Decadent MinimalistDM1 Titanium Wallet 8-Card Stonewashed

My last (conventional) wallet was a large, leather trifold wallet that held quite large quantities of credit cards and other assorted cards, cash, and had a window for a driver’s license. I could also slide several business cards into the two-compartment cash area. It’s actually worked fairly well for the past 3 or 4 years that I’ve had it, although it’s a struggle if I’m wearing one of my suits, as those pants BARELY fit that large wallet. It takes a lot of precision maneuvers to extract the wallet from the back pocket with those pants. While that’s probably good from a pickpocketing perspective, it makes it difficult to deploy when you need it.Lately when I’ve been traveling internationally, I empty the wallet of most things that I don’t anticipate using on the trip, and pare it down to the bare essentials. The rest go into the top drawer of my nightstand. You know what? I’ve noticed that I really don’t have to put many of those cards back into my wallet once I get back home, because I don’t use them that often.So this began my journey to investigate alternative wallet strategies that were more compact and, ideally, would last longer than the leather wallets I’ve gone through. (Although I must admit that the large one previously mentioned has held up reasonably well.)Enter the Decadent Minimalist DM1. Even though the titanium version was so much more expensive than the aluminum one, I’m a sucker for anything with metallurgical superiority, so I ponied up the extra cash for the 12-card titanium model, and also got the titanium money clip.Getting the cards into the DM1 was straightforward. Once one card is in place, push it down with your thumb and then slide it out part way. This opens the “mouth” of the DM1, and makes it very easy to add new cards. Once everything is in place, slide them all back into place like you would put a deck of cards back into its box. There is a satisfying “click” to acknowledge the lock, and the cards are now firmly in place. You can now turn the wallet upside down, shake it around, and play catch with it, and the cards all stay put; nothing falls out.To get to a card when you want it, simply push down on the top card and slide it partially out. This stents the DM1 open to allow either that card or other cards to be extracted. Then slide the cards out underneath it until you get the one you want, and pull it out. Do the opposite to replace it again, and slide them all back home to engage the locking mechanism once more. It works shockingly well.What I’ve done is to put my most-used card on top, and my least-used one on the bottom. I have a general sense of which ones lie in between, so it’s pretty easy to get to the one I want. The money clip takes the place of the very bottom card, and extends out the back. I currently have 3 US $20 bills and a $5 bill folded twice (ie, in fourths) and although it looks like a relatively loose fit, it hasn’t budged in the few weeks I’ve been playing with it. I haven’t yet tried it with Euros or Pounds, but I imagine with some degree of folding it shouldn’t matter too much. (Although, unlike US dollars, those currencies are various physical sizes, so that might introduce another potential complication.)I’ve never been in the habit of using a money clip before, so I anticipate some degree of a learning curve here. Realistically, however, I find myself conducting the majority of my transactions using either plastic or my phone (Apple Pay), and this is likely to be even more true in the future.The construction quality is great. The DM1 is lightweight but satisfyingly rigid. There is no aspect of flimsiness here; it is a solid hunk of metal that will outlast its owner.The downsides? Obviously one is the price; if you go titanium all the way, the DM1 plus its money clip come to nearly $200. Although my current (good quality) leather wallet, which I purchased in London several years ago, cost nearly that. And the DM1 should run circles around the leather wallet in longevity.Another downside is that the titanium DM1 is available in multiple finishes, but the money clip is not. So there is a little visual disconnect between the two (I have one of the darker finishes on the DM1, so its money clip is noticeably lighter in color). I know several women whom I guarantee would have an issue with this, but as a typical guy it’s not really a big problem for me; just knowing it’s functional and made of titanium is all I really care about.My wish list would include having an option for a DM1 just slightly larger than the 12-card version. After all, the money clip effectively takes up a slot, so it’s really an 11-card wallet. Now factor in a driver’s license, health insurance card, a Global Entry card, 3-4 credit cards, and various membership/customer loyalty cards (grocery stores, Costco, etc) and you’ve pretty much filled up the largest-sized DM1. I’m not sure that a 16-card size would really be necessary (the other sizes are all multiples of 4, so this would be the logical next size); I think a 14-card option would probably be ideal. After all, my minimal complement of credit cards nowadays is my American Express (my primary credit card), a Visa (for the places that don’t take the AmEx), and a specialty credit card that allows Chip+PIN usage (a rarity for American credit cards, this is incredibly useful in a train station in Europe, for instance). And that’s just credit cards; we haven’t yet included various membership/ID cards.Overall, the Decadent Minimalist DM1 is a brilliantly-designed hunk of metal. Yes, it’s pricey, but so are good-quality conventional wallets. And this one is functional and should last a lifetime.If you’re ready to take the plunge on a whole different take on a wallet, I highly recommend going straight to the DM1.

Simple, elegant, no moving parts and awesome material (Titanium). A bit expensive but consider the fact that you would have to loose it or throw it away because this thing will definitely outlive you and your great grandkids. I bought the titanium Money Clip too and the colors match. The one I got holds 8 cards, and you really don't need more than that. Money Clip its not bad, just make sure you got at least 6 bills otherwise they fit a bit loose. I would definitely buy this again or give as a gift to someone who appreciates minimalistic and functional design.

I've had this for over a year now, and it's still working perfectly, no bend or loosening up. Love it!

Great product. Great engineering. I get alot of compliments for it.

I love these wallets. I purchased the aluminum model first and it started bending real bad after 2 years, so I upgraded to Titanium and this puppy is no joke. I’ve had it for almost two years now and it still looks like day one. Excellent color (the dark grey) and extremely durable. I love my minimalist wallet!

Beautifully crafted wallet. I'm sure this will be the last wallet I will every need. Works perfectly....holds all the cards (8) in securely. Excellent design. May buy the other sizes just to have.... and the money clip.

I got a lower price with card incentives. Works great. Holds 5 flat cards if you turn raised digit card to the outside.

Gave it four rather than five stars because of the price. No question that It seems ridiculously expensive. I bought it directly from Decadent Minimalist web site and also purchased the expensive money clip add on. So I ordered it at 3 PM and paid extra for next day shipped. Fed Ex delivered it at 11:30 am the next morning. Expectations more than met for shipping, especially since I ordered it well after their 2 PM deadline for next day. On arrival I started trying it out. First impression was that I would have to return it. Cards did not slide in or out easily. But when holding the "wallet" on the short end, cards went in and out easily. I bought the 12 card version. The money clip takes up the space for one card (or perhaps even two). But that easily leaves room for 10 more cards. With my license and an ID card, that's enough for me: a couple of debit cards, three credit cards, Costco card, and an odd another two. I don't think I could every justify the cost to anyone, but functionally it is what I have been looking for for years. So, despite the cost, I ma delighted with my purchase.