The definition of tactical is: relating to actions carefully planned to meet a specific military end. Showing adroit planning. Aiming at an end beyond the immediate action. Therefore, anything that creates a battlefield advantage, or is aimed at a particular end with strategic importance is considered to be a tactical item.
When talking about wallets, that often translates largely into having features that are helpful in a survival situation. When a wallet ceases to be a mere holder of money and turns into a weapon, a tool, or a mechanism for saving your life or the life of another, then it can be thought to be truly tactical.
How a wallet earns the distinction of being tactical is both incredibly simple and inventively difficult: It must be ready to save a life as part of its design. It must have some features that will protect you from harm, will hurt those who seek to hurt you, will help provide for your basic necessities, or facilitating the fashioning of other tools which can do so.
Best Tactical Wallet for EDC (Price: Low to High)
A tactical wallet must be ready for the slag-storm that the world throws at you, and be prepared to meet it with a grin. Here’s what we mean…
1. Maxpedition Spartan
Pockets, pockets everywhere for all the clandestine microfilm you need to stow away, or just loads of places to keep all those fortunes from P.F. Chang’s. This is a minimalist option made of 1000 D ripstop nylon with a velcro binding and hook and loop closure that cuts away features and accessories in favor of giving you toughness and simplicity in a tight little package. It’s, daresay, sexy.
2. Pelican Sport Wallet
Using a clamshell design, Pelican has made the waterproof wallet a reality with the Sport. The hard shell prevents any water, dust, or debris from seeping in, even when you’re doing an amphibious operation off the coast of Egypt. It has space for your keys, letting you put all your stuff in one spot. Good for the beach as much as heading into enemy territory.
3. Gerber GDC Money Clip
There’s not much in the way of discretion here. Gerber’s Money Clip has a nasty little knife on a loop should anyone decide to try to take your hard-earned cash away from you. Otherwise it’s a basic little metal holster that’s practically weightless, understated, and fits almost anywhere without a fuss.
4. Violent Little Machine Shop Kydex Shock Wallet
Kydex that has been precision machined to craft an elegant, hingeless wallet with a hardcore design intended to strap in for bumpy rides, The Shock doesn’t snag or slip, while offering a flexible, dependable frame in any number of beautiful, tough color choices.
5. Trayvax Original
Aluminum and steel, Trayvax wasn’t kidding around with their initial offering. It blocks RFID skimming, has real MIL-spec paracord should you need a tourniquet to tie off a bleed, and has finger ridges on the bottom, allowing you to both handle this with ease, and fold it into your fist for a little extra damage during a brawl. Smooth, small, and ready for action, this is spoiling for a fight.
6. Spec. Ops T.H.E. Wallet
Equipped to be threaded with paracord and carry both cash and a passport, along with a military ID, T.H.E. Wallet is so traditional it practically comes with a serial number. The oddly acronym’d name stands for “Tactical Holds Everything” which is precisely what you can expect. Zippered pockets, lots of storage, and plenty of little cubbies and compartments let you keep lots of little things organized, while hiding away that which you don’t want the covert operatives to see.
7. HuMn Mini
Barely making the cut in the tactical arena, the HuMn is an RFID blocking wallet made from your choice of 6061 aircraft aluminum, black on black carbon fiber, or Cerakote. Sturdy enough to last a lifetime, there’s little in the way of added tools here, merely a high-tech, smart, minimalist item that can guard your identity, survive a firefight, and give you a handy paracord wrap should you need it.
8. Hitch & Timber EDC Card Caddy
A tactical build doesn’t always come with many features. Rather, the Card Caddy opts to give you a way to make it your own, giving you a set of pockets rendered in stunning rough leather. Here you can stash your cash and cards, but also add in a pocket knife, tool, and a tactical pen or mechanical pencil, creating a pocket organizer that is 100% badass.
9. ITS Hypalon Concealment Tactical Wallet
Those who aren’t familiar with Hypalon will want to know it’s a synthetic rubber that shrugs off chemicals, ultraviolet light, intense temperatures, and has a unique tackiness that makes it harder to lose than standard leather, rubber, nylon, or whatever other fabrics you use for your cash carrier. Built into that sweet Hypalon body are hidden compartments for survival gear, or keeping extra cash concealed from prying eyes.
10. Jackfish Survival Credit Card Holder
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Instead of making a wallet with tactical elements, Jackfish made a toolkit that also happens to hold your credit cards. Paracord, screwdrivers, a built-in compass, a flash drive, a whistle, and even a tiny SpyderCo knife all mix and meld for a survival essentials set that would make Bear Grylls green with envy. Unusual to be sure, but a bombproof EDC accessory in both aluminum and titanium.
11. Dango Tactical Wallet
Raw hide, raw aluminum, and raw masculinity all come standard in the build for Dango’s pocket powerhouse. A 14-function multi-tool forms the backbone, sliding into a locking array on the wallet that keeps the whole thing secure and compact for easy pocket carry. Among the abilities that Dango has included are hex wrenches, paracord cutter, screwdrivers, a pry bar, and even a phone stand should you need to call for help. No survivalist or outdoor maverick should be without one of these, the truest tactical wallet in production today.
12. Trayvax Element
Every Trayvax product is made in the USA, which might explain why they lean so heavily on steel and leather, the major building materials of any true American product. Military paracord provides the binding here, with a hidden money clip for holding cash discreetly. Though dense metal and hide, the weight of the Element tends to be reassuring rather than encumbering, and acts as a reminder that your money is safe wherever you may roam.
Parting Words
Do you own a tactical wallet? Tell us what it is in the comments below. We’d love to know if you used our advice above or if you have something else worth making it to this list.
Worth article! I really like your post. Thanks so much for sharing!
When I first opened the tin case that the Dango tactical wallet came in, I was in awe. This wallet is truly a masterpiece. It is beautiful as well as very functional. They use top notch materials, their fit and finish is out of this world, and the customer service is 2nd to none. This makes number 10 in my collection of Dango wallets.