Q&A: Why Should I Use A Spiral Bound Notebook?
This article was originally posted on www.nanosphere.co.uk and has been reposted here following the closure of that site
The benefit of lying flat
What is a spiral bound notebook?
We call them spiral-bound, others call them wirebound. The common link though is that the notebook is bound with a spiral coil, usually made of wire but I guess it could be made of plastic or any material strong enough to cope. Unlike notebooks where the paper is either folded to create a spine, or in some way glued together at the spine, a spiral bound notebook has two separate covers and the pages in between are only held in place by the binding.
So what is the point?
Quite simply, they are the easiest notebook to fold open. Others may claim to lie flat, some claim to be bendable beyond the call of duty, but a spiral bound notebook just does it with minimal fuss. It’s what it was born to do. You can open your notebook at any page, plonk it on a table and the book covers will lie flat on the table as they are not joined.
And why is that a good thing?
Horses for courses, but if you are frustrated by your notebook being a bit difficult to write in when, especially if you are close to either end of the book where the pages make it lie unevenly, then this could be the answer. And if you have ever tried writing on the go – writing with the book on your lap say – then a spiral bound notebook will win everytime. Usually they will have a hard, sturdy cover and you can fold the cover and pages round to the back creating a solid surface to write on.
So what’s the catch?
Firstly, they are bulkier than a bound notebook. Some spiral bindings are quite small, but the bigger the spiral the better the result so it’s catch 22 on that one. The bigger the binding the better the ability to fold pages over but the more it gets in the way. Smaller bindings will be less easy to fold over.
Secondly, there is less choice. Way less choice. So if you have your heart set on a pink notebook, or if it has to have dot paper, then you will likely be disappointed.
Lastly, it doesn’t look as nice. Aesthetics maybe shouldn’t come into this one but in my book they do. The stationery you choose should be both practical to use but also a pleasure to own.
The verdict
Give a spiral bound notebook some thought next time you choose a notebook as they may be the answer. Even if you hadn’t quite yet asked the question.