Portable electric wheelchair recommendation

[workermom]

Hi,. I would like to purchase a lightweight portable electric wheelchair for my husband. We will be on a 33 day cruise and future travels.  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you

[Host Kat]

16 minutes ago, workermom said:

Hi,. I would like to purchase a lightweight portable electric wheelchair for my husband. We will be on a 33 day cruise and future travels.  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you

 

Hello @workermom and welcome back to the Cruise Critic website & our message boards! I see it has been a while since you have posted.

 

Thank you for your new thread on the Ask s Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry was off topic there since it is about lightweight portable electric wheelchairs.

 

To help you out, your new thread has been moved to the Disabled Cruise Travel forum where it will be on topic. Your fellow Cruise Critic members with ability differences of all types share their cruise advice & experiences there as well as the Europe Disabled Cruising subforum. Browse through the thread titles in the forum looking for threads of interest. You may find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

 

The Cruise Critic website and message boards are both great resources for new as well as experienced cruisers and we are so glad you are posting again! Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list of the various forums. I suggest you put the page link in your browser's Favorites for quick & easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there. 

 

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I sincerely hope this will be helpful and glad to have you back aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

[dcsam]

We recently purchased the Fold And Go.  It’s 50-55 pounds.  I find it difficult to lift into the back of our SUV, so I purchased some aluminum ramps and they’ve helped a lot.  

[katisdale]

I have been using a "Fold and Go" wheelchair for the last 4 or so years. I have been so pleased with its comfort, ease of use, and portability. They do offer a lift if you have trouble lifting it into your vehicle. We have a Sienna with a relatively low floor and have not had difficulty loading it. 

[workermom]

1 hour ago, katisdale said:

I have been using a "Fold and Go" wheelchair for the last 4 or so years. I have been so pleased with its comfort, ease of use, and portability. They do offer a lift if you have trouble lifting it into your vehicle. We have a Sienna with a relatively low floor and have not had difficulty loading it. 

 

[workermom]

Thank you so much for your help!  Much appreciated 

[dcsam]

I looked at the Fold and Go lift, but really… the ramps collapse and are quite portable, compact and light. 

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I also have a Fold and Go and love it. Not only has it done a great job on multiple cruses, but I've taken it on land vacations and was pleased. it even did well on the broken and narrow sidewalks in the historic old section of Philadelphia. Cruise employees may get nervous if you ride it up and down the gangway at ports. I can walk enough to walk the gangway, so a crew member follows, pushing the chair.

[sabookkeeper]

I have recently bought a Pride Jazzy Carbon Chair.  It folds and unfolds very easily.  I think it is about 50 lbs and my husband is able to lift it into the car with no problems.

[workermom]

Thank you - I appreciate everyone’s response!

[Splinter]

I currently use a Pride Go Go Traveler scooter, but am also in the market for something that weighs less and has a smaller footprint and turning radius. The newer carbon fiber ones are expensive but very light. Keep in mind that most are not FDA approved as medical devices, so insurance may not pay: I have been looking at these 3 primarily.

Matrix: https://mobilitymasters.com/matrix-ultra-carbon-wheelchair/

Quicki Q50 R Carbon: https://www.sunrisemedical.com/power-wheelchairs/quickie/folding-power-wheelchairs/q50-r-carbon

 

Air Elite: https://www.shopjourney.com/products/journey-air-elite?_pos=1&_sid=66207a4e3&_ss=r

[happy42cruise]

We have a Porto Mobility Ranger & it also weighs about 50 lbs.  It is very maneuverable & folds up nicely.  They are not covered by Medicare & are fairly expensive.  They have a newer carbon fiber model that is lighter but not by much.  I have been able to lift it into & out of our car trunk but it's not easy by myself.  I'm 5'4" & 68 but I can do it alone (on a good day).

On 8/30/2024 at 4:48 PM, dcsam said:

I looked at the Fold and Go lift, but really… the ramps collapse and are quite portable, compact and light. 

What ramps are these & where did you find them?  Also, are you putting it into a trunk or an suv or what?  Currently we have a car & I haven't found anything that would work for me.

[kbert92069]

We use the Pride mobility Jazzy Carbon chair.  It's relatively new design.  It's only 40lbs with the battery and 38 without.  It collapses easily and at under 40 lbs very liftable and compact.

 

Pros:  It's Pride mobility product so repairable anywhere and has a good warranty. 2) compact and light weight 3) quite comfortable 4) airline compatible

 

Cons: Fairly expensive, 2) so light weight it is tippable if one isn't careful driving

 

We've been on over 40 flights with it and luggage handlers haven't managed to destroy it. Also 4 cruises. It pulls right up to a table for dining or shows. No need to transfer

 

[Inquisitive Traveller]

My wife has been using the ComfyGo Phoenix Carbon, which is only 26 lbs, and it's been amazing for our travels. It's not the cheapest chair out there, but honestly, the convenience of a lightweight wheelchair while on holiday is priceless. It folds up easily, making it super simple to get around the ship and during shore excursions. Plus, the battery life is great for those long days out exploring.

Definitely worth considering for your trip—enjoy the cruise!

[dcsam]

Here is the link to the ramps I purchased to use when loading and unloading the Fold & Go;

 

https://www.amazon.com/Ruedamann-Adjustable-Portable-Wheelchair-Telescoping/dp/B07T44W28L/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=1M1RJOWEW2YO0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tZkgqqSHlPBGoheFqsNuxG0pv5JRx7rV4XM_yMxmy5hoVQLG2KvywAN-k4TTl6QZc32KHE7HXLSNtmT5TfP8vzAZhUYj4TVB5bYxgBacb0qYjMkazYkk79GlEXNanNNRcGeuSFO4ZRRxfjbAK9tJpoWjRJvgqmFnFNVJGq55VV1uSADMoxS1JZ60xmU0GUn8nrbmBTNUAQKQr0EZKzSLlw.JbZKu2pp-jpDwAChH9C7e07zxnbPmFvSzj6S6oHFC-g&dib_tag=se&keywords=ruedamann+wheelchair+ramp&qid=1726462737&sprefix=ruedamann%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1