Review; Silca Borsa Americano Phone Wallet

I picked up a Silca Borsa Americano last Spring in the ever-ongoing quest for looking for the perfect phone wallet.

I had been using a Waterfield case for a year or so which was great as it allowed me to also carry a Wahoo Dongle on my phone. When TrainerRoad started allowing outdoor rides to sync without capturing it on the App on my phone I started to look for a smaller option, the Waterfield case was a bit bulky.

I was already a fan of Silca products, I picked up their T-Rachet and TI-Torque kit on a Kickstarter in August 2017 and since then have slowly been adding their tools and accessories to my kit arsenal. When they had a sale on their Expo gear I jumped in and grabbed a Borsa Americano Phone Wallet.

Items like this are, in my mind, like golf putters, their design and look either appeals to you or doesn’t. I was attracted by the fact this this is made from upcycled inner tubes, this makes good use of something that is usually destined for the trash and it also makes each Wallet unique. The construction is actually made from three layers, the outer (inner) tube, a middle layer of upcycled neoprene from discarded wetsuits and the inner; a robust cordura liner is sewn in. As with all Silca products they don’t skimp, and the wallet is finished with contrasting stitching and a YKK zipper. You can read more here about the Origin Story of the wallet.

As there has been no improvement in my eyesight I am still using a large phone. Since my earlier review I have upgraded my iPhone 7+ to a XS Max. My phone case is actually a “wallet” and holds two credit cards and my Driver’s License, this fits with no issue. The phone dimensions are almost identical 157.50 x 77.40 x 7.70 for the XS vs 158.20 x 77.90 x 7.30 for the 7+ so as expected, and proved out, there are no issues.

Inside there are four pockets of different sizes, perfect for credit card, cash or keys. Silca presents the Wallet on their website with a myriad of contents. While I think technically you can fit these all in I am not sure how “comfortable” it would be? All I see when I look at this photo is a scratched phone! Which somewhat defeats the object. Personally, I tend to keep soft items in the case; phone, cash, cards, SIS tabs, sachets of sunscreen, Chapstick etc. Anything hard and scratchy; tools, levers and C02 lives in my seat bag.

The bag fits snugly into my Pactimo jersey pocket and in addition to keeping this safe it stops the phone from bouncing out, something that has happened in the past. Yes, I have ejected my phone while riding!

In terms of its waterproofness I can’t say I have tested it in the rain. But I have tested in the heat. Having something rubber (butyl) close to your skin for any length of time you would think this would cause a hot spot but that hasn’t happened either. There is some evidence of warmth as you can see I have sweated through to it but it’s not anything I have noticed or has caused issues.

A bit sweaty post 4 hour ride under a winter jacket, it was warming up during the day!

So overall the Wallet does exactly what it says on the tin. It looks after your phone and valuables and does so in a stylish and unique way. It’s a bonus that it also keeps stuff out of the landfill!

Available through the Silca website, you can also find it on Amazon and comes with free shipping if you have Prime!

The Borsa Americao was purchased by me. See previous gear reviews in the tab above. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at quadrathon@gmail.com.