Marlondo Leather Classic Bifold Wallet Review – $34

The Marlondo Leather Classic Bifold Wallet impressed me the moment I tore open the package. The texture in my hands reminded me of my dad’s old baseball mitt. The leather itself smelled like my grandpa’s office. And the tiny imperfections and wear made it seem like an heirloom from an Arizona Ranger.

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About Marlondo Leather

Marlondo Leather is a small U.S. company—their leather all comes from America too. Since they care about simplicity, they keep logos and branding on their products to a minimum, which I love. Everything they sell is hand-crafted and designed for durability—tough enough to follow you on any adventure you’re daring enough to pursue.

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Construction

This classic wallet is made of heavy, 100% full-grain leather. Marlondo brags that it’s “built like a tank and will last forever.” I can’t yet confirm it’ll last forever, but having used it for some time I don’t doubt their claim. It really is built like a tank—rugged, durable—you name it. It’s also sewn with marine-grade thread, meaning it’s hearty enough to make voyages through salt and seawater. I’m willing to bet it’ll take as much punishment as you can and then some.

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Function

It has 4 card sleeves and a large pouch along the back for bills, checks, and receipts. At first, the card sleeves were tight when fitting more than one card, but, like a good baseball mitt, they loosened up once I started to break it in. I now fit 11 cards in the wallet. I wouldn’t expect to push it much further than that though, so, if you have more, this might be the perfect time to weed out the ones you never use.

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At 4.5″ x 3.6″, its dimensions are rather large—and this may be your main consideration before buying. The full-grain leather is solid, which is good for durability, but at the wallet’s thickest point, you have 8 layers of leather stacked on top of each other plus the thickness of your cards and cash. For many, its large size is a bonus. But for some jeans, it may barely fit into the back pocket. If the large size is a downside and you’re looking for something a little sleeker, I recommend you look at Marlondo’s Business Card/Credit Card Wallet, which has the same durability and classic look but with a lighter form factor (but the tradeoff is that it won’t fit as much inside).

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Aesthetic

The leather arrived with a few dings and scratches that immediately gave it style. Due to the distinct fiber structures in individual hides, each wallet will be different and unique. As I used mine, it continued to look better and better. It really is a thing of beauty—the sort of classic your grandpa would have used, and one you’re proud of every time you pull it out. Yes, it’s that cool.

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Also, you can get it in two colors. The photos here show the color tobacco. You can also get it in dark brown, which looks just as amazing (but darker).

 

BestLeather Conclusion

I definitely recommend the Marlondo Leather Classic Bifold Wallet. It really is a classic. And at $34, it’s a steal. Not only is it an item that will last a lifetime, it will last for generations. I can already see the park-bench scene where you’re gifting it to your great-grandson.

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Clay, Bill Clay
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Clay, Bill Clay

Unfortunately I am not as stunned by my Marlondo wallet as you are. My wallet does not seem to be full grain leather. The leather is at least sanded or maybe worse. Mine also smelled bad. Something very chemical, and not leathery at all. I actually had to spray some cologne on it, and I usually love the smell of leather. The pigskin lining seems real though. At least the leather has small hair holes in it. If I had had an opportunity to look at my wallet before purchase, say in a store, I would probably had passed that.… Read more »

TJKastning
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TJKastning

Interesting. Have you asked for a return?

Clay, Bill Clay
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Clay, Bill Clay

Thanks for your comments, Tim and TJ. I forgot to mention that I have the credit card holder wallet, not the bifold that’s reviewed here. I think that I can draw conclusions on the Marlondo quality on my wallet though. I really wanted to like my Marlondo wallet. I tried all the tricks in the book to make it break in. That is a reason why I can not return the item. I know that I should not blame Marlondo on other manufacturers mistakes but I have really bad experience about giving negative review on a wallet I was not… Read more »

McWriters
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McWriters

Hi Bill,

I’m just curious as to which wallet you received from Marlondo? You mention that your wallet has a pigskin lining in it…the bifold wallet reviewed here does not have a lining in it at all. I’m sorry to hear it’s not performing or look/feel as anticipated and expected. As TJ said, I’d recommend asking them for a return or exchange. Thanks for reading the review and visiting the BestLeather website. We appreciate it. – Tim

babloo
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This is nice!
thanks for sharing