Chums Surfshorts Review

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Some Pros/Cons to consider before purchasing

The Chums Surfshort waterproof wallet. It’s durable, inexpensive, but not very waterproof.

The Chums is made of durable nylon with cotton threading. For a waterproof wallet, we’d rather see nylon or polyester threads, but the cotton stitching is good quality, and we recognize that this is the most inexpensive model of the bunch, so we can forgive the cheaper thread material. It also comes with a 60-day warranty

The Chums Surfshort waterproof wallet has two zipper pockets and a third open pocket, plus a keyring that you can use to clip to your shorts, tie to your swimsuit, etc. The ID window is part of the back zipper pocket.

We like that it has an ID window for flashing your driver’s license when needed, and with a wallet like this, you have to place the ID window on the outside. We are concerned, however, about the plastic. It is the least durable part of this wallet. The window is most likely to crack as it ages. It’s also likely to pull away from the nylon, leaving with you an ID window with no plastic shielding to protect your card.

As a waterproof wallet, the Chums waterproof wallet did not pass our rain test. We placed stickers that change color when they get wet on our test cards. We were impressed that the Chums held 14 cards and 10 bills. But when we gave the wallet a little shower, the cards showed definite color changes, and it was wet inside the wallet.

On the plus side, the material will handle getting wet and drying repeatedly. Water will not damage the nylon and will affect the cotton threading minimally. You can carry it on your swim trunks and let it dry in the sun. Our advice would be to only cards in the pockets, as your cards won’t be damaged by water either. Leave cash, paper business cards, notes, and receipts at home or in a locker.

The large open pocket is obviously useless for water protection, and we wouldn’t trust anything to stay securely in the pocket when we’re in the water. If you’re using this is an everyday wallet, you could use that large pocket for notes, receipts, or quick-access cards.

There is no RFID protection with this wallet. Chums does not advertise that it has any type of protection, and when we tested it, our cards perfectly fine through the nylon material. If you’re concerned about identity theft or unauthorized scans, you might want to look at the Flipside 4 Wallet.

The Chums Surfshort is an attractive wallet with a simple design. It also comes in 11 color schemes.

• Charcoal Gray and Neon Green
• Gray and Mustard Yellow
• Horizon Blue and Neon Pink
• Mustard Yellow and Horizon Blue
• Black and Ocean Blue
• Ocean Blue and Orange Sunrise
• Black and Olive
• Olive and Mustard Yellow
• Black and Orange Sunrise
• REALTREE Camo and Black
• White and Red

All of the color schemes are appealing, depending on your taste, and feature the company’s logo.

The listing on Amazon says that Chums Surfshort waterproof wallet is made in the USA. When we opened the package, however, it said it was made in China. Did they enter their information wrong? They are an American-based company. Did they recently move manufacturing facilities and not update the listing? We’re not too concerned about where this wallet was made since it’s not leather, but there is a disconnect to be aware of between the listing and the received product.

Despite its lack of water protection and “Made in…?” confusion, we like the Chums waterproof wallet in that the material itself is waterproof. It’s durable, has a high capacity for cash and cards, is extremely inexpensive, and comes in an array of color options. If you don’t need RFID/NFC protection, this could be the wet wallet for you.

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The Chums Surfshorts is part of a larger group of products we reviewed. Click to see all of the products: Waterproof and Water-Resistant Wallets