In this article, we have reviewed the best lightweight transport wheelchair. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
When was the last time you took a trip with your wheelchair-bound loved ones?
We all know the reasons – the wheelchair’s too big, it won’t fit in the car/airplane, there is just too much hassle!
Our loved ones often brush aside these things saying that they don’t matter. But did you ever stop to think what a wonderful feeling it would be for them if you could include them in your next trip?
There are nearly 3 million people who use wheelchairs in the USA [1][2]. Disability is a real problem that many of us deal with every day.
Disabled people find themselves excluded every day from activities that “abled” people do every day. It is a common source of depression and loneliness.
Well, we have only one thing to say to that – No More!
If the size of your loved one’s wheelchair is the major problem that stops you from including them in regular family trips and excursions, then we have the solution to your problem right here – they are called Travel Wheelchairs.
These travel wheelchairs are lighter than regular wheelchairs. You can fold and carry them with you anywhere in the trunk of your car, or on a hitch rack if you have one.
A lightweight travel wheelchair provides all the features of a normal wheelchair but it is a slightly smaller profile.
These wheelchairs come with smaller wheels and have a slimmer frame. Despite being small, they are sturdy enough to carry the weight of an average person.
So what are we waiting for? Lets have a look at the best lightweight transport wheelchair!
Our Top Choice – Medline Lightweight Transport Wheelchair
The Medline Lightweight Transport... is our top choice for Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchair, because of the following reasons:
- A lightweight wheelchair weighs only 23.5 pounds.
- It features a durable frame that can support a weight capacity of up to 300lbs.
- Loop lock hand brakes assure better safety.
- The large 12 inches rear wheel tires give firm grip and traction.
- Breathable nylon wider seat gives comfort for long hours.
- The back folds down into the chair while traveling.
- Detachable footrest adds to your comfort while traveling.
Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchair
#1 Medline Lightweight Transport Wheelchair
This transport wheelchair is our top choice for the best lightweight transport wheelchair. The wheelchair is light as it weighs only 23.5 pounds. The easy-to-fold design and detachable footrest make it easy to fold. So that you can take this wheelchair while traveling.
Features and Benefits
- Rear Wheels: the large 12 inches rear wheels ensure better grip on uneven surfaces. It performs better on challenging terrains and adds to your safety. The loop style handbrakes let you lock the rear wheels during transfer.
- Wide seat: the wide seat ensures more comfort when you sit on this wheelchair. The breathable nylon upholstery gives better support. It let you stay active and sit on this wheelchair for long hours. The seat belt further adds to your safety.
- Folding Back: the back can fold down into a chair, making it easy to store. Moreover, it also features a detachable footrest. You can easily lift it into a chair and take it upstairs.
Why should you buy it?
The transport wheelchair is right to take on outdoor adventures. It has a detachable footrest and easy to fold design. Moreover, the wheelchair is compact enough to store in cars or trunks. You can fold down its back and take it along with you.
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#2 Drive Medical Transport Wheelchair
This wheelchair is our second choice for the best lightweight transport wheelchair. The light transport wheelchair is easy to carry as it weighs only 26 pounds. It features a durable steel frame, which gives a solid look. Moreover, the wheelchair can hold a weight capacity of up to 250 pounds.
Features and Benefits
- Sleek design: the elegant design of this wheelchair lets you fit it inside tight spaces. You can fold the backrest and can push the sides together. It features upholstery handles so that you can transport it with convenience.
- Seat: the nylon seat is comfortable and easy to clean. The safety seat belt and a padded armrest further add to your comfort. The cushioned armrest gives you comfort while you sit on this wheelchair.
- Frame: the durable steel frame of this wheelchair gives it an intense look. Moreover, it holds a weight capacity of up to 250 pounds.
- Wheels: the wheelchair features 8 inches wide wheels. These are lightweight and are good to use on uneven terrains.
Why should you buy it?
You can sit in this wheelchair for a long time. It features a wide seat and a comfortable backrest. The wheelchair lets you get the most comfortable seating position.
#3 Medline Lightweight Wheelchair
The 33lb lightweight wheelchair is simple to maneuver and can support a weight capacity of up to 300 pounds. It has removable, flip-back desk arms. So you can get more convenience to take it wherever you go.
Features and Benefits
- Leg rest: the swing away foot and leg rest gives ease to get in and out of the chair. The elevating leg rest lets you extend the leg position. It is good to heal from feet pain and swelling.
