This week I want to talk about equipment that has helped make traveling more
convenient and enjoyable for me and that I hope will do the same for you. Even if
you don’t use a wheelchair regularly or if you normally push your chair this product
will totally change your travel (even just your local travel) experience.
Folding power wheelchair
I originally purchased one of these from Australia (Portashopper) a couple
years ago. It worked wonderfully for travel and totally changed my ability to get
around when away from home. It broke and due it being from Australia we were
never able to get it repaired, despite extensive efforts. The design has since been
picked up by three US vendors. I bought a new one and have had minimal problems.
We did have an issue with one of the wheels, but it was no problem getting it
replaced as it was still under warranty. The chair has excellent casters that handle
bumpy terrain, even cobblestones, without a problem. This is huge in foreign travel.
It folds to size a small enough to fit in virtually any car’s trunk and weighs roughly
forty pounds (all parts included). Even my Mom can pick it up and put it in a trunk.
This opens up the possibility of use of regular taxis rather than a specialized
handicapped van.
Some downsides to the chair are that it is not very comfortable for sitting any
extended length of time , and the footrest makes it a little tricky to get into and out
of, but these are minor issues relative to the freedom it provides. The battery life,
especially with the dual batteries is excellent (many miles) and ease of use and
turning radius are pretty good but it is not quite as easy to control as a heavier
power chair.
Another negative, at least at the time I bought it, was that it was not FDA
approved so insurance wouldn’t pay for it. If that has not changed already it may in
the future, and the cost was very reasonable compared to other medical equipment.
There are several very similar versions and I can recommend the concept
totally. My current one is an AirHawk- check out these links:
Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair
Original Foldawheel PW-999UL with Travel Bag
Stylish heavy duty Foldawheel PW-1000XL
All Access Travel is available for all your travel needs whether you have
limitations or not. Just contact me at dbox@cruiseandtravelexperts.com. Send me
your questions and feedback on any type of folding chair you use.
Great post! You’ll make a lot of folks’ lives a lot easier by letting them know about this chair.
Kevin O. Moran
The Andover Group
Senior Vice President – Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services Inc.
6100 Fairview Rd, 9th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28210
Phone: 704.362.8271 or 800.776.4848
Personal Fax: 855.333.7864
Click Here to View Website
LikeLike
Dave, Great post: succinct and informative. Dad
LikeLike
Great article. I got one of these (I live in the US) it makes it so much easier to get around in more rugged terrain. I agree it does get a bit uncomfortable after while, though.
LikeLike