Easily wins over binders and notebooks any day.
Written: Jun 16 '07 (Updated Aug 17 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Durable cover, accessible like a binder, less thicker than a notebook, flexible as a notebook.
Cons: Occasionally damages corners of sheets; filling/removing paper involves taking out each ring individually
The Bottom Line: A definite must-buy, the note binder, as the name suggests, can be used as a notebook and a binder with little cons that would actually prevent you from using it.
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| foreverxero's Full Review: Mead Five Star Flex Hybrid Note Binder 29104 - Lar... |
I saw this product in a flyer during the time I was tired of using one 2" binder to hold all the notes for all of the classes I was taking. At the same time, a notebook didn't really appeal to me either since many of the classes I had involved many handouts which really couldn't 'fit' in a notebook.
In my personal experience, I am often seated in a tightly spaced lecture room where having a binder is definitely out of the question. Notebooks are really the only options, ( or spare sheets of paper .. which is a hassle in itself ), but they are fixed (in size and order) and there is no possibly way for rearranging sheets for better organization.
Product Webpage (Checked on August 16th '07): http://www.meadfivestar.com/flex.aspx
Review:
This note binder comes in a few different colors: Red, Light Blue, Black, Dark Navy Blue, Pink, Light Green (The ones I have seen out so far)
As mentioned by another reviewer, the cover is certainly a strong point of the note binder. It isn't a hard cardboard like most cheap binders.. but it isn't the normal flimsy cardboard cover of cheap notebooks either. I think the cover resembles the cover of other Five Star notebook products.. it's quite durable and won't get beat up easily.
The rings are also made of a durable plastic that resists bending and stretching. When I first bought the note binder I was afraid the rings would eventually loosen enough one day to the point where I couldn't close them properly. Well let's say after 3 classes of using the same notebook (which involved a lot of rings being pulled out and pushed back in).. I no longer have that fear. The rings are still strong and tight.
PROS - Durable and sustains damage; allows for easy swapping and organization like a binder whilst keeping the flexible aspects of a notebook.
CONS - As the binder retains more paper, the rings occasionally damages the edges of paper (especially where the holes are), and makes it awkward to flip to the next page (some of the edges end up folding inwards.. notebooks don't have this problem since they have many rings to guide the paper); you have to open up each ring individually to put it or remove paper. (When first using the product, some may find that it is quite difficult to open them)
When purchasing the note binder, it also comes along with 3 dividers. 1 divider is designated for holding many sheets of paper and also has a smaller folder on the flap where you can place index cards or smaller pieces of paper at the front. The other 2 dividers seem more designated for holding a title page. You can fit it some more sheets of paper if desired, but it won't fit as much as the main front divider.
PROS - each divider has a flap which you can place over the sheets to prevent them from falling out (ie. if the note binder is turned upside down and shaken vigorously)
CONS - dividers don't have a slit (like usual dividers) where you can insert tabs (ie. containing the name of the course or the contents of the section). They do provide 3 stickers where you can write on them but that's about it.
In terms of storage, I find that it becomes more awkward to use as a note binder when it nears it's maximum capacity. However, I rarely need that much of space so I don't find it as a deterring con. However, even at it's capacity, it is less thicker than a notebook or a binder and carrying several of these note binders in your backpack definitely won't be a problem.
PROS - Lighter than a notebook and binder and conserves space (inside your bag)
CONS - Cannot hold as much as it claims without sacrificing the flexibility of a notebook.
The flexibility of this product is definitely one of the major pros. Unlike conventional binders, it is extremely awkward to fold the cover back. And of course, unlike normal notebooks it is an annoyance when you are unable to embed handouts that correspond to your class notes. If you keep them in another place, you may forget them or lose track if you don't write the date on them. With the introduction of the note binder, you can have both the pros of the notebook and binder with few cons that would actually prevent you from using it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
foreverxero
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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