- Upholstery: the breathable nylon upholstery is safe and suitable to use. The wheelchair wide seat gives comfort to sit for long hours. The center is available in a width of 16,18 and 20 inches.
- Smooth Wheels: the smooth-rolling mag wheels need low-maintenance. They are good to use on all kinds of surfaces.
- Flip-design: the flip back desk arms are easy to remove. The adjustable backrest moves up and down to provide better support. You can take this wheelchair while traveling.
Why should you buy it?
The wheelchair is suitable for the sufferers of feet and back pain. It has a wide adjustable nylon seat and an elevating leg rest. It gives ease to get in and out of the chair. So it is good to heal from foot pain and swelling.
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#4 ProBasics Transport Wheelchair
The ultralight aluminum transport wheelchair can fold flat in seconds. This wheelchair weighs only 20lbs, so that it can be your perfect travel companion.
Features and Benefits
- Folding: the wheelchair features flared handles and quick-back release hinges. You can fold it in seconds. These spread handles give a firm grip and allow for back to fold flatter.
- Wheel Lock: it also comes with a user-engaged wheel lock. It prevents the wheelchair from moving during the entering and exit of the wheelchair. They also avoid rolling on uneven surfaces. The 8 inches wheel and solid rubber tires are lightweight and suitable to use.
- Upholstery: the wheelchair further features a padded armrest with nylon upholstery. It gives comfort to sit for long hours. The seat belt is good to use, especially for the safety of seniors.
- Frame: the aluminum frame of this wheelchair is sturdy and durable. It can hold a weight capacity of up to 300lbs.
Why should you buy it?
The travel ultralight wheelchair can be your perfect traveling partner. It can fold in seconds and gives easy storage inside your cars. Moreover, the flared handles let you fold this wheelchair flat.
#5 Elite Care Folding Transport Wheelchair
The folding transport wheelchair weighs only 25 pounds. It comes with a removable footrest and easy to fold design. You can fold this wheelchair and take it on outdoor activities.
Features and Benefits
- Rear Wheels: the 12 inches rear wheels are right to use on uneven terrains. They ensure a solid grip and better traction on challenging or hilly areas. The handbrakes further let you control the speed of your wheelchair.
- Brakes: the brakes are good to use as slowing brakes. You can control them by pulling the brake lever up. They are also good to use as locking brakes. You can push the lever down to close them.
- Arms: the padded desk arms are right to give comfortable seating. The multiple cross braces further add to the strength of your wheelchair. It features a comfortable wide seat. You can adjust the seat height as per your back needs.
Why should you buy it?
You can take this wheelchair while traveling to hilly or challenging terrains. Its solid tires ensure a good grip and better traction. These 12 inches rear wheels provide a smooth ride and add to your safety. Moreover, its fold-up design gives ease to fit it inside your cars.
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#6 KARMAN HEALTHCARE Lightweight Wheelchair
The lightweight wheelchair is only 19.8lbs, so it is easy to take while traveling. It has an ergonomic design and an S-shaped seating frame. So it is good to sit for long hours.
Features and Benefits
- S-shaped Frame: the S-shaped frame is designed according to your body’s natural curves. The 18*17 inches seat is good to sit for long hours. It helps to reduce your back pain and to improve your seating posture. The wheelchair can hold a weight capacity of up to 220lbs.
- Rear Wheels: the solid rear wheels are suitable for your wheelchair. The rear wheels are ideal to use on uneven surfaces. So it adds to your safety. The front casters give smooth rolling, and brakes are good to provide better speed control.
- Footrest: this wheelchair features a removable headrest with heel loops. It makes it easy for you to carry this wheelchair while going on an outdoor activity.
Why should you buy it?
The ergonomically S-shaped seating frame is sturdy and reliable. This ultra-lightweight wheelchair is right to take while traveling. The wide seat helps to reduce your back pain and improve your sitting posture to sit on this wheelchair comfortably.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchair
Lightweight travel wheelchairs are easy to carry, they are designed to give you comfort as well as mobility.
They are a compact option that makes your travel much more manageable. These wheelchairs can easily be folded up and put in the back of your car or even carried along with you as luggage in an airplane.
