Best, most durable binders NEEDED!

[XYSRUS]

We buy the Case Its too. I get mine at Staples. They're the only ones that have 4 in binders and are pretty sturdy. 1 kid goes through 2-3 a year and the other is good with 1, so it depends on the kid...

 

[angwill]

I bought my son's first binders from Walmart last year and they lasted about 2 weeks so I would not suggest them. I think the most important thing for my son was that the clasps had the pin and hole and the Walmart ones don't have that so right away the clasps bend and the papers start falling out at one end. Then the next clasp bends and they are barely held in by one clasp. I would rather pay and extra couple dollars than go through what we did last year with Walmart junk binders. I noticed the difference because one of his teachers gave him a good binder and with the pin and hole and that lasted all year with duck taped corners of course.

Amazon has aluminum binders if you search for them but they cost $50 and over and weigh over a pound each. I bet those suckers would hold up.

 

[taymaesmom]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GIP20S/ref=oss_product

Is the binder I get my son. It is not the most indestructive or well made binder, but it is a 4" and has a zipper.

I sewed up the file area with upholstery thread so it wouldn't come open (the zipper didn't work on that area) and reinforced the entire zipper area with upholstery thread (main zipper).

It lasted all year after I did my tinkering with it.

I was determined to find a large zippered binder, and this was the largest I could find (school wants 2- 2" binders or 1- 3" binder) that zipped. I don't want my son to be one of those kids who drop their binder in the hallway and spend a half hour picking up all of the papers that came out of it when the rings popped open.

He got a lot of comments from teachers about his binder last year.

These were the exact binders I was going to suggest! My oldest dd has used one (or two) every year, they are pretty durable but I do suggest getting a back up because they do wear out. I get them at Target and in fact just bought 2 of them yesterday, youngest dd starts junior high this year. And when they go on sale or clearance I will pick up 2 more. The ran between $18-$22. My dd's love them because they have a strap to put over their shoulders!

 

[NikiM20]

We use the Case-It Z-binder. DD's school is on an A-Day B-Day schedule so she has a seperate zipper part for each day.

Also remember to keep your reciept on the Case It products because if they tear or rip with in 6 months Case it will replace it.

 

[NVDisMom]

We use the Case-It Z-binder. DD's school is on an A-Day B-Day schedule so she has a seperate zipper part for each day.

Also remember to keep your reciept on the Case It products because if they tear or rip with in 6 months Case it will replace it.

I didn't know that! Case It it is for the core binders and Staples for the rest, with rubber hinges if I can find them. Thanks for the advice. Now we just need a good sale.

 

[NotUrsula]

I have no idea where it came from- but a neighbor was clearing her office out and gave DS an aluminum binder. The whole "fold" parts are a big hinge- like a piano hinge. I have NO clue where you'd buy such a thing, but it's virtually indestructable. DS used it all year, and it's ready for next year!

These are commonly used in laboratories. You can buy them at places like labsafety.com

They ARE also used by the military. They are good for situations in which heat and sparks can be present. My dad always kept his welding orders in a metal binder.

 

[luckofthedraw]

The heavy-duty Staples notebooks are on sale, buy 2 get 1 free, this week. They also have the 1 cent report covers (limit 10at that price), and 1 cent copier paper (limit 2, after rebate). Combine with a $5 off $30 coupon from the newspaper, get a $9.96 rebate on 2 packs of copier paper, and you've got a good deal!

2 "better binders" @ $8.99 each = $17.98 (+ 1 free one)
2 packs copier paper @ $4.99 each = $9.98
10 report covers @ .01 each =$.10
after tax total was $30.02
-$5 coupon
-$9.96 rebate on copier paper
$15.06 out of pocket

 

[Cjmuma]

I personally recommend the Avery Durable binders, because these are the binders that I use at work ( I work at a Hospital) and we use them for everything, and we disinfect them all the time, so they actually put up with the abuse pretty well. They can be kinda expensive, but it is a less often replacement.... good luck!

 

[mum4jenn]

The heavy-duty Staples notebooks are on sale, buy 2 get 1 free, this week. They also have the 1 cent report covers (limit 10at that price), and 1 cent copier paper (limit 2, after rebate). Combine with a $5 off $30 coupon from the newspaper, get a $9.96 rebate on 2 packs of copier paper, and you've got a good deal!

2 "better binders" @ $8.99 each = $17.98 (+ 1 free one)
2 packs copier paper @ $4.99 each = $9.98
10 report covers @ .01 each =$.10
after tax total was $30.02
-$5 coupon
-$9.96 rebate on copier paper
$15.06 out of pocket

It ia actually the pocket folders that are 10 cents each. These have the brads in them for holding paper. Report covers are usually plastic with a clear front. I wouldn't want anyone going in Staples demanding report covers!!! LOL!!

