Bag Reviews

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This past Wednesday I had three newly graduated midwives come over and give their opinion on some of my new Ferno bags. It was so helpful to me to see the bags filled, and get some professional input!

Bag #1 - Green Rucksack

Here is the bag filled with Amy's equipment (everything except her oxygen).

The entire inside of both sides of the rucksack is velcro, and it comes with a bunch of colour-coded clear mini bags that can be arranged any way you want with the velcro. It's great for compartmentalizing all the gear. For example, you have all your meds in one bag, all your IV stuff in one bag, all your intubation equipment in another, etc. Because they're colour coded, in an emergency you can yell to someone "get the red one!". Amy thought the colour coding was a great feature. While it did not have room for an oxygen tank, it did have room for everything else, with quite a bit of space to spare. You can see that her doppler, suction unit, resuscitator, and everything else are highly visible and fit with ease.

This picture shows the front pocket on the rucksack. It's quite ample. Here it contains an IV kit and an intubation kit that are both packed full.

Here's Amy wearing the rucksack (though we didn't really make an effort to fit it to her properly). She found the weight to be very manageable. The straps on this one are not as comfortable as a couple of the other backpack models we tested. It would be great for just taking it from the car to the house. It would not be comfortable to trek with. Amy appreciated the versatility of this bag, however a midwife would also require a second bag with her oxygen equipment if this was her bag of choice.

Bag #2 - Ferno Airway Management/Oxygen Bag

This was Amy and Rachel's pick!

Here is the bag opened to the main compartment. This bag came with 3 different sized see-through bags that were detachable with velcro for compartmentalizing equipment. Amy also liked that she could fit her oxygen in here. This bag came with a blue fabric casing for an oxygen tank, and it also had a durable handle on it. You can't see Amy's tank because it is a C- tank and it's fully enveloped in the blue fabric. A D-tank would stick out a bit (the bag is designed for a D or jumbo D, so a C fits really easily). Amy was able to fit all of her equipment in here, so a second bag would not be necessary. It's also well padded, making oxygen transport safer.

This picture shows how there is a flap on the front of the bag that opens up so that you can access the oxygen without taking it out of the bag. You had to dig a bit with the C tank, but with a D tank the regulator would be right at the top there for easy access. There is also a little pouch on the inside of the flap for airways or oxygen masks.

Here Amy shows the backpack straps. This backpack has well-built, padded straps, as well as a sternum strap. You could actually trek with this on!

Bag #3- Ferno Trauma/Airway Management Bag II

The perk about this bag was the flip top that allowed for very quick and easy access to the O2 without taking it out of the bag.

The bag also had lots of little compartments that you could change around with velcro, and was also a well designed backpack.

(As you can see, at this point my 2 year old came home from the park, so that was the end of our morning bag testing session with Amy).

Bag #4 - Ferno Saver Duffel O2 Kit

This bag was quite long and skinny. I was well padded, and had a buckle for safe oxygen transport.

Here you see the long, versatile pockets.

On one end there is an ample end pocket. On the other side there is a wide elastic strap.

Bag #5 - Ferno Saver ALS Bag

This coupled with an oxygen carry bag was Jasmine's pick. Between the two bags it contained all of her equipment, including a De Vilbiss suction (the larger one).

This bag was not as compartmentalized as some of the more expensive Ferno bags, and it does not convert into a backpack. It also is a bit smaller in size. However, Jasmine found it to be a perfect match for the amount of equipment she carried.

Our Economical Classics -

The benefit of the high end Ferno bags is that they are made with top quality material and have lifetime warranties. Their Saver liner is also good quality, but doesn't carry the same warranty. Also, unlike the top-quality bags, you can't unzip the padding for proper cleaning.

But what if you're not looking to spend $100-$300 on a bag? We have some other great options for you as well!

These bags can be purchased separately or as a set. They all come in red and blue, however, not all bags are always in stock in both colours.

Our prenatal bag is affordable and versatile. The inside dividers can be removed or rearranged with velcro, and more items can be zippered into the inner lid.

The "Midwife" duffel bag is a run-of-the-mill duffel bag with extra inner pockets in the front for organizing little things, as shown. It's well constructed, and has ample end pockets.

Our entire new registrant kit fits into the duffel bag and the oxygen carry bag. This includes a De Vilbiss suction, but it can be a bit tight. With a Laerdal suction there would be plenty of space.