A few months ago I asked about responder backpacks and said I would give feedback on the one I bought...
IN the end I bought Primo Red ÜVC Swift paramedical Medical Backpack, medical bag, Paramedic bag on eBay
This was a veritable bargain compared to buying something similar from other 'well known' first aid suppliers at only £82 inc p&p so I was hoping it would be OK for us.
Initial impressions were good - it had sturdy build quality and was rigid enough in construction to hold its shape on your back. THe exterior material looks like a tatonka barrel bag, but it actually a bit heavier duty I think. Straps are well sewn on and look like they will last well. There is enough reflective material to make it stand out in the dark when light falls on it.
There are three main compartments, and while they are not perfect they are pretty good. There is also a small pouch down the back system - I think to take the shoulder straps, but I have put a high vis vest and orange bivy bag in there. I would change the design of the large back pocket and the front small pocket.
The back pocket holds a CD cylinder, pocket mask and rebreather mask OK along with a couple of other things, but then its full. I have 2 trauma dressings and a major wound dressing in here as well as a roll of cling film. It also has some mesh pockets in here where i have vinyl gloves, pens, paper, forms, eye protection and alcohol gel and a small torch. There are lots of elasticated loops which I have one pair of large tough cuts in, but otherwise are pretty annoying for me, but probably might be useful if you had lots of ampules of stuff or guidal airways (you could have 2 of every size there are so many loops). I would have not had the elastic looping and had a zipper pocket there instead.
The middle pocket holds our Zoll AED+ with pads, pedi-pads, and a aed kits of towel, small tuffcuts and razor. It all fits in well and I'm happy with this.
The small front pocket has the contents of a small first aid kit (conforming bandages, eye bandages, plasters etc.) and a aerosol of saline. It just fits. There would have been more room were it not for the 'roll out' for drugs/ampoules which is sewn in and cant easily be removed. There is a mesh pocket which I have shoved all the bandages in which stops them falling out when you open the pocket which is good. I may cut out the roll out section at some point, but just want to make sure it all is good before I do it.
So overall a 9/10. The back compartment could be just a smidge bigger to my mind, and the elasticated sections are not vital to me, though if I had guidal airways as part of our standard training kit I would use them.
One of my guiding requirements was that it was light enough for our smaller lifeguards to run with and I would say that it is., and the waist strap makes this more reasonable to do. The should straps have fast-click buckles which means that they can be stored away if needs be in a back pocket, or if you get trapped you can extracate yourself quite easily.
a final nice touch is a little transparent sleeve on the front to put in ID, so I have printed and laminated a lifeguard id with the club name and contact details on to go in there. It looks very professional.
Its now getting use on the beach over the winter when we go for our swims and rescue board sessions and in the summer hopefully will also give sterling service.
