I was in the market for a new wallet after my Dango M1 Maverick's retaining rails wore away enough through use that it could no longer keep my cards from sliding out. I knew that I wanted a futureproof wallet, that would satisfy several specific criteria:
- USA made
- All metal construction
- Holds at least 12 cards
- Holds cash
- No elastic or rubber band retention
- No textiles or stitching (leather, fabric, etc.)
- Comfortably fits in front pocket
- Non-mechanical access to cards (no internal lever mechanisms, etc.)
After the Dango M1 eventually failed through years of use, I got to looking for a wallet that was not prone to mechanical failure through wear. I knew that there are hundreds of existing milled aluminum, steel, and titanium options out there, but the Scudo Switch (or Magneto, as I believe it was once called) checked all of the above boxes.
The way this wallet is designed means that, unless you are intentionally trying to destroy it, there is no way that it can break through usage (and even then, you'd have to work pretty hard to harm this thing - it's built like a tank). The body of the wallet is milled from aluminum, which is lightweight and inexpensive, keeping costs reasonable. Aluminum is an ideal 'middle ground' compromise between titanium and steel, and while not as strong as either, balances the cost, strength, and weight categories better than both. I opted for the 12-card setup, and it's the perfect size. The milled aluminum lid is affixed to the body with a stainless steel hinge pin retained by two inset Torx screws, and uses some sort of polypropylene bushings to maintain resistance, so that the lid isn't just flopping around when it's open.
One of my biggest complaints with other wallets, even milled aluminum ones, is that they almost all use a tension system to retain cards and cash. The tension is provided by elastic/rubber bands or friction. Inevitably, over time elastic and rubber stretch until they don't properly retain cards and cash, and friction between the cards and the metal retention arms, coupled with grit and dirt, wears away the metal.
The Scudo Switch solves this issue by retaining the cards in such a way that there is no friction required. The lid is secured shut with a very powerful neodymium magnet, and can be easily opened with one hand. The magnets themselves are replaceable, and are held into the wallet using two Torx fasteners.
The replaceable faceplates for the wallet come in multiple different graphics, materials, and colors, and give you a ton of customization options. I went with the flag etched plate. When Scudo says that these plates are deeply laser engraved, they are NOT KIDDING. The engraving is deep enough that it has a noticeable texture, and doesn't feel like it will ever fade or wear away. One suggestion I have for the Scudo team would be to offer a plain black anodized cover plate, for those who prefer the 'understated' aesthetic.
I'd like to take time to commend the Scudo team for their incredible customer service. I reached out with some questions about my order, and not only did George respond back via email, but he also called me directly to make sure my questions were answered! These guys are a small company (for now), and they take each order seriously. Their attention to detail is impeccable, and they seem to genuinely care about the customer. During our conversation, George told me about the company and their design ethos, and we chatted for probably thirty minutes about the product. In today's world of automated messages, endless voice menus, and cold dispassion, being able to talk to a human who was personally knowledgeable and passionate about the product was so refreshing.
If you are thinking about buying this wallet, stop thinking and just do it. You're buying a brilliantly engineered, precision manufactured, high-quality product from a great company, who stand behind their product 100%. I have no idea how they can afford to manufacture this for the asking price, but it is an incredible deal. It doesn't get much better than this, and I look forward to future innovation from Scudo!
