The word tactical derives from the Greek word taktikos, meaning organized or arranged. Later this term took on military and naval meanings, referring to the precise way in which these organizations accomplish tasks in the most efficient and functional mannar. Tactical also implies the use of precise hand movements. Tactical wallets bring all these definitions together: they are an evolved, more efficient and more strategically functional wallet, that uses precise hand movements to avoid wasting time.
What are the real differences between an everyday wallet and a tactical wallet? Well, there are many different ways in which a wallet can be streamlined for purpose and convenience. Cardholders to keep cards secure, heavy-duty metal casings to protect them from wear and damage, RFID blocking technology to safeguard the information stored on cards, and tracking capabilities to aid in never losing your wallet again. These are all examples of features which can be considered tactical, as they provide the user with an easier, more streamlined, and more efficient experience.
Card Holders
The cards inside your wallet are what make it so important. Traditional wallets are rough on plastic cards, leading to bends or breaks that render them useless. Traditional wallets also lack ease of access, leading to fumbling at checkout when trying to find the right card. This is where the invention of cardholders comes into play.
Card holder wallets are typically designed with a locking mechanism that holds cards in place when you slide them into the slot. Likewise, there will be a release mechanism that will unlock the cards and even fan them out, making them easier to tell apart from one another and access. The cards then simply slide out, and when you’re done, you place them back into the slot and lock them into place again.
As important as cards have become to our everyday lives, having them in a safe, secure place is definitely a must. Losing one can cost huge amounts of time, energy and money to replace. So, it is a relief to know they are locked into your wallet where they belong.
Heavy Duty Metal Casing
Plastic cards have a tendency of getting bent or broken when kept inside of your average billfold. They conform to the shape of your body in whichever pocket you keep them and can render your valuable cards completely useless from damage. So tactical wallets usually contain some sort of metal casing structure inside them that is nearly unbreakable, to keep your cards from ending up needing a replacement, and you from dealing with the hassle that process can easily become.
These metal casings are often covered in tough, water-resistant cloth or leather exteriors, and some could even be considered objects of fashion, all while protecting the plastic cards that are essential to our everyday lives. Plastic, by nature, is subject to a drying out process, especially when subjected to constant changes in the ambient temperature and humidity around them. Tucked safely inside of one of these type wallets, the ever-increasing brittleness of the plastic is dramatically slowed, keeping your cards newer-looking for longer.
RFID Blocking Technology
RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, is a more modern technology in the world of banking and other types of plastic cards. Cards with this technology are embedded with a chip that contains the personal information, unique to each card. These chips are activated by electromagnetic signals which activate them and broadcast the necessary information in a way that doesn’t require direct contact with the card, as is required for the use of the older magnetic strips cards.
One flaw to this technology is that while it does increase the security of the account holder, the nature of the chips and how they work gives them a slight vulnerability to be accessed and even copied with an appropriate RFID reading device. Basically, with the proper equipment, some identity thief could simply walk closely behind their victim and copy all of their cards equipped with the RFID chips.
This is why smart wallet makers and those designing tactical style wallets came up with the idea of creating a wallet that protects cards from this type of electromagnetic reader device. There is nothing better than knowing your personal data cannot be accessed and exploited, giving you peace of mind as you move throughout the world.
Tracking Capable Wallets
Nearly every person who carries a wallet has been through the absolutely unthinkable ordeal of losing their wallet. Your wallet holds your most important cards, your cash and other things necessary to go about your life. Losing your wallet can ruin your day and end up costing time and money. In order to eradicate this possibility, smart wallet makers have created wallet tracking devices.
Some smart wallets have removable and rechargeable tracking card devices, and some even charged with built-in solar charging. This technology makes the wallets almost impossible to lose by allowing the owner to find their wallet on a map. The tracker card also has a built in sound device which rings at the click of a button, making it easy to find in out of sight places. Even better, these wallets can be paired to smart assistant devices like Siri or Google home, which will allow you to locate the wallet with simple voice commands.
If the purpose of the wallet is to protect and contain the most valuable things we carry, nothing serves that purpose in a better manner than making the wallet almost unlosable. Therefore, tracking capability is definitely a highly tactical feature to have in a wallet.
Tactical Wallets Depend on Their Purpose
By definition, tactical wallets are variable, depending on the exact uses they are meant for. However, this only serves to broaden the definition of the term, encompassing different types and styles of wallets. If your main goal with your wallet is the protection of the cards inside, RFID blocking technology, metal casing, tracking capabilities, and a cardholder would all be considered tactical accessories for your wallet. If your main concern is fashion above all else, your version of a tactical wallet will be different, but can still include some of the aforementioned extras.
From their invention in the late 1700s and their subsequent introduction into society, wallets have made many advances and taken many different styles and forms. But, one thing is certain. With the constant exponential growth of technology as a whole, you can rest assured that what we call a wallet has not yet reached its final form. Only the future knows where wallets are heading, but their inevitable change and evolution, as with anything enhanced by modern science and technology, is inevitable.
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