Why the Ridge Wallet Might Not Be the Best Gift for Him: A Comparison with a Chinese Knockoff
As a typical dude, receiving presents for yourself isn’t something that happens too often, except maybe on your birthday. However, there are certain times of the year when we do expect a gift—holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and Father’s Day. Around these dates, your social media is likely bombarded with ads claiming that the best gift for your boyfriend, husband, father, son, or any other male figure in your life is the famous Ridge Wallet.
Now, I’ve already reviewed the Ridge Wallet before, where I mostly focused on its cons. One of the things I pointed out was that you can easily find knockoffs of the Ridge Wallet on various Chinese websites for a fraction of the cost—30 times cheaper, to be exact. The surprising part? These knockoffs are often just as good, if not better.
So, in this post, I’m going to compare the original Ridge Wallet (which I thankfully returned and got a full refund for, including the extra shipping costs—kudos to them) with a Chinese knockoff I ordered from AliExpress (though you can also find them on Amazon and Tamo). You’ll be amazed at the quality of the knockoff right out of the box.
The Quality of the Chinese Knockoff
The moment I unpacked the knockoff, I was taken aback by how well-made it was. There were no scratches, no loose screws, and everything seemed to fit perfectly. The materials used felt premium, and the wallet had a solid, sturdy feel to it. Already, there were noticeable differences from the Ridge Wallet I had returned.
For instance, my Ridge Wallet had an elastic strap underneath it to store some banknotes. The knockoff, on the other hand, has a metal clip. While the original Ridge Wallet does offer a metal clip as an option, the one on the knockoff is better designed to serve multiple purposes. The metal clip can help secure the wallet inside your pocket or even to your belt, but if you don’t need it, you can easily unscrew it and remove it.
A Handy Feature: The Lanyard Eye
Another neat feature on the knockoff is a small eyelet built into the metal strip. You can attach a lanyard to this eyelet, which is particularly useful if you want to wear the wallet around your neck. The cool thing is that on the opposite side, there’s a transparent plastic piece that serves as a pocket for your ID card. If you have a proximity card for your office or public transportation, you can slide it under this plastic and wear the wallet around your neck for easy access.
What’s even more impressive is that the plastic is thin enough to allow you to tap the card against a lock or card reader without having to remove it from the wallet. If the reader doesn’t register the card right away, there’s a small thumb opening in the plastic to slide the card out slightly.
This is a feature that’s completely missing from the original Ridge Wallet, and if you’re using a proximity card with the Ridge Wallet, you’d have to remove it entirely before tapping it against any lock or card reader.
The Design Is Essentially the Same, But…
In terms of the overall concept, both the original Ridge Wallet and the Chinese knockoff are quite similar. They both consist of two plates (made of plastic, metal, or other materials) that are held together by an elastic band, and you place your cards inside the wallet. When you need to take out a card, you simply fan through the stack and pull the one you need.
However, there are even better alternatives available on Chinese websites. Some of these wallets also come with an elastic band for cash, but the best part is the puller. Instead of fanning out the cards with your fingers, you can just pull the strap, and all the cards pop upwards. This makes it much easier to grab the right card, a feature the Ridge Wallet doesn’t have.
Why the Ridge Wallet Might Not Be Worth the Money
So, here’s the bottom line: The Ridge Wallet is an overpriced disappointment, and if you gift it to someone, there’s a good chance they’ll be let down. Even the Chinese knockoffs, which are far cheaper, come with additional features that make them much more practical and functional than the original Ridge Wallet.
If you’ve been seeing ads online for the Ridge Wallet and are thinking it would make a great gift, think again. There are better, more affordable alternatives out there that come with added functionality and features. If you’re looking for something practical and cost-effective for your husband, boyfriend, or father, maybe it’s time to consider something else.
At the end of the day, it’s not about the price tag—it’s about the value. And the Chinese knockoff certainly offers more bang for your buck!