When kids go back to school, parents are all too familiar with the syllabus and supply lists sent out by their child’s teachers. They could need a number of things – from pencils and pens, to calculators and three ring binders.
Some teachers may ask for huge binders, like a five-inch binder, and many parents will shake their heads because these binders are hard to come by. So why is that?
Before we get into that, there’s something interesting you should know about five-inch binders…
So what’s the big secret?
The reason it’s so hard to find a five-inch binder is because there are no companies here in the U.S. that make five-inch metal ring binders! And if there are no companies here making them, that means there are no five inch rings, meaning these huge binders do not exist.
Before you dismiss this task impossible, let me touch on a few important points.
Important points to know
Go to a store and find a binder that says it has a ring capacity of five inches. While technically true, the 5” ring capacity is not talking about the rings but rather the width of the binder’s spine.
Here are some other interesting points: A binder labeled as a one inch has a ring that is one inch. Binders labeled as two inch binders have two inch rings, but that’s where the similarities stop.
A three-inch binder has a 2.5-inch ring, not a three-inch ring. A binder that’s supposed to be four inches only has a three-inch ring, and the binder that is supposed to be a five inch has a ring that is only four inches.
Not only do these measurements make no sense, but this also means that you’re paying more for smaller binders. It also means that you’re paying for something that isn’t even what you want.
Why would manufacturers do this?
So why would manufacturers sell binders with measurements based on the spine rather than the rings? In all honesty, companies often try to sell sell small binders for large binder prices to make more money. Measurements should be accurate in order to ensure that customers get what they intend to buy and stores are not mislead on what they’re buying as well.
How to make sure you have the right binder
So how should a binder be measured? Measurements should reflect the ring size and not the size of the spine. It should be known that the best rings are four-inch Angle-D locking rings. These rings hold up to 800 pages of standard copy paper.
The next time you find a supposed five-inch binder in the store, measure the straight edge of the D-ring, and you’ll likely find the ring to be four inches instead of five.
Always be sure to check the size of the rings in the binder before you buy it so you know that you spent your money on the right thing. It also ensures that you send your children off with the right supplies. And while you’re at it you can even send them off with supplies that looks cool and makes all the other kids jealous!
