Tried and Tested
Reporting back our findings
We have written this blog on our tried and tested wheelchair findings.
Having searched the internet for information on wheelchairs / mobility vehicles and off-road mobility we narrowed it down to roughly what we wanted/needed. The first and most important item was where we wanted to go! Then of course the price….
Where do we want to go? (Or why do we need a wheelchair)
The biggest problem we found when having a fabulous 2 month caravan holiday in France 2024, was that we were very restricted as my wife could only manage very short distances – let alone climbing steps for historic castles! This was also the case at home – we could no longer go out walking the dog together in the countryside. It was time to improve our quality of life!
The solution
Our options were the following:
Mobilty scooter – Quickly discarded as generally not suitable for to walking in the countryside
- They are not stable
- Have small wheels
- Not easy to turn around on narrow paths
Offroad scooter – Sounds like good fun, but –
- Expensive. £3-8000
- Does not fold and fit in the car boot. Needs a trailer or special vehicle.
Adventure all terrain scooter – Sounds even better but –
- You can spend up to £22000 easily!
- Transporting them.
- No good for going round the High Street.
- Manoeuvrable
- Folding
- Fits in a car boot
- You can buy a folding ramp to get into a SUV etc.
- Price range up to about £2500. We paid just over £1000.
- Fits all the specifications we wanted and listed on our web page
Practical testing!
As we start to go on different walks we are writing a new web page for each of them with comments on suitability for wheelchairs.
It has taken a little time to understand the capabilities of our wheelchair and getting the confidence of where to go. A certain rather rebellious person has decided that just because it does not actually say suitable for wheelchairs, it can’t possibly mean us! To be fair when walks are signposted for wheelchairs they have to allow for people in non powered wheelchairs, perhaps needing assistance as well.
We are pleased to say that having at first been concerned that our wheelchair (offered by Etechmobility at nearly half the price that other chairs are), would not be suitable, we have consistently been impressed by it. Needless to say many things these days are made in China so, whilst you can compare the pictures of them online and find the same product with a different brand name, this does not seem to be the case with wheelchairs. The main difference when looking carefully was the hinge design. Currently all looking good but of course time will tell.
Great reviews for Etechmobility prompted us to contact them as we felt confident to go ahead.
The wheelchair turned up as promised, quickly, and was carried in up 3 steps by 2 FedEx delivery men. It was well packed in a large carrying box which had 2 handles. The easiest way to unpack was to open the top of the box lifting out any small items or extras purchased. Then turning the box on its side, it was simple to pull out of the box. The chair was a little stiff to unfold, being new. After a couple of weeks use it eased up and became straightforward.
Loading in a vehicle
This is one of the most important concerns. How am I going to take my wheelchair to a location and enjoy walks?
Our chair is 27kg with one battery – too heavy for one of us to lift up into a high flat car boot but we manage easily between 2 of us to lift it up, folded. We have also purchased a 5 ft ramp to use if and when a time comes that we cannot do this.
Comfort
We brought the standard seat width chair (there are wider available) and this works well. Having used the chair for over 2 hours on ground that has, at times, has been rough, it is perfectly comfortable.
Ground clearance
Very important on paths with large stones / tree roots etc! The footrest is the lowest part of the frame and it has at odd times hit objects. This in fact is good to make you aware as behind the footrest is the electronic control box unit, then the batteries. The electronic control box and batteries do have a frame in front to help protect them.
There is an option to have higher, adjustable footrests but we are happy with the standard as my wife’s legs rest on it comfortably and we like the protection it offers. It is possible to flip it up if necessary – can be handy getting in and out of the chair.
Stability
A feeling of stability and safety is vital for the occupant … so you do not want your wheelchair to tip on its side or backwards! We have found the wheelchair to be very stable but as in all things you must use common sense, otherwise you could have an accident. There is a seat belt but it’s never been used – my wife preferring to “jump ship” in an emergency!
Read about how we handle rough, all terrain further down.
How we drive our wheelchair
We first used it on a smooth, open surface to test out the controls:
- When switching on the power to the joystick control, you will see two sets of lights. The top ones show the amount of battery power available and the lower ones are for speed. The more you switch on, the more power you have – (up to the regulation 4 mph)
- Full power is great moving along smooth surfaces and we found it stops quickly on the flat. Joystick to mid position for no drive power and the electronic brake comes on.
- It goes backwards as fast so be careful.
- Turning 360 degrees very quick and simple.
- Then we needed to find how to negotiate gates, barriers etc. It was first tested on a pathway that had safety bars to stop people / bikes going straight out onto a road. Not so easy the first time as you have to drive in a U negotiating the bars. You have to think where the wheels are so you do not shortcut and catch them on one of the bars. (This will be the same for all mobility aids and scooters may have a problem particularly if they are big.
- Inclines were the next test. Our wheelchair is designed for up to 20% inclines (we have done slightly higher with no problem). Going uphiill is easy, just use full power. Going downhill, it takes longer to stop and we find it better to use a slower speed – particularly if you have an excited dog trying to race you!
Having gained these skills and confidence we then went off to the woods …
Gates
There are mostly two types of gates you will come across – Bridle and Kissing.
Bridle gates are the easiest to pass through. Not so easy to do by yourself in a wheelchair as the angle is all wrong for pulling the lever to open the gate, but it is possible.
Kissing gates – whilst a bit easier to operate in a wheelchair do not have much room for manoeuverability. More tricky if the ground is uneven tipping your wheelchair slightly. We found that you have to get tight into the back of the gate (like the picture below) so it gate swings across in front of your knees allowing you to exit on the other side.
All terrain and smooth surfaces
Smooth surfaces are no problem although you still may need to be aware of raised areas where tree roots are coming through. Crossing slopes does need care as you are slightly unbalanced leaning down the slope. Not a problem with care but practise going across slopes. These tend to occur on pavements or driveways sloping down to the road. We have found that when entering a place that has a slope, find the most level bit to use or, if need be, go down it in line with the slope for maximum safety.
We have found our power chair with it’s 12.5 inch wheels is amazing what it will do once off the tarmac.Testing we found out as follows:
- Across rough ground with raised obstacles (stones / roots etc) the front wheel can swivel off course when hitting them. Be prepared for a change of direction – it is best not be going at speed! Particularly on narrow paths near a drop.
- Crossing wet muddy areas there is a risk that one of the rear wheels may sink, but by going a bit faster we have found you can get through. I have stood behind the chair to give it that extra momentum (shove!) so that it keeps going. Very similar to a car on wet ground with a wheel spinning. All good clean fun to be had!
- Similarly if going down a drop on one side then you will find that the wheel may lose traction and tilt that way. Scary! Don’t panic, just reverse a little and correct your aim.
- Traction can also be lost if you allow one of the wheels to end up in mid air (hole in the ground). You may start to turn due to then other wheel or just stop.
- Our wheelchair came with a remote control but we couldn’t imagine when it would be used – looking at the last two items in this list we realise that there are times a helping hand might be needed!
You do need to be aware of the ground around you when not on smooth surfaces – don’t let it to put you off exploring. Going adventuring is such fun!
Remember: here you are getting a greater sense of achievement of your capabilities while having lots of fun.