When I was asked which Bellroy Elements wallet I wanted to test and review I knew exactly which one to pick; The Elements Pocket. Constructed using water resistant “all-weather leather” the Bellroy Elements range is targeted to those looking for some added weather protection so perfect but not limited to the outdoorsy type.

As someone who dislikes bulky weighed down pockets, I was worried the wallet would arrive and I’d be disappointed at the bulk of it but quite the opposite happened.

All the Elements range comes in a beautiful topography printed envelope and for me the packaging is 1/3 of product satisfaction. Inside I found my wallet, a small wonderfully constructed wallet with water-resistant zippers that was no bigger than the cardholder I was previously using….

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Said to have enough space for up to 15 cards I thought I’d put it to the test and stuffed it with visa cards and business cards and sure enough it took 15, though it did take a little force to close.

First impressions were good and now with nearly 2 weeks of use I’m happy to say the Bellroy Elements Pocket is close to a perfect zipper wallet. Once I got past the initial wearing in period with the zipper, which is fairly stiff at first, the wallet opens easily and happily accommodates my essentials.

The two side sleeves can easily take 2 hard cards such as Visa and Drivers License, I would however avoid adding a third as I found it makes for clumsy work when trying to remove one of the cards. As well as being for card overflow, the centre of the wallet is good for bank notes but you will have to fold them in thirds, so if you’re like me that usually folds notes directly in the middle, be prepared to scream a little inside. When not carrying notes or cards in the centre then it’s great for taking coins. I managed to fit £8 1 pound coins on my last ride with the wallet.

The size of the wallet is perfect for back pocket carrying, like I mentioned I really dislike bulky wallets but the Bellroy slim and smart construction meant that even when it was full it kept a slim body so it didn’t look like I was carrying a brick in my back pocket.

What about when in it’s elements? Having been pretty busy with travelling for work I’ve not had a lot of chance to take it out in a dirty wet environments, however it has been in my jersey pocket every ride I’ve been on, and with the Indian summer the UK seems to be having, the last few riders have been warm and sweaty, but the wallet definitely performed. While the all-weather leather is damp from sweat, the inside has stayed perfectly dry and because of it’s slender size you don’t even notice it’s in your jersey pocket.

Though not as big as say a Rapha Essentials Case, and you wont be able to fit a tube or a canister, the Bellroy wallet is perfect for carrying money for when you get to a café and some spare patches.

My only really criticism is the zipper is quite large and therefore catches on the corners of my cards making them break at the corners which is disappointing when handing a business card to someone. I think if there was any way of extending the height of the wallet slightly or lowering the two-side sleeves it would eliminate this problem, but apart from that this wallet is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

Now, if you want something to carry bike repair equipment then this wallet isn’t for you, but if you’re looking for a slim wallet that stays slim, protects its contents from the weather and other environmental elements and looks smart then this is the perfect choice.

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