Gear Review: Ragged Edge Carbon Fiber Wallet

International travel is a highly unique experience, and the act reveals much about ourselves and the things we carry. Those who travel far and often are a ritualistic and superstitious bunch (or maybe its just me). With so many variables that are completely out of your control such as weather, delays, malfunctions, language challenges and the whims of airline and transit employees that run the gamut from indifferent to pure naked evil, you want to be ready for anything.

These factors affect each traveler differently, but for many it creates a laser-like focus on the reliability of the things we choose to bring with us. Missed a connection? Those better be damn comfortable pants because now you need to get another 18 hours out of them. Terminal change at Heathrow? I sure hope your carry on wheels roll true and that handle deploys smoothly every time because youve got at least three hours of walking, buses, elevators, escalators, tunnels and guards with automatic weapons to navigate to get to that connection.

Travel mantra: today is not the day I get shot or mauled

But what in seven continents is more important to the traveler than his or her wallet? Whether youre going to the coffee shop in your flip flops and yesterdays t shirt or to Shanghai for a week of factory tours, heavy drinking and insane taxi rides (as in pray-to-your-deity-for-safe-passage-insane), there are things you carry everywhere and every day. For me that consists of a drivers license, insurance card, credit cards, local currency and a religious mojo I got at a temple in Taiwan for safe travels. At least thats what they told me; a little pantheistic insurance cant hurt, right?

Ragged Edge Gear produces truly unique products for your pocket. Made in the USA of carbon fiber sailcloth and Kevlar fabrics, these are ready to stand up to serious duty and the occasional monkey knife fight. I got the Carbon Fiber Border Bifold ID Wallet ($50) that features a separator to keep my Americanese money away from my funny money covered with Chairman Meow. Dont want them mixing, you know? And while Im on the subject, why in the Sam Hill cant all foreign currency notes be the same damn size? Pretty please?

So where was I? Oh yes, the billfold. This wallet took a while to take the supple curve of my ass, but rest assured that a little dedication and patience during the breaking in process will produce for you a piece of rump luggage that youll forget is there. Of course this could be a liability in some instances, so be careful. Customs officials and bartenders the world over have little patience for the I lost my wallet song and dance.

Every time I pulled out this wallet among my bicycle industry cronies I got the Sweet dude look: they knew and so will you. A carbon fiber wallet is 100% unnecessary, 10 tons of cash-carrying overkill, and pure kickass in your pocket.

Note to bike shop people: Ragged Edge is looking for shops interested in carrying their products. If you’ve got a desire to get just a little more carbon in your store, drop them a line.

Thanks to the folks at Ragged Edge for providing the wallet for review.