After decades of carrying around an encyclopedia-sized wallet, ruining my back, and going through several broken or otherwise ruined phones over the years, I finally decided to do away with the wallet, give up cash almost entirely, and live a freer life with a Cell phone case that also serves as a wallet.
That’s why I bought this Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 2, in which my most important cards are today, and why I have not regretted it since.
Why switch to a wallet-sized phone case?
Last year, my wallet, stuffed with my various IDs, cards, cash, and miscellaneous odds and ends (like an old Irish twopence coin given to me by a stranger years ago), became a real nuisance. No, seriously: Experts say that thick wallets can lead to spinal imbalance and back pain. I also started to feel like I had a permanent wallet-shaped dent in one of my buttocks.
And with so many people affected by the double whammy of pandemic restrictions and increasingly hot weather, I had grown accustomed to dressing casually and lightly in the city and felt no pressing desire to regularly return to heavier, less comfortable but more wallet-friendly office outfits. But even a quick walk to get coffee and bagels while the equivalent of a pocket Bible dangled in my loose, lightweight, shrunken gym shorts could feel like I’d hooked myself with a mini wrecking ball. Depending on how and where that dangling weight hit me, the consequences varied from annoying to downright painful.
Hot tip:
Don’t run after a bus at full speed with a huge, heavy wallet in your gym shorts.
I tried switching to a smaller wallet-style wallet, which worked well, but I found that the cards fell out too easily and it was just another thing I had to keep track of. It wasn’t a perfect solution to downsizing. Carrying stuff in a fanny pack, backpack, purse, or travel luggage was definitely a big step in the wrong direction.
And then, believe it or not, Tropical Storm Ophelia came to the rescue.
The September 2023 storm brought more than eight inches of rain to parts of New York City and up to three inches of rain per hour to Brooklyn neighborhoods, including my block. There were no fatalities, but the storm caused about $450 million in damage.
Because the basements on our block are prone to flooding when the sewers overflow or become clogged, I have gone out during the worst of the storms to clean the drains on our street.
I was only out for about half an hour, but when I came back I was soaked and the pockets of my raincoat were overflowing with rainwater. Worse, my phone was completely submerged in one of the pockets. After a few days of looking like it might actually make it through, it finally gave up the ghost.
Hot tip:
Don’t go into a tropical storm with your cell phone in the pocket of your raincoat.
While I was waiting for a newer model of my phone to replace it (I upgraded to an iPhone 14 Plus because I needed a new phone quickly and other iPhone models were running out of stock), I had an epiphany: I wanted to get rid of my wallet and carry less stuff in my pockets anyway, so why not turn my phone into a wallet?
After reading several online reviews from professionals and consumers, I ordered the Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 2 for about 30 dollars. It arrived the day after I picked up my new phone.
What is Wallet Slayer Vol. 2?
The Wallet Slayer Vol. 2 is a slim but protective plastic phone case that is neither too rigid nor too soft and sticky. It has a raised edge around the screen and camera lenses and its slightly grainy surface texture makes it particularly grippy.
I’ve dropped or broken more phones than I can count. That was the main reason I chose Vol. 2 over Vol. 1. The corners of the case actually protrude slightly beyond the cornerswhich creates small air pockets for additional padding – again a serial phone smasher, so another plus.
What fits in your wallet Slayer Vol. 2
The most important feature, besides protecting the phone, is of course the card slot on the back of the case. Smartish claims it has space for 2 or 3 cards, but my case once contained the following:
However, when it’s so full, it’s not easy to pull out the card I need. Instead, I have to take a few out, find the one I need, and shove them all back in when I’m done. On the other hand, if I don’t put enough cards in, I find that the material of the pocket isn’t elastic enough to hold the cards in place, and they can slide out too easily. Maybe I stretched the material too much, or maybe it’s because my 6-year-old uses the compartment as a handle when he plays Pokémon GO? Still, it’s a minor gripe all things considered, considering the case freed me from the bondage of my wallet.
The card slot protrudes a few millimeters beyond the rest of the back of the phone case, That means it is not as slim as it looks in the product photos, but still much better than my thick old wallet. There is a cutout on the back of the wallet so I can pull out the card I need (a little) easier with my thumb or finger. It also has the usual molded bubbles for buttons and cutouts for the mute switch, speakers and charging port.
Additional features of Wallet Slayer Vol. 2
The case is too thick, especially when loaded with cards, for wireless charging to work through it, so I take the case off every time I wirelessly charge my phone at night. Contactless payment seems to work wellalthough.
An ingenious feature that uses the wallet in an unexpected way is a small slot parallel to the opening of the wallet compartment. If you put one of your credit cards in here, it can be used as Stand for your phone. I almost never used it though.
The compartment has no hinged lid or protective closure or other bells and whistles, which I like because it keeps the weight down and I can get my phone out without it getting caught on something or me having to take extra steps to text someone or pay for something.
The case is flexible enough that it is not torn at the corners or around the cutouts up or near the bottom (the usual suspects), despite the constant twisting I put him through to achieve this.
Finally, No dirt, scratches or soot has accumulated as well as other cases I’ve used. After almost a year, it still looks almost as good as the day I slid it onto my new phone.
Perhaps the biggest downside? Smartish doesn’t offer the largest or broadest selection of colors or designs, but it does have versions for several iPhone models. (I let my young son pick out.) However, it looks like the company has refreshed its selection since last fall, adding more variety.
Hot tip:
Benefits of Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 2
- It’s slim, durable and actually protects phones.
- Officially it has space for 2 or 3 cards, but in reality there are many more.
- The pebble structure and the nubbed sides provide comfortable grip.
- There is an integrated stand.
- It is the perfect size to serve as a handle for little children’s fingers.
- It stays clean easily.
- It is relatively cheap.
- So far, I haven’t had any severe pain from a blow to the groin area.
Disadvantages of Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 2
- If the wallet compartment is not filled tightly enough, cards can slip out.
- Cards are difficult to remove if the wallet compartment is too full tight.
- It does not work with wireless chargers.
- The patterns are limited and may not appeal to everyone.
- It is only available for iPhones.
- A photo stylist for a fancy magazine once turned up her nose at it and said it wasn’t fancy enough for her.
Final thoughts
While it won’t necessarily save my new phone from another tropical storm, the Wallet Slayer Vol. 2 is both a solid phone case and a great way for me to simplify what I carry around with me every day. My spine thanks it. My sensitive pocket-level nether regions thank it. I thank it.
Now I just have to figure out how to reduce the 18 keys on my keychain.
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