You should consider the below features before making a decision to buy a lightweight wheelchair because these wheelchairs are a fine balance between safety and mobility:
Lightweight
A travel wheelchair is an ideal choice to take in your cars or planes. These wheelchairs are suitable to use because of their compact design. You must choose those wheelchairs that are lightweight and easy to use.
Your travel wheelchair needs to be compact and easy to use. It should be light enough to move in your car, plane, or bus. These wheelchairs are 20 lbs or even less weight. So that you can take these wheelchairs while traveling or on outdoor activities.
Easy to Use
You must choose those wheelchairs that are easy to set up. Moreover, they need to be collapsible or foldable.
The foldable design allows you to fold and store these wheelchairs inside your cars. But you must check your wheelchair before traveling.
They should be convenient enough to meet your needs. You can easily use them for your trips.
Durability
The wheelchair should be sturdy and durable so that you can use them for a long time. These wheelchairs are preferable because of their weight and size.
These wheelchairs are sturdy and have a strong frame. These frames are capable of holding heavyweight users. So you must choose those wheelchairs that are sturdy and solid.
Weight Limit
How much weight a wheelchair can hold is essentially dependant upon the strength of the material from which it is made. Lightweight transport wheelchairs are often made with things like carbon fiber and aluminum because these are durable as well as have a low weight per surface area ratio.
Regardless of which material is used for the frame, you should always ensure that the wheelchair is capable of supporting at least 50 pounds more than the weight of the person for whom you are buying it.
Wheels
Your wheelchair should have light wheels with great traction. The wheels are the most difficult part of the wheelchair to fold in, so make sure that the wheels are folded compactly and safely while traveling.
The wheels should have a solid grip that is able to hold on to uneven surfaces while traveling in unknown locations. The solid rear wheels of your wheelchair are good for turning your wheelchair.
Moreover, you can choose the wheelchairs that help you to control your speed. But also provides full safety while you sit on it.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchair
What kind of wheelchair is easy to push?
The wheelchairs, which are light in weight, are easy to push. The transit wheelchairs with small wheels are good to use. Your caregiver can push these wheelchairs with ease and convenience. They are good for those who rely on someone else pushing the chair.
What is the difference between a regular and a transport wheelchair?
The standard wheelchairs have large wheels, while the transport wheelchairs have small wheels. The transport wheelchairs are good to push from behind by a second person. Moreover, these transport wheelchairs are more portable than regular wheelchairs. So these wheelchairs are better than regular wheelchairs.
How much weight can a wheelchair hold?
Regular wheelchairs can hold a weight capacity of up to 300lbs. But the heavy-duty wheelchairs can hold a weight capacity of as much as 700 lbs. so you must consider the weight capacity before buying your wheelchairs.
Can wheelchairs go on grass?
The grass is not good for wheelchairs to move. It requires much effort and friction with every push. But today, most wheelchairs are equipped with advancing features. So you can also take these wheelchairs on the grass.
Are wheelchairs hard to push?
Pushing and pulling wheelchairs can be a hard job for a caregiver. The rear wheels are light in weight and are good to push. So you can use these wheelchairs for pushing without putting in many efforts.
Conclusion
Disability can be heartbreaking every day. While fortunate people like us only see a wheelchair, the ones who sit on that chair consider it nothing less than a prison.
Every time that you exclude your loved ones from a road trip, every time you look at them with pity, it all adds up to their frustration, loneliness, and despair.
That is why, you should not wait for a second longer to go out and purchase these lovely, light, safe and compact wheelchairs that will give wings to the dreams, hopes, and aspirations of your loved ones.
In our opinion, the Medline Lightweight Transport... is the best choice among the various options that we have considered.
The large 12 inches rear wheels ensure better grip on uneven surfaces. It performs well on any terrain and is very safe despite being so lightweight and compact.
The Drive Medical TR39E-SV Lightweight... is our next best choice because the durable steel frame of this wheelchair gives it an intense look. Moreover, it holds a weight capacity of up to 250 pounds.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the ProBasics - KTA1916SA-BG Aluminum... , which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
While we make every effort to provide updated and correct information, the advice given in this article and website should not be construed as “medical advice”. Please consult with your physician or medical practitioner before using any lightweight transport wheelchair. Each individual may have his or her unique issues and your medical practitioner is the best person to decide the best wheelchair for your case.
Other articles of interest:
References:
[1] Wheeled Mobility (nih.gov)
[2] Demographic profile of older adults using wheeled mobility devices – PubMed (nih.gov)