When you think of EDC (every day carry), one usually doesn’t always think about wallets. Decadent Minimalist has a small compact solution, called the DM1, for carrying cards and/or cash. I talked with them at Blade Show West last year. Eventually they persuaded me to try them out. So as you can guess, Decadent Minimalist did supply these for review.

I had looked into other minimalist style wallets before. The style of the DM1 caught my eye. It doesn’t use elastic or spacers like some of the other minimalist wallets out there. There is an option for a money/carry clip. It comes in a number of “card” quantities. Plus you can get it in a number of colors!

This DM1 EDC wallet is really small. The wallet is only slightly bigger than a credit card. Actual size is 3.53 inches by 2.38 inches. It is open at one end also, so the dimensions are a little misleading. The thickness depends on how many cards it can hold. A 4 card is 0.23 inches thick, while the 12 card is 0.51” thick. They also weigh in at 0.46-0.89 ounces. Even if you carry a normal wallet most of the time, there are places where the Minimalist wallet fits in. It is so small that it works great if you are going to the gym, or just running to the store late at night. Just pick it up and go.

Using the Decadent Minimalist is one of it’s shining features. All one has to do is just take a card, slide it into the open end, and listen or feel for the “click”. The cards do actually make an audible click when inserting them. You can also feel this click. To sort through the card in the wallet, just move the top one out of the way with your thumb. If that is the one you want, just continue sliding it out. However, if you want one of the cards in the middle, just slide the top card out enough until you can slide the card or cards under it out. You may actually find yourself doing this just because it is kind of cool. I may or may not know from experience.

Decadent Minimalist sent me two different wallets. One is a 5 card in purple anodizing. It looks blue in the photo’s, but it really is purple. The other one is a 8 card in O.D. green cerakote. The O.D. one also has a matching money clip. The money clip also slides in like a card, therefore it will take up 1 of your card slots. So essentially, it turns it into a 7 card wallet. The money clip is a separately purchased item, so you can get it later if you want. I’ve used the money clip for cash money, and it works okay. But where the money clip shines, is when one uses it as a pocket clip. You can just clip the wallet over a pocket, like you would a pocket knife or something. This frees you up from having to rummage around in your pocket to find it. I personally didn’t use the clip for money, even though I did try it out. I do use the clip as a pocket clip though.

The Decadent Minimalist DM1 is nicely constructed. Decadent starts with a billet of 6061-T6 aluminum, and then CNC machines the wallet out. It isn’t the cheapest way, but it sure makes a nice wallet. My only complaint about the wallet, is where I bent it. It is very minor. The bend happened near the front of the wallet. There is what I call a “key hole” cut out. It bent down slightly and now puts more pressure on the top card. These are also not RFID blocking wallets. Decadent Minimalist does however offer RFID blocking cards. These cards do however take up 2 card slots.

One neat feature that Decadent Minimalist offers is custom engraving. It looks to be laser engraved, but don’t quote me on that. Either way, the wallets they sent were both engraved with “Gun & Gear Review Podcast” and the “www.firearmsinsider.tv”. These engravings added a nice touch that I was not expecting. So if you are giving a DM1 as a gift for something special, have it engraved.

I now carry the 5 card DM1 everyday. It makes carrying and using cards really easy. Decadent Minimalist has really done a nice job with the DM1. It may be more expensive than some others, but small lightweight things seem to always cost more. It is also made in USA. Go give the DM1 a look.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Minimalist credit card wallet

Target Market:

Those wanting a wallet that doesn’t take up much space

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Small credit card style wallet
6061-T6 aluminum construction
Anodized or Cerakoted for durability
0.46-0.89 ounces
Optional money/pocket clip
Optional engraving
Audible “click” when card is inserted
Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Way too many to list, click HERE

What others are saying?:

4 out 5 stars on Amazon

Some unaddressed criticisms...

I've been using this for about a week now so I think I'm ready to give my first impressions on it. Honestly, I flip flop between this being a really hated wallet and a really loved wallet, but I think I love it more often than not plus I am extremely picky so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it 4 stars. So besides the obvious stuff that's gone over in the descriptions, advertisements, and other comments, I'll address some other things.

I purchased the 8 card holder and started testing it's capacity. I tried used cards that do not have any embossed numbers on them (the numbers that pop out). I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to fit 10 cards! However realistically it's probably unlikely that you have no cards with any embossing on them since most credit cards do.

Next I tried the same capacity test using only embossed cards. If I place them in, all upright and in the same direction, I found I could fit no more than 7 cards into the wallet. That's a bit of a disappointment since it goes directly against the item's description, but again it is unlikely you would do this (for example ID cards have no embossing and you'll probably carry that with you). When I rearranged the cards, placing the embossed sides facing each other, as well as upside down so the numbers don't hit each other, I was able to fit in 8 cards. This method made it really hard to recognize the individual cards, let alone get to them. Again, this is an extreme scenario that you will unlikely encounter.

Personally I carry 5 embossed cards and 3 non embossed, including one very very thin card, for a total of 8 cards and it fits very well for my needs. I place all my "money" cards (credit, debit, gift, etc) on one side of the wallet. Then I flip it upside down and insert my various ID cards. This way I have two "front" sides to the wallet and I can access my ID and my most used credit card without searching beyond the first card.

Next, this wallet is super light! There have been many times I panicked when I thought I forgot my wallet only to find it in my jacket's pocket when I searched for it. If you put the wallet in your pants you won't feel the weight but it'll at least hit your leg when you walk so you remember it's there.

The lightness of the wallet can also make it difficult to operate the wallet one handed. You don't have gravity to assist you since the wallet is so light and it locks on to your cards so tightly. It is possible, but requires some practice. I still end up using both hands most of the time - this is compared to my previous minimalist wallet that allowed access to most cards one handed but was also much larger/heavier.

Last, I want to note that the wallet will make noise if you do not pack it tight. Even if you only put one card in, the wallet will definitely not accidentally let go. It is very secure. However that card will bounce around inside the wallet making noises. This is very annoying to me, YMMV. The noise gets less and less as you put more in the wallet, but even at 7 cards, the wallet will still make some noise. I imagine all 'hard case' wallets suffer from this so I can't blame the product too much, it's just that I'm used to 'soft case' wallets and I'm very easily annoyed.

In any case I'll continue using it and will update if I find any other issues with it. That said, I still really like the wallet. For the 'pros' of the wallet, just read everyone else's comments!