I personally like the Allen SCR better, it has the perfect layout for me. Having the references beside the text just makes it easier to find the reference for each individual verse.
I would go with the Allan. Love the typeface and paper. The larger plus for me would be the references on the side. They are both beautiful bibles and I would love to have either, but if I had to choose it would definitely be the Allan.
I love my Schuylers too. I reach for them almost every time, the only exception is I have some Inspire bibles that I use when I want to color in for devotional times, not study.
Oh my… and I would be happy - no… THRILLED with just ONE. I will say… I am more fond of the non-black editions… though. Another thing I failed to mention is that ai liked that each new verse starts on a new line. I really appreciate that little nuance feature… which I think was the on the Stridon.
Allan. I went back and forth for years, but just think the binding and paper quality is superior. Plus, while you may not see that much difference in ghosting, if you're using it to teach / preach, you will notice the difference when you start using that micron .005 in the margins.
I have a Schuyler Stridon, and it’s wonderful! Never even held an Allen bible. I have an older 1980s Nelson that has thicker paper and overall huge compared to my stridon, I love it too ! But if I had to pick I’d say I’d say my Schuyler! Great comparison video!
Awesome and thorough review! If I had to choose one, I'd have to go with the Allan. They're both beautiful but the Allan (even in it's size) is the specs king of ESVs. Can't beat the 36gsm paper, the Lexicon font, the clearly better linespacing, the book intros, the maps and extras in the back, the lined paper and that classic Crossway look. It's just too good. 28gsm is simply too thin for me, the tactile experience is a nightmare. If they had made it in at least a 32gsm, then we'd have a contender, but as it stands I'm over 28gsm. The Allan ESV SCR is the king of ESVs ❤
PLUS! Something he didn't mention. I use the Stridon daily and I really wish it had paragraph markers like the Allen does! I am thinking of buy one just because of this! For a time I would play a small dot next to each paragraph in my Stridon but that will take way too long to do the whole thing! lol
Fantastic comparison video and it was really neat to see behind the scenes! The Schuyler is beautiful but I think I still prefer the Allan. That may be bias because it’s what I have. Thank you for what you do, Tim!
I wanted the Stridon to win this battle as the camel calfskin is just so amazing, but after a walkthrough of what each Bible has to offer I have to say the Allen takes the cake for me. The stridon weirdly pushes each verse number in where the beginning of the word should be instead of just having them off to the side a little bit like the Treveris. It just makes it look messy. I love all the extra features of the Allen. The formatting, the book intro’s, the footnotes and the cross references right next to each corresponding verse. It is almost a study Bible. If it had the camel calfskin it would be a winner for me. I wish I could have the Treveris format all with cross references and footnotes laid out like the Allen.
Great video, thanks Tim! I own both an SCR and a Stridon. If I could only have one I'd pick the Stridon for sure because it's just easier to carry yet is very readable still. I tend to use the SCR at home and the Stridon at Church.
I realize I am late into this conversation, buy...I prefer the Allan. I did have the Schuyler Stridon. I love the layout with the refernces at the bottom separated beside the notes. However, the 28gsm paper was the killer for me. The Schuyler paper may be thinner and make the Bible lighter, but there is a price to pay for that. Just the usual action of turning the pages and taking notes in the Schuyler, the paper is so thin it curls after some time with regular use. That then leads to the pages end up in a mess and then eventually ripping. I had my ESV Stridon for about a month. I put notes into it from my Pastor's sermon. During our weekly Community Group Bible Study we discuss the sermons and answer questions the Pastor set up for study & discussion. Well, the notes I placed onto my Stridon caused the paper to curl up. While I was commenting and making gestures with my hands, my hand somehow caught onto the curled edges of the page and before I realized it my hand actually ripped the page straight up the middle, right there before the group. I have read other reviews about how Schuyler's paper curls after use and note taking. This particular copy of the Stridon ended up ripping in other areas. Thinking it was just my copy, I ended up buying another ESV Stridon and I have the same problem. So, I just pulled the trigger yesterday for an Allan ESV SCR with the heavier paper. Although it may be a bit bigger, at least I may have it longer than a month of normal use. I also, do not like when the beginning of a new book of the Bible starts in the middle of a page instead of on a new page. I do understand that is a decision the publisher makes for various reasons. But, it is not my preference. I have found that does not bother many people. So I cannot make that a quality issue with Schulyer. It is a personal preference, is all. Great review, Tim. Your comparison was fair and thorough. I do enjoy your reviews and watching your initial reaction after opeing your boxes! Your reviews have helped me in more ways than you know....Blessings to all!
