Review on Distil Union Sleeve Genuine Leather by Lacey Barbee

I was bored with my Ridge wallet so I decided to buy something softer and thinner. After searching between Belroy and Distil and doing a lot of research, I settled on Distil. I recently received my order in the mail and have been using it for a few days now. Skip to the end and read the CONCLUSION if you don't want to read the whole thing.** THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF LONG-TERM USE. ** First let me explain why I chose Distil over Belroy and Ridge as they are two major competitors: Ridge - The edges were too harsh, the wallet was quite thick even with a few cards in it, and it was a great pain getting a card from the middle deck. It was very tight for my back pocket when I happened to sit down. The friction between my cards has worn down the magnetic strips/chips from being repeatedly pulled out of the stack. All in all a very nice and solid brick, not a big wallet. Belroy - Belroy is a more direct competitor as they make a sleeve style card holder very similar to this one. I noticed reviews that said the front and back card sleeves could tear fairly easily and that the center/main card sleeve could detach over time, allowing cards to fall out. While I liked the front and back card slots, the fact that they ripped easily AND the fact that the cards could easily fall out of the wallet was a deciding factor for me. Distil Review: Functionality: It works great as a lightweight wallet. I only carry 3-4 cards and a few bills and he's holding them pretty well. I don't worry about anything falling out and quick access to a credit card in the front pocket is great. I would NOT recommend putting more than one card in the front pocket to avoid possible skin stretching/tearing. Maybe 2 will work, but I prefer to play it safe. The elastic band works perfectly, I love that it automatically snaps back into place. The magnet works well too, I've written about the magnet below as it worries some people. Pocketing: This is my favorite aspect of the Distil case to date. The leather is beautifully soft, the profile is very slim and the rounded corners are particularly pocket-friendly. I literally can't tell if it's in my back pocket or not, it's barely noticeable. This can actually be bad for people who often forget their wallet - it will be hard to tell if you remember your wallet or not just because it disappears in your pocket. - Durability: Unfortunately I don't have it much longer. enough to be sure, but I suspect it's not the most durable wallet out there. Due to the softness of the material, such thin leather wallets tend to stretch and scratch a little over time. That being said, if you're smart about how many cards you put in it and treat it with care, it will surely last a lot longer! - Style: I like the look of this wallet. I prefer the Belroy a little more, but this one still looks pretty good. Skin looks good, minimalist design, quite thin. It's really just my opinion, but I'm a fan of it - simple but still stylish enough. - Magnet: I've heard some people complain that the magnet "doesn't work" when there are too many things in the middle are . Yes, that's true, but that's not the point of a magnet. There is a magnet. So if you just put a small number of things like a card or two in the middle pocket, they will become magnetized and won't fall out. If you put more stuff in the middle, the structure of the wallet itself should secure your stuff in place. The magnet is more reliable and I'm glad it's there. Belroy wallets don't have it, and people's cards fall out as the skin stretches over time! CONCLUSION: Extremely handy in your pocket (handy disappears, so iron the pocket to make sure it's still there!) - Works well with multiple cards. and bills, don't put too many cards in the front pocket to avoid stretching/tearing - the magnet will prevent a few cards from falling out, but with more cards/bills the wallet structure will take over and the magnet will be redundant - Seems more secure than a similar Belroy - As for durability, I'm not sure, but treat it with care and you should be fine. Overall I am very happy with my purchase. I may add a longer term review in a few months. I would have preferred the Distil Wally Sleeve to the Belroy Sleeve and of course the Ridge Wallet. Hope that was helpful!