taking apart Rick's guidebook

Are you referring to these?

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/guidebook-page-binder

Yes, thank you so much for finding it! I looked in the guidebook and then accessories section and didn't see it but I'm sure glad you did!

I am usually able to keep the sticky binding on the section and just use clear tape to keep it closed.

Kim

An even easier way to carry his or any guidebook is to get the e-book version for your phone/tablet. You can bookmark pages, highlight, and make notes. Has all the same maps as the book. I used the France 2016 paper book last year at home to read and plan, and then took the ebook version on the actual trip. Worked out fine.

The product RS sells works. But it, like the e-book idea has one drawback- you need to carry it in your backpack, tote, whatever, and I am all about reducing bulk, I've gotten to the most primitive solution: I tear the pages out I need for that day, fold them, stick them in my back pocket. When we are done with that day my wife takes the few pages she needs for scrap booking (sometimes they are pretty ratty) the rest go in the trash. We use the RS binder to collect those scrap booking pages so they don't get further mussed or lost.

Alan- I tried this method last trip and my pages got wet in the rain and because the paper is so thin they all stuck together and became a mess. Next trip is in the Summer so I may try this method again. I also throw them away after use.

You can also take the separated pages to a Kinkos and they can bind the pages with a small spiral. It did not cost that much and we found it easy to use.

Edit - I think I actually had Kinkos cut the binding too. I had premarked the pages I needed and just handed back what I needed to be bound.

I tried the little binders but they didn't work (and I have less than the recommended number of pages in them). The pages kept popping out of them, plus it was difficult to open all the way.

I have had portions spiral bound, which is my preferred method (but do recommend that you make sure you are getting the plain wire spirals and not the flat plastic type).

More recently I made sure that when I peeled the portions apart, they were still glued at the spine, then I stapled them twice (once toward top of spine, once toward bottom), and then covered the staples with a strip of packing tape. I also ran a strip of tape at the centre spine. To be fair, I work at a public library so doctoring books is a bit of a skill I have (and on that topic I will say it is NOT heresy to cut up a book. If you only knew how many books get tossed in a given year). This method worked just about as well as having them spiral bound and saved the time of going to and fro the printers.

I have gone to Europe for 14 of the last 15 years and while there have taken 14 RS tours, one each year. I have always taken the whole RS guide book that covers the area where the tour takes place. I pack light, one 21" carry-on roller bag, but have never had a problem finding a place for the entire guide book and its weight has never created a problem for me. I take the guide book with me every day in my day bag and still have plenty of room. We now have a shelf in our recreation room full of RS guide books that we often refer to.

Sounds like the binder thing isn't too effective but what works is making sure the glue stays intact to keep the pages together when you tear them out of the book. We're going to 4 countries so 4 books can take up alot of room! The France book will definitely get taken apart since we're only going to Paris and the Normandy area. Thanks everyone!

I also take out the pages I need and don't carry the whole book. I keep the pages in a folder until I need the, take the ones I need and then toss when I am done.

I also work in a public library and agree with the earlier poster, if you saw what got "weeded" from the collection, then tearing up a book would not seem sacrilegious.

Kinko's, Staples, or a similar place should be able to chop the spine and bind the pages in some way. I've taken the books apart myself but the pages don't hold up as well.

I make copies on a copier and take them with me. I can't bear to to ruin my guidebooks. I refer back to them in between trips and for planning next trip.

The only problem with not taking the whole book on a trip is if, mid trip, we change plans and go somewhere different from what we planned. This happened to us once when we cut short our time on the Amalfi coast and went to Tuscany for a few days.

I'm going to get the e-book version on my iPhone for our trip in a few weeks. I've never done that before but many friends recommend it and it seems like the best solution to me.

I have some guidebooks on my shelf, but many have been divided, used and discarded over the years. I'm not planning to keep the old ones - ever. When I start planning, I can check recent guidebooks out of the library. Then I always buy the most recent guidebooks I'll actually use.

Now that I'm traveling with a smartphone, I think the ebook is going to be the future of my guidebook use. Last trip I just photographed the pages I wanted and deleted them as I used them. ebooks didn't use to be easy to bookmark/search; I'll give them another try. In the past, paper has added significantly to my load. Airlines continue to squeeze size and weight requirements for carry-on only, cutting paper seems to be a logical place to economize.

Thanks for all if the ideas! I think I'll do a combination of taking my guidebooks apart and taking pictures of the pages I need for the day. I dont really want to buy the ebook since I already bought the books themselves. Now that I have an Iphone 6s it'll be easier to see the screen and not have to carry an ipad around.