“Do you really need your salon or video rental cards when you go hiking?”

That’s the tagline we used when the Smart Wallet, the predecessor to the TRAIL BANK, first launched. Now, after much refinement, it has evolved into the TRAIL BANK series. The Smart Wallet was the starting point for this product, and while we kept the original concept, we focused on making it even more user-friendly and durable. The result is this TRAIL BANK series. The M size keeps the design of the original Smart Wallet, while the S size is a bold experiment in just how compact we could make a wallet.

Making something compact is actually pretty easy. We started with a prototype that was basically like a “Pochi-Bukuro, a small monetary gift envelope”—just enough to hold a few cards and some folded cash. It was minimal, sure, but not exactly practical.

So, how could we make the wallet smaller without sacrificing usability? After making a lot of prototypes, we came up with the idea of using the cards themselves as structural components to provide strength to the wallet. It’s a wallet that only gains its sturdiness when you slide in three cards. In other words, it’s a unique wallet that doesn’t really work without the cards inside.

The TRAILBANK-S was born from this idea. It can only hold your ID, insurance card, credit card, a few bills, and maybe some change for a can of beer. But in return, it gives you a lighter load and a lighter mood.

Try it out on the trail and see how it feels.

Let’s pack and go!

Tetsu Saito, Designer
PAAGOWORKS
Oct. 15, 2016