by Kathy Wechsler
Can’t is a four letter word. With an all-terrain wheelchair, you can enjoy a day at the beach, hiking with your friends, or plowing through rocks, gravel or snow.
“It’s great that people are getting out and doing all of those different things,” said John Egan of Natural Access of Santa Monica, Calif. “Some people who use wheelchairs are actually doing more with their lives than people who don’t use wheelchairs, thanks to the kind of technology and other things that make it possible to do anything.”
Companies such as Natural Access, Assistive Technology, Aqua Creek Products, Deming Designs, VIPAMAT Technologie and Medical Products Unlimited offer manual beach and all-terrain wheelchairs. Prices range from $1,089 to $6,000, depending on the cost of material and extra features
The Platform Beach Wheelchair Dolly from Wheeleez allows you to remain in your own wheelchair while traveling on the beach using “fatso” beach tires.
such as additional support and tilt-and-recline.
Most manual beach wheelchairs are made of either PVC pipe or a type of metal that won’t corrode in salt water. They often use large inflatable “ balloon” tires to make the chairs lightweight and easy to maneuver through soft sand.
In some cases, you can get detachable street tires for travel on regular flooring, paved streets and sidewalks. Many beach chairs are portable; they fold or are easily disassembled.
The Hippocampe from VIPAMAT Technologie (at $2,699) has a sleek three-wheel design with mountain bike tires for access to rugged terrain. The ski kit, which affixes under the front wheel, allows for sliding on the snow. The sporty wheelchair can be self-propelled or pushed using the ergonomic push bar.
Besides providing beach wheels to other companies, Wheeleez offers
the Platform Beach Wheelchair Dolly (online special price is $795). Have someone push your manual chair up the dolly’s folding ramps, secure it with four tie-down points, and raise the ramps and handle. Then your chair can be transported over sand, grass, dirt and other difficult terrain.
Another option is the Beach Econo Kit from Hotshot Products ($975). The kit turns your wheelchair into an all-terrain vehicle with its four attachable beach wheels.
Some people say that power beach chairs are more susceptible to salt water and sand damage because of the electronics, and they’re heavier and don’t work as well in soft sand. While manual beach chairs are much less expensive than power beach chairs, they require you to be pushed, which limits independence.
You can independently cruise the beach with the Beach Cruzr from Hotshot Products.
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