Akeeni got in touch with me and asked if I would take a look at their latest slim wallet…the XSTO. I have really gotten to like slim wallets over the past couple of years. Once you get used to having one, you will never go back to carrying around a huge wallet full of stuff you don’t really need. It really is amazing how much stuff I was carrying around with me that I really didn’t use.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The AKeeni XSTO Slim Wallet
The Akeeni XSTO is a stackable card design that is available in several different sizes ranging from a 4 card version all the way up to a 10 card. I opted for the 6 card version for the purposes of this review. The wallet can also hold an addition 8 bills and 5 business cards in the other sections of the wallet.
The frame is a powder coated aluminum cage that is available in a lot of different colors. I am a “you can have any color you want as long as it is black” kind of guy so I got the black version. The cards slide into the cage and there is a metal card that acts as a spring to keep the pressure on the cards in the cage. On the outside, there is an additional slot for your ID or business cards. If you want to carry cash or receipts, they conveniently slide under the card area where the metal spring is. Overall…pretty simplistic design that functions really well.
Akeeni also offers there accessories for the wallet to personalize it and have some added features. I added the carbon card to cover my ID, a designed spring to add a little bit of flare and the cover card to hide my credit card numbers while they are in the wallet. The accessories are very cheap and add some function/style to the wallet if you want to go that route.
The wallet retails for $64 in the 6 card configuration and I spent $13 on the additional accessories.
Akeeni XSTO Wallet Review
I have been using the XSTO wallet now for about 2 months of full time use for both personal and some business travel (finally!). So what did I end up liking about the wallet?
XSTO Wallet – The Good
I really like the design of the XSTO wallet. For a metal wallet, there are no sharp edges like I found with the Ridge Wallet. Every edge is a soft radius and I don’t have to worry about the edges of the wallet scratching anything else in my pocket. The powder coat finish is really well done. The wallet shows zero signs of wear after a lot of use. I also like the fact that the branding is really subdued. Some of the slim wallets have bright, in your face branding that I really do not like.
The card holding area functions just as advertised. Whether you are using 2 to 3 cards or loading it up with the full 6 cards, they stay put thanks to the spring pressure and the click in design. I have to admit…the click in of the cards into the wallet is almost too satisfying. I often find myself just pulling the cards in and out for no reason just because it is something to play with. I never once felt like the cards were going to fall out of the wallet.
The ID/business card slot also works really well. I found that I really appreciated having that section separate from the card section. You do not have to go searching through your card stack to access items that you often use separate from your cards. That was a great idea on the design process. I don’t normally carry cash, but putting it behind the cards is easy, out of the way and doesn’t effect the card section at all. I found this area great as a temporary slot for receipts I needed to keep.
The accessories I got for the wallet provided some uniqueness but also some function. At first, I didn’t like the idea of the card numbers being visible if I just wanted to lay my wallet on a table. The black cover card is an easy way to finish off the design and provide that protection. It is also thin enough to not take up additional space for cards. The same can be said for the carbon card on the ID side. I love the look of carbon and it finishes the wallet off nicely. The map spring that I opted for has ZERO additional function…but it does look nice.
XSTO Wallet – The Bad
There is a lot I liked about the XSTO wallet as you can tell from above. There is only one thing that I am still having a hard time getting used to…the actual function of the wallet.
To access your cards and get the one you need, you have to fan the cards out to the side of the wallet. This is pretty typical for any stacked design. The difference with the XSTO is that they come out both sides and they don’t fan out. You have to spread them horizontally to get the card you want. If you have several cards that look alike, it is hard to differentiate between them.
Akeeni makes a video showing you how you can get your cards in and out (and it does help) but I did find myself fumbling for cards a lot when using it at places like the grocery store. Half the time I would end up taking several cards out, getting the card I need and then reinserting the group of cards back in all at once. It could be that I just am not that great at it but it is something to consider. Other than that…there really wasn’t much I didn’t like about the quality and function of the wallet in daily use.
Overall Thoughts – Akeeni XSTO Slim Wallet
As far as metal, stack design slim wallets go…I think this one is my favorite so far. The main reasons for this come down to several design elements.
First, most metal slim wallets have sharp edges that can cause problems when you are carrying them in your pocket with other items. That is not the case with the XSTO. They did a great job on the design to insure it didn’t have any sharp edges.
And most importantly…the separate sections for your ID/business cards and cash/receipts without adding any additional width to the wallet is awesome. You do not have any money clips, straps or anything else to deal with while still getting that function that works really well in practice. That is the part that I think really sets this slim wallet apart from ones with a similar design.
