The Wallet Shoppe
Wallets with chains aren’t just for extreme sports, biker bros riding a Harley and skateboarders anymore. Whatever your “thing” is, there have probably been times when you have needed your wallet secure, but didn’t have any real way to secure it - these are perfect for that.
Or maybe you just like the look. We have to admit, there’s something very retro and edgy about wearing a chain wallet.
Some History…
So, when were wallet chains popular? For some, they’ve never gone away, but like everything in fashion and style, they come and go in waves.
- Bikers got there first. A wallet in a back pocket has a habit of working its way out over a few hundred miles of engine vibration, and a chain to the belt loop fixed that. Long-haul truckers picked up the same trick.
- Punks, metalheads and skaters took it from there, often layering chains for the look as much as for the job.
- Then it went mainstream. Grunge, skate and mall streetwear made the wallet chain an everyday accessory through the ’90s and 2000s.
- Then it went quiet, for everyone except the people who never stopped wearing one.
- And now it’s back, riding in on the wider ’90s revival.
Wallets With Chains - The List
These wallets all have a vintage feel to them, and most are leather. Where we know the grade, we’ve said so: full-grain and top-grain are the ones you want. “Genuine leather” on a listing doesn’t tell you much. It doesn’t name the grade or even the animal, so ask the seller what it actually is. If you’d rather skip leather altogether, there’s hemp and canvas too.
Basically what we’re saying… if you’ve ever considered a chain wallet, to use as a biker wallet or not, this article will be the best thing you have read all year.
That’s fourteen chain wallets, plus one with a woven leather rope for anyone who wants the tethered look without the jingle. Not every maker includes the chain in the price, and we’ve flagged the ones that don’t.
Some of these are even RFID-blocking wallets too. A chain for the pickpockets, and RFID blocking for contactless card readers. (Read our take on RFID before you pay extra for that part.)
Mr Lentz Men’s Personalized Leather Handcrafted Traditional
This wallet from Mr Lentz is the real deal. It’s handmade from full-grain, US-tanned leather, with no scorpions, skulls or logos on it. If you want a chain wallet that doesn’t shout about it, start here.
Cards and bills go inside a plain, well-made exterior. You pick the chain separately, in nickel-plated steel, stainless or leather, so you can have it as subtle or as clanky as you like.
F&L Biker Wallet
The F&L is the classic biker wallet: long, top-grain cowhide, a double-snap closure and a detachable chain. Long pockets for bills and receipts, card slots inside, and a length that sticks up out of a back pocket the way a biker wallet is supposed to.
If that’s the look you’re after, this is the one we’d start with. It’s also why it gets our Editor’s Pick. Just don’t expect it to fit a front pocket.
FLW Glazed Genuine Leather Zip-Around Wallet
Where the Mr Lentz is plain, this one has a scorpion on the front.
The zipper runs all the way around, so nothing falls out when the wallet is dangling off your belt by its chain. The price of that is unzipping it every time you want a card.
JooJoobs Men’s Leather Biker Chain Wallet
This is a traditional long biker wallet: handmade distressed leather from JooJoobs, with a chain and not much else going on. The long pockets take cash and receipts flat, and the card sleeves keep cards apart.
The leather is dark and photographs close to black, so check the color options before you order.
JooJoobs Men’s Trifold Chain Wallet
A shorter take on the long wallet above: three panels, a closure flap and the same distressed leather. You get more interior organization without the checkbook length.
Three panels make it thicker than a bifold, though. If you carry a lot of cards, the JooJoobs bifold further down is slimmer.
Harley Vintage Biker Chain Wallet
The classic here is Harley’s Burnished Bi-Fold Skull (BM2616L): checkbook-sized, with the Willie G skull and Harley-Davidson script on the front and a coin pocket inside. It makes an instant statement, which is the whole point of a Harley wallet.
The card below is the Bar & Shield Patch trifold. It’s a shorter wallet with a different emblem, so don’t expect the skull.
