I know, I'm not going to get Levenger leather for $7.99. But the feel of these pieces made me wish they were $15 or $20 and nicer. Maybe I'm just a becoming a gear snob.

The real disappointment to me was the flipping of the pages & covers. They did not turn smoothly at all, and turning the cover all the way around was a bit of a hassle.

I can't imagine that the Circas work this way. My Atoma notebook (with just a basic plastic cover) pages turn easily, just as smooth as spiral-bound. Maybe the punches are a little more open, or maybe it's just a better design/quality of rings.