Paper is one of the most important elements of a Bible. No matter what tools it has or how good the cover is, if I don’t like the paper then I won’t use it. With paper there are some trade-offs to consider.
In a perfect world Bibles would have paper that was so opaque that you couldn’t see through to the other side, it would be thick enough that you would never have any trouble turning the page, it would take any kind of pen or marker and never show through to the other side or leave indentions in the page, and you could get two of these Bibles in your pocket.
Have you heard the saying “pick any two?” That’s the way Bible paper is. There’s a trade-off and you have to decide what you need.
Thin Bibles will have thin paper. It probably won’t be highly opaque and it won’t be good for marking. You can have thick paper, but not in a thin Bible. If you want paper that is thick and opaque, and good for writing, the Bible will be thicker. Paper that is more opaque allows for print that is bolder.
Also consider the color. Look in the gutter where the two pages meet and you’ll easily see the color of the paper. Some prefer white because it has a higher contrast. Others prefer cream. Others, myself included, prefer ivory or eggshell. I personally don’t like blue or red, but somewhere between white and cream.
The color of the paper greatly affects the readability of the print. Consider the contrast in various types of lighting. Choose how the Bible will be used and then choose the best paper for that purpose.
The Featured image is Crossway’s ESV Wide Margin Bible in black genuine leather. You can read the review here: ESV Wide Margin Reference Bible