Labodet MagSafe wallet review: born out of high fashion
Apple's MagSafe wallet has some competition months after being released. Labodet has debuted a fashionable alternative that includes exotic leathers and a fix for the wallet's most frustrating design flaw.
Labodet MagSafe wallet in honey leather
Honey brown Labodet wallet compared to Apple's Saddle Brown wallet
All leathers come in green, blue, brown, black, grey, honey, orange, pink, and red -- with honey being our preferred color. Each color is quite vivid and looks great, though we went for something less flashy. It most closely matches Apple's Saddle Brown leather iPhone 12 case.
On the front of the wallet is a small metal emblem of the Labodet logo. It is hand-polished steel, 18K gold, or black PVD plating. That logo looks quite nice, but it sticks out just a bit too much for us. It creates just a bit of a sharp lip that could perhaps be rounded just a hair more.
There are many customization options between the leather type, the leather color, and the metal adornment color. 108 of them to be exact.
We've been using Apple's MagSafe wallet and are thrilled by the convenience. It is easy to grab the wallet when we need it but still have the ability to use our MagSafe charger and our Belkin MagSafe car mount.
The microsuction pad on the back of the Labodet wallet
Aside from the exotic leathers, there is one key differentiator between Apple's approach and Labodet's. Apple's wallet has leather on the back. When it goes against the glass back of your iPhone, it can slip a little if bumped. It holds better against a leather or silicone case, but it is still a concern. Labodet instead uses a piece of microsuction material.
Labodet wallet on Apple's leather iPhone 12 Pro Max case
This microsuction material has been used before on accessories such as battery packs or docks that help keep your phone in place. Here, it helps the wallet maintain its position on your phone. While it doesn't stick too hard, it does hold on better than Apple's. It does get dirty and dusty as we take it off our phone, but the good part is that it can be wiped clean with some water or a damp cloth.
That little bit of extra adhesion is even more important as this wallet lacks part of the entire MagSafe setup: the additional alignment magnet. Apple has a lower magnet towards the Lightning port of the phone used to help keep the wallet oriented properly and from spinning around on the back of the phone.
A MagSafe wallet doesn't have to be an everyday carry either but rather used for nights out on the town when you want to shun any bulk or items that can be easily forgotten.
Assuming you're on board with a MagSafe wallet, the question becomes about what options you have. At the moment, they are few and far between. Apple offers the mid-tier solution with its official leather wallets, and Moft offers a budget solution with its combo wallet and stand. Labodet comes in at the premium end, fulfilling the good, better, best offerings.
Pros
Labodet MagSafe wallet in honey leather
The home of fashion
The Labodet wallet is created in the tradition of Parisian high fashion, focusing on quality materials and craftsmanship. We chose the traditional Italian calfskin leather, but there are many other, more exotic materials to choose from. Labodet offers python, ostrich, and alligator hides as well in its MagSafe wallet. These aren't our preferences, but we do understand their place in the world of fashion. The exotic leathers are also a big differentiation from Apple's traditional leather.Honey brown Labodet wallet compared to Apple's Saddle Brown wallet
All leathers come in green, blue, brown, black, grey, honey, orange, pink, and red -- with honey being our preferred color. Each color is quite vivid and looks great, though we went for something less flashy. It most closely matches Apple's Saddle Brown leather iPhone 12 case.
On the front of the wallet is a small metal emblem of the Labodet logo. It is hand-polished steel, 18K gold, or black PVD plating. That logo looks quite nice, but it sticks out just a bit too much for us. It creates just a bit of a sharp lip that could perhaps be rounded just a hair more.
There are many customization options between the leather type, the leather color, and the metal adornment color. 108 of them to be exact.
MagSafe connectivity
The key to this wallet is the MagSafe connectivity that keeps it affixed to the rear of your iPhone when you need it, and sitting in your countertop valet when you don't. Your normal wallet-style iPhone case has the card slots sewn to the back and are permanently attached. By using a magnetic wallet, the wallet can come off when unneeded but can snap into place as you head out the door.We've been using Apple's MagSafe wallet and are thrilled by the convenience. It is easy to grab the wallet when we need it but still have the ability to use our MagSafe charger and our Belkin MagSafe car mount.