Tim, great video. If I could only have one I would most certainly choose Allan's SCR. Why? Simply because of the 36gsm. When studying, I jot down notes in the margins and the 36gsm paper is perfect for that. I could with Schuyler's 28gsm but I would be afraid of damaging the paper while recording my notes. I have both. The ESV Stridon is great as a reader while the SCR is perfect for sermon preparation.
I like the Schuyler Stridon better because of the size. The Allen looks like a great Bible but is just too big. Thanks for the comparison. I like it when you give us your opinion.
I was curious about both but I think I would have to choose the Schuyler. I love the full yapp and that Desert Camel cover. It's just a great looking bible.
I really like Schuyler’s font and layout, and they have great colors and covers. My hang up is on the 28 gsm paper. It’s not the opacity but rather the “delicate” feel of it versus the Allan 36 gsm that I can’t get over. It may be okay in the smaller PSQ size, but in the full Quentel size, it feels like I’m going to tear the paper trying to turn the page or using the ribbons.
Great video comparison. For me, I too prefer the Schuyler over the Allan due to the cover, thickness, typography, and overall portability. BTW - keep adding more b-roll/out takes to your videos, like the variety. Thanks Tim!
I’m grabbing my first Schuyler, NKJV Stridon, in November. I am an Allen guy myself and love the 36gsm paper , because I write in my Bibles. I SO wish Allen had a KJV like this one. I would buy it in a heartbeat
Thanks for yet another amazing review, Tim! I LOVE the look of the new Desert Camel (would buy the new NLT Quentel in it if I could right now!)! BUT I think the Allan SCR gets my vote here today. The single column, wide margin, verse-by-verse format, to my eye, ideally serves the purpose of being a “work horse” Bible- a Bible designed for intense personal study as well as for preaching. To that end, the thicker GSM paper for note taking, coupled with the book intros, maps & illustrations, and lined notepaper make the Allan SCR the ideal Bible for this sort of purpose.
I already have the SCR, Burgundy Red Silver Line Edition with blue under silver art gilt pages and blue ribbons. Thanks for confirming my choice! I don't mind the bigger size, fits me, and I have a couple other personal size Bibles that are my EDC's. I prefer the heavier paper of the SCR, the Schuyler PS Quentel has the same paper as the Stridon and I'm always afraid of tearing it. Plus, do like the paragraph breaks on the SCR. Both awesome Bibles but now even happier with my choice. Thanks for the comparison!
I think I'd take the Allan SCR over the Schuyler Stridon. The verse numbers are thicker, easier to find because they stand out more. It looks to me that the lines are spaced out a little bit more (not totally sure, but the video appears that way) which also makes it easier to read. I like the reference layout on the inside column because itll be easier to find. If I were to save up for either I would try to save up more for the Allan. theyre both expensive (especially in CAD). That's my take
Very good review, Tim. For me it’s the Schuyler hands down. Allan’s 36 gsm is the only plus on its side, for me. Book intros and extra graphics/maps are no big deal. Interesting that the ESV Quentel is over 200 pages “thinner” than the Stridon.
I'd love to have this Allan, but for the price I'd insist on this black one which is no longer available. I wouldn't settle for the ones still available since it's such an investment.
replying to my own post. As of 11/14/23 they have a few copies of this exact Allan ESV SCR, slight discount for slight gilding marks. We'll see how she looks; one will be arriving in a few weeks.
Looking through t the camera, it feels like the Alan has more space between the lines which makes it a little bit more readable for me.. do you see that in person Tim ? I believe it called letting ?
The Stridon looks great, but I have the SCR and it’s just amazing. I’m a big guy, and it doesn’t feel too massive to carry to me. I would be happy with either, but I have to give the win to the SCR. The understated, non-flashy elegance of Allan Bibles is hard to beat, at least for my taste.
