Hello everyone

Please excuse this blatant plug, but my wife Clare (C5/6) has designed a fantastic new product that we launched at NAIDEX this year. The Trabasack.

Its a lap tray and a bag, simple but you can't buy anything else like it.

Please have a quick look at our website. If you have any questions please ask me.

If anyone out there has already has one please let everyone know what you think!

Hi Duncan,

Small world isn't it, I live down the road from you, in Quorn, in fact we were going to buy Clair's bungalow, but she beat us to it!

Simon

Hi Simon

Yes, Clare said it was your site after I had posted. Looks really good, hats off to you.

Some really useful things on here, that we are going to have a long read of.

Glad you didn't buy the bungalow (so should you be, have you met my mother-in-law who lives next door?!).

Duncan

Hi Duncan,

We bought a bungalow in Alexander Rd in the end, built extensions etc, very pleased with it.

It's nice and flat here as well!

Considering the number of years we've lived here, I'm suprised we haven't bumped into each other by now!

Simon

Looks pretty cool. I might think about getting one......looks like it would come in handy when we go camping.

looks good, any chance you can correct the size of the mini on the web site as it's clearly wrong

Thanks Russ I'll check it

Yes should be 33cm x 25cm x 6.5 cm

Fits an Apple notebook

We are having these made slightly bigger from September.

thanks again Russ.

Hi everyone.

Lots of views but no sales. Can anyone help us by a sharing a bit of criticism or suggest reasons why the website is not working.

We just had a show and had lots of sales. The product does take a bit of explaining and people do like to see how it attaches to chairs and see the quality and feel the weight of it I suppose.

Any thoughts?

Duncan

Well none of the replies have mentioned the product. I bought one at Naidex from Clare, and within half-an-hour was using it to support my laptop at the seminar I gave at Naidex (Inspirational Housing Design).

Since then I have used it regularly, and sent feedback to Clare. Whenever I use it I often get people asking about it so the product is certainly attracting attention - because it's fantastic.

I have the smaller Trabasack which suits me, although if you produce a slightly larger version, that would be useful. I like to travel light if I go to a meeting by train, and I can get all my notes and bits and bobs in the trabasack. Similarly, I now use it wherever I have a speaking engagement.

I think the best way to sell the product is to get it into peoples hands. I wouldn't have bought from a website, but after handling the smaller trabasack at Naidex, I had to buy one. - Well, to be honest, my wife bought it for me as a late birthday present ! - but you get the idea.

Keep up the good work!

Mark - (The Tiger Moth Man)

Thanks very much for that, Mark.

We are having the 'mini', the one you bought, made slightly larger from September. In response to yours and other feedback.

We will just have to keep doing the shows!

Thanks again

Duncan

have every intention of ordering from website but just not quite got round to it, it does look very good. Been umming and ahhing about which one - choices choices

Your website looks very professional and I was interested in the product, which looked good in a photo.

As I'm not doing any rock climbing and not a toddler in a baby buggy, the video's weren't very helpful; they were also too small to view properly.

Its not really clear who you're trying to sell to, as I didn't see, or maybe I missed seeing a wheelchair user on the Site.

Maybe you could visit some Spinal Centres to show your product; that way people could try it out?

Once people see others using your product then I'm sure sales will take off; just give it time.

Personally I tend to use a table for my laptop and especially hot drinks. I'd be worried about my knee spasming and having a hot drink over me.

Beware. Don't bump into Simon, he'll sue for a respray on his chair...

Good luck.

Mike (not from the Dragons Den..

Ha, Mr Scribbler, that's where your wrong, my wheelchair's Titainium, no paint!

However, I'm always looking for a good polisher, pineapples are best, wax on, wax off!

Simon

(p.s. sorry Duncan, bit of a long standing forum joke!)

Hi,

Please can you pass on my thanks to your wife for coming up with the idea and then going through to making it for all.

