Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
Nothing starts your day off wrong like not being able to find your wallet, keys, watch, or any other part of your everyday carry. Enter the valet tray. Sure, you can keep your daily valuables on your bedside table, entry table, or briefcase, but wouldn’t they look better on display in a leather valet? Whether your buying one for yourself or looking for a gift, there are a lot of great options out there.
1) Defy Bags: Snappy Valet Tray
Defy Bags’ Snappy Valet Tray is about as classic as they come. Constructed from Horween Latigo leather, this tray is durable, simple, and the perfect size to hold all your everyday valuables. Built with snap corners, this tray can easily be made flat for packing away without damage, for use as an mousepad, or for any number of other things.
Available for $63 from Gallantry.
2) Tanner Goods: Valet Tray
Tanner Goods is many people’s go-to brand for leather goods, and it’s easy to see why with their Valet Tray. Available in a range of different leather/hardware/stitching combinations, these trays can hold anything: chapstick, pens and or pencils, flash drives, smaller valet trays, you name it. Each tray is handmade at TG’s Portland workshop, so you can be sure you’re getting the quality that you want.
Available for $75 from Tanner Goods in Natural, Black, and Cognac.
3) Leroy & Mullen: Catch All Horween Horsefront
Leroy & Mullen are really upping the valet tray game with their Catch All in Horween Horsefront. Sure, horsefront is a bit thinner than some other standard types of leather, but it is packed with strength and looks great doing it. In addition to the leather choice, this tray is constructed with hand hammered copper and an understated makers mark stamped in the center.
Like this? Read these:
Available for $60 from Wright Hand Twill.
4) Scout Leather Co: Valet Tray
Scout Leather Co’s Valet Tray is another great iteration of the snapped valet tray. While a lot of people like the solidity of a riveted or stitched leather good, the snapped corners give this piece a bit more versatility and personality. It’s available in several sizes and range of different colors of Horween Chromexcel, there is definitely a version of this product for everyone.
Available for $40 from Scout Leather Co.
5) Bradley Mountain: Valet Tray
Bradley Mountain might not be the biggest name in leather goods, but that doesn’t meant they don’t make a solid product. Their Valet Tray for instance is made from a beautiful oiled and waxed veg tanned leather with folded corners that are secured with donut style copper rivets — and it’s awesome. All their products are handmade San Diego to ensure the quality remains up to their standards, with the bonus of having everything made locally.
Available for $40 from Bradley Mountain.
Plus One – Hollows Leather: Panhandler Daily Carry Tray
It’s hard to really make a stand-out valet tray, but Hollows Leather did a great job of it with their Panhandler Daily Carry Tray. Available in a ridiculous number of styles, you can specify the shape, leather, stamping pattern to make sure you get exactly what you want. And don’t forget, the price is about as reasonable as they come.
Available for $40-$55 from Hollows Leather.