Both are wonderful, but neither are perfect. I'd love to see Schuyler move to a heavier gsm paper, maybe a 32, and I'd love to see Allan add raised spine hubs. I really like the colourway in the Schuyler. The Allan is quite expensive. The Allan text block reminds me very much of the original 2005 NCPB, even though that was paragraph format. I'm not a fan of the ESV, but those who are would be spoiled for choice with either of these gorgeous books. I'd really love to see these done in the NKJV translation, or in my absolute favourite, the New Matthew Bible translation, but that's just a pipe dream as it's too obscure. Great review, Tim. Really enjoyed it
Verse by verse is the only thing I like about both Bibles. That's it. If I was going to spend a ton of money for a Bible, it absolutely must check every box for me. :)
This is a great comparison-thanks again, Tim! I’d go with the Schuyler on this one, for all the reasons you described. It’s slightly more compact while still making (in my opinion) better use of space on the page, and it has a pretty but not overly ostentatious cover. The SCR is very classic, but the Stridon is sleek and classy in its own way-and that burgundy accenting is gorgeous!
This is a tough one because I love Schuyler’s leather and look but I LOVE the paper and thickness of the Allen…. Can we switch the text blocks 😅 but I guess if I have to choose one I’d go with the Schuyler I just love the look and it is a great text block
I would prefer the Allan. The Schuyler reminds me of the CBP Water Buffalo cover in outer cover; sorry if I offend y’all. The Allan looks classier although I’m unsure about the references in the gutter.
Schuyler, based on price alone, especially if the differences don't make that much of a difference. The size is a huge thing to me, so much so that I wish Schuyler would make the Stridon format Bib.e in a size between the PSQ and Stridon. We the people want a medium single column v. by v.
My question is does it really matter. What is really more important? Spending time in the Word or having a collection of high cost Premier Bibles. I don't know many people who would spend $300 to $400 on a Bible or even that much for a rebind.
I prefer the classic look of the Allan, however, I'm with you in preferring the Stridon because of the size. I own an older Schuyler wide-margin NASB95 with 36 GSM paper. I love it, but it is a bit to heft around!
"Don't like both" 😛only because I already have 2 ESV (including the RL Alan Reader), and my primary translations are KJV and NASB. I have the Quentel WM Slate NASB but haven't even used it. It is HUGE, and great for building biceps, not for carrying around. I do not like single column format but for the sake of having "wide margin" without the bicep-building bulk of a WM bible, I will have to get a SC format for NASB and KJV. Unfortunately the Striden NASB is the 2020 ed (I wish it is the 1977 ed!🙂) My favorite format is the Cambridge TOPAZ, and again, the NASB version coming out will be 2020, not 1995!🙁Have bought a new copy AMG NASB 1977 but of course it is not a premium bible and will have paste down binding. Currently using Cambridge Turquoise (Brown Goatskin) but unfortunately, no room for scribbling! As for colors, I like the Schuyler Brick Red, and RL Alan "lightning Blue/ electric blue. They will "STOP TRAFFIC"! 🤠 I notice the print on my Schuyler NASB WM - it doesn't jump out of the page like the bold print of the Turquoise.
I want to like the Schuyler so much, but the page in the narrative sections seems a bit too crowded, while the Allan text seems to have a bit more room to breathe. However, I'm not a fan of the book intros in the Allan. 🤔
They are both beautiful Bibles…. But I would personally have to go with the Stridon, mainly because of the layout and the extra margin space. Praying they do a KJV Stridon soon!
If I was an ESV guy the Stridon would be a good preaching Bible . Concordance font is very small. I’de wish for 32 gsm. Love the new leather. The SCR is also a great Bible for preaching. References are sort of in the gutter. I love the paper. I have Allan and Schuyler Bibles and love them both. I’de probably lean the the Stridon. The Allans have gotten a little rich for me.
Allans by a nose. I've owned a bunch and find them slightly superior. But my wife's Canterbury annoys me. The drop caps are there to add some ye olde charm for the dupes but they seem overly pretentious to me. The leather cover on my wife's feels too thin/floppy and seems too insubstantial for such a heavy Bible. While the use of white space is lovely I find there is too much. We also own the discontinued Schyuler Reference bible which I think is lovely; great size, great layout, billions of references. It's too bad that we have to buy Schyuler from Evangelical Bible, because p/h to Australia is almost $100! Allan's text blocks are usually (by design) dated, which bothers some people, but I prefer them. Also I have noticed that the paper is thicker and lends itself to note-taking and highlighting better. Our next premium bible purchase will be a Canterbury Cameo in Blue Goat skin for my 13 year old son.
