MagicMobility X8

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MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 19 Mar 2015, 19:17

I test drove the X8 4x4 wheelchair by MagicMobility. They are the same company that makes the MWD V6 offroad chair. So I'm going to keep this simple. I test drove it around the biggest stock show in the USA and around my hunting lease. Conditions ranged from pavement to turf to slick mud and water.

Pros:
1) It went anywhere I drove it (even up a slick, muddy, and steep hill.)
2) It absorbs most of the shock (probably the tires) you would normally experience in your everyday chair.
3) The batteries lasted a long time. I put two heavy days of driving on this thing before recharging and it was only down to a little over half.

Cons:
1) Driving in tight quarters and in reverse is very difficult. The chair operates similar to an RC racecar but you control everything with one joystick instead of two. (Moving forward is a cinch though!)
2) No Mud flaps! Before I even got into any heavy mud I noticed that there was already mud splatters all over the fenders.
3) It's huge! Although it will fit in a minivan, it takes a lot of back and forth to make it go. (And possibly some damaged interior)

The steering mechanism, although difficult/different to operate, is effective. With a motor on each wheel and small actuators used to steer the front wheels a single joystick controls all of this. There were a few times when I was first starting out that I wished I had and second stick to control the steering.

Overall it is a good chair. It can do what it's made for.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Burgerman » 19 Mar 2015, 22:05

Well my definition of a wheelchair (or "chair") is something that resembles a wheelchair with casters that can turn on the spot, works indoors, and allow you to sit at a bench or computer etc.

My definition of a car, or buggy be it off road or otherwise is something that cannot do the above. So I don't consider that a wheelchair! Its an off road vehicle or buggy.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 20 Mar 2015, 02:10

Burger I laughed so hard after I read your comment and other chair reviews. This was my first time on this section of the forum so I didn't realize you are constantly leaving the same comment on every ones review "this is not a wheelchair!" However, if a wheelchair has to have free spinning front casters then there are zero wheelchairs that are truly good off road. Spinning casters are 90% of the reason I get stuck.

Sorry about leaving the cliche review. Peace
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Burgerman » 20 Mar 2015, 13:29

Well it seems to me that if it doesn't work through doors, on a pub/house/toilet, and only any good outdoors then there are 1001 vehicles better suited to outdoors. From quad bikes to full sized 4x4 cars and trucks.

I don't get what makes it a "wheelchair"?
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 20 Mar 2015, 14:12

I understand what you 're saying. There needs to be a standard for what constitutes a wheelchair. A wheelchair is a user's "legs legs can go anywhere the user goes [on/off payvement, indoor/outdoor]. I'm on board with that.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby flagman1776 » 20 Mar 2015, 15:23

I'm not a "powerchair" user. I can stand briefly & walk a few steps with support. I use scooters & walkers. Burgerman hit it.
Tank chairs and outdoor buggies... nor my scooters... are not "wheelchairs".
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby scootntootn » 20 Mar 2015, 15:28

My scooter is considered a wheelchair in that it doesn't go faster than the max speed in my country for wheelchairs, and it's smaller than the max dimensions for being transported on the buses and trains with the least space for wheelchairs. So I get to travel for free in some places, because my scooter is considered a wheelchair by that definition. If I had a house with less furniture and bigger dimensions, I could use it inside the house. An aquaintance uses her Travelscoot inside her flat.

But my scooter is not a wheelchair by BM's definition.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Burgerman » 20 Mar 2015, 16:46

Well a travel scoot is a scooter.

There's a slight clue in the name! Its definitely not a wheelchair.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby scootntootn » 20 Mar 2015, 18:08

Our government scheme gives us a scooter or wheelchair depending on if we need it for outdoors only, both or indoors only. And if we need motorized steering or can handle manual. They're all considered wheelchairs in terms of subsidy and that they don't need registration to travel on the road.

So it all depends on your point of view - if you're a government body that needs to include scooters in the rules for wheelchairs, or if you want to stress the need for your "legs" to work as well as possible indoors in order to call it a wheelchair.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 20 Mar 2015, 18:10

Just in case:

The X8 does fit through standard size doors and will fit on a standard size van ramp. I was able to independently (c5/6 quad little to no triceps) load my everyday chair and the X8 in my minivan. The only requirements it doesn't meet are the free spinning front casters and getting under all tables. My everyday chair doesn't get under a lot of tables comfortably. Just FYI.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby flagman1776 » 20 Mar 2015, 19:55

Government bodies can use their own rules & definitions... within their own borders. As a TravelScoot owner, I'll not call it a "Wheelchair" though a government might choose to treat it in the same "wheelchair" catagory. It would be better if they named the catagory "powered personal mobility devises".
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby ex-Gooserider » 24 Mar 2015, 06:07

Actually, a lot of the US ADA and similar codes / laws do use the term "mobility device" as opposed to wheelchair... And in pretty much all cases, there is no practical difference in the legal treatment between scooters and chairs - even when there are size limits, it is based on the 'footprint' not what is in it....

Some of this is trying to be more inclusive, and some of it is the same sort of 'political correctness' crap that comes from some folks claiming that 'wheelchair' is 'demeaning' or some such... (Me, I find the political correctness offensive, and will get on the case of someone telling me I'm 'differently abled' or such - I'm HANDICAPPED! Same deal with other such terms....)

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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 25 Mar 2015, 02:01

The term "Durable Medical Equipment" gets thrown around a lot. I'm pretty sure wheelchairs fall under that tab as well. I think Burger is trying to set a standard for what WE refer to as a wheelchair. Otherwise my UTV is one badass wheelchair (which technically is true). Have you seen that wheelchair that flies? I think it's called the G6.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Burgerman » 25 Mar 2015, 12:03

Well then. My van, and all cars are also "wheelchairs".
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 25 Mar 2015, 14:20

I agree, Burger, there does need to be a standard. Is there an explicit place on your site where it has been defined or is it just here in the forums? Is there a thread titled "What is a wheelchair?" If not I think we should start one.
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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby ex-Gooserider » 31 Mar 2015, 05:57

The problem with any effort at such a definition is going to end up with 'edge cases' that are debatable...

How compact a bathroom is the 'test bathroom' to try to fit into? I've encountered more than a few 'full size' bathrooms that I can't get into with my MANUAL chair, let alone any sort of power chair.... But other threads have pointed out that the X* chairs will fit into a standard van, or a handicapped bathroom....

"Getting around a house" doesn't count either - are we talking a tight design or an open one? A bariatric seating version of a chair that we all agreed was a 'wheelchair' in standard seating, can be wider than the mobility buggy - so does it stop being a wheelchair?

What about something like that double frying pan control 'Whillchair' thing? or the "Turkish Mobility Device"

Probably easier to define 'obscenity' - that one is easy, does it give the (possibly female) judge a hard-on?? :lol: :roll:

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Re: MagicMobility X8

Postby Rye » 11 Apr 2015, 19:05

After spending a couple of weeks in the X8 and V6, I have realized that these "ATV" type chairs have one big thing in common with a wheelchair that true ATV's do not. Functionality. When I'm in an off road wheelchair I am still able to reach things on the ground and complete tasks as if I were in my everyday wheelchair. However, from an ATV these task are not possibly or just too difficult to attempt. So I now think the X8 would be classified as a wheelchair if this aspect were part of the criteria.
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