Update: I've had a few people reach out to me saying that Normest has changed their name again (I think this is the third time?) to Patimon. This looks like it checks out, as the products and site design are exactly the same.
We still not recommending purchasing from Patimon, as the products are of low quality, and they do not offer acceptable returns or customer service.
About the company
Since I review a lot of wallets, I tend to see a huge variety of new products through Instagram and Google ads.
I recently saw a well designed ad for a company called Normest, which offered products in a variety of styles, but mostly focusing on slim, slide, bifold and AirTag wallets.
I was curious about their products, but was a little bit alarmed after learning more about the company.
Surrounded in Controversy
I immediately discovered some sketchy information as soon as I started learning more about the brand.
People on Youtube and on Reddit were all talking about how Normest is just a rebrand of an existing wallet company called Nimalist.
My friends at Nomad even reached out to me and said that Normest had blatantly stolen the about copy on their page, pretending to be someone that they were not.
Questionable wallet quality
As soon as you receive a wallet, the first thing you'll notice is the cheap packaging. This is really noticeable after purchasing any other wallet from a big online brand, the comparison between this and any of those just screams "bare minimum".
I found a Youtuber named JPMediaProductions who took a look at his wallet, and wanted to showcase some of the things he noticed.
I've linked his full review at the end of this article as well.
The first thing people say when they receive their wallet is just how poor the quality is compared to the price they paid for it.
In fact, it's not just the quality of the product people are complaining about, it's that the material itself isn't what they said it was.
Youtuber JPMediaProductions experienced this first hand after buying a "Carbon fiber" AirTag clip, only to notice that it was just a plastic clip with a carbon fiber texture on it.
I was pretty shocked to see how awful the wallet actually looked when he took it out of the packaging.
It's clearly made from cheap material, and is not something I would expect to cost $100+
Even the AirTag clip on the back is not something I'd be willing to risk putting one of my AirTags in.
It doesn't look secure, I don't trust that single button, and there is a pretty significant amount of loose space once your AirTag is inside.
Dodgy customer service
Another common complaint I've seen on Reddit is the non-existent customer service. They claim 40,000+ 5 star reviews on their site, but none of the honest reviews I've seen online make that seem legit at all.
I've seen many people email customer service for a question about the product, customs cost when importing to Canada, and product return requests either go unresponded to, or answered after a week.
Should you purchase a Normest wallet?
Absolutely not.
You're getting a cheaply made, overpriced wallet dropshipped from China, with a history of deceitful choices.
They do have great looking marketing materials and site though, I'll give them that.
Recommended alternatives
I've reviewed three products recently that would make good alternatives to the Normest wallet depending on what features you're looking for.
Ekster Wallet
Check out my Ekster Wallet Review to see why it would be a solid choice for those looking for a minimal, premium option, with a neat little card ejection system.
Bellroy Wallet
I recently published a Bellroy Wallet review, which I'm currently using as my daily driver. It has a traditional bifold design, and is a bit slimmer than the Ekster wallet.
cloudandco Wallet
If you're looking for the best looking wallet on the market, I don't think there is anything better than this. The only problem is that the quality didn't hold up so great after a few years, which I go over a bit in my cloudandco wallet review.
Youtube review
For a more in depth review of a few of the Normest Wallet, check out this insightful review on YouTube that goes over many of the problems I've listed here.
