Recently I bought The Original Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large, a large-ish black canvas wallet that holds cash and cards, and it's namesake, a small notebook. The Sketch Wallet is larger than a traditional wallet in order to accommodate the pocket notebook, but offers a few unique features to make up for it. Read on to see if it is worth they hype.
A sketchbook? In my wallet?
The first Sketch Wallet was successfully launched on Kickstarter in 2015. It was very similar in style and size to the current 2.0 but was made of leather. Since then they have released a couple of different variations, mostly in size but some material, culminating in the current 2.0 version.
Carrying a bulky sketchbook around with you can be inconvenient when heading out and about, this is especially so when you might already carrying a laptop or tablet. The Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large is a solution to this problem.
What is it made of?
The Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large is a compact pocket sketchbook, or notebook, that fits easily into your pocket. It's made of high-quality canvas fabric, or leather. The design is sleek but not as minimalist as some might wish, with the logo splattered on the front, and a nametag sticking out the top.
Inside it has space for a single pen in the spine using two sewn in elastic bands. It has 7 card slots, a small pocket for horizontal goodies such as stickers or a very small pencil, with two large pockets, one of which hold the notebook. Lastly at the top there is a full-width pocket reminiscent of a traditional wallet. The full-width pocket easily holds cash.
I got the canvas version in black. While it says canvas, it feels more like ballistic nylon. There might not be a difference in the actual material, but whenever I see "canvas" advertised as the material it is generally waxed cloth as an aesthetic style. This wallet will appeal to you if you enjoy the minimal, and utilitarian look, of black ballistic nylon.
The sewn on logo and the nametag really detracts from the minimal style, so I cut them off to give it that no logo look.
Inside, the Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large features a removable 3.5" x 5" sketchbook. The sketchbook that comes with the wallet is made of high-quality paper seems thick enough to handle a variety of mediums, including pens, markers, and watercolors. The paper has a nice tooth that feels great to draw on, and it doesn't smudge or bleed.
One of the best things about the Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large is its versatility. The removable sketchbook means that you can easily swap out your old one for a new one, or even use the wallet as a holder for your favorite notepad, which is what I do.
The pen loop on the inside is elastic, in two parts, and will accommodate many different pens or pencils. One thing I would say is that if the clip on your pen is not high on the cap then either the top of the pen will stick out, or as the pen is pushed down it will smash the upper elastic piece. When I carry a pen like this I only stick the pen in the lower elastic part. It seems to work just fine.
The Large in the name refers less to it's actual size and more as a comparison to the smaller wallets that Sketch Wallet also sells.
The Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large is 4.5" x 6" inches, and it's a little on the large side for a wallet, but small enough to still fit in a pocket for carrying around with you. It's small enough to fit in your front or back pocket, but large enough to still be useful as a sketchbook.
It is not so large that it was hard to put into my pockets, and I never felt slowed down when I needed to access my wallet. I have previously used a similar wallet notebook cover that was made of leather. The leather one always seemed to get caught going into our out of my pocket. Maybe it was the roughness of the leather, or the way the sewn edges were rough and easy to catch. Regardless, I had no such issues with the Sketch Wallet. It was easy to use, and easy to slide into my pocket.
Hi-Tech Security
Another great feature is the RFID blocking. If you haven't heard this term before it's the technology that enables "tap to pay" for credit cards. A little radio wave is sent out to trigger your credit card, and your card sends back a reply. RFID is a radio wave blocking fabric that would prevent an attacker from using a tap to pay terminal in a crowd without anyone noticing.
Before this wallet I would carry my credit cards in a little RFID blocking sleeve. So when paying for something I would have to take out my credit card, and then remove it from the sleeve in order to use. Now that RFID is built-in I don't need the little sleeve.
Believe the hype
Overall, I recommend the Sketch Wallet 2.0 Large for anyone who is looking for a convenient way to carry a small sketchbook or notebook everywhere they go. The high-quality materials and versatile design make it a nice wallet, and notebook cover to use. The RFID blocking is a great bonus, I expect to see it on more wallets as a default option in the future. It is easy to use and holds just enough stuff without being too bulky.
