Tom Bihn Nik's Minimalist Wallet Review
A review of Tom Bihn's newest addition: Nik's Minimalist Wallet. Lightweight, simple and clean. How does it perform during day-to-day usage?
![Tom Bihn Nik's Minimalist Wallet Review](/content/images/size/w1200/2022/09/image-20.jpeg)
Wallets are one of the most used and carried personal goods in our life. In the beginning, just like anyone, I was carrying a bulky and big wallet. However with time I've discovered that it's possible to carry a wallet that is simpler and more minimal.
When I visited the Tom Bihn factory last year in December, Nik himself was kind enough to provide me several of his new designs: The Tom Bihn Nik's Minimalist Wallets!
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-190.png)
Nik designed this wallet for the minimalist out there. For those who carry only their essentials.
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-191.png)
These wallets were designed to meet the following design criteria:
- It should be simple and have a clean design
- Should be lightweight and not heavy
- Should only have a place to carry a couple of credit cards, driver's license, etc.. Design should be limited by default to avoid bulkiness
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-192.png)
The wallet can fit up to 6 credit cards or depending on the card thickness 3-4 credit cards and 4-6 ID's (health insurance, membership cards, etc..). This gives you enough space to carry all your important cards.
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-193.png)
The wallets come in multiple varieties (ranging from $24 up to $32). They all are identical in size, but they slightly look different and have small features builtin:
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-194.png)
- Wallet #1: This is the original wallet and the most minimalist of them all. This is also the one I'm using (black color). It has only two interior fabric pockets.
- Wallet #2: Just like Wallet #1, but one of the interior fabric pockets is using a clear urethane. Perfect to display your ID.
- Wallet #3 & Wallet #4: These versions have one additional exterior pocket in addition to the two interior pockets (one fabric and one clear urethane). Wallet #4 is exactly the same as Wallet #3 except for one key difference. A small webbing loop. This allows you to attach it to your bag in a secure way.
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-195.png)
The most interesting difference compared to other minimalist wallets I have carried is how unstructured Nik's Minimalist Wallet is. It's not stiff and very soft. It becomes rigid only when you put some cards in it.
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-196.png)
Unlike a classic wallet that is usually made of leather, Nik's Minimalist wallet uses two light materials to cut the down the weight even more: 210 Ballistic nylon - or - 400d Halcyon.
![](https://arslan.io/content/images/2022/09/image-197.png)
Some couple of final thoughts after using it for almost 5-6 months:
- If you're using a lot of cash, this wallet might be not for you. It's not thick enough to carry a large amount of cash, second, you need to tri-fold your cash bills (just folding it once doesn't work). I was already using a minimalist wallet for years so I hadn't any issues with it, but it's something you should be aware of.
- It's remarkable light. It happened a lot to me that I went back home, thinking I've forgotten my wallet, even though it was in my front pocket.
Overall I really like Tom Bihn Nik's Minimalist Wallet due it's size and weight. I never feel like I'm carrying something which is a huge plus for me. I know it's also very limiting, but I've managed to use minimalist wallets now for years and I can't go back using a big & bulky wallet.