We always learn from our customers when they come to visit us at trade shows and tell us how their bags are working for them. We wanted to share some of the lessons we have learned from our customers that can help you get the most out of your own bag and avoid problems.

Bag Hangs Too Low:

A few people have told us that their bags were damaged by the tires on a power wheelchair. It turned out that the straps were extended too long and the bag was hanging too low. Here are some pointers on how to hang and secure a bag at an optimum height:

• Watch our video on how to hang a bag on a power chair or wheelchair at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLbMn4G-GE8

• Remember that the straps are highly adjustable. Simply pull the slide up or down the strap to lengthen or shorten it.

• If the straps are at their shortest and the bag still hangs too low, there are a couple things you can do:

1. Lengthen the strap to wrap it around the armrest twice. Adjust it so the bag is as high as necessary and the contents are accessible.

2. Hook it around something other than the armrest if possible. Many power chairs have vertical bars between the armrest and the rest of the chair or behind the armrest. You can wrap one or both of the straps around a bar and then over the armrest. You can make the bag hang evenly with the straps at different lengths depending on where they attach. This also provides better security since the bag cannot slide off of the armrest

• Our Premier, Demi-Premier, and Metro bags have six D-rings inside. Normally you would use the four center ones to hang the bag over an armrest, but it might be better to use the end D-rings, especially if you attach one strap to a vertical bar behind the armrest. This also makes the opening of the bag larger.

• Experiment with different strap configurations. For example, you can extend one of the straps to the longest and secure it to one D-ring at the front or end and then wrap it along the armrest several times and hook it to a back D-ring or the other end. Another option is to connect two straps with each other (press one snap hook into the other strap’s snap hook), wrap the longer strap around the armrest, and snake it up to the other end of the bag. Make sure the hardware is not on the armrest to avoid chafing your arm.

• Have a seamstress cut the straps and re-sew the hardware on the new shorter straps so each fits perfectly. This is not expensive and tailors the bag to your chair. If you are a sewer, you can do it yourself. This is one customer’s smart idea!

Bag Security:

Some people talked about the bag sliding off the armrest or being vulnerable on the back of a wheelchair. Here are some things you can try:

• Hook the strap around the vertical bar between the armrest and the rest of the chair or behind the armrest. Since each strap can be used differently, take advantage of the bar(s) by wrapping one or both straps around a bar and over the armrest. Since the straps are adjustable, you can make the bag hang evenly with the straps at different lengths.

• If your chair has small vertical bars under the armrest, make sure one strap is inside the bar to make the bag secure.

• If you are hanging the bag on the back of your wheelchair, there are several ways to make it more secure:

1. Wrap the straps around the handles a couple of times, especially on the side of the handles next to the back of the chair.

2. Hook one or both straps to a vertical bar if one is available on one or both sides of the back of the chair.

3. Lengthen the straps and then wrap them twice around the handles. Hook the open ends of the straps to each other in the middle.

Putting a Bag on the Front of a Manual Wheelchair:

If it is easier for you or a loved one to bend over to the front of the chair than to reach to get a bag off the back, you might be able to put your bag under the seat, depending on the type of device you have.

• You need to have at least a tube/bar on each side of the underside to do this. Each chair is different. Have someone play with different configurations of straps on D-rings and lengths of straps to find a way that works.

• Make sure the bag doesn’t drag on or near the ground. Demi-Premiers work best in that respect. The bag has to be where you can reach items in the bottom.

Overstuffed Bags:

Putting too much stuff in a bag can cause it to get damaged. If the bag is on the side of a chair and sticks out, it can be damaged going through a door. If it gets caught on door hardware, the bag can be ripped apart.

Overstuffing a bag can also cause it to become worn out over time and make the D-rings lift or break. If multiple D-rings lift, the bag is overfilled. This is not a manufacturer’s defect. If a D-ring lifts, you can still use the bag, but you run the risk of losing the D-ring. If a D-ring ribbon lifts in the first 90 days of bag ownership, contact us to alert us to your return, return the bag, and we will repair it for you.

The vast majority of the bags we saw at our shows were working and in amazing condition one to three years after purchase. Not surprisingly, that tickles us and makes us proud!

Our thanks to everyone we met at the tradeshows and expos. We appreciate your support and the lessons learned!