22 April 2011

The new Filofax Flex, and similar products?

In the new Filofax catalog there is a new product called Flex that's not a ring binder, but instead a cover where slim booklets can be added in. You can choose what type of inserts you want including diary, note paper, contacts etc. This looks like it could be a great combination of the flexibility of a ring binder without the bulk of the rings.

Also, there's a similar product from a different brand that Steve and a Philofaxy reader have each suggested to me (and I'm very sorry I can't remember your name right now!  My brain is over capacity this weekend!). The one I'm thinking of has a cover where slim booklets are held in by clips.  It's a similar idea where you can choose whatever booklets you want including diary, notes, etc.  If one section fills up before another, you switch out with a fresh one without having to start an entirely new book.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about??  (Do I know what I'm talking about??)  Reader Terri emailed me recently with the classic Filofax problem (which I always have myself) of Book Too Big, Pages Too Small. I was trying to suggest this product to her as a possible solution, but completely blanked out on the name of the product!

Not only that, but does anyone have any idea when the Filofax Flex will hit the markets?

Thank you for any info everyone!!

Edited: I found what I was thinking of! It was suggested by mandarine in a comment on my Planner Preference: Ring Binder vs. Bound Book post on Plannerisms.  Here is the comment:

There is a third option - a binder that holds your planner and any other notebooks you want to carry round, plus maps, tickets, fliers, pen, etc, all without the bulk of rings - I have been using one like this for about eight months now. It's called a roterfaden taschenbegleiter. I use the A6 size which takes moleskine notebooks perfectly, but roterfaden also has its own notebooks, which are colour coded by year, to make archiving even easier. The notebooks are held in by simple metal clips, the outer cover is a super tough synthetic while inside is tactile felt in a contrast colour - well, as you can tell, I love mine and have been using it for longer and with less angst than any other planner I have ever tried. This is the website: http://www.roterfaden.com/

BTW I have no connection to this company - just a happy customer!

mandarine 

Glad I found this!  Does anyone know of other similar products?

15 comments:

  1. There is a system called Circa, but you may be describing something totally different...

    http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/NAVIGATION/Preview.asp?Params=category=326-330|level=2-3

    Will keep scouring the web for this system you describe. Beats working on my dissertation...

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  2. Thanks Sandra, the Circa is a similar idea and definitely an option for ring-binder flexibility but slim-book portability.

    But the product I'm thinking of is a cover, and inside there are clips for holding in slim booklets. Can anyone think of what this is?

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  3. http://www.x47.com/en/personal-organizer/planner-planners-leather-pocket-size-left-hand/

    This company has spring loaded rods to hold booklets in place?! Hmmn....

    Done for tonight--take care.

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  4. Sandra that's exactly what I was thinking of!

    I've edited my post to include the original comment from mandarine with the brand of book I was trying to remember:

    http://www.roterfaden.com/

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  5. Here is a video of that product which shows it in action.

    http://www.vimeo.com/2331281

    The 'binders' and pages come in A6, A5, and A4 format, included in A4 is the ability to have an iPad 'page' which might appeal to some people.

    Click on EN at the top of the Roterfaden website page to view in English.

    I would imagine that the Flex system will be similar to this. It's going to be in the shops soon I'm told....

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  6. for USA customers, Daytimer makes something like this only the little booklets are held in with a series of rubber band thingies.

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  7. The Journal Shop does something like this too, called Mood:
    http://thejournalshop.com/acatalog/Mood.html
    (again, just a happy customer, not paid by them!).

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  8. Will it be on sale online as well as in store, the colins one is kinda similar it sounds like =]

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  9. thanks for all the great info and links. The Flex and Roterfaden look intriguing. I've seen the Circa as well.

    For now I'm going to give a personal size binder/one-page-a-day a trial and see how it goes for me. I should have enough room on the day pages and can have all my extra notes at the back.

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  10. i was going to suggest the day timer w/rubber bands as well... but i think they might be discontinued here. i found them in my local 99¢ store & haven't seen them in staples for a while.

    that said, i believe a choir binder might work -- it's something i've been meaning to try for a while.. but i wanted to see if i could find an A5 size binder.. this choir binder is just an example, i know nothing of that particular company nor do i think it's quite what is in mind.

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  11. Not sure I like the metal clips in the German planners. Love the zingy colours though I must say!!

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  12. Flex will be available in May.

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  13. Flex will be available in may. I have my order in for a shiny new display unit.

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  14. The "Flex by Filofax" looks very interesting but to my mind is an almost direct copy of the Time Manager (TMI) Planner Wallet - around for over thirty years! Certainly the flexible four way slots plus business card holes is very similar indeed! What Filofax seem to have successfully done though, is to make it in three sizes and presumably come up with some great slim notebooks to go into it. The A5 version should be particularly useful in solving the current ring binder portability problem.

    TMI won't care I'm sure. They've now ceased their UK service with users now directed to the Danish site, suggesting a product in rapid decline.

    For Filofax, losing the binder rings with Flex may well breath much needed new life into a brand that (for many) had become a dated 1980's "yuppy" product from a different generation.

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  15. Interesting concept, maybe I'll try it sometime!

    What came to my mind is X17
    https://www.myx17.com/en/x17-07-moleskine-notebook-sketch-book-date-book-A7-A6-A5.html

    Looks different and the notebooks are fixed differently, but interesting too. Though it doesnt look very "first-class" compared to the other suggestions!

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