The Aviator AirTag cash clip fits all Aviator wallets, including the Classic, Slide, and Slide One. It’s 3D printed nylon that replaces the cash clip that came with the original wallet.
It’s also laser-sintered, which sounds really high tech because it is. I don’t pretend to understand the process, so here’s a definition.
The Aviator AirTag cash clip retrofits your existing Aviator wallet
Instead of having to buy a new wallet for your AirTag, this $35 retrofit will give you all the functionality of an AirTag wallet without losing any of the functionality of the original Aviator.
The Aviator AirTag clip is almost rigid, with just a tiny bit of flex to it when twisted. It comes in either black or concrete gray, with a molded center opening for the AirTag.
Its footprint is about the same length and width as the original cash clip, but it’s much thicker to make room for the AirTag.
This really doesn’t bother me, because the rounded metallic face of the AirTag protrudes just enough that it slides smoothly in and out of my pocket.
It absolutely makes the wallet thicker. But it doesn’t feel that much thicker. Like I said, the rounded face protrudes slightly outside of the clip and gives it a non angular feel.
How to install the AirTag cash clip
To install the AirTag cash clip, you have to partially dismantle the wallet. This is kind of a pain because of the 8 insanely tiny screws you have to remove and replace. But once it’s done, it’s done.
The AirTag clip and the original cash clip are similar in dimensions, so it’s a fairly simple process to exchange one for the other.
Once you remove the screws and have the the wallet open, just pull the elastic out of the top plate of the wallet and the vertical slots of the cash clip . Then do the reverse to install the new AirTag clip. Watch this clip for a demo.
As long as you have the wallet open, you can adjust the tension on the elastic strap or change the length of the pull strap to accommodate more—or less—cards. I have a detailed video about how to do that here.
Once it’s in place, you just slide your AirTag between the housing of the AirTag cash clip and the elastic. It’s held nice and tight and there’s still plenty of room to slide a few bills of cash between the elastic and the wallet.
Functionality
Like I said previously, you don’t lose any of the original functionality of the wallet. You can still place several bills (folded over twice) under the new AirTag clip. You can still access your cards and the coin tray in exactly the same way as you always have.
The new clip doesn’t add any thickness to the inside of the wallet, just the outside. Even then, the increased thickness is only about 1/4”. It’s barely noticeable.
It’s easy to slide the AirTag is in place. Once it’s there, it feels nice and secure. After a year so has a passed and it needs a new battery, it’s simple to remove the AirTag and have it running again likity-split.
With the AirTag installed you can find your Aviator wallet with the Find My app. As long as your AirTag is within 30 feet of your phone, you can use the Find My app to play an alert tone to help you track it down.
How loud is the AirTag
The only drawback I and see is that the Find My alert sound of the AirTag is slightly muffled. That’s because the speaker for the AirTag is on the back (the white plastic side).
Flip any AirTag upside down on a table (shiny metallic side down) and it’s considerably louder because now the speaker is facing outward.
Place two AirTags side by side on a table, one with the shiny side up and one with white side up. Play the Find My alert jingle for each. You’ll hear the difference in volume immediately.
Either way, they’re both pretty loud, so it’s not that big of deal. But wouldn’t it make sense to face the speaker out the front rather than back?
None of the AirTag wallets, including Aviator, allow you to mount the AirTag with the white plastic out, which is where the speaker is aiming. Unfortunate.
Should you buy it?
My overall opinion is very positive. The AirTag cash clip looks good on the wallet and still holds the same amount of cash underneath. The design is clean and basic, which means it doesn’t take away from the nice lines of the Aviator wallet.
It really doesn’t increase the thickness of the wallet as you might think. Because the AirTag is rounded, only the tiniest to tip of the widest part will substantially touch anything in your pocket going in or coming out.
As for color, Aviator sent me two colors to evaluate, both black and concrete gray. I did an “eyeball installation” with four different Aviator wallets that I own, and I would say that the black clip has the classiest look of all of the Aviator wallets.
That’s because black goes with everything, right?
BUY IT, if
- You want to retrofit you existing Aviator wallet to instantly become an AirTag wallet
- You’re willing to spend $35.
- You want a clean installation that looks and functions well and doesn’t detract from the wallet.
- You want to able to find your Aviator wallet if you lose it.
PASS ON IT, if
- You don’t want to spend 10-15 minutes removing 8 almost impossibly small screws, dismantling your wallet, installing the new AirTag clip, and reassembling your wallet.
- You can’t live with the slightly muffled volume of the Find Me alert sound from the AirTag.
- The slight extra thickness in your pocket is a dealbreaker.
Other AirTag wallet alternatives
There are dozes of AirTag wallets out there, but I like to stick with brand name wallet companies that are known for quality.
The only other wallet that sells an “add-on” AirTag component is Ridge. All the others are wallets that have been redesigned to carry an AirTag.
Here are four that I own and will be writing reviews about soon. They all have the same basic design. That is, they have some sort of molded holder that is made to accommodate an AirTag.
The Kings Loot and Ekster are leather. The Rossm and Spigen are metal wallets.
