Moonlighter, Core, Outlook or Billfold: Which Badge Wallet Is Right for You?
The easiest way to choose a badge wallet is to start with what has to go inside it. Your badge sets the minimum size. Your cards, identification and cash determine the layout. Leather and stitching colours come after those decisions.
At Hammer & Axe Leathercraft, our four main badge wallet designs give you different ways to organise the same daily essentials. You can browse the full badge wallet range while you compare the options below.
Start with your badge, then your pocket
Check your agency's outline in our Badge Library before choosing a model. A model's maximum badge dimensions are a useful starting point, but the actual outline and attachment matter too. A wide shoulder, projecting crown or deep mounting post can change how the finished wallet fits together.
Next, empty your current wallet onto a table. Separate the cards you use every week from old receipts and cards you rarely need. Decide whether you carry notes regularly and whether your work ID needs to be visible through a window. That gives you a much better shopping list than simply looking for the smallest wallet.
The four main layouts at a glance
Model | Best starting point | Maximum badge size |
Moonlighter | Compact card-and-badge carry | 57 × 90 mm |
Core | A straightforward layout for a wider badge | 68 × 90 mm |
Outlook | A wider badge plus an ID window | 68 × 90 mm |
Billfold | Regular cash carry in an upright bifold | 68 × 90 mm |
All four list room for six or more cards plus your badge. That capacity is a guide, rather than a reason to fill every pocket immediately. Carrying the cards you actually use helps any layout close more comfortably.
Choose the Moonlighter for a smaller footprint
The Moonlighter measures 3 × 4 inches closed. It is a good place to start if your badge fits its narrower limit and you want a compact wallet for a front or back pocket.
There are also Moonlighter Cash Strap and Moonlighter ID versions. Choose the cash strap if you want to carry folded notes, or explore the ID version if showing identification is part of your routine. These are different layouts within the same compact family, so compare the product photographs before ordering.
Choose the Core for straightforward wider-badge carry
The Core measures 3⅜ × 4 inches closed. It gives a wider badge more room while keeping the emphasis on cards and your badge.
This is the option to consider when you like a simple layout and do not need a dedicated ID window or a traditional cash section. The additional width can be necessary for the badge itself; choosing a narrower wallet will not make an oversized badge fit correctly.
Choose the Outlook when ID visibility matters
The Outlook shares the Core's listed closed dimensions and badge-size limit, with an ID window for quick visual access. If you often open your wallet to show identification, this layout deserves a closer look.
Its visible window measures 44 × 79 mm. Check that the details you need to show will be visible, and contact us about unusually sized credentials. The window opening and the size of a card that fits behind it are different measurements.
Choose the Billfold when cash is part of your routine
The Billfold measures 3¾ × 4 inches closed and is designed around regular cash carry. Choose it if you prefer a familiar upright bifold and want your cards, notes and badge together.
The best choice is the layout that suits the contents you carry every day. If you rarely carry notes, compare the Core or Outlook first. If notes are essential, give them a proper place instead of squeezing them into a card pocket.
Make your choice your own
Once the fit and layout are right, choose your leather, thread and personalisation. Our wallets are handmade in Canada from full-grain vegetable-tanned leather and hand sewn with waxed Ritza Tiger thread.
Unsure between two models? Contact us with your agency, badge dimensions, attachment type and the features you need. Then build your badge wallet around the way you actually carry it.
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