ESV Thinline Bible in Buffalo Leather

Dec 17

A closer look at the latest edition of Crossway’s top-selling Bible.

I’ve always loved thinline Bibles, and if you watch the video review below you can see a few of my favorites, including the completely thrashed NIV Thinline from the mid-90s that I “borrowed” indefinitely from my church’s lost and found bin when I was in high school. Perhaps it’s the familiarity of it, but there’s just something about a thin Bible like this that feels right to me.

The ESV Thinline Bible is Crossway’s top-selling Bible, and over the years they’ve offered it in a wide variety of bindings. The latest edition of the ESV Thinline is one of six Bibles released by Crossway this year in a new Buffalo Leather (the ESV Study Bible is getting a Buffalo Leather release next year). Priced between the premium bindings (goatskin, top grain leather) and the more affordable options (genuine leather, bonded leather, TruTone), this new ESV Thinline in Buffalo Leather creates a mid-level option for this classic typesetting that is well constructed and looks great.

ESV Thinline Bible in Buffalo Leather – Overview

The text block in the Buffalo Leather edition of the ESV Thinline maintains what fans of this Bible have come to love about it. It’s 5.375” wide and 8.375” tall, and comes in right at 1” thick. The typesetting presents the main text in two columns. It does not have cross-references (one of the reasons why it can be so thin), but it does include textual notes at the bottom of each page, as well as a concordance and maps at the back of the Bible.

The paper on this edition has a nice, creamy white color and is quite opaque. The 8pt text is not line matched, but that doesn’t cause any issues when reading because of the opaqueness of the paper. As you can see in the interior photos below, the overall layout is simple and clean, which creates a pleasant reading experience.

From the outside, this Bible looks very sharp, thanks in part to aesthetic touches like raised spine hubs and perimeter stitching. I’m also pleasantly surprised by the Buffalo Leather. It has a lovely grain and is soft to the touch. Of course it would be even softer if this Bible was edge-lined, but that would also drive the price up. As is, the paste-off liner certainly gives the cover some rigidity, but I think this is a Bible that will soften up nicely with consistent use.

FEATURES
• 8pt type size
• 5.375” x 8.375” trim size
• 1” thick
• Paste-off liner
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Single ribbon marker
• Raised spine hubs
• Double-column format
• Words of Christ in red
• Concordance
• Full Color maps

The Thinline Family

I spent some time on Crossway’s website, and I found six different bindings for the ESV Thinline currently for sale.

ESV Heirloom Thinline Bible (Goatskin) – $199.00
ESV Thinline Bible (Top Grain Leather) – $174.99
ESV Thinline Bible (Buffalo Leather) – $79.99
ESV Thinline Bible (Genuine Leather) – $49.99
ESV Thinline Bible (Bonded Leather) – $39.99
ESV Thinline Bible (TruTone) – $29.99

The prices you see above are each Bible’s “list price,” so this is not what they actually sell for at most retailers (you can commonly find them for 30-50% less than the prices you see here).

As you can see, this Buffalo Leather edition creates a new middle tier for the ESV Thinline. It is significantly less expensive than the editions bound in Goatskin and Top Grain Leather (both of which are very nice and have edge-lined covers), and it’s slightly more expensive than the editions bound in Genuine Leather, Bonded Leather, and TruTone (a flexible synthetic material).

In my opinion, this is a big win for Crossway, because I think the ESV Thinline in Buffalo Leather is a nice upgrade from the lower-priced editions. It’s a classic Bible design with several lovely exterior features, and it won’t break the bank.

Here To Stay

One of my favorite things about Crossway is that they offer so many unique editions with a wide variety of binding options. In fact, I would argue that one of the main reasons why the ESV is so popular is because they offer Bible lovers so many choices. The ESV Thinline is their best seller for good reason, and this new Buffalo Leather edition shows that Crossway is going to continue to offer readers new and improved options to consider.

Bottom line:
If you’re a fan of Thinline Bibles like me, this new ESV Thinline in Buffalo Leather is a great option at an affordable price.