Best, most durable binders NEEDED!

[NVDisMom]

I have two gils in middle school now The eldest has gone through at least two binders for each subject for the last two years running, and she is fairly easy on her things compared to her baby sister. We need at least a three inch wide, zipper binder for their core class binders (eldest DD probably needs a 4 in) and an astounding number of 1.5 and 2 inch loose leaf binders. Any recommendations? Is there any hope of spending less than $40 for each of the big binders? Is there any hope they might last the entire school year? Please give me hope...

 

[NotUrsula]

The very best for hard wear are the solid hard opaque polyethylene binders, NOT the ones that are vinyl over cardboard. Look for at least .55 gauge poly.

 

[3girlsfun]

As a middle school teacher, I know what you are saying.

I would recommend (if you can afford it) go to Office Depot or Staples, or somewhere like that, and buy the good binders. They hold up so much better. Costs a little more, but, then they hold up.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Good to know that Staples has the stronger binders!, thank you and we should post here when they go on sale

 

[midwestdee]

I recommend Staples also. They have amazing back to school sales - but you need to be there when they open on Sunday - so sign up for their email ads and make sure you check on Saturday so you are ready to shop. I work at a middle school and I'm impressed that your kids manage to keep the binders long enough for them to fall apart. You would not believe what our kids lose. Not only that, but every year when we do locker spinning at right after the end of the year - we pull enough school supplies (often new) for a small village. We hold onto these items for our kids that need things their parents just can't afford to buy.

 

[NVDisMom]

Oldest DD has always been good about not losing things...we shall see with the youngest. First year of middle school for her. Thank you for the recommendations. I will checkout the hard poly binders, we were using the highest rated vinyl over cardboard ones. So maybe that will make the difference. Any ideas on the extra large zippered ones, like the old "trapper keepers" we used way back when?

 

[Good Ol Gal]

we purchase our "Trapper Keepers" at Office Max. For $2.00 they offer a 1 year warranty on them.

My DS15 goes through about two a school year. I would just bring it in, get a new one, and pay the $2.00 for the new insurance again.

Did it again with DD13 and will this year with a new 6th grader again.

Really worth the $2.00 insurance!

 

[edk35]

Talk of school supplies already??!!! I guess because I work as a substitute teacher .... school supply shopping is FAR FAR OFF MY RADAR right now. I am in VACATION MODE NOW. HOWEVER...having a dd in college and a son in high school and one going into middle school...I also give the to the binders at Staples. Their binders cost more...but they LAST. Don't get me started on backpacks...... LL BEAN BABY. LL BEAN!!! Okay I am going back into VACATION MODE.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

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!

 

[mum4jenn]

Talk of school supplies already??!!! I guess because I work as a substitute teacher .... school supply shopping is FAR FAR OFF MY RADAR right now. I am in VACATION MODE NOW. HOWEVER...having a dd in college and a son in high school and one going into middle school...I also give the to the binders at Staples. Their binders cost more...but they LAST. Don't get me started on backpacks...... LL BEAN BABY. LL BEAN!!! Okay I am going back into VACATION MODE.

MaNY SCHOOLS START IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!

 

[angwill]

I got our binders at Office max last year when they had a buy 2 get one free on the good binders with the little pin and hole on the end of the rings. Then I bought a big roll of duck tape and taped those suckers up all year long which made them last a whole lot longer than they would have. I think only two out of 7 didn't make it all year long.

 

[averill94]

Funny I was just thinking about this myself!!! Especially since we had ato buy a silly amount of binders for my 7th grader last year. I opted for the better binders and they were trashed 1/2 way into the year.

I just grabbed some of the cheaper binders at Walmart the other day (they were only .75 cheaper). Figured since they get wrecked anyway might as well save a few bucks.

 

[czycropper]

We still have two months to go before school starts (Sept. 7th) but we've already gotten the general supply list and my middle schooler is going to need about 5 binders all different sizes (1", 1.5", 2")!

Does anyone know when the binders go on sale at Staples?

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Funny I was just thinking about this myself!!! Especially since we had ato buy a silly amount of binders for my 7th grader last year. I opted for the better binders and they were trashed 1/2 way into the year.

I just grabbed some of the cheaper binders at Walmart the other day (they were only .75 cheaper). Figured since they get wrecked anyway might as well save a few bucks.

Wow! So the better binders aren't worth getting? Might as well get them at Walmart then like you said. thanks

 

[Green Tea]

I need a military grade binder for ds. One that has been tested as IED proof, can be run over by a tank or a school bus, has escape proof clasps for run away homework, loss proof, exploding locker safe, and sticks to the associated text book like glue. Any recommendations.

 

[rszdtrvl]

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.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

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.

that's the exact one I get my kids at Office Max

 

[Local_Girl]

I need a military grade binder for ds. One that has been tested as IED proof, can be run over by a tank or a school bus, has escape proof clasps for run away homework, loss proof, exploding locker safe, and sticks to the associated text book like glue. Any recommendations.

Now why would they make one of these? Then there would be no reason for us to buy more! But I agree...I'm so tired of basically shredded binders only a short while into the school year.

 

[LizinSTL]

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... I called Mead and they sent a new one out. I saved the broken one and the office max receipt- I'll replace it soon and then NOT buy the warranty again. I ended up finding a Mead 5 star zipper binder @ CVS for $10 less than they sell them at Office Max/Office Depot.

 

[tommya60]

I bought DD the Staples binders with the rubber "hinge" area last year....and they are good to go for this year. She is in high school, those binders take a beating. I think they are in the Staples ad for Sunday. These are the only binders she has used that have lasted more than a year. The rubber "hinge' area makes it possible to fold the covers so they fit on the high school desks, many colors make it easy to grab the correct binder from her locker while running from class to class. It was a little more money, but I'm glad I did it--I don't have to buy binders this year.