Info on folding travel scooters?

[yowsa]

Thanks, if this is her second No Boundaries scooter, that is a good endorsement.

 

I took my new Scootie out for 4.5 - 5 hours and was driving it for 4 hours straight. I think that is about its limit. I drove it full throttle and up a lot of grades. I am hoping that this will be sufficient for most sightseeing.

 

Ruth

 

What made you decide on the Scootie over the Fold-N-Go you first looked at? I am also looking at both models. Would you buy the Scootie again?

Thanks

[Rascal Rider Ruth]

Yowsa,

I chose the Scootie over the No Boundaries Fold-N-Go due to narrower width, shorter length, rear wheel drive, and built-in battery charger (has separate transformer, but has built-in storage compartment) and was about half the price.

The foot space is tight, but workable without extending the floorboard length.

There is no provision for locking the tiller in a closer position for a shorter arm reach. I solved this by purchasing a small C-clamp for $1.19 at the hardware store and clamping it next to their turn knob.

The seat does not swivel. With tiller locked slightly closer to seat, an overweight person might have trouble getting on.

The front basket is extremely small and not of much use. It will hold 2 dozen eggs standing on end and a loaf of bread or carton of milk. I am thinking of creating a soft pouch of some sort to use instead of front basket for travel.

There is a little carrying space on top of the battery cowl under the seat if you secure package with bungee cords.

I made a seatback pocket for extension cord and magazine or book, with provisions for carrying my crutches and a matching seat cushion.

I do not like the short thumb accellerator lever (don't mind identical reverse lever) and have gerrymandered an extension which doesn't require constant pressure with end of thumb. I still need to work on this and figure out how to make the extension without having it intrude too far towards body.

I was surprised that it has a back-up beeper as there was no mention of it.

It has performed well for me around town, across railroad tracks, over broken sidewalks, up 2" curbs, up steep sidewalks, through narrow souvenir shop aisles, over wooden plank pier, over grass and wood chips in park if hard dirt beneath (... got stuck going over wood chips with unknown soft dirt beneath).

I do have to distribute my body weight according to terrain ... lean forward when going up an incline ... lean into uphill side of driveway cutouts on sidewalks ... lean back when going down steep incline, straighten out at bottom ... Scootie has very light front end.

Has convenient hand hold for lifting in rear and tiller is designed for lifting front end.

I am hoping that the 73# weight and small size will not discourage taxi drivers from loding it into their trunk.

The narrow width should fit through even the narrowist doorways if HC cabin is unobtainable.

I find it easy to use ... do not like it as well as my large Rascal for general use, but will use it mainly for travel.

Would I buy a Scootie again? I can not answer that question now, but I should be able to in October after I return from my first cruise with it!

Hope this is of soom help for you.

Ruth

[yowsa]

Ruth:

Is the "No Boundaries FOld-N-go" the same as the "Caddy Fold-N-Drive Scooter" ?

Thnaks,

Yowsa

[mima10@aol.com]

I have a no bouundaries Moxie and I love it. it has made several tips to vegas on plane as well as cruises to Panama canal and is now gettin ready to go on cruise to alaska oh yes forgot several trips to disney world. have been at disney all day and never had problem with battery not being able to keep me going. I recharge mine every nite in hotel room or in cabin on ship. every one has been most helpful on ships. i only took it off ship once or twice most of time i used a chair from ship or renter lite wieght one for tours. The moxie is small enough to fit thru regular doors on cabins on most ships if not - no problem to fold it. many times put balcony of our cabin to recharge. I love my moxie

Mima

[yowsa]

<<My internet search has come up with the CADDY Fold-N-Drive ( www.medical-supplies-equipment.com ) as meeting most of my needs. However it has no arms which I need for easier getting to my feet.>>

Although most of photos don't show the arms, the current models do have armrests.

Yowsa

[IrisF]

Has anyone here taken a scooter on the NCL "Spirit"? I have only taken my Pride Go-Go on the RCL Navigator which is a larger ship. No problems getting into or out of my room or anywhere else for that matter. In going out for the day to street fairs, or shopping malls, I find that my scooter will still be going strong after I am "bushed". 4 to 5 hours for sure.

