S-Ergo Lite Ergonomic Transport Wheelchair Product Review

 

 

We purchased this wheelchair to help transport my mother on trips around town and on an upcoming cruise. We needed a wheelchair that my mother would be able to sit in for hours and still be comfortable. This chair works perfect! She loves the comfort of the wheelchair. My mother has a difficult time getting up and down from chairs, but this wheelchair is easy for her to get in and out of. We got the frog legs for the chair and it gives a really smooth ride. Pushing it is easy. I can’t say enough good things about this wheelchair. It is super light weight and folds down into a size that fits into our cars easily.

1. 

   wayfair.com – May 15, 2011:

   Best Transport Wheelchair handsdown!
   We have several push wheelchairs and transport wheelchairs but needed something more light weight and more comfortable for an upcoming cruise. We did a lot of research before purchasing this transport chair. We needed a transport chair that was easy to push, had handbrakes for going up and down the ships ramps and that was comfortable enough for my mother to sit in for hours at a time while out on a tour. We have been using the Karmen transport chair for several weeks now. We got the frog legs for the front and my mother states that it is the most comfortable wheelchair she has ever been in. It is easy for us to push (we pull it backwards going up ramps). My mom can sit in it for hours. She loves the armrests and the slight backward slant of the seat makes her feel secure, especially when going up and down ramps. The 14 inch back wheels are a little larger than the other transport chairs that we have. I think that also contributes to the smoother ride. The wheelchair is light weight enough that we can put it up on a cargo carrier on the top of our car. My mom has back problems and so far she has had no problems with her back while sitting in this wheelchair. The ergonomic design seems to be placing her spine in the correct alignment. We had purchased the extra foam pad for the chair, however, my mom feels that it is comfortable enough without the extra pad. My mom has a hard time getting in and out of wheelchairs. So one of my big concerns was how easy it was to get into and out of the wheelchair. Due to the height of the wheelchair seat, it is really easy for my mom to get in and out of the chair. I think that we finally found the perfect transport wheelchair.

2. 

   Amazon.com – June 17, 2011:

   I have now owned this chair for almost 6 months, and it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. It makes traveling a breeze, and I take it with me everywhere, movies, class, restaurants, etc. The ergonomic seat makes outings much less painful for me, and the small size makes it manageable and easily maneuvered through tight spaces like restaurants and even haunted houses! One big change I made to the chair was moving the breaks. I found that I would prefer to have personal control over the breaks rather than my assistant, so I had a bike shop move the breaks down to where I could reach them. My local bike repair shop did it for 20 dollars.

   Overall, the karman ergo lite is a great compromise, and a very well put together product. I see many years of good use in the future.

3. 

   1800wheelchair.com – June 17, 2011:

   I have owned this chair for two weeks now, and have really been enjoying it. The ergonomic seat is the most comfortable I have ever sat in, the large back wheels make the ride very smooth, and the weight is unbeatable. The 16 inch version weighs about 17 lbs, less than the 18lbs advertised. I am a very short person, and this chair fits me like a glove. I am not sure how it would do with a taller user. The upholstery looks very nice, and has a nice thin pad. The chair feels remarkably sturdy, and it is clearly well made. The double cross braces make the entire chair feel more reliable than cheaper chairs, such as the drive travel and transport chairs. I bought a lumbar support for this chair, but unless you have severe spine problems like me, I doubt it would be necessary. I love the low profile and stylish look of this chair. I took it to a rave this weekend and only got compliments. This is a great little chair. That said there are a few things that are slightly problematic. The footrests are very difficult to adjust the height of, and only have two options. While the top option works great for me, it might not fit a taller rider. The foot rests are also stiff to swing up, so you need to bend over to open them with your hands when you exit the chair. Secondly, the chair has a rather forward center of gravity, so, despite the large 6 in front casters, the chair does not like to roll over bumps higher than a half inch without being tipped by the assistant, which is also a bit difficult for the aforementioned center of gravity. The back wheels, however, will roll over almost anything, so you can always have your assistant go backwards over bumps. I had been planning to install frog leg suspension onto the front legs to solve this problem, but according to karman, because of the weight saving way the bearings of the casters are manufactured, frog legs are incompatible. I might buy them anyway and see if I can Jerry rig something to make it work. One other disappointment is that the optional carrying bag that some sites advertise is not available in the USA, and drive’s transport chair bag does not fit very well, as the chair folds up a bit wider than most transport chairs, due to it’s double cross braces, padded seat, and large rear wheels. However, with a little effort I believe this problem can be solved. The final and probably most important problem with this chair is that it does not have a DME code, and therefore is not covered by any American insurance. The model is fairly new so that may change in the future. There are a few other chairs on the market that are similar to this chair, but none have all of the good attributes that this chair has. Nonetheless, I will list the competitors, and the most basic differences that lead me to choose the Karman, a choice that I wholeheartedly stand by. First there is the other ergonomic transport chair that karman produces. It is very similar, but weighs about 8 pounds more (with riggings), and does not fold up as small. Price is comparable. Second is Troy Technologies pioneering travel chair. This chair is more expensive, has smaller weeks, and less back support, but is more customizable, and folds up into a tiny package. The only other chairs that are similar in weight and function to the Ergo lite are by Drive medical. The drive super light, fly- light, travelite, and expedition. These chairs are significantly less expensive, but all suffer from “you get what you pay for” syndrome. They are quite uncomfortable, and don’t last very long. However, if you are strapped for cash, they are a good option. Overall, the karman ergo lite is a great compromise, and a very well put together product. I see many years of good use in the future.

4. 

   wayfair.com – July 25, 2011:

   Top Notch!
   This chair is compact, lightweight and portable. The construction is top notch and the ride is very comfortable. Great manuverability! I would recommend this chair to anyone.