The Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 cases from Smartish are a couple of reasonably priced smartphone cases that let you carry your cards, and some cash, with your phone and give it some protection at the same time.
The digital wallet in your phone may have you questioning why a wallet case may be necessary, but some cards such as Student IDs don’t have a digital counterpart, so a wallet case can certainly come in handy. I have been testing these cases on my iPhone 12 mini, but the Wallet Slayer is available for a range of devices.
Video Review
Wallet Slayer Vol. 1
Starting in numerical order with the Wallet Slayer Vol. 1, the case is quite a thick case with plenty of space to accommodate up to 3 cards and some notes, however, this thicker construction doesn’t add much extra weight to your device.
The variant of the case I have been testing is the “Chefs Special” colour, which has a wooden-looking print on the back of the case with black sides. You can also personalise the case design if you’d like to on Smartish’s website, although this will bump up the price.
The case has a grippy feel to it with textured sides which help you get a secure hold on the case. If you’ve seen our review of Smartish’s Grip cases, you’ll also recognise the grooved sides of the case, which are subtle but do help with giving your fingers a comfortable place to rest when holding the phone – these grip features are even more important with a case of this thickness as without them it would likely be uncomfortable to hold.
The case also features spacious cut-outs for the microphone, speaker, Lightning port and mute switch, making them easy to access and use. The large cut-outs also mean that you can use chunky third-party cables without the case getting in the way. The buttons around the case are embossed and a smooth texture in comparison to the grippy texture of the case, making them easy to find in a rush, the buttons also have a good clickiness to them and don’t feel too mushy.
The main feature of this case is the wallet functionality, the case essentially has another layer to the back of it which houses the storage for your cards and notes. I was able to easily fit in three cards and if you needed to add some notes in there, I don’t imagine it being too difficult to do so. Cards are also easy to remove thanks to a notch on the left-hand side of the case, allowing you to push them out.
Thanks to the design of the case, it looks to offer a good degree of protection across your entire device. The front of the case sits above the display glass and wraps around the sides, giving it a secure fit that won’t accidentally pop off. The corners inside the case also have a little cut-out, giving the case air pockets on the corners to absorb the impact of a drop and, of course, the thick back of the case means that the rear of your phone is well protected.
Wallet Slayer Vol. 2
The Wallet Slayer Vol. 2 takes the best features of the Vol. 1 and puts it in a slimmer and sleeker form factor. Features such as the air-pocket corners and grippy design features such as the notched sides and textured surface. The case I have been testing is the “Black Tie Affair Colour”, which can be customised, at an additional cost, and is also available in a range of other colours.
In comparison to the plastic feeling back of the Vol. 1, the Vol. 2 features a fabric back that is soft to the touch and looks great. This gives the case a slimmer design that feels very much like a regular non-wallet phone case, which is great as the thickness of the case can vary depending on how many cards you are carrying – it doesn’t need to be as thick when carrying a single card.
When it comes to storing cards in the wallet, I found that it was a bit of a squeeze – especially with three cards. Over time, as the wallet section is fabric, the fabric should loosen up and adjust to accommodate three cards, but it will feel quite tight initially. Out of the box, I was able to easily use two cards with the case without too much hassle and push them out using the notch cut-out on the left side.
The case also features a neatly integrated kickstand feature that uses one of your cards as the stand. There is a small slot on the right side of the card pocket which a card can be placed in, allowing you to stand up your phone on a surface. This is quite a neat feature and allows you to have a stand for your phone with no added bulk as you’d already be carrying a card in the wallet.
Conclusion
Both the Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 cases from Smartish offer great ways to add some card storage functionality to your smartphone. If you’re looking for functionality over looks, the Vol. 1 is a great option that can easily accommodate three cards and is easy to use in a rush.
If you’re looking for something more stylish, the Vol. 2 is a great option. It is a bit of a negative how the fabric sleeve needs to stretch to properly accommodate three cards, but the sleek and premium design matched with the kickstand feature makes it a good option if you only have a card or two to carry with you.
The Wallet Slayer cases are both available to purchase on Amazon, or directly from Smartish.