 

Being somewhat mobile, when I come to a curb that is too high I just get off and lift the front wheel up onto the curb and push the back until the wheels are on the sidewalk. Then I get back on and keep scooting. It hasn't happen often, but outside of this country, it might happen more frequently. It does fit nicely in the trunk of a taxi too, but I"m not sure if my luggage will all fit in there with it. We will find out on our cruise through the Panama Canal in Oct/Nov.

 

It is very interesting to read about all the different kinds of scooters out there. Aren't we lucky to have such wonderful means of transportation at our disposal?

IrisF

[mima10@aol.com]

I will be taking first cruise on ncl with my moxie. I have done many other cruises on other lines with no problems. Wehn is your trip planned? maybe we will pass in halls

Mima

[IrisF]

Hi Mima10,

We are going on the NCL "Spirit" 29 Oct. out of San Francisco. We will reach Miami on the 14th, where unfortunately, we will have to get off. It would be fun to meet in the halls. On the RCI Navigator last February, I didn't see another scooter the whole week. There were some standard wheelchairs, but not many. When are you going?

IrisF

[mima10@aol.com]

hi Iris we are taking ncl spirit to alaska on 9/10, so dont think we'll meet cruising the halls. We also have a trip planned for the Bergen line in Norway next May. will be first time i used the scooter in europe. When we went to panama last sept there were several scooter and motorized wheel chairs on board, I did not hear of anyone having difficulty with using scooter on ship. We did use a manual; lite wigjt wheel chair for land tours. I hope you hae as much luck as we have had with the scooter. Oh yes airlines were unbelievabley great with helping us only advise take an extension cord with so you can rechrge at nite

Mima

[IrisF]

Hi Mima,

Thanks for the input. Do you have your own light weight wheel chair or did you rent one for the trip? Is it the kind with 4 small wheels? Like a transport chair? I've been trying to decide just what to do about having one of those.

 

I took an extension cord on the Navigator, but didn't need it. Let me know how it works out on the "Spirit" in September. My battery can sit close to the outlet while it is charging, so I may not need a longer chord. Perhaps I'd better take one though, just in case.

 

It would have been nice to be on the same cruise, but maybe another time?

Iris

[Rascal Rider Ruth]

Iris,

I have heard from several others that the 4 small wheeled transport chairs are much harder to push up curbs, over cobblestones, in sand, etc than the chair with two large wheels. They may be lighter weight, but more of a hassle to use. I personally use only my scooter ... don't like to have to depend on someone to push me.

 

Yowsa,

I am not sure of the differences between the Caddy and the No Boundaries Fold-N-Go Scooters. I am sure that you can see them both in their respective internet websites.

Ruth

[IrisF]

Hi Mima,

Don't forget to let us know all about your trip to Alaska. It is so close now, I am sure you are getting very excited. Have a great trip.

IrisF

[PiperMcB]

Okay, I just broke down and let my doctor talk me into getting a scooter. He recommended a GoGo based on its light weight and specs. I will be taking it on my Thanksgiving cruise. Thanks to all who posted about it here.

[IrisF]

Hi Piper,

I just hope you love your Go-go as much as I love mine! It is small enough to take anywhere and made me so much more comfortable on my cruise in February. We will be going through the Panama Canal in Oct/Nov on the NCL Spirit and though the rooms are smaller than they were on the RCI Navigator of the Seas (both balcony rooms) I'm sure there will be room for it.

 

It certainly made getting around very easy for me and I could keep up with my traveling companions.

 

Are you getting the three wheel or four wheel style? Check several places online as the prices can vary greatly. I have a Ford Focus Wagon and it just fits in the back with plenty of room for our luggage next to it.

 

I didn't get the basket for the front, as it takes up too much room and really doesn't hold very much. Instead, I crocheted a bag to hang on the handlebars to put my purse or purchases in. Works like a dream, and you can take it off easily to put on the security check-in belt.

 

Happy scooting,

IrisF

[PiperMcB]

I got the three wheel style. It came with the basket and cloth seat with arms. I also got a crutch bag, cup holder and bag for the arm. I think I am set to go now!

