Best Wallets of 2023: Our Top 5 Picks

Introduction

2023 was an unusually strong year for wallet releases. Picking a top five took far more back and forth than the year before, because the field was crowded with genuinely good designs rather than a few obvious standouts. The list below covers the five wallets that earned the highest spots, each one newly released in 2023, a new version of an older design, or new to us this year.

Every pick is built around real everyday-carry needs: card capacity, cash handling, quick access, and build quality. Some are minimalist and clean, others are anything but conventional. Here is how the top five shaped up.

5. Willow Swaddle Original (Upgraded)

The upgraded Willow Swaddle Original is a perfect example of a wallet qualifying through revised design. Willow removed the single stitch point at the bottom and replaced it with two rivets, which improves the overall structure of the wallet. The bigger change is on the back: the triangle thumb slider became a circular one, and that round slider also happens to hold an AirTag surprisingly well.

Beyond the upgrades, the design itself remains one of the most original we have come across. It is a vertical minimalist wallet with four pockets, three on the inside and one quick access pocket on the back, and those pockets can be reconfigured so the flaps sit on the outside, giving you two pockets on each side. Handmade in the USA from Badalassi Carlo Pueblo leather, including an Italian vegetable tan black option, it holds up to 20 cards, folded cash, and even coins when configured a certain way.

4. Alpha Leather Hidden Knife Wallet

This one is not for everybody, and that is part of its appeal. The Alpha Leather Hidden Knife Wallet, which we have taken to calling the John Wick wallet, hides a push dagger inside the wallet itself. Carrying that kind of blade is illegal in some states, so check your local laws before considering it.

What earns it a top-five spot is the design’s functionality. It is die-cut from top grain vegetable tan leather with a machine stitch, and despite our usual reservations about machine stitching, this one held up impressively after heavy carry. The expandable pockets flex based on how many cards or bills you load, with a movable flap adjusting capacity, making the wallet genuinely versatile. It holds up to 12 cards and 20 bills, has a quick access card pocket on the back, comes in four colors, uses 440C stainless for the knife, and is made in the USA.

3. Tempered Trail Johnny Cash Wallet

The Johnny Cash Wallet came out of left field for a lot of people, and it is only the second wallet design from Tempered Trail. It is sold as a special edition that changes monthly, so the October version shown here, with its Halloween-themed orange paracord lanyard, is no longer available. Each month may bring a different leather, color, or lanyard.

The construction is where it impresses: full grain Badalassi Carlo Pueblo leather, all hand cut and hand stitched with Ritza tiger thread. It holds five or more cards plus 20-plus bills across two pockets and a dedicated cash compartment, and you can leave the bills unfolded without them getting in the way. Unsnap the flap and the main card pocket is immediately accessible, with a quick access card pocket on the back. It is also made in the USA.

2. Open Sea Leather Topsider Bifold LT

For a long stretch, this was our number one pick. The Topsider Bifold LT is a vertical minimalist wallet made from full grain Pueblo vegetable tan leather, entirely hand stitched, and the quality is outstanding in the way we have come to expect from Open Sea Leather.

It holds 10-plus cards across three pockets plus unfolded bills in a dedicated rear cash compartment. If you prefer folding bills in half, you can still pluck them out from the side while the wallet stays closed, which is exactly how we like to carry. Open Sea essentially took the best elements from every other Topsider wallet and combined them here, making this the all-star of the lineup. It comes in two versions, with or without a rear quick draw pocket, and we chose the quick draw version for keeping a most-used card within easy reach. It even displaced the Hub 2.0 as our favorite Open Sea Leather wallet.

1. Speak Easy Leather Dillinger Wallet

The Dillinger is our current everyday carry, and it is hard to beat. Handmade from full grain vegetable tan Badalassi Carlo leather in the tobacco color, at 4.5 ounce weight, it feels substantial in the hand and is fully hand stitched. Speak Easy takes a signature aesthetic and carries it into every original design, and the Dillinger might be the best expression of that yet.

We were initially unsure about the stacked barrel snaps, but in practice they are barely noticeable, and honestly quite fidgety in a good way. The real trick is that you rarely need to open the wallet at all: squeeze the sides and your cards slide out from the top, making it effortless to pull out and return your most-used card. The cash compartment at the back holds bills folded in half, and small details like a single stitch that creates a pinch point to keep cards secure show the level of thought behind the design. It holds up to seven cards and 20 folded bills, with three barrel snap color choices, multiple leather and thread options, and even a choice of logo on the front.

Buying Advice

If you want maximum originality and reconfigurable carry, the Willow Swaddle Original is the most flexible design here. The Topsider Bifold LT is the safest all-around pick for premium hand-stitched quality, while the Dillinger rewards those who value quick card access and craftsmanship above all. The Johnny Cash Wallet suits buyers who enjoy rotating special editions, and the Hidden Knife Wallet is strictly for those in jurisdictions where carrying a push dagger is legal.

Conclusion

These five wallets represent the best of what 2023 offered: strong materials, thoughtful small details, and designs that solve everyday carry problems in distinct ways. The Dillinger earned the top spot for its blend of style, access, and build quality, but any of these five is a purchase worth considering depending on how you carry.