Ekster Parliament Wallet

Ekster sets out to make life as easy as possible by reimagining the traditional wallet by making it simpler to use and harder to lose. Based in the Netherlands Ekster is named after the Dutch word for Magpie, well known for its habit of collecting and hiding shiny things. Inspired by the Magpie the Ekster’s flagship wallet the Parliament (named after a flock of Magpies) was created to protect everyday valuables.

The Parliament wallet comes in seven editions in its classic design (we received the Nappa Black version), it is also available in three different colours of vegan leather, made with PVB sourced from scrapped cars and three matte finishes to ensure there is a perfect colour and material for everyone. The Nappa Black is constructed from genuine leather which will age beautifully with use and are tanned under gold-rated LWG environmental protocols. The built-in aluminium cardholder is one of the things that sets this wallet apart, with a press of a button the card-slider mechanism pops out up to six non-embossed cards (or a combination of 4 – 5 embossed/non-embossed cards) in a staggered fashion making it easy to locate the card you need.

I found selecting a card easy when they were fanned but my sausage fingered friend struggled to separate them, there are two pockets where you can store your most used cards. This wallet can take 12+ cards but it is recommended that 9 is the max number. The other special thing about the Parliament is that it is trackable thanks to the never-before-seen solar-powered tracking technology, this super-slim tracker card is connected to your smart phone and lets you locate and ring your wallet anytime, anywhere, no more digging behind the sofa cushions trying to find it.

With built in solar powered technology, it requires 800 lux to charge at maximum capacity, meaning that it doesn’t need direct contact with sun-rays for a sufficient charge, three hours of sunlight will charge the battery for two months. The RFID/NFC protecting technology in the wallet protects your cards from wireless skimming and private data theft, the elasticated strap can be used to store bank notes but unfortunately there is nowhere to store coins. There is a lot to love about the Parliament, however, there are elements that won’t work for everybody. It is reasonably compact (1.1 x 10.5 x 6.5 cm) but the metal construction means it is better suited in a jacket pocket than a trouser pocket, the cards in the card slider can slip out if given a shake (I’m not sure why you would do this but it’s something to consider). It is hard to see all your bank notes under the strap and removing just one at a time can add to awkward fiddling that this wallet was trying to avoid. This wallet comes down to personal preference, it is a premium construction, the tracking card and RFID protection are great features but the limited space and solid body make it best suited for evenings out and special occasions rather than everyday use. RRP $89 ($138 with optional tracker)

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