[jandiart]

My husband uses a Pride Sonic scooter. It is small, and weighs 97 pounds without the 18 pound battery. WE have no trouble putting it into out Honda CRV. The chair lifts off (has arms) and the battery comes out. The 2 main pieces can be broken up or kept together. We lift that section together so we don't break it apart. We will be traveling to Barcelona next week to go on the Celebrity Millennium. This is the first time that we will be taking it on a plane and we are so scared that we will have problems with it. We will be picked up by bus at the airport since we are traveling in a large group. Has anyone done any touring in Italay or Spain with a scooter?

Jacki

[pvmkmyer]

Thanks, if this is her second No Boundaries scooter, that is a good endorsement.

 

I took my new Scootie out for 4.5 - 5 hours and was driving it for 4 hours straight. I think that is about its limit. I drove it full throttle and up a lot of grades. I am hoping that this will be sufficient for most sightseeing.

 

Ruth

 

Dear Ruth:

 

My wife took the new Featherlite Deluxe scooter to San Diego several times this summer and it performed beautifully -- much better than her old one. With her old scooter I frequently had to help push her up inclines (although my wife is heavy; depending on your weight this may not be a problem). However, she hasn't needed a push with this new one. We have had no recharging problems. This scooter just goes and goes. Her prior one was constantly running low on juice, but the new one holds the charge much better and is much stronger. Because it has a very large front wheel it seems to clear small curbs and other obstacles better than her old one, which had a double wheel in front. And because of the single wheel it is much easier for her to steer. Her wrists used to hurt by the end of the day from turning the tiller all day. We're looking forward to using it in the Med next year.

 

Phil

[daju22]

:) Hi all,

 

Phil-I don't know what you mean by heavy, so maybe the Featherlite would be good for us.

 

My husband weighs around 220 pounds. I am tired of pushing him in ports and walking so slowly on the ship. Thought he might be happier motoring along himself. I'm just concerned about his weight slowing down a lightweight, folding travel scooter.

 

Does anyone out there have any brand recommendations for a person of this size ? Any problems that we might encounter with a small scooter? I really need to be able to lift it myself into our CRV and travel.

 

You all sound so thrilled with your scooters. Now I have to convince him that he would be happy with one!

 

 

Thanks for your time and replies.

[IrisF]

Hi Judy,

I have the 3 wheel Pride Go-Go which weighs about 92 pounds total. If you take the 21.5 pound battery off and the 15.5 pound seat, that leaves 55 pounds. If you take the remaining two sections apart the front weighs 23 pounds and the back 32.

 

I have a Ford Focus Station Wagon which is pretty low in the back and I don't take mine completely apart. If I'm alone, I just take the battery pack off and the seat and put them in the car then I put the front wheel onto the bumper and use the handle in the rear to guide the scooter into the cargo area. Works like a charm! It might help to know that I am a 70 year old short female. When my hubby is along, he can just lift the main part of the scooter right into the car. It will also fit in the trunk of a car/taxi that way, but I can't lift it out by myself without taking it apart.

 

The weight capacity for the scooter is 250 pounds. So, your hubby shouldn't have any problem with using one. I weigh a good bit myself and have found no problems using the Go-Go because of it. If there is a scooter store or medical supply place near you, go and look at what they have. There are lots of bigger units out there, but for travel and independence this size is terrific.

 

The independence is what sold me on one. I just hated to have to have someone push me all the time. Now when we are in a museum or shopping, I can go ahead or lag behind if there is something that takes my eye and DH doesn't have to worry about me. Also when we walk in a mall or on the street he doesn't have to slow down to keep me company. If he wants to walk briskly I can keep up with him and when he wants to just stroll it does that too.

 

The thing I like about my scooter is that it is very small and gets around in crowded shops and other tight places with no problem. The turning radius is 32 inches. It is 18.5 inches wide and 37 inches long. You can also take the battery off and charge it anywhere. Some units you must leave the battery on the scooter while it is charging. With this one, I can take the battery and the charger (1.5 pounds) to the closest electrical outlet for charging. On a cruise, that means that it isn't "in the way" while charging the battery.

 

I hope this has been helpful information. If you want you can e-mail me at irisfreily@yahoo.com .

