to us. Unlike the original, you don’t need to break in the Flyfold Wallet 2.0 for a month. It’s ready to flex and bend right out of the box.

Out of the box, this wallet already takes the shape of the banknotes and cards inside. Once you have it in your pocket, the bulk almost entirely depends on what you want to carry. Whether it’s six cards and ten bills, or no cards and no bills, it rarely feels crowded because of the wallet itself.

Quick Comparison

The Flyfold 2.0 is far from the smallest wallet we’ve used. The NOMATIC Wallet and RE:FORM RE:02 (Card Holder) are clearly tinier. On the other hand, they’re not billfolds, so you’ll have to fuss around with folding and unfolding cash each time you pay with them. We’d say that wallets like those are more suited for users who rely more on cards than cash.

On the other hand, the Bellroy Slim Sleeve is a more traditional wallet made of leather and a good point of reference for those who may be thinking of leaving or staying with leather wallets. We like the Bellroy’s vertical orientation of the card slots, although they did stretch over time, leaving us wary that cards may fall out by accident. It’s also a much thicker wallet because of its leather construction—good if you dig the premium feel of it, but not if you’re looking to cut back on bulk.