The Booksling by Everyday Innovations.
The Booksling by Everyday Innovations is a very practical and helpful tool that I had the chance to use while on my recent flight to CA. I dont know if it technically fits into the office supplies category, but its close enough for me, maybe its a reading tool? Either way, no matter what you call it, I really like this thing.
The Booksling in action with a pen and a highlighter inserted
Basically the Booksling is a heavy duty elastic strap that goes around the cover of a book or journal, and it has a one pen holder loop on each end, and also a bookmark attached. It is best used with a book that has a more stiff or hard cover, I tried it on a Junior Sized Levenger Circa notebook with the translucent cover and it was a bit too tight for that, and it caused the cover to buckle a bit. If you want to use this on a regular hard cover text book, or something like a Rhodia notebook or journal it is perfect though.
The bookmark of the Booksling in use
The nice thing about the Booksling is that for someone like me that is kind of unorganized when they travel, is that it helps to keep things under control in situations where you have to pack up your stuff and be ready to move around quickly. In the past when I was at the airport reading a book waiting to board my flight, Id just stuff my boarding pass or who knows what in the book, then Id be constantly taking it in and out to see what seat/row I was in, not to mention shoving a pen or highlighter in my pocket only to have to fuss around after I have my seat belt on to retrieve it. So with one simple tool, you have two pens with your book at all times, and you have a nice little bookmark. One additional thing is that you can also use the elastic strap to tuck a few papers under as well, so instead of just having them inside the flap, you can have them inside the flap and under the elastic to help make sure they wont slip out.
This is a pretty simple $5 item that can really make a difference when it comes to keeping yourself a little more organized and put together if you are traveling, or on the go. Everyday Innovations seems to do well when it comes to helping simplify things for the student, office worker, or traveler. They also offer the Booksling Mini that comes with a pen, but no bookmark. That version will fit on notebooks that measure about 3″ x 5″.
Note: I forgot to mention that the bookmark portion of the Booksling is available in multiple colors, so when you search for it on Amazon or wherever, be aware that you have other choices.
Thanks for a great review and a wonderful product. 🙂 I want one of these!
Hey Office Supply Geek!
I like the review. I’ve never been big on book slings, they always seem so binding (no pun intended, if there really even was a pun, I’m not sure), but I can see why you like this one- the elastic ban helps you hold on to the books while your walking around and helps you keep up with the sling while reading.
Until next time!
SSS
This actually a very smart tool. Would be great for college students, back to school time is here and any student would love this.
Interesting… it does look like something you could recreate pretty easily with a length of elastic, a ribbon, and a sewing machine (or if you are diligent, a needle and thread) but then I can’t quite tell from the pictures.
It would do a good job of replacing the stupid electrical tape solution I made for keeping my pen with my Picadilly notebook!
@Sam – Thanks, you should pick one up…or a dozen. 😉
@School Supplies Sleuth – Im with you, never really saw the value or was interested until I used this one, it totally changed my mind.
@Mike – True, I think what makes it such a smart tool is its simplicity.
@Kim – You are probably right, you might be able to make one on your own, but to be honest, the cost/benefit analysis leads me to believe that the hour it would take me not to mention the potential blood loss would be better spent elsewhere if I can just click a few times on Amazon and have it show up at my door. 🙂 That electrical tape solution sounds interesting though. 🙂
Do these have enough stretch to use as a book closure? It drives me crazy that my Circa leather foldover doesn’t have a closure, I’ve been wondering if one of these could do the job of keeping it closed?
@Kristina – I think the covers of the leather Circa foldovers are too thick for this. If you were using one of the Levenger plastic covers it might work to hold that and a few pages, but the leather would just be way too thick.