I always put smaller bills on the outside, so I doubt anyone thinks I'm flashy showing a couple $1s (I moved a $2 to the outside for the picture). Sometimes I have no bills and it's just a few cards. If I'm waiting in line to pay for something I just take the clip off and hold it in my left palm, and from there it's really simple to pull out bills or the right card. No downsides as far as I'm concerned! I think a super lightweight wallet would be just about as good, but I prefer the clip.
A conversation
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I used a money clip for years and agree, they are great! A huge benefit of them is it really encourages you to only take what you need.
I did switch to using a slimfold tyvek wallet around 2012 and really enjoyed it, though it needed replacement about once a year from wear (not due to functionality but appearance).
I backed the 2014 kickstarter for a softshell slimfold and have been using the same wallet since. It is thicker than the tyvek version or a money clip but I've gotten used to having a tap-to-pay train fare card on one side of the fold and another tap-to-pay card on the other, which I find very useful.
Though with phones being able to replace that functionality now, perhaps it is time to go back to the money clip.
Thanks for the gear post. I find it interesting to see how it has evolved over the years and it has helped me tweak some of what I pack for travel.