Trayvax Summit Low Profile Minimalist Wallet
A friend of mine recently gave me a Trayvax Summit wallet, with the condition that I write a review about it. Given I was already interested in trying out a minimalist wallet, I jumped at the opportunity.
My biggest concern with switching to a minimalist wallet was the lack of space compared to a traditional bifold or trifold wallet. I’m notorious for keeping gift cards, loyalty cards, and various other items in my wallet that I truly don’t use often. When my friend asked if I were interested, I decided to take inventory and truly consider whether I could thin down my everyday carry to just what would fit in the 8-ish card maximum capacity of the Trayvax Summit.
Of the cards that I had in my wallet at the time, a few were absolutely necessary to keep on me. Driver’s license, credit card, and debit card are standard inclusions. I frequently donate blood, and I visit my local library at least once per week, so I need both of those cards until they decide to support some sort of digital identification. The bulk of my necessary cards are those related to insurance. Medical insurance, dental insurance, pharmacy insurance, and flex spending cards aren’t things I use frequently, but they are items that I could need very urgently with very little warning. As such, I decided they deserve a permanent place in my wallet. My backup credit card, as well as a few membership cards and my expired concealed weapons permit could hang out in my old wallet, stuffed in my EDC bag. If I did need those, I would likely know early enough to plan for.
With that deduction, I figured I could probably deal with cutting out a few of my cards, and it was worth trying out the wallet. I swapped everything over and decided to at least use it for a few weeks. If I didn’t like it, or if anything particularly bad happened that I could have avoided with the contents of my old wallet, I would switch back.
About the Wallet
The cards are held in with a fabric strap, which is wrapped around the money clip. This is what allows the Trayvax to accommodate a varying number or thickness of cards. With fewer cards or less collective thickness, you can synch the strap down to keep them tight. At its maximum extension, the strap can hold cards snugly in the angled piece that keeps them from falling out the bottom. Letting the strap in and out can be annoying, but it is something you shouldn’t have to do often. If you add or remove cards from your daily carry, the strap will need to be adjusted. Otherwise, it slowly gains slack from repeated use, but that doesn’t account for tightening it more than once or twice per month.
Technically, the Summit has been discontinued in favor of the Armored Summit. Essentially, the “armored” part is another metal plate that secures on the other side of the cards. Per my understanding, it does have some RFID blocking properties, if that is a concern of yours. The standard Summit is sufficient for my needs, but those who are more careful with their cards do have an option available with some extra protection.
Trayvax is a USA based company, and the wallets are manufactured here in the company. That isn’t something that I personally care much about, but I do know it factors into the purchase decision for some people. I didn’t have to deal with their support center, but I would imagine it results in a better experience if you do.
My Experience
The first thing I noticed was that one card is always on constant display. Obviously, I would be ill advised to stick my credit card on top, and give away such sensitive information to everyone who might see the wallet in my hand. Similarly, I wouldn’t want my driver’s license broadcast to the world, but it would be handy to keep it at hand for the occasional traffic stop. I initially put my blood donor card on top, since it doesn’t have any identifying information on display. Eventually, I elected to put my library card on top. I use it much more frequently than my blood donor card, and it serves as a little sort of flair to personalize my wallet. I’m a proud supporter of my local library, and that’s a small way to show it off.
Using cash with the Trayvax is a pain. It doesn’t hold more than 5 bills, and having to take everything out and unfold the bills before I can use them is annoying and time consuming. The bills in my old trifold were ordered smallest to greatest, and I could pull out single bills at a time. As much as this is a point against the Trayvax, I rarely use cash. I can keep an emergency $20 on me, plus a few bills for tips where necessary, and I'm usually covered. If I do need to use cash, I can stuff the change in my pocket and deal with putting the wallet back together later.
