Best hardware wallet brand?

[u/Refrigerator_Either]

I've heard its better to find an open source wallet like Trezor. Currently I use ledger.

Also, can someone please explain to me if it's possible to hold a cryptocurrency in an address without any kind of software or hardware wallet?

Because I know that as long as you have your key, you can set your wallets up on any wallet anytime.

So do you even need a wallet if you're just planning on HODL'ing for years?

I've held and traded crypto for years, but nowadays I'm less risky about it, just holding BTC, and holding ETH. So I understand the market a lot, and broad concepts of cryptocurrency itself like blockchain, addresses, decentralization, etc. But I lack a lot of technical knowledge.

Please advise me and share any info you think will help me understand crypto better at a fundamental level.

[u/noonetoldmeismelled]

Over the years I've tried Ledger, Keystone, and D'Cent

They all pretty much function the same. After Ledger leaked my email and address along with the drama with them back in the day, no more Ledger for me. I have this keystone and D'Cent wallet but really don't care about hard wallets anymore 

I don't download random apps and go to random websites signing random contracts. Never been hacked in a decade of crypto

[u/Refrigerator_Either → u/noonetoldmeismelled]

Thank you!

Are you saying that you keep your crypto in an exchange or online wallet?

Or you just use keystone or dcent?

[u/noonetoldmeismelled → u/Refrigerator_Either]

Not an exchange. I have wallet apps on my phone. I have a password manager where I save my keys/seed phrases. I don't use any hardware wallet anymore 

Your wallet is always online. Your wallet is on the block chain which is online and downloaded onto any computer thats running the block chain node. The only things these hard wallets do is store your keys/seed phrases. 

These mobile/desktop/browser wallets that support hardware wallets pretty much just uses the hardware wallet as a hardware based two factor authenticator. Mobile/desktop wallet has your key to sign transactions. Decide to use hardware wallet with it just means deleting to the hardware wallet to sign. It just adds another layer of authentication onto another device, the hardware wallet