The microsuction pad on the back of the Labodet wallet
Aside from the exotic leathers, there is one key differentiator between Apple's approach and Labodet's. Apple's wallet has leather on the back. When it goes against the glass back of your iPhone, it can slip a little if bumped. It holds better against a leather or silicone case, but it is still a concern. Labodet instead uses a piece of microsuction material.
Labodet wallet on Apple's leather iPhone 12 Pro Max case
This microsuction material has been used before on accessories such as battery packs or docks that help keep your phone in place. Here, it helps the wallet maintain its position on your phone. While it doesn't stick too hard, it does hold on better than Apple's. It does get dirty and dusty as we take it off our phone, but the good part is that it can be wiped clean with some water or a damp cloth.
That little bit of extra adhesion is even more important as this wallet lacks part of the entire MagSafe setup: the additional alignment magnet. Apple has a lower magnet towards the Lightning port of the phone used to help keep the wallet oriented properly and from spinning around on the back of the phone.
Paying the price for convenience
MagSafe wallets are exceptionally convenient, assuming you can par back your essentials to only two cards. We can't overstate how nice it is not to have to worry about a separate wallet and keep everything at our fingertips. We always have our ID and a credit card at the ready whenever Apple Pay isn't accepted.A MagSafe wallet doesn't have to be an everyday carry either but rather used for nights out on the town when you want to shun any bulk or items that can be easily forgotten.
Assuming you're on board with a MagSafe wallet, the question becomes about what options you have. At the moment, they are few and far between. Apple offers the mid-tier solution with its official leather wallets, and Moft offers a budget solution with its combo wallet and stand. Labodet comes in at the premium end, fulfilling the good, better, best offerings.
Pros
- Fantastic quality
- Microsuction padding on back for better adhesion
- Exotic leather options
- Several colors
- MagSafe support
- No alignment magnet
- High cost
Comments
I am astonished that something that ugly could cost so much, though. I swear every time AI uses the word "fashionable" you’re in for a real treat >_<
Fashion is... highly subjective. Personally, the exotic leathers don’t do it for me. I think a lot of fashion is super odd and much of it I’d consider borderline-hideous! That doesn’t mean it doesn’t count as fashion. The fashion world is very unique and this comes from the epicenter of fashion. Between the company itself, the materials used, and the design, it’s clearly a high-fashion luxury item. Whether you like that look, that’s a different story!
I don’t pretend to understand fashion, but I do try to describe it accurately.
Regarding the Apple wallet: I had expected to use it on occasion, but it almost immediately became my main wallet. It sticks perfectly fine to the back of the phone, despite all of the hyperbolic videos on the Web claiming otherwise. The only thing that bothers me is that it is difficult to get the cards out if the card you need is not the backmost one. If I am in line at the store and need anything but the backmost card, I have to pop the wallet off of the phone, hurriedly spill all three cards out, fumble for the one I want, then dump everything in my pocket to be reassembled later.
It looks like the Labodet wallet solves these issues with individual staggered pockets for the cards that have more area to grip them, so it appears you can leave the wallet on the phone, and then just slide out the exact card that you need. As much as I use my wallet that convenience might be worth $300. However, the fact that it only holds two cards is probably a nonstarter for me. It was tough enough to force myself to pair down to three cards. Two may be a bridge too far. Also I really dislike the metal emblem on it. There should be an option to remove it.
Back in 2007 I had a website gig, a person was building a company that would make luxury-market games. Like $20,000 chess sets, croquet, I think even an ostrich-skin frisbee. They were all made of unnaturally colored leather. I think the most expensive item was a $120k chess set. The market for this stuff was mostly Russian oligarchs, mafia and Trump types who are blind to style but not to price tags.
Besides the garish leather, another "tell" are those dumb chrome logos. You can get away with that when you’re Louis Vuitton. Hell, you can get away with it when you're Guess?. Who is "Labodet"?
This does not look like great craftsmanship to me. The thumb cut on the lower pocket looks like it will curl in no time. I suspect the top corners are going to get weird with a bit of use as well. But dang that use of micro-suction is genius.
I feel shitty posting this, might come back later and delete it.