Cards are significantly more tidy and easy to use. While I can’t have them sorted out into individual pockets like I could with my trifold, I really only use 2 or 3 cards with any reasonable frequency. I keep my credit card and library card on top, and I keep my driver’s license underneath the cash clip on the other side. Beyond those 3, I don’t use the other cards more than once every few weeks at most. Pull cards off the top until I find the one I need, use it, and replace them all. The entire operation probably doesn’t take more than a few seconds longer than it would have with my trifold, and it is an absolutely minimal encumbrance. And honestly, I’ve hard cards bend across the top of the pocket, so the Trayvax actually seems to protect my cards from damage.
The strap system is functional, if slightly annoying. If I had to tinker with it more frequently, it would be more of a criticism of the Trayvax, but it holds firm for several weeks at a time. Adjusting it isn’t any more difficult than pulling the stack of cards out, sliding it a smidge through the buckle area, and replacing everything. The edges are all smooth, so it doesn’t seem to catch on my pocket at all. The build quality feels pretty sturdy, a lot better than the flimsy fake leather trifolds that I’ve used for most of my life. All in all, it’s a solid little piece of daily carry equipment.
Takeaway
A month later, I’m still using the Trayvax Summit singularly. Aside from a single incident where I left the wallet at home and had to use my backup credit card from my old wallet in my bag, I haven’t had any issues. Make of that what you will.
The problem with wallets is that everyone has different needs and tendencies. If you use a lot of cash, I wouldn’t recommend the Trayvax Summit. If you regularly need more than 8 cards, this wallet probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re curious about the minimalist lifestyle and you can pare down your EDC to something that fits, the Trayvax Summit is a genuinely neat little package. With a smaller price tag than other minimalist wallets, this is a more approachable option that doesn’t put as much on the line in case you hate it.
Resources:
blessthisstuff. (n.d.). Trayvax Summit Wallet. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/wear/wallets/trayvax-summit-wallet/.
Strietelmeier, J. (2016, August 24). Trayvax Summit minimalist wallet review. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/04/24/trayvax-summit-minimalist-wallet-review/.
Trayvax. (n.d.). Armored Summit Wallet. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://www.trayvax.com/products/armored-summit.
What You Carry. (2017, September 29). Trayvax Summit Wallet Review: A Minimalist’s Dream. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from http://whatyoucarry.com/trayvax-summit-wallet-review/.
My biggest concern with switching to a minimalist wallet was the lack of space compared to a traditional bifold or trifold wallet. I’m notorious for keeping gift cards, loyalty cards, and various other items in my wallet that I truly don’t use often. When my friend asked if I were interested, I decided to take inventory and truly consider whether I could thin down my everyday carry to just what would fit in the 8-ish card maximum capacity of the Trayvax Summit.
Of the cards that I had in my wallet at the time, a few were absolutely necessary to keep on me. Driver’s license, credit card, and debit card are standard inclusions. I frequently donate blood, and I visit my local library at least once per week, so I need both of those cards until they decide to support some sort of digital identification. The bulk of my necessary cards are those related to insurance. Medical insurance, dental insurance, pharmacy insurance, and flex spending cards aren’t things I use frequently, but they are items that I could need very urgently with very little warning. As such, I decided they deserve a permanent place in my wallet. My backup credit card, as well as a few membership cards and my expired concealed weapons permit could hang out in my old wallet, stuffed in my EDC bag. If I did need those, I would likely know early enough to plan for.
With that deduction, I figured I could probably deal with cutting out a few of my cards, and it was worth trying out the wallet. I swapped everything over and decided to at least use it for a few weeks. If I didn’t like it, or if anything particularly bad happened that I could have avoided with the contents of my old wallet, I would switch back.
About the Wallet
The cards are held in with a fabric strap, which is wrapped around the money clip. This is what allows the Trayvax to accommodate a varying number or thickness of cards. With fewer cards or less collective thickness, you can synch the strap down to keep them tight. At its maximum extension, the strap can hold cards snugly in the angled piece that keeps them from falling out the bottom. Letting the strap in and out can be annoying, but it is something you shouldn’t have to do often. If you add or remove cards from your daily carry, the strap will need to be adjusted. Otherwise, it slowly gains slack from repeated use, but that doesn’t account for tightening it more than once or twice per month.
