A standard wheelchair has large rear wheels with outer handrims, so the seated user propels and steers the chair by hand. This collection carries folding steel-frame wheelchairs and lightweight aluminum models, with seat widths from 16 to 26 inches and features including flip-back arms and swing-away footrests.
Types of Wheelchairs in This Collection
Standard steel wheelchairs
Chrome or powder-coated steel frames that fold by lifting the seat centre, with the two sides closing together for transport. Steel frames weigh more but carry higher rated loads at lower cost.
Lightweight wheelchairs
Aluminum frames that cut chair weight to 34.5 lb on the lightest model in this collection, reducing the lifting load when the folded chair goes into a car trunk. Folding action and seating are otherwise the same as steel models.
Dual-axle wheelchairs
The rear axle mounts in either of two positions, changing seat-to-floor height. The lower setting is a hemi height, used when the chair is moved by foot contact with the floor rather than the handrims.
How to Choose a Wheelchair
Seat width: measure across the widest point of the hips while seated, then add 1 inch. Seat widths in this collection run from 16 to 26 inches.
Weight capacity: models in this collection are rated from 250 to 700 lb. The rating is printed as a numeral on each product page.
Doorway clearance: overall chair width in this collection runs 24 to 34.5 inches — roughly 8 inches wider than the seat. Measure the narrowest doorway on the daily route and compare it against the overall width in each product's specifications.
The main decision: who moves the chair? If the seated user propels it, the large rear wheels of the chairs in this collection are the requirement. If an attendant always pushes, a transport chair with four small wheels weighs less and folds smaller.
Wheelchair FAQs
What size wheelchair do I need?
Measure hip width at the widest point while seated and add 1 inch for the seat width. For seat depth, measure from the back of the hips to behind the knee and subtract 1 to 2 inches. Both figures appear in each product's specification table.
How much weight can a wheelchair hold?
Chairs in this collection are rated from 250 to 700 lb, stated as a numeral in each product's specification table. The rating is the maximum seated load the frame and cross-brace are built for.
What is the difference between a wheelchair and a transport chair?
A wheelchair has large rear wheels with handrims, so the seated user can propel it. A transport chair has four small wheels and no handrims, so it moves only when pushed by an attendant. Transport chairs weigh less and fold narrower.
Do these wheelchairs fold for car transport?
Yes. Pulling up on the centre of the seat draws the two sides together, folding the chair flat enough to lie in a car trunk. Footrests swing away or detach first on models fitted with them.
What are flip-back arms for?
The armrest pivots backward out of the way, leaving the side of the seat open. This clears the path for a sideways transfer between the chair and a bed, toilet, or car seat without lifting the body over the armrest.
What is a hemi-height wheelchair?
A chair with the rear axle set in its lower position, dropping the seat closer to the floor. The lower seat lets the user reach the floor with their feet and move the chair by walking it forward while seated.
