The Strike Core and the Strike Lite are the two slimmest wallets in the COLDFIRE Strike series. Both use Carbitex OmniFlex flexible carbon fiber on the outside, a K-Leather kangaroo leather interior, titanium hardware and RFID blocking. The decision between them comes down to two things: how many cards you carry, and whether you want a coin pocket built into the wallet.
Strike Core vs Strike Lite at a glance
| Strike Core | Strike Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Cards | 6 card slots | 3 cards |
| Coin pocket | No, built around cards and bills | Yes |
| Bills | Full-size bills | Bills |
| Closed thickness | 6 mm | 7 mm |
| Weight | 55 g | 58 g |
| Exterior | Carbitex OmniFlex flexible carbon fiber | Carbitex OmniFlex flexible carbon fiber |
| Interior | K-Leather (kangaroo leather) | K-Leather (kangaroo leather) |
Strike Core: six cards at 6 mm closed
The Strike Core is a classic bifold with six card slots and a compartment for full-size bills. It measures 6 mm closed and weighs 55 grams. The flexible carbon fiber exterior does not stretch, so the thickness you measure on day one is the thickness you keep. The interior is kangaroo leather, which we use because it is thin and strong for its weight. The measured difference between kangaroo leather and cowhide is explained here.
Six slots cover a driver's license, two or three payment cards and a couple of membership or access cards, in a flat profile that rides in a back pocket or jacket.
Strike Lite: three cards and a coin pocket at 7 mm closed
The Strike Lite trades card capacity for a dedicated coin pocket. It holds three cards and bills, measures 7 mm closed and weighs 58 grams. That is 1 mm and 3 grams more than the Strike Core while carrying fewer cards, and the difference is the coin pocket itself. It is handcrafted in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The Strike Lite suits people who regularly carry coins and want them inside the wallet instead of in a separate pouch or loose in a pocket.
Which one should you choose?
If you carry several cards and few or no coins, the Strike Core gives you twice the card count in a slightly thinner shell. If you carry coins regularly and keep your cards to three or fewer, the Strike Lite solves a problem the Strike Core is not built for. Neither is built to a higher standard than the other: they share the same exterior and interior materials, so the choice is about what you carry.
If you need more than either
Two other wallets in the series cover heavier carry. The Strike Elite combines five card slots, a coin pocket and an ID window in a 9 mm closed bifold at 74 grams. The Strike Pro holds eight card slots and an ID window, also 9 mm closed, at 65 grams.
Questions about the Strike Core and Strike Lite
Which is thinner, the Strike Core or the Strike Lite?
The Strike Core, at 6 mm closed against 7 mm for the Strike Lite. The Strike Core is also 3 grams lighter.
Does the Strike Lite have a coin pocket?
Yes. A coin pocket is the reason the Strike Lite exists. The Strike Core is built around card slots and bills instead.
Are the materials different?
No. Both use Carbitex OmniFlex flexible carbon fiber outside and K-Leather kangaroo leather inside, with titanium hardware and RFID blocking. For what RFID blocking does and does not protect against, read Do You Need an RFID Wallet?.
How do these materials compare with others?
See What Is the Strongest Wallet Material? for carbon fiber, titanium, kangaroo leather and Dyneema compared.
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