A Wallet Reboot of Sorts
Last year, the SnapBack Slim (1.0) was launched as a Kickstarter project. I reviewed it here after receiving an early model, and have been using it frequently to gauge its longevity over time. It’s held up well, and I can attest, several months later, that I stick to my initial impressions about it:
- As an elastic, minimalist wallet, the original Snapback Slim proved superior to other attempts at a similar design by employing an elastic band around the main wallet cavity to hold non-card paraphernalia like cash
- The elastic band doubles as a strap for the wallet while exercising or exerting oneself in such a way that you, well, can’t put your wallet in a pocket
- It felt strong enough to to reassure against any uncertainty regarding sewing quality (and still holds up after several months of frequent use)
The Snapback Slim wasn’t without its faults, though. Namely, I found the elastic strap a bit mellow — it certainly held cash, but it didn’t feel particularly taut for, say, loading it with a small quantity of one or two bills. Additionally, the inseam of the elastic band was off-putting: it was positioned on the inside of one of the wallet’s ends, and it not only interfered with loading cards into the wallet (they would have to be pushed against one side or the other), but it also fattened the look of one side of the wallet. Aesthetically, it just didn’t seem like that should happen.
So when I heard that Nick Augeri, the designer of the Snapback Slim, was working on a revision to his original concept, I was pleased. He had decided, much like the recently kickstarted Baron Fig notebook, to relentless refine his product. The original Snapback Slim was a great product — and, only after a short period of use, it’s clear that the Snapback Slim 2.0 is even better.
Initial Impressions
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<noscript><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/eeb9b97ca9.jpg" alt="The superior Snapback Slim 2.0" /></noscript><img class="thumb-image" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/eeb9b97ca9.jpg" data-image="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/eeb9b97ca9.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1280x1280" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="The superior Snapback Slim 2.0" data-load="false" data-image-id="5399d680e4b0a25f5a3e0b9d" data-type="image" />
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<div class="image-caption"><p>The superior Snapback Slim 2.0</p></div>
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<noscript><img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/22f6dc16f0.jpg" alt="The new Snapback Slim slash logo embossed on the elastic" /></noscript><img class="thumb-image" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/22f6dc16f0.jpg" data-image="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/25423/2023/22f6dc16f0.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2500x1875" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="The new Snapback Slim slash logo embossed on the elastic" data-load="false" data-image-id="53991188e4b07a79ffe432d3" data-type="image" />
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<div class="image-caption"><p>The new Snapback Slim slash logo embossed on the elastic</p></div>
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First things first: the second revision of this wallet feels much, much stronger (yes, stronger -- when you're using a material like elastic for a wallet, you want it to feel as far from shoddy as it can get). This obviously sturdier build quality to the entire wallet gives me the impression that Nick may have even started from scratch with the design. The material feels denser and tougher than before by an order of magnitude. Perhaps this feel is best exemplified in the new snap band (the outer elastic strip intended for holding your cash and other items separate from your cards). The band hugs the entire wallet like a terrified child to his parent. Oddly, it does this so well that it was a pain to load the wallet for the first time because I idiotically kept the snap band wrapped around the body of the wallet. So a word of advice: don't load the wallet with the band around it -- you'll struggle.
Once I had the wallet loaded, everything felt perfect. My most used cards, positioned on the easily extractable inner sides of the wallet, smoothly slipped in and out. The snap band felt more than adept with just a few small bills, and I have to imagine that confident elasticity won’t diminish any time soon. In short, this 2.0 version of the Snapback Slim fixes the original problem around the looser snap band.
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So, how about that inseam? Happy to say that the gluttonously present stitching in the previous version has been positively refined. While it still sits at the far edge of the main inner compartment, it is more deftly stitched into a tighter wind that rests with the sides of your cards, not separating them as before. This is a notable change in how the wallet operates with several cards installed — whereas it used to fan out at one end (like the thick side of an ax head), it now rests slimmer and more uniform. Again, version 2.0 addressed the only real annoyance I had with the original one.
TL;DR But You’re Already This Far
If you like slim wallets, and would like one with more than just a single compartment to dump everything into (ahem, Supr Slim wallet), you should back this smartly revised iteration of the Snapback Slim. If you have the original Snapback Slim, you’re probably still fine using it. It’s like an iPhone 5s to an iPhone 5 model comparison. Either way, it’s a minimal, slick little wallet that holds cards and cash very well. And it’s priced quite right, especially at the early bird specials. You can find the Snapback Slim 2.0 right here on Kickstarter.
If you’re interested in reading my original impressions of the Snapback Slim 1.0, here’s the review.
Full disclosure: I received an advance build of the Snapback Slim 2.0 ahead of the Kickstarter project launch, so I’m reviewing a 99% completed version of the product. The logo placement in my photos is slightly unjustified in the center of the snap band, but the final builds — as you can see in the Kickstarter project — are perfectly aligned. And as always, I’m keeping my impressions honest.