Power & Electric Wheelchairs Canada | Lightweight & Folding Options

Measured the way that matters, the chair with its battery and cushion in as you lift it, the AirFlyer by The Mobilist is the lightest we carry at about 32 lb. The AEROLUX 2C by Travel Buggy is next at 36 lb and the only chair near that weight rated to 350 lb, the Pride Jazzy Ultra Light is 38 lb and the Golden Cricket GP302 is 39.3 lb. Be careful comparing "lightest" claims between brands, because some quote the chair with the battery removed and some complete. Always ask which number you are being shown.

Add roughly 3 to 8 lb to the advertised figure. Travel Buggy publishes a net and a gross weight, so the AEROLUX 2C is 33 lb net and 36 lb gross. Golden publishes its chairs assembled, so the 56 lb Ally GP303 really is 56 lb in your hands. Pride, Drive and Robooter publish the chair without its battery, which is where the biggest gaps appear. The Robooter E40 is advertised at 52 lb and weighs 59.5 lb complete.

Usually yes, and the deciding factor is the battery rather than the chair. Airlines work in watt hours, volts multiplied by amp hours. A 10Ah battery is 240 watt hours and a 12Ah is 288, both inside the common 300 watt hour limit. A 20Ah battery is 480 and generally cannot travel. Every Travel Buggy chair we carry is published as airline approved, as are the Golden Cricket GP302 and Stride GP301, the Pride Jazzy Carbon, the Jazzy Ultra Light on its 10Ah battery and the AirFlyer. The three Robooters need their optional airline battery. Air Canada publishes a 300 watt hour maximum and asks for 48 hours notice, and rules differ by carrier, so call before booking.

Almost certainly, but how it fits matters more than whether it fits. Folded width is the number to watch. The AEROLUX 2C cross folds to 12 in wide, so it slides in flat behind a seat. The Grand Tourer GT folds to 29.5 by 23.6 by 13.8 in and rolls in on its loading wheels. The CITY 2 PLUS folds to 32 by 23 by 13 in and its rear wheels come off. Send us your car model and we will tell you how it fits.

Under about 28 in is comfortable in an average Canadian home, and under 25 in is what you want for a small bathroom or galley kitchen. The Golden Cricket GP302 turns inside 22 in, the Travel Buggy DASH and Pride Jazzy Carbon inside 24 in, the Grand Tourer GT inside 25 in. The Golden Stride GP301 needs 47.2 in, fine on a sidewalk and difficult in a hallway.

Between 13 and 26 km depending on model and battery, most sitting at 20 to 25 km. In practice this is rarely the limiting factor. A typical day of errands is 3 to 4 km, so almost any chair here covers several days between charges. Real world range drops in cold weather, on hills and with a heavier rider, so treat published figures as a best case.

A power wheelchair is driven with a joystick, turns tightly, and works indoors as well as out. A scooter uses handlebars called a tiller, needs far more room to turn, and suits someone who can walk short distances but cannot manage longer trips. If it needs to come into the house and around furniture, a power wheelchair is almost always the right answer.

Coverage varies by province and by plan. Extended health plans often cover part of the cost with a prescription from a doctor or occupational therapist, and some provincial programmes and veterans' benefits contribute as well. We can provide a detailed quote and the specification sheets most insurers ask for. Ask your provider what documentation they need before you order.

Yes, on every chair here. All have a free wheel or manual mode, usually a lever near the rear wheels that disengages the motors so the chair pushes like a standard wheelchair. The Drive CarbonTouch and Signature Series Out & About switch with a single control. Practise it once at home rather than in a car park.

The Robooter E60, our best selling power chair. Its 10 in omni directional front wheels climb obstacles up to 2.36 in, and it adds front suspension and an IPX4 splash rating. The Golden Ally Pro GP304 is the comfort focused alternative with front suspension and pneumatic tyres, and the Golden Stride GP301 the value option with spring suspension front and rear. Chairs with small solid front wheels and no suspension are happiest on smooth ground.

Lithium ion packs here are typically rated for around 500 charge cycles, which for most people is two to four years. They are user replaceable on every model, lifting straight out of a bay under or behind the seat. We stock replacements for the Travel Buggy and Robooter ranges, and a second battery is worth having if you travel or if the chair has dual bays like the AEROLUX 2C.

Only some. The Travel Buggy CITY 2 PLUS has a true reclining backrest that goes to 115 degrees on a lever, and the Robooter E60 reclines from 8 to 38 degrees. Most other folding chairs, including the Grand Tourer GT, adjust the height of the backrest and armrests rather than the angle. If you will spend long stretches in the chair, say so and we will steer you to the models that recline.

Choose a chair rated above your weight including anything you carry, and leave a margin rather than sitting at the limit. Capacity affects stability on slopes as well as the warranty. The range here runs from 220 lb on the Signature Series Out & About to 400 lb on the CITY 2 PLUS, with the AEROLUX 2C and Grand Tourer GT at 350 lb and most of the rest at 300 or 330 lb.