This experiment isn't just about what I like or what works for me. We all have different requirements, so the experiment is also looking at all possible options so we can highlight some of the issues/problems with different sizes and configurations.
I don't have many zipped organisers, most are clasp closure.
What is your preference Zip or Clasp? Please let us have your thoughts in the comments below.
I've only used the zip once. Personally, I always prefer the clasp, even for my wallet. It just feels easier and more professional to me.
ReplyDeleteI use a clasp personal size and a malden zip compact as a purse/wallet. Really don't like a zip on a personal size as I like to stuff and have papers hanging out etc, also many zip binders seem to have a problem laying flat.
ReplyDeleteClasp. As frostywindow says, it's easier and looks more professional.
ReplyDeleteI bought an A5 Cuban Zip for a Programme management role I had. The A5 was essential for the complexity for the written stuff I had to deal with/carry/receive, and I deliberately bought the zipped version for security, as I was in small planes and helicopters a lot - the last thing I wanted was something blowing away. The difference in size between the zipped and non-zipped A5 was considerable, which added to weight as well. A downside I found with the A5 Cuban zip was whenever I had to write inside it, i.e. on pages fixed in the rings, not on a removable notepad, the zip got in the way a lot, and caught on my hand. That was more of an issue in the Cuban, as it didn't lay flat, unlike the A5 Durham Zip I still have. I wonder if the same minor hassle also occurs with Personal zipped? I think that zipped has its use case. I have changed jobs a lot in the last decade, and each one has been drastically different. My organiser has changed with it, to accommodate that. I couldn't have done the Programme job in a personal, due to large charts etc. which the role required. Likewise, I couldn't do my current role, with regional travel every week, using an A5, as it would impact too much on my hand luggage. (I tried it). The zip provided me with much-needed security for a particular role that required it. Now that I don't need that added security, I would find a zipped organiser an additional hassle.
ReplyDeleteI've always found zipped binders to be too slow to access 'on the go', and too fiddly to open.
ReplyDeleteHowever, given my propensity for dropping binders in the snow/rain/whatever......
All my planners have clasps and I like them that way. However, I have a zip one on the way and will reserve my judgment for them then.
ReplyDeleteI like an elastic closure. I always bought notebooks with elastic and so when I saw the Domino it had to be that one for me.
ReplyDeleteI had a zipped FC binder once and have steered clear since. It always seemed to be in the way and it was hard to open quiet. Ziiiiiiip and you've got everyone's attention.
ReplyDeleteI've tried both off and on over the years. I like the idea of having everything secure in a zip and it certainly keeps contents in better condition if you're in the rain or drop your organiser in a puddle. However, zip binders are always much bigger than the identical non-zip model. Also, they take ages to unzip. So, if you're trying to answer a call that's ringing on your mobile tucked away in a closed zip, the caller will have long since hung up by the time you get to it! Like Lil, I've opted for an elastic closure. I've fitted this to my Slimline Holborn and tuck my iPhone (it has a rubberised holder) and reading glasses into the elastic. I can monitor messages and even take calls without opening my organiser, which stays slim too!
ReplyDeleteOut of the numerous binders that I've owned, only one has had a zip which was an A5 Holborn. Whilst I loved the idea of it being a mobile office where I could pop papers in, zip up & go, I just didn't get on with it. I think the extra size puts me off & I just don't find the zipped binders as aesthetically pleasing.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely clasp. I stick way too many odds and ends into my binder and most stick out the top or bottom. Not to mention the ease of access....
ReplyDeleteClasp for me. I tried zip but it drove me nuts before long. My metropol personal is perfect for me.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used a zip binder as a planner because it is too big for me. My friend has a zip Franklin Covey one and likes that his papers and items are secure. I recently placed the A-Z address tabs in my compact Luxe to use for contact information and a filing system. I saw some people who talked about the filing system on the internet but I don't know who originated this idea. Anyway, I was able to fit all the A-Z tabs, dividers, 2 calendars, etc. in my Luxe. It looks lush.
ReplyDeleteOf topic, sorry, but I would love to read a post about how you use your compact. I've moved
Deleteinto My compact Luxe recently from a personal size. Definitely a bit of a challenge, so would love some inspiration.
Hi jette starup. I don't have a blog but I have a flickr account. I could take some photos of my planner and show the calendars and pages with some descriptions or I could try to film a video. I am not sure if it is easy to film a first video. Either way, I would not be able to do this anytime soon. In the meantime, I am using the Preference Collection month on two pages insert and the Dayrunner week on two pages with times (063-285Y on Dayrunner site). Both calendars are printed back to back on not so thin paper. I use a sticky tab at the top for the current month on the month calendar. Then I have the Filofax dividers, note paper, A-Z tabs, etc. I clip two pens to the loop and leave my binder unbuttoned because of all the tabs. I can see that photos or a video would be better than just describing it. Let me see which way will work out. I hope that you like using your Luxe.
DeleteFor a wallet, I like the zip. I don't know if it's a security thing but I always feel my cash, cards and ID are so much safer with a zip. For my standard planner I like a clasp- more stuffability, tabs and pens accommodated is always a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI was loyal to Franklin Covey for years and always had zipped binders. Now that I've switched to Filofax I only have clasp binders. Maybe it was a product availability thing? I agree the clasp is easier to open and the zipped is better to keep stuff IN. My preference is for the clasp version since it is easier to get into and looks nicer. However the planners that are in and out of my handbag a lot tend to have whatever is floating around in my handbag (in my case it is often hay as I have horses) is in my planner pages.
ReplyDeleteUntil the internet exploded with Filofax obsessions, I had no idea you could get high-quality non-zip loose-leaf planners. For years, all I ever saw in the US was big, bulky, stiff zip leather planners from FC, DayRunner, Day-Timer, Mead/Cambridge or even Coach.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally a clasp binder in cheap vinyl, but not leather. By the time any of those brands tried clasps, I had moved on to digital/bound, and apparently big buckle clasps were all the rage, so I didn't miss much.
Discovering the Filofax led me back to ring binders, although I'm focusing on more easily obtained binders and inserts.
Depends on the model. First choice is clasp. I had a couple FC zip models I liked but so far I prefer the clasp on Filofaxes and mist other brands.
ReplyDeleteAlso I would have loved a zip Filofax pocket model in nice soft leather to use as a wallet for more security but have never seen any.
DeleteClasp. Hate zippers. But I also like a minimal clasp like the Filofax organizers have. Hate the big buckles on the FC binders.
ReplyDeleteJust realized that's pretty much what Cheryl said.
It depends what I'm using it for really. At the moment I'm using a clasped personal for work and home and it's great, but when I was using an A5 for work I never found anything worked as well for me as my A5 Holborn Zip - love that guy :-)
ReplyDeleteI have used both over the years, and like the majority of the comments already on here, I prefer the clasp. Zip was good but restricted content you could put in and I always found they never laid flat when open. For those that are worried about security etc, I find that a couple of the clear plastic zip inserts are fine. They take anything from currency to stamps, mobile phone and passport. I use both an A5 Finsbury and a personal Lincoln which is now quite old and i'm looking to replace.
ReplyDelete