I have been saving money and looking for a premium ESV bible for a long time. After watching your review, if I can get only one "premium" bible. I will go to Stridon..I like the colour and the Full Yapp❤
Hey Tim, I own both Bibles. I agree with you on everything in this comparison! Except, 😁, I think the Tuscany Colorway is the bomb! Love my Allan SCR, but let’s be real. We ain’t carrying that anyplace, or even reading it sitting in a chair! Stridon for the win!
I'd go with the Allan. The size disparity isn't that big a deal for me, and I have been looking for a layout like the Allen for a while! Honestly, if it was in the LSB translation I would buy it right now! Even considering the price difference. The Allen in LSB IS my perfect Bible! It truly is!
I like the size of the Allen but absolutely do not like the references in the gutter. I like the set up of the Stridon better, just wished it was the size of the Allen. I like how Schuyler sews around the Bible, wished Allen did that. If I were to purchase one the Stridon.
If I could get the Allan text block with the Schuyler cover and ribbons I’d probably buy it today. To me, Allan’s aren’t the best looking kid on the block. I like raised hubs, perimeter stitching and embossing and 3 long, matching, quality ribbons. But I prefer the references by their corresponding verses (even end of verse). I don’t like Cambridge’s references and I really dislike digging through bottom of the page references for verse numbers and then letters……. As to paper gsm…..I need the least ghosting I can get (eyesight issues) and I find that higher gsm papers are easier for me to turn (I have MS), so Schuyler’s decision to go down to a 28 has caused me to decide to not buy one of their Bibles (if only I could find an old Credo Quentel in a 45 or at least a 36…..sigh)
I have to go with the Allan. And, I am a much bigger fan of Schuyler than Allan Bibles. I have never want an Allan more than that one. I really would love the Blue one. Just not in the budget anytime soon.
Interesting to hear you say the text block is better in the Allan. The Allan text layout looks less 'clean' than the Schuyler and the cross references in the inner margins are awkward and difficult to read properly. The text layout on the Schyuler looks better by far. However it's not only the text layout, but the paper feel makes up the text block. The Allan text block is has a higher paper gsm (36 vs 20), but that doesn't always correlate to paper 'feel' nor usage. Bigger doesn't always mean better. 🤷♂ So it'll be interesting to hear Tim's opinion on the weight and feel of the text block as someone who handles a lot of different Bibles.
Interesting! It is primarily the 'feel' of the Allan SCR paper that causes me to prefer it to the Schuyler Stridon! Don't get me wrong - I love my NASB Stridon - but I'm happy with my Allan ESV SCR. (I DO really like that cover and full yapp, though!)@@filobiblic
I like the AllenSCR...but the Schuyler is mush more cool looking if that matters to you...I also prefer KJV so I am out of luck...but I might just get one to have a nice ESV for home use
Great video comparison. I would say for a desk Bible I would pick Allen. Prefer thicker paper and like the references in gutter. But Schuyler Bible would win for me also because great desk Bible and more portable, plus I like the materials better and price. Thanks for doing this
Tough to choose...maybe the Schuyler because of the size. I would plan to mark in either that I had and would want the wide margin that both of these offer.
Really like them both, but I prefer Allan. For some reason, I just do not prefer the four crosses Schuyler puts on their cover. I know, sounds “terrible” to say but I just don’t. Maybe if it were just one cross? IDK. Allan for me.
I really don't like double column, and having the references in the center looks like the worst place to put them, tbh. Also the Allens dont have raised spine hubs which I do not like.
My issue with the SCR is the spine is not reinforced and when the Bible is open the spine follows the book block and creases in the middle of the spine. Years ago, when Allan’s were still made in Scotland the quality was second to none. Now they are still nice but at the price point I want the spine to have a solid Oxford hollow and not bend with the book block.
I was surprised how much I liked the look of the Allen. I have an NASB stridon it is almost the perfect bible. I think they should run thicker paper and down the font size so they can have even wider margins all around like the wide margin. Or make the Schuyler wide margin a verse by verse and that would absolutely be the one.
It is a perfect outline for the Allan for me. The refs are next to the text in the gutter, the margin has space for a John Edward’s or a Matt Everhard note system, lined paper for notes in the back, and they have it in blue right now. I have this layout in a 2011 version and I so want to rebind it. Schuyler’s refs look too bunched at the bottom. The Stridon is a beautiful Bible, but Allan is the winner. If I had the funds, I would be buying this Bible. Thanks Tim for your efforts in this vid, great comparison. God bless.
