Lucca Bozzi’s solar charging wallet: is it worth the price?

Wallets are functional accessories, that much is true. They hold your cash, your payment cards, business cards, customer rewards cards and even change for some. Others will store important receipts and notes inside. Who knows what else has been tucked within the folds of our wallets?

But that’s about it. Wallets hold stuff. Isn’t it about time they did a little something more?

That’s exactly the concept behind the Lucca Bozzi solar charging wallet. It is, for all intents and purposes, a conventional wallet outfitted with some remarkably modern features.

What Is the Lucca Bozzi Solar Charging Wallet?

As the name implies, it’s a wallet that includes a built-in battery and solar-charging system. The battery will provide an additional ten hours to whatever device you need it for, including an iPhone or Android phone. The default charging port is micro-USB, but you can also choose from USB-C or Apple Lightning ports as well.

The battery will recharge via any light source — but sunlight especially. If you’re not going to be outside much, you can also charge it via a computer or USB adapter like any portable power pack. The most alluring thing about the battery is that it fits inside the wallet, so it’s incredibly thin and compact. It’s durable, too, so you don’t have to worry about sitting on it and breaking it.

The wallet itself is made of authentic Italian leather but includes RFID-lined pockets. RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, is a unique system designed to protect your items from electronic theft or hacking. RFID-enabled cards, for example, will be invisible to outsiders while inside the wallet.

As for the design, it’s a bi-fold-style wallet.

Why Is a Solar Charging Wallet Necessary?

The beauty of a wallet is that, once you have all your essentials stored within, you can grab it and go anytime. When you get home, you might place the wallet on a counter or nightstand so that when you’re ready to leave you can just scoop it up and put it in a pocket or bag. It’s a convenient, comprehensive solution to payment and card-based carrying.

Because of that, you almost always have your wallet on you no matter where you are. That’s exactly what makes the Lucca Bozzi charging wallet so appealing. The portable battery remains within, so you always have that on you, too.

If you happen to find yourself on the train ride home late at night needing a little extra juice for your phone or laptop, just take the battery out of your wallet and plug it in.

You could argue it’s not “necessary” in the strictest sense, but if you’re going to be carrying a power pack or portable battery anyway, why not do so in a readily available and easily transportable way?

Are There Any Issues to Be Aware Of?

This wallet is made of durable and premium materials that work exactly as intended for storage. The RFID protection and built-in battery are essentially extras which offer a lot of additional functionality.

Of course, that does mean the wallet is a bit heavier than a conventional one. Compared to minimal wallets, it can be bulkier, too, so it’s an adjustment if you switch from one of those to this.

Finally, the solar panel is hit or miss with some users. Many are reporting that it’s difficult to use and doesn’t charge as intended or that when it does work it charges too slowly to make a difference. Luckily, the USB charging feature is available to keep the battery juiced up when solar doesn’t help.

You could also make an argument against the wired charging requirement, considering there are so many wireless chargers available. That depends on whether or not you desire wireless charging on-the-go, of course.

To Buy or Not to Buy

If you’re just looking for a traditional wallet, the $99 price tag of the Lucca Bozzi Solar Charging Wallet is likely going to scare you away. But if you’re eyeing the RFID protection and built-in battery, too, that price is a little more alluring.

Bottom line: is it worth buying? Not really. Even separate wallet and portable battery combinations will be much cheaper than this bundle. You can also buy power packs that are incredibly thin — credit-card-sized, even — to fit inside your wallet. Factor in that the solar charging panels don’t work as intended, and this bundle is even less desirable.