IrisF

[daju22]

Hi Iris,

 

Thanks for your description of your scooter. Sounds like it would be a good one for us! I like the idea of taking the battery inside to charge. I don't think PA winters are good for this type of battery-right? It sounds like I could lift it if a tiny person like you can. Now, is the braking and throttle done with your hand? My husband's right hand is not functioning well due to a stroke, nor is his right leg. Where are the controls located?

 

Hope I can convince him to buy one. I think he'd love it like you do. Where do you live in FL and PA? My mom is in Seminole.

Thanks again,

[IrisF]

Hi Judy,

I am in York, PA and in Boca in Florida. If we keep having lots of hurricanes, my DH will no doubt think we should just stay in PA.:)

 

The scooter is controlled with your thumbs. The right thumb presses on a lever on the tiller/handlebar to go forward and the left thumb on another lever to go in reverse. Breaking is automatic - you just take your thumb off the lever and the scooter comes to a gentle stop.

 

The same company - http://www.pridemobility.com makes a small motorized wheelchair which I think is called a "Jazzy"? That can have a right or left hand joystick to control the direction. I haven't seen a scooter with that type of control. The "Jazzy" is especially nice if you need to use one in the house, but I don't know how much they weigh or how portable they are. Go to their website and click on 'contact us'. They may be able to help.

 

Also earlier on this thread is a product called a "Roll-Aid" which you can attach to a manuel wheelchair so that it is self propelled. I believe it weight about 85 pounds. If you can't find that message go to http://www.stand-aid.com/ and see what they say about it. Try also:

http://www.stand-aid.com/roll_aid_power_wheelchair_attachment.htm

 

Let me know how you make out with convincing your husband and what you end up with.;)

IrisF

[daju22]

Hi again Iris,

 

My husband is from Dover and has relatives in York! We go there alot to visit his mom. Small world isn't it? How do you like living in two places?

The hurricanes have been so bad. I'm always afraid for my mom! When will you be going back to FL?

Thanks for the pride site. We have to go to a store to see if he can manage the controls.

 

I checked out the roll-aid, but he only has a lightweight folding wheelchair for travel which was great, but we can't go far since I get tired out pushing. I think we would still take it as we would need it on the tenders.

I think I'll just buy it for him and demand that we use it:eek: ! I just need to figure out which one will work. He's worried that he'll be dependent on it, but I think he'll love the freedom. He walks all over the house and yard and in grocery stores with a cart for stability. He just walks extremely slowly. It's hard to get to a bathroom in a hurry!

Thanks for your help. These boards have helped me so much!

[daju22]

Here's a site that reviews electric scooters and other equipment. Scroll down for various brands.

 

http://www.usatechguide.org/itemreview.php?itemid=1031

[DesrtDrmr]

Hi Judy,

I just want to throw in something to think about before buying your hubbie a scooter without him trying it first. Do make sure it can be returned if it doesn't work for him.

I ordered a cute little travel scooter for me, and when it arrived, I found that I could not bend my legs enough to fit my feet on the floorboard. I had to order a longer scooter, without any kind of bump at the end of the floorboard. I don't know if your husband has trouble with his legs, but if he does, that might be a consideration. If he doesn't, don't worry about it..... :)

I know he'll enjoy the independence that a battery powered scooter or chair will give him.

[JPO]

Here's a site that reviews electric scooters and other equipment. Scroll down for various brands.

 

http://www.usatechguide.org/itemreview.php?itemid=1031

 

Note: the URL for lightweight scooter reviews is

http://www.usatechguide.org/reviews.php?vmode=1&catid=330

where the Pride GoGo, Sunrise Trek 3, and Tzora EasyTravel are rated. We liked the fact that the EasyTravel was high rated by a caregiver.

Here is the review for the No Boundries FeatherLite (which originated in Israel as the Tzora Systems Easy Travel)

http://www.usatechguide.org/itemreview.php?itemid=1040

 

We listened to much of this thread and ordered the FeatherLite from SpinLife because they seemed to have a good return policy (ok within 30 days, original packaging, undamaged). We are quite pleased. We had a minor problem (mainly misunderstood instructions) which they resolved rapidly via phone. We are keeping it and have high hopes for its use on our next cruise.