Technically, the Summit has been discontinued in favor of the Armored Summit. Essentially, the “armored” part is another metal plate that secures on the other side of the cards. Per my understanding, it does have some RFID blocking properties, if that is a concern of yours. The standard Summit is sufficient for my needs, but those who are more careful with their cards do have an option available with some extra protection.
Trayvax is a USA based company, and the wallets are manufactured here in the company. That isn’t something that I personally care much about, but I do know it factors into the purchase decision for some people. I didn’t have to deal with their support center, but I would imagine it results in a better experience if you do.
My Experience
The first thing I noticed was that one card is always on constant display. Obviously, I would be ill advised to stick my credit card on top, and give away such sensitive information to everyone who might see the wallet in my hand. Similarly, I wouldn’t want my driver’s license broadcast to the world, but it would be handy to keep it at hand for the occasional traffic stop. I initially put my blood donor card on top, since it doesn’t have any identifying information on display. Eventually, I elected to put my library card on top. I use it much more frequently than my blood donor card, and it serves as a little sort of flair to personalize my wallet. I’m a proud supporter of my local library, and that’s a small way to show it off.
Using cash with the Trayvax is a pain. It doesn’t hold more than 5 bills, and having to take everything out and unfold the bills before I can use them is annoying and time consuming. The bills in my old trifold were ordered smallest to greatest, and I could pull out single bills at a time. As much as this is a point against the Trayvax, I rarely use cash. I can keep an emergency $20 on me, plus a few bills for tips where necessary, and I'm usually covered. If I do need to use cash, I can stuff the change in my pocket and deal with putting the wallet back together later.
Cards are significantly more tidy and easy to use. While I can’t have them sorted out into individual pockets like I could with my trifold, I really only use 2 or 3 cards with any reasonable frequency. I keep my credit card and library card on top, and I keep my driver’s license underneath the cash clip on the other side. Beyond those 3, I don’t use the other cards more than once every few weeks at most. Pull cards off the top until I find the one I need, use it, and replace them all. The entire operation probably doesn’t take more than a few seconds longer than it would have with my trifold, and it is an absolutely minimal encumbrance. And honestly, I’ve hard cards bend across the top of the pocket, so the Trayvax actually seems to protect my cards from damage.
The strap system is functional, if slightly annoying. If I had to tinker with it more frequently, it would be more of a criticism of the Trayvax, but it holds firm for several weeks at a time. Adjusting it isn’t any more difficult than pulling the stack of cards out, sliding it a smidge through the buckle area, and replacing everything. The edges are all smooth, so it doesn’t seem to catch on my pocket at all. The build quality feels pretty sturdy, a lot better than the flimsy fake leather trifolds that I’ve used for most of my life. All in all, it’s a solid little piece of daily carry equipment.
Takeaway
A month later, I’m still using the Trayvax Summit singularly. Aside from a single incident where I left the wallet at home and had to use my backup credit card from my old wallet in my bag, I haven’t had any issues. Make of that what you will.
The problem with wallets is that everyone has different needs and tendencies. If you use a lot of cash, I wouldn’t recommend the Trayvax Summit. If you regularly need more than 8 cards, this wallet probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re curious about the minimalist lifestyle and you can pare down your EDC to something that fits, the Trayvax Summit is a genuinely neat little package. With a smaller price tag than other minimalist wallets, this is a more approachable option that doesn’t put as much on the line in case you hate it.
Resources:
blessthisstuff. (n.d.). Trayvax Summit Wallet. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/wear/wallets/trayvax-summit-wallet/.
Strietelmeier, J. (2016, August 24). Trayvax Summit minimalist wallet review. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/04/24/trayvax-summit-minimalist-wallet-review/.
Trayvax. (n.d.). Armored Summit Wallet. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://www.trayvax.com/products/armored-summit.
What You Carry. (2017, September 29). Trayvax Summit Wallet Review: A Minimalist’s Dream. Retrieved October 4, 2019, from http://whatyoucarry.com/trayvax-summit-wallet-review/.
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