ALPAKA Zip Passport Wallet Review

The ALPAKA Zip Passport Wallet is incredibly durable and has ample room for all your travel and financial essentials. Still, the size may deter some users. Can you fill up that space and put it to good use, or will you be walking around with a half-empty passport wallet? Let’s dive in and find out!

The Rundown

The exterior is crafted from Axogrid 300D polyester. It’s highly durable, structured, and has a nice texture with a gradient and topographic feel that makes it interesting to hold and look at.

The strap is a nice addition and attaches with a metal clip. The strap lacks padding, but it’s comfortable enough as the passport wallet isn’t very heavy, even when fully loaded. If you don’t want to use the strap, you can remove it. The clip that attaches it feels durable enough to handle the bumps and knocks of travel.

A pocket on the backside works well for flat gear. You can stow documents here while wandering through the airport, cash while you’re waiting to pay, or your passport when you’re waiting in line to show it at customs. Or, if you want to have fun, toss a couple of stickers in there to hand out or stick up at your destination.

The wallet utilizes a YKK Vislon Zipper, which is durable but not our favorite. The teeth are a bit sharp and rough on your skin if they rub up against it. We love the ruggedness, but the teeth may deter some users, especially if you’re using it constantly.

There isn’t a ton going on around the outside of the wallet—it’s simple and sleek.

Inside, there’s one flap on either side with a magnetic closure, allowing you to stow items behind it safely. The left flap features a pocket for your passport, while the right side includes five card slots and a larger pocket for items larger than a credit card. Each flap has a hidden card pocket inside, allowing you to stow sensitive items, such as your most important credit card, ID card, or tracking device. The left side features an ALPAKA logo that allows you to attach a pen, although one isn’t included with the wallet.

The interior is simple and effective, but pretty large for what you get. You can stow multiple passports inside when traveling with a partner or family; however, for one person, it may be excessive.

Packability

Because of its size, this travel wallet isn’t pocketable for most people. It’ll fit into a larger travel jacket pocket, but apart from that, it won’t fit comfortably into most pockets. There aren’t many passport wallets that will, though, so keep that in mind. Luckily, this one has a strap, so you can carry it that way if you need to have it directly on your person for a time.

It’ll fit into a larger sling, although it may occupy more space and make the fit of other gear awkward due to the material’s structure. It’ll fit into a daypack or travel backpack without issue, and it doesn’t draw attention to the fact that it’s a passport wallet, which we appreciate for safe storage.

Quick Comparison

Despite being physically different in almost every measurable way, the ALPAKA Zip Passport Wallet does a very similar thing to the SlimFold Passport Wallet. They both carry passports, cards, cash, and a pen, but use different methods to achieve a similar result.

First off, the SlimFold is just 2.85 cubic inches. We don’t say that because we expect you to know what that means, but because the ALPAKA is 8.264 cubic inches. That’s nearly four times the volume eaten up in your daypack, sling, or carry on luggage by the SlimFold Passport Wallet. The ALPAKA is not pocketable; the SlimFold is.

Regarding durability, the ALPAKA model is more durable and structured. That’s not to say that the SlimFold won’t last—we’ve had ours for over a year at the time of writing, but the ALPAKA’s materials offer more protection and a zippered design that is more foolproof than a standard billfold.

The SlimFold model lacks structure, but has four card slots (which can hold up to eight cards), a passport slot, space for cash, and includes a pen. The ALPAKA can fit more, but you’ll have to fold most bills to accomplish this. Additionally, just because you can bring more, doesn’t mean you will, and that’s the dilemma we’ve run into with the ALPAKA Zip Passport Wallet. Our gear is safe, but it feels like there’s a lot of space that we aren’t using.

The ALPAKA Zip Passport Wallet is durable, spacious, and designed to bring everything but the kitchen sink. If you have the space for it and don’t mind its size, it might be the best choice for your next trip.