Talk Shop Talk Shop

If you’re not familiar with Dango Products, they’re a SF-based brand hell-bent on redefining the EDC wallet, taking the classic form and upgrading it with metals and machining and in-built multi-tools.

And today, we’re reviewing their Dapper Pen Wallet in Whiskey Brown and the brand-new limited edition 007 themed edition, with gorgeous black leather and an anodized gold aluminum chassis. 

I often need a pen; I usually carry a cheap one in my bag as I often lose them, but this wallet has a small pen held along the spine and includes a small notebook inside. I attend several expos a year and find the need to write a quick note with a vendor or about a potential client, so having a small notebook and pen handy is essential.

Who It Suits

If you like unique design and are a minimalist carry when it comes to cards, this would be a great choice. The chassis of the wallet is aluminum, so it does take up a bit of room, but it also allows for a rigid back when using the notebook. I carry 5-7 cards and my ID, which is about half the amount Dango claims it can hold. The wallet ends up being slightly larger than I would prefer, but the ability to have the notebook and pen around is worth it. 

Who It Doesn’t

If you tend to carry every card known to man, or stuff in receipts, photos, and all sorts of things, this wallet is not for you. Even with a pen and notebook, one could consider this a minimalist wallet. 

If you carry your wallet in your back pocket, then the hard frame is a bad time when you sit down.

The Good

The build quality of the wallet is outstanding. The leather mixed with the CNC’d aluminum chassis makes for a long-lasting and good-looking wallet. The pen is refillable, so you can keep it for the life of your wallet and beyond. They did a fantastic job with the pen slot on the spine. During my time using this wallet, there was never a time where the pen got loose and fell out.

It has has a few handy extra tricks, like a bottle opener for when you need to crack an ale, and Dango’s MT02 & MT03 Multi-Tools (sold separately) also slip inside to give you extra functions like Hex bits, chisel, a phone stand and more, so you can notch up your preparedness.

The wallet is also TSA compliant. I had no issues with security when I traveled with the D01. The other benefit is that the wallet is RFID-blocking so you can carry and maintain peace of mind. 

Not So Good

There was the occasional time where the tip of the pen cap could get uncomfortable if the wallet adjusted wrong in my pocket. Other than that, I have not had any issues or complaints with the wallet, notebook, or pen. I liked the Dapper Brown colorway so much that I picked up the 007 edition as well. 

As I stated up top, this is a hard case wallet, so it isn’t comfortable to sit on, and does stand out in your front pocket with a bit of bulk, so if you want to keep your wallet placement subtle or discreet, then this probably isn’t the right option for you.

Verdict

If you are in the market for a unique, well-built minimalist wallet, check out the Dango lineup. The D01 Pen Wallet is an excellent option if you find yourself needing to jot something down on the go. The quality and design are outstanding, and the fact that Dango Products are made in the USA makes this a great product. 

If you’re anything like us here at Dango, you’ll be pretty serious about your EDC line up and, needless to say, you won’t have your accessories on your person at all times so will be in the market for the ideal storage solution. Well, you can call off your search because you’ve just found the perfect candidate in the shape of the DANGO EDC Tray. This classy number from one of our favourite gear brands will keep all your accessory essentials neat and ordered on your desk, bedside table or by the front door.

The all American made Dango EDC Tray is has been cleverly designed to organise and help protect your most prized everyday carry items all in one convenient space. Each one is machined from a robust, solid piece of aluminium, and it houses four different sized cavities to ideally compliment and store items such as your wallet, keys, coins, watches, headphones, capsules, clips, knives or cellphone.

An organisational marvel, the DANGO EDC Tray (from $129) is right up our minimalist loving street here at Coolector HQ. The hefty EDC Tray comes equipped with anti-slip rubber footing on the underside to help protect surfaces and keep it safely in place without sliding or being easily moved around. In addition, cable management and multiple positioned tablet/phone stands are thoughtfully positioned into the tray, which makes it a great item to support your tech requirements.

If you’ve got a lot of pieces of EDC on your person on a daily basis, it can be a mission to keep them all close to hand and not lose them when they eventually come out of your pockets. The EDC Tray from DANGO is the perfect product for tackling this issue and for those with a need to keep their workspace and home as clutter-free as possible, it will come as an absolute godsend.

A Brand With EDC At Its Core

DANGO are a brand that have been on our radar for years now here at The Coolector and we never cease to be amazed by the quality of their EDC orientated products. The latest addition to their accessories family is the ace looking EDC Tray which superbly compliments many of their other products by giving them the ideal place to reside on a daily basis when they’re not in use.

With prices starting at a thoroughly reasonable $129, we’ll certainly be adding one of these EDC Trays from DANGO to our accessory line up here at Coolector HQ this summer. Great functionality and aesthetic appeal combine to make this an EDC essential in our book and it’s little wonder why they’re already flying off DANGO’s digital shelves.

By: Leo Davie The Coolector

There are many reasons why having a RFID protected wallet is an important consideration for anyone who carries contactless cards.

Dango Products is not only about key chains and wallets - we love to create personal products that become part of the user by forming a way of life by using them daily. That is how we see "EDC" - objects that become an extension of who you are. 

Belts have always been on our list of top everyday carries that we wanted to reinvent with our DNA. From wallets, tethers, knives, guns, and pens, these objects can often be seen stored around a person's waist. We believe that belts are an essential piece of accessory and the center connection to most of your EDC. 

Dango Products wanted to make an uncompromising belt that is an everyday carry essential for those who pay close attention to the details. Our belt is produced, and handmade in the USA with an Italian veg-tan leather strap and a CNC-machined 7075 aluminum buckle.We have been busy the last few months setting up some new and exciting projects and its pretty cool to see them coming to fruition. We want to introduce you to the Dango Belt!

The Dango Belt is an ultra lightweight traditional leather belt with a modern twist. Its modularity and contemporary design makes it a perfect fit for any outfit - just swap the removable buckle with different color straps. In addition, the buckle has a built-in emergency capsule to carry small and useful survival goods such as pills, matches, a small magnesium stick, fishing line, small fishing hooks and more.

• Ultra lightweight and high strength 7075 Aluminum buckle.
• Tumbled finish.
• The buckle is comprised of 7 individual machined parts - made and assembled in the USA.
• Bolted together with 8 stainless steel mil-spec screws.  
• The strap is handmade with Italian Veg-tan leather in USA
• Built in storage capsule (0.3" inner diameter x 1.9" internal height).
• Easily removable buckle and leather strap for modularity.  No tools are required to change the buckle between straps.  

Click here to shop Dango Belts!

Click here to shop Dango Belts!