Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I like spiral notebooks because they flip back -- you can fold the cover around back and have the book take up half the space. I like three-ring binders for the flexibility; I can choose or print exactly the kind of paper I want. (I'm picky -- I use one paper for my to-do list, but a different kind for my writing.) If you want the best of both worlds, you (that is, me) have three alternatives: 1) use a "disc" system like Levenger's Circa or Staples's Arc, 2) use a spiral- or comb-binding system and build your own notebooks, or 3) use the Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder. I actually have a spriral-binding system, and it works pretty well, but it's expensive and less flexible. The disc systems look nice but you have less flexibility (buy a $40 punch, and lose out on all the three-ring accessories out there). So. Mead. The Flex Hybrid is the best choice, but it's not perfect. A notebook's gotta know its limitations. You've got the flexibility and simplicity of a three-ring binder: Paper choices, ease of using a standard hole punch to put anything in it, simple archiving into standard three-ring binders, and lots of accessories if you're that type. And you've got the flip-the-cover-around ease of a spiral notebook. (I've seen some comments like, "Oh, please, that's not important. But we all know it is, don't we. Else we wouldn't be here.) So where does it fall short? A few small ways, but worth noting. The cover is cheap plastic and feels that way. Great for a schoolkid for sure, but you won't be dazzling anyone in an office. (Then again, I don't care about that. You might.) The bigger issue is the ring system. (I'll post a photo here if I can.) Each plastic ring is separate, and works not by clicking, but by splitting the ring to reveal a long pole on one side and a hole on the other. Make your own analogies. To close the ring, stick the pole into the hole and it sort of clicks tight. "Sort of" is the operative word. My notebook's rings fit tightly, but there was still a small gap (see the picture) of about 1/8 of a inch. Maybe less, but just enough to catch the paper as you turn pages. That means if you try to flip, say, halfway through 100 sheets of paper, it's going to catch. It won't open the rings, but it does mean turning pages isn't quite as smooth as with a standard three-ring binder. Adding to this is the fact that the rings are made of plastic -- they aren't nearly as smooth as stainless steel ones. So don't expect to flip through pages as quickly. Further, the plastic is on the soft side, and it uses a sort of 'barb' system to lock in place. If you're the kind of person to open and close and open and close your rings a lot, I can easily see them getting worn. (Also, as each ring is separate, it's a much more tedious process.) One final issue with the rings. They are flexible -- they can move up and down a little. So what? If you use different kinds of paper and the holes of paper type A are a teeny bit wider than the holes of paper type B, the paper will cause the rings to flex and make it difficult to turn pages. In a traditional binder the rings don't move, so you don't have that issue. (In my case, my three-hold punch makes very small holes, so I had to punch them several times to get enough flexibility in the paper so it didn't pull the rings.) These are mostly minor nits, but they're worth noting. This isn't as good a three-ring binder as a standard one, and isn't as good a 'fold-around' notebook as a spiral, but it's still the best combination of the two you're likely to find.