 

[cassandrap83]

When I was in HS, the BEST binders were the ones made of that flexible plastic. They weren't nearly as heavy in my backpack, I could fit MORE of them in tight spaces, and they kept my papers just as organized as the bigger ones.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

You can see from my signature that I have kids so I am "in the trenches" with you. I do not understand the requirement for binders. My husband and I went through school and did quite well and used wire bound composition books for each class. I just don't get the need for big bulky binders - it can't be for loose papers because there are pockets for those in the composition books. I suppose at some point someone thought it would keep kids more organized, but it doesn't work with my kids. Can someone give me an explanation? I think having all those binders is ridiculous.

I don't get bookbags either. We just carried our books around stacked on top of each other.

 

[iteach7th]

Last year I recommended getting it at Office Max and buying the warranty...then after about 3 months, I needed to replace it and they had NO binders available for purchase w/ the warranty... .

That was the problem that I had - we had the warranty but when I went to replace it the selection was very small and the only option I had was to replace it with something we didn't want.

 

[iteach7th]

You can see from my signature that I have kids so I am "in the trenches" with you. I do not understand the requirement for binders. My husband and I went through school and did quite well and used wire bound composition books for each class. I just don't get the need for big bulky binders - it can't be for loose papers because there are pockets for those in the composition books. I suppose at some point someone thought it would keep kids more organized, but it doesn't work with my kids. Can someone give me an explanation? I think having all those binders is ridiculous.

I don't get bookbags either. We just carried our books around stacked on top of each other.

Wire composition books are the teacher's worst nightmare. One thing I have learned after 19 years in the classroom was the swap to binders was a great move. I require binders because of the loose leaf paper. If a student uses the wire bound composition books - as they tear the pages out to turn in their work, it creates an enormous amount of little paper that falls like snow all over the floor. Factor in 170 or so students that pass through the classroom and you have quite a mess by the end of each day. Not to mention, the "snow" that is left all over my car and floor at home when I take papers home to correct. I know they make the spiral bound books where you can have the "clean tear" but most students (especially boys) will not take the time to tear things neatly and you still have a huge mess or papers that were ripped in half as they tore them out of the book.

We require the students to have one big binder (which we provide) and they set up tabs for each class. It is just one of the "heavy duty" ones because we purchase over 800 at the beginning of the school year and usually tears up by Christmas (the style binder was an administrative decision, I would have paid a few $$ more and got a better one). All they do is take the one binder from class to class and it has plenty of room for each teacher's work. Also, I will give out handouts every now and then that I want the students to put at a specific place in their notebooks to help with studying. Before, if they put them in the pockets - I would find papers all over the floor and in the hall where they had fallen out.

BTW, backpacks are outlawed in our system 7th grade and up. Girls purses can be no larger than an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Security issues - yes, we know they will get a weapon in if they really plan things out but that cuts back on the stealing and ways to hide things that they try to get by with. One binder also eliminates the need for backpacks because all they have to carry around is the notebook and 2 textbooks at the most due to our schedule.

 

[poohbear8]

For those looking for the Case-it, be sure to check Sam's Club. (other warehouse stores also) They have had them in the past and they come with extras. (file system, pad of paper, extra pockets) I have used them in the past and though I love them, my kids hated them. Too big I think.

We tried the Staples heavy duty with rubber edges mid year and DD (13) says it didn't hold up. She went through almost 2 binders per class last year.

DS (17) loves the Flex Mead Binder.http://www.mead.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product3_10051_10006_125824_-1_false_10051

These I found the last 2 years at Costco in a 2 pack and WAY cheaper than buying one at a time. DD (of course) hated them. I personally like them since they seem lighter and easier to handle. I think DD's issues were the rings got caught on stuff.

I have usually bought the Avery Durable binders. They don't last all year, but at this point, I don't expect them to. I just budget them in. I got the point last year of always checking the thrift stores for binders. When I find them at .50-$1.00 new, I don't care if they last or if DD likes them. I give them to her with some new Sharpies and she is good to go.

I do wish our school had a better supply list. Last year she needed a 3" binder, 2 2" binders, and a 1" binder. Their lockers are not that big and she had a hard time keeping it all together. They are not allowed to use their backpacks or wear their coats, so it all had to be stored in the locker. (which is opposite of DS in HS, who never uses his locker and lives out of his backpack)

 

[angwill]

You can see from my signature that I have kids so I am "in the trenches" with you. I do not understand the requirement for binders. My husband and I went through school and did quite well and used wire bound composition books for each class. I just don't get the need for big bulky binders - it can't be for loose papers because there are pockets for those in the composition books. I suppose at some point someone thought it would keep kids more organized, but it doesn't work with my kids. Can someone give me an explanation? I think having all those binders is ridiculous.

I don't get bookbags either. We just carried our books around stacked on top of each other.

I agree with you completely. There are some kids that just can't do binders but in our high school they have to use them anyway. My son is organizationally challenged and having so many different places to put the papers is a nightmare. The holes are constantly ripped out and he will have multiple sets of holes and has gone through a million hole stickers. I can't wait till he is in college and can use a method that works for him. I wish they could use the method that works for them in high school now it would make life so much easier.