As a special educator I make up word cards or math facts for my students to practice and put them on rings. Many of the rings in the box are too difficult to open and the hinges are very tight; once in a while I'll get 1-2 that are too loose and fall open. I don't remember seeing another brand of rings to try besides the Staples brand; or maybe it's just that the Staples brand is cost effective so that a few that I end up throwing away is better than overspending on a more expensive brand.
I love these rings! I'm in college so I use them for note cards when studying for exams and when doing presentations! They also come in handy for holding other random things together like maps and pamphlets of resources on campus!
I use these for flashcards...they are perfect to send home with the kids to keep the cards together. Plus they are durable enough for any kid...reuseable too!