In today\’s online office supplies world, there are endless product choices that makes finding the perfect item for you a challenge. Many website\’s whose focus is office supplies now have over 30,000 sku\’s making the shopper\’s job very confusing. A staple in most offices is the ubiquitous legal pad – that famed yellow pad used by attorneys in the movies. There are many new choices in the world of writing pads today, and they are cetainly not all yellow and legal size. This quick article helps take the confusion out of shopping for that ideal legal pad for your needs, and in only a few short steps you\’ll be on your way to writing like a pro.

American Pad & Paper Co., or AMPAD as they are called today, invented the legal pad around 1886 in the northeastern town of Holyoke, MA. Legal pads are often called \”yellow pads\”, and some people assume they got their name because the legal profession uses so many of them. However, the term \”legal\” when used in office supplies language actually refers to the size of the product – legal size being 14\” long pads versus letter size pads which are 11\” long. In fact, today far more letter size \”legal\” pads are sold than legal size as consumers prefer the smaller size sheet of paper that is the same size as standard copy paper.

When shopping for writing pads, or legal pads, the primary features to decide from are product size, paper weight, the color, ruling and even the back of the legal pad. Recycled office supplies are getting more and more popular, so if \”green office products\” are what you prefer there are several legal pad options available made from recycled paper. Let\’s break down each product feature to help show you how to quickly find the right pad for you.

The first selection to make is the right size for your needs and the good news is there are only three choices. The smallest choice is called junior size and these pads are 5 x 8. The next size is 8-1/2 x 11-3/4, called letter size, and these are by far the most popular size today. And last we have the old stalwart, 8-1/2 x 14, or legal sized.

Color used to be an easy choice too with three options – canary (yellow pads), white, or green tint. However, more is better these days when it comes to selection, and online office supplies stores carry a bunch more choices in legal pad colors. Ivory, blue, orchid, rose and buff are only some of the color choices out there today. It\’s very similar with file folders, hanging folders and Post-It Notes. Color is important to people, and so the alternatives are endless. Even classification folders for attorneys are now in fashion colors.

After size and color, is paper weight. Standard legal pads are made with 15 to 16 lb. paper and that\’s what 90% of the legal pads on the market are today. In fact, many of the price fighter brands like Universal or Office Advantage will have 15 lb. paper to offer even lower prices. For those who like their paper a premium quality, there is the 20 lb. paper option, and name brands like Ampad and Tops have options with this thicker paper which doesn\’t bleed through.

Now I want to get to the real reason these pads are called \”legal pads\”, and that\’s the ruling. You knew there was a reason writing pads were called \”legal pads\” regardless of size, and it\’s because the ruling style used on these writing pads is \”legal ruled\”. What is legal ruled? Look at your pad and you will see the horizontal lines going across the page that help you write straight. Now, look to the left side of the pad. See those two or three lines going down the page vertically? That is a ruling style that is called legal ruled, and therefore you get the name legal pads, (originally legal ruled pads).

Ok, one more feature to define and we\’re all done. You need to select the backing material, or thickness of the back, of your legal pad. Many shoppers don\’t know they have a choice in a pads backing because all store brands are very thin 28 pt. backs. This is because office superstores kept demanding lower prices, and so manufactures we forced to lower their quality, (this is true in file folders, envelopes and more). But there are still brands today that offer thicker backs. Tops \”The Legal Pad\” and Ampad Evidence both use 40 pt. chipboard backs which are the old standard. In fact there are pads today like Gold Fibre which uses a 60 pt. back, and Dual Pads which use an 80 pt. back that give you a writing pad with a very rigid writing surface. Be careful though, the thicker the back, the higher the price.

So what does this office products expert like the best? Most the time I like to save money so I just use the everyday low priced brand of office products. However, when I\’m writing a letter, or writing longhand copy on paper instead of typing on a computer keyboard, I really like the quality and feel of the old Gold Fibre pads from Ampad. They have watermarked smooth finish paper, 60 pt. chipboard backs, and a leatherlike header tape for extra durability. More important than the pad I buy is where I buy all my office supplies. This office supply guru never buys from the \”mega big box\” retail chains. I like to support smaller independent online companies that offer friendly personal service and better prices. There are also new companies today with a conscious capitalism business model that helps others and contributes to the community. I look for a company to do good work and support great charities, and make a point to buy all my office supplies online from them.

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