“Which pouch should I carry my insulin in?”

Today I was asked for a pouch to carry an insulin injector, with accessoires (needles, glucometer, etc.). Big enough to hold the whole kit but small enough to carry it all the time. If possible, attachable to a notebook case. The injector is about 18cm long. I used a sawn off chopstick as reference in my pictures. If you look very closely you can even see that it’s 18cm long.

This is a requested post. Someone asked for advice I wanted to reply with this post. This means it’s not as well thought thought through and has pictures taken more hastily. I wanted to share the information with you but wanted to give the reply in due time, too.

Since I don’t know the exact size of the kit I used some other items to give a reference.

Here are the ones which came into my mind first. Please remember, that all of them can be bought in unicolor (yes, black, too) and some of them in various camo patterns. Note that the patches shown are my own and the pouches don’t come with them.

All of them have different ways of attaching them to your gear. Most have PALS webbing which can not only be connected to loops on compatible bags but to virtually everything having some sort of strap. Keep in mind that some of them don’t come with connectors (like MAXpedition). Others, like Helikon or Husar have attached connectors. Which one you chose depends on your personal preference. I like the possibility to chose the connector I like but that means you have to calculate for extra cost or get extra creative.

One even has velcro hooks which means you can attach it to every surface with velcro loops but nothing else.

Husar Cubby Admin Pouch

This my first choice and the pictures don’t measure up to how versatile the pouch is. I’ll post a full review later on. In the meantime, look at this great review by Pinesurvey. Pinesurveys review is about the Cubby+, my pictures show the regular Cubby. Keep in mind, that Husar is know for constantly improving their gear so you might notice differences in current versions. By now there are even more variants.

This pouch has many elastic loops on the inside and outside, 2 extra pockets and is overall very well thought through when it comes to organization.

What I like most about it is it’s versatility when it comes to carrying it. You can use it as a fanny pack (a.k.a. belly expander), can use the PALS webbing to connect it to compatible gear or just use the extra slits for the PALS connectors to wrap it around bike handles or wherever you might need your kit. The belt for carrying it as a fanny pack can be removed completely.

If you want one of those, go ask Perunika. They might be able to get you more variants than they have on their website.

To learn about the other variants, visit the website of the maker, Husar ltd. .

The Cubby is special because it “feels” different. A thing you can’t show on the pictures. It’s not as overbuilt like some other pouches but it’s just right. It’s strong where it needs to be but it’s light on parts where not so much strength is needed. If you’re into tactical gear, you’ll definitely like this one.

The hypalon parts (the solid green straps) feel a bit rubbery but they are very tough. This is some stuff I haven’t seen on many pouches but it seems like they are a great combination of thin material being very strong.

MAXpedition FR-1

This is a full blown IFAK-Pouch to carry a well equipped first aid kit. There’s even a modernized variant, the FRP which is similarly built but uses lighter materials and has an overall “spacier” appearance.

This was for quite some time my go-to first aid kit pouch before I started experimenting with other pouches for this special purpose. It might be a bit big for the purpose but you can always add more first aid material if you need.

It has many loops on the inside which you can fill up with all sorts of gear. What can’t be seen on the picture is that on the back of each wall it has a large pocket for small items that won’t fit the loops but mustn’t go lost. One has a zip to close it, the other is made of mesh.

A great feature is the drawstring which you can use to adjust how wide it will open. So you have some sort of “drawbridge” opening and you won’t lose all the stuff inside if you open it while it’s dangling down from a bag or backpack.

You can get this version from MAXpedition.de or Amazon. The updated version FRP seems to be only available from Amazon at the moment.

Helikon-Tex Modular Individual Med Kit Pouch

This is another specialised first aid kit pouch. It comes in two parts:

  • The outer pouch which you can wear as a butt pack, connect to PALS webbing or just any strap on a bag. You can remove the waist belt completely.
  • The inner pouch is a bright red med kit which unfolds to show a lot of organization.

The loops and the inner pouch are a bit small so you should check if it really fit’s all your gear in your first aid kit. It fits a 18cm insulin injector, though. Unfortunately the picture doesn’t do it justice – you should be able to fit it in. Even into the inner red pouch if you pack wisely.

If this fulfills your needs depends on if you want to spread out the full kit every time you need your shot. You’ll get a lot of organisation but there’s no way of sneaking out the pen and using it.

So while this is a great medkit if you don’t need big items it might not be as comfortable to use in public as the others in this list. What I like on this is that it has elastic loops for a Tourniquet and a special pocket for EMT-shears – both are not necessarily part of an insulin injection kit. 🙂

If you want one, again, look at Perunika and ask them for others colors or patterns if you don’t find on their website what you like. You can find some versions on Amazon, too.

MAXedition Skinny Pocket Organizer

You can read more about similar pouches in my pocket organizer post showing the different sizes of the Pocket Organizer series and where to get them.

I just wanted to show you the size of the Skinny compared to the test kit.

These Pocket Organizers are quite versatilve when it comes to carry lot’s of different sized items. They were made to give some organization to cargo pockets on tactical pants but since most are PALS compatible, you can use them on your pack, too.

Like all MAXpedition pouches they feel quite overbuilt and heavy, which is especially true for the “Legacy” series and older versions. I like how they feel as if you could run them over with a tank without harming them but not everyone likes the extra weight this style brings. In the last years MAXpedition seems to have switched some of their materials which many users don’t like as much as the old one. If you’re new to tactical gear, you should not get disappointed, though.

MAXpedition Hook and Loop Organizer

The one I show on the picture might be out of stock. I haven’t found it on the website of the manufacturer or on amazon. There is a similar one on Amazon, though. Please check the size, before buying! There are several like this available.

I can’t say much about the other version but mine is just as tough built as other older MAXpedition gear. If you want this one only depends if you have a velcro surface to attach it to. If you don’t, don’t buy this one.

You won’t be able to attach it anywhere else and the velcro will get stuck to virtually everything and rip open what it can get.

I placed links to a lot of shops on this post. Some are advertisements, some are affiliate links. Read more about this on my links page.

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