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POWER WHEELCHAIR (POWERCHAIR)
REVIEWS & ASSESSMENTS

 

John Williamson

"Full sized" serious powerchair refers to 6mph (or better) with full sized batteries (usually Group 24 & around 70Ah) Possibly also with rehab style seating and advanced options For FULL TIME active powerchair users.

These are generally used by permanently disabled users with Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, or other problems that mean they need a powerchair all day every day indoors and out.

These are the type of powerchairs that are tested and evaluated here mostly. Because this is what I personally use. And because this is where technology ends. Where range/speed/size/ride comfort are all a difficult compromise. Its where the technology gets interesting. Most are really not very good for a variety of reasons.  Which is why I build my own powerchairs!

The "rest" are all either indoor only or transportable / folding or off road outdoor only or just plain cheap... These are for the less disabled or housebound. They are slower, smaller batteries and wheels/motors, and not up to full time all day use. There isn't much here for these types of chairs as I have no experience of these "temporary" use types of powerchair.

 

 

 
 

My powerchairMY OWN POWERCHAIRS (BM2 & 3)

AFTER LOOKING AT AND EXAMINING MOST OF THE WORLDS "HI END" POWERCHAIRS, I QUIT LOOKING AND BUILT MY OWN.

Because I need a good compact power wheelchair with a really tight / small footprint for true Indoor capability and great manoeuvrability. But I also want true outdoor capability!  Sand, snow, smooth ride, huge range, etc. All in ONE power wheelchair. To do this took serious thought, lots of metalwork and welding! About 50 percent of this chair is now neither sunrise or powerchair!

This new powerchair really suits Active Paraplegic users that love a "sport" manual chair.  It wheelies, and goes exactly where you aim it. Due to C of G and real programming and big real world sized wheels and tyres. Want to drive your van to the beach and walk the dog along it?  Call in the pub on the way back? No problem. Its INDOOR friendly too.
 

FRONTIER X5 & V6 POWERCHAIR

This is the closest thing there is to my own powerchair. Its just a bit wider, but a lot longer though. Goes anywhere, but a bit too big indoors, or in a minivan etc.
 
 

OTTO BOCK 600

Pretty average powerchair. suits some!

 

BACKUP POWERCHAIRS

Why you need one and how to get one and what to look for!
 
 

SUNRISE MEDICAL F55s REVIEW

I have had 6 of these over 14 years and have ruined everything its possible to ruin, and use it as a base for the newest BM2 and BM3 home designed powerchairs.
 
 

alber powerchairALBER ADVENTURE

Interesting, modern design for indoors and out. But many flaws.
 

POWER WHEELCHAIR DESIGN - THE COMPROMISES

Why they are designed how they are, and what to look for when choosing a chair.
 
 

PRIDE "QUANTUM" 600 EDGE

Another marketing exercise? Slightly smaller, slower, and smaller control system with smaller batteries version of the Q6000 from the same company. All to please the new "rules" in the US. Think cheaper. Not as good range as the Q6000 chair by virtue of the smaller batteries, but not as bad as expected due to lower (slower) gearing.

OK if you like mid drive and are skinny and light and don't care about slow. Rubbish outdoors like all 6 wheel chairs (other than the X5/V6 above).

 



 
 
PRIDE QUANTUM Q6000 Q6000Z Q6400 POWER WHEELCHAIR
 
PRIDE QUANTUM R4000 R4400 ATHENA POWERCHAIR
 
PERMOBIL 350 REAR DRIVE POWERCHAIR 
 
SUNRISE MEDICAL QUICKIE 636 POWERCHAIR
 
SUNRISE MEDICAL QUICKIE GROOVE POWERCHAIR
 
LIFESTAND LSC STANDING POWERCHAIR
 
MEYRA OPTIMUS2
 
DRAGON, SNAP DRAGON, DRAGON FLY KIDS POWERCHAIRS

 


 

What to avoid and why. I suspect all of these will be oversized and overweight but we will see.  Most kids wheelchairs are simply MILES too big... Adult chairs with small seats added on top. Clueless. This comment is aimed at all powerchairs generally but at kids chairs specifically as they seem worse than most. Remember that a chair should be no wider than its occupant, although kids grow...
 
LEVO C3 STANDING POWERCHAIR

Levo C3 Standing Powerchair review
 
 

INVACARE SPECTRA PLUS (& SIMILAR CHAIRS)

SMALL CHEAP LIGHTWEIGHT POWERCHAIRS, BY WHICH I MEAN ANYTHING THAT ISN'T TOP OF RANGE/BIG BATTERIES/BIG CONTROLLER AND 6MPH OR MORE



These are hardly ever a good idea unless you are not very active and don't expect too much. Great for sitting in front of the fire in an old peoples home! Pretty average at everything else. Usually slow, (4mph) and low powered too. Most are very much out of their depth outdoors and rattle you about like a pea on a drum. Not really good for active users! Lack of speed is dangerous at times.

The only real advantage of these seems to be cheapness and they are sometimes small enough to perform OK indoors. But NOT necessarily better than a chair from the "full sized" list below. But the SPECTRA PLUS is one of the worst chairs indoors too. Feels like a nose heavy oil tanker.

 
 
 

REVIEWS BY USERS ON MY FORUM HERE:

 

More here: http://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/viewforum.php?f=6

 

 Quickie P222 SE Rear-Wheel Drive Power WheelchairTO COME:
  • Invacare Arrow / Ranger (Rear Wheel Drive)
  • Invacare Storm 3 (Rear Wheel Drive)
  • Invacare Storm 4 (Rear Wheel Drive)
  • Invacare TDX SP and other variants
  • Permobil C300
  • Sunrise Medical Quickie 626
  • Sunrise Medical Quickie 646 (SE or not)
  • Sunrise Medical Quickie F55 and F55s
  • Sunrise Medical P222 SE
  • Handicare Puma Powerchair
  • Bounders? Don't know much about these. Other than big, old fashioned, heavy
  • MORE! Post your own reviews on my Message Board - Some of the above have already been reviewed over there!

 

 

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR:

 

 

 

 
 

 

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