Hempy’s Hemp Tri-Fold Wallet with Chain
This one’s for the environmentally conscious, or makes a good gift for the “eco-warrior” friend in your life. Hempy’s trifold has a 100% hemp shell, a chain and a hook-and-loop closure, and it measures 4.625 x 3.25 inches closed.
Inside you get a zippered mesh coin pocket, a bill compartment, a clear ID pocket and one card pocket. That last point is a downfall for someone who has a lot of cards, but we did notice that you can place 2–3 cards in the single card pocket without much issue. We really like this wallet. It’s an excellent choice for the eco-conscious among us.
WorkingClassPunx All Black Vegan Chain Wallet
All black, all canvas, with two gunmetal snaps: this bifold from WorkingClassPunx is made for skaters, bikers, or anyone who wants a vegan wallet that does more than one job. Inside are six cotton card pockets and a big canvas bill pocket, and it measures 4 x 4.25 x 0.5 inches closed.
Order the chain version and you get a detachable 16-inch chain plus a canvas belt loop with a key clip. That’s a huge bonus for anyone who likes their wallet and their keys in the same place. We don’t actually recommend that, but for some the convenience outweighs the risk.
If you’d rather use your own chain, go light: the maker warns that a heavy chain can pull the eyelet out of the canvas.
Luufan Men’s Long Wallet with Zipper Pocket
The Luufan is the biggest wallet on this list by some distance. It’s closer to a small clutch than anything you’d sit on, with card slots, cash pockets and a zipped coin pocket all in one long leather wallet.
It comes in several layouts, so pick the chain version if the chain is the reason you’re buying. It’s perfect for the man or woman in your life who likes everything in one place.
Itslife Leather-Tether Alternative
The Itslife uses a woven leather rope with a metal hook instead of a chain, and you can detach it.
It’s a long, rugged leather wallet with card slots, a zippered pocket and room for cash. There’s a phone pocket too, but measure your phone in its case before you count on it.
SOS EDC Minimalist Wallet with Removable Chain
If a long biker wallet is more than you want, this is the small one. It has a removable chain, a few card slots and a clear ID window with a finger cutout, so you can push your license out without opening anything up.
Keep the load small, though: add too many cards and it’s no longer a small wallet.
Joojoobs Mens Leather Biker Wallet
The shortest of the three JooJoobs wallets: distressed leather, a closure flap, a pocket for unfolded money, and the chain. This is a wallet for a man who likes just the basics in his pocket.
Like the other two, it’s handmade. That makes it a good present for anyone who appreciates proper leatherwork.
Anvil Customs Wallet with Chain
The Anvil Bold bifold is not a small wallet. In cowhide, it measures 5.5 x 4 inches closed and nearly a foot wide open, with two card slots, a full-length bill pocket and a solid brass chain attachment. It’s built for people who want their wallet to be noticed.
The chain and belt loop are sold separately, so budget for them when you order.
RobertiLeather Chain Wallet
This handmade wallet from Roberti Leather uses full-grain vegetable-tanned cowhide, with snap closures and an eyelet for the chain. It comes in two sizes, about 5 x 3.5 inches or 4.25 x 3.25 inches closed, and both have four pockets.
This one is for lovers of biker-style wallets who don’t like a wallet sticking out of their pocket. It’s biker-style heaven in a compact, pocket-sized package. The chain and belt loop are optional extras. If you’re bringing your own chain, check the eyelet first: buyer Michael Barr says in the listing’s reviews that his usual wallet ring was too big for it.
Slim, Inexpensive AirTag and RFID Wallet
Finally, a slim wallet that combines a short chain, a zipped coin pocket and a slot for an AirTag. If you somehow still manage to lose it, you can find it.
Plenty of AirTag cardholders have the tracker slot but no chain, so make sure you’re getting both. The AirTag itself is sold separately, of course.
Before You Go…
Men’s wallets with chains are an awesome way to keep your wallet attached while carrying in style. To us, it was “off the chain” … (sorry, sorry …)
Looking for something a little more tactical? We’ve got you covered in our next article:
