Finding a functional wheelchair bag that has adequate storage space, is easy to open and manage AND doesn’t make you look like an out of place high school student can be a chore. Every so often I get press releases for products claiming to meet that bar, and usually I find myself disappointed in the execution. That’s why I was intrigued when I saw the Quokka Bag. Designed by a Netherlands mother with MS, the Quokka Bag claims to be the “first practical wheelchair bag,” and while I don’t know whether it’s the “first” it does seem to fit the bill as a practical (and cool) wheelchair bag. Based on the website, the Quokka bag appears to come in two sizes currently, vertical and horizontal models, each offering multiple pouches with easy-to-pull zippers, optional hook rings and a magnetic clasp. Style-wise, the bags remind me of small, hip messenger pouches with a minimalist bent.

Aside from style and the ease-of-use consideration, the main thing that sets the Quokka Bag apart is its one-touch attachment adapter. Based on Rixen and Kaul’s KLICKfix quick-release system, the adapter can be installed anywhere on your wheelchair frame. Once installed, the bags simply slide on and then can be locked and unlocked with a handy lever. The way the bags attach, combined with their thin profile, ensures they won’t hit things or get knocked off your chair when you go through narrow doors or spaces. Apparently the bags are a hit in Europe and have just found a distributor for the US and Canada. For more information visit http://www.quokkabag-usa.com/.

http://vimeo.com/75390812