I bought the larger version recently at a show in the South of England. It's so much better than my previous attempts at carrying my paperwork, laptop! yes it fits!, everyday items and medical equipment. It's so very easy to hook at the back of my chair (that's if and when it gets a rest!). I've taken it with me to cafes and restaurants oh and the cinema last night!
It doesn't look like a 'disability living aid' and I'm really pleased with that. People in cafes have either not seen it or have commented on what a good idea it is.

I'm really pleased with how comfy it is as I bought the one that hugs your body and it really does. Helps to keep things that bit closer to me and safe. The zip pull-ring is great as I usually have trouble and need assistance but I can undo/zip it up myself which is a dream!

It's very lightweight and yet stable for writing on and certainly helps me in banks and at Uni it will be so much better than either no desk or typing on my school bag-not ideal.

I can understand the hesitation in using anything on your lap if you have spasms - I was a bit nervous and am only putting warm drinks on it with a sticky sucker thing, on a good day- only because of my needs not the products. I have the hard topped version not the velcro one.

I'm using my lap tray less (bulky, heavy, cumbersome thing) and that's something. It's a really great product and I can't sing it's praises enough-if you can't guess!- will let you know if I have any niggles with it though ;) not sure I will- I shall be ordering a few as Christmas presents!

Thank you again!

Laura

Hello from across the pond,

I've looked over your product and site and will be ordering one of the Trabasack Connects for my mother-in-law. She has severe arthritis in her arms/shoulders, is now having reaching issues and it is becoming more difficult for her to use a table to eat at; the lap position and design seems just right for her use.

After reading the size/dimensions of the Trabasack Connect, I find your product to small for my possible use. However, I found your design quite exciting, not only as a tray for holding things such as drinks, food, electronic gadgets, books, etc. and storing items inside, but also as a platform for helping me with my photography.

I have been using an old rectangular very cheap beanbag lap table to hold my camera bags. Your design, the curve for a persons waist, is great, not only that, but the curved outer edge design seems that it would help a wheelchair bound person by not preventing access to breaks and or not getting in the way of a power-chair's joystick; as rectangular ones often do. The Velcro top of the connect is a great bonus, as are the extra tie-down straps, both might even allow me to use the Trabasack as a support for my camera.

I'm kinda of a big guy, 6ft and weigh about 195lbs; about 14 stone, use an 18x18x4 inch seat cushion and have a bit of rear-end spread...a flat wide arse...from sitting about for more than three decades. If you are thinking of making a larger version or would be willing to make a custom sized version, I am very interested in talking to you about another purchase.

Sincerely,

Jerry

Thanks for all your comments, really useful feedback.

Wow Laura, thanks so much. We would really like to use your comments (anonymously) on our website. Is that ok?

Stillfingers, we are looking for a US distributor to sell our products, so maybe next year you could be able to try one out. You may find it big enough after all. I'm 18st and it fits my lap ok. I'm sorry that we can't custom make them yet. Use in photography is a great idea. Thanks for that.

Scribbler, accept your comments about rock climbing and toddlers! I've also asked for the videos to be made bigger. We are finding it hard to get the pitch right. Some people are happy to buy any product that will help them, others can be really put off by the Aids/adaptations tag on things. We are still hoping it will appeal to the general marketplace for camping/caravanning/fishing, school kids on trips etc so we do not want to pigeon hole it. Good idea about Spinal Centres also, so thanks again.

We are setting up a landing page for wheelchair users though with a few more relevant pictures. This will be up shortly. I'll post a link.

Expecting a few new visitors to the site as Clare has made the front cover of Forward the UK SIA magazine! (August issue out soon)

Best wishes to everyone

Duncan

interesting idea but dont really see how they work from the videos, would be good to see it demonstrated on a wheelchair and also how the storage works, cant visualise it from webb site, i like the idea and am sort of interested but part of me is saying its just something else to carry, so need convincing of the advantages.

Hi Wendy,

Hopefully the new landing page will help.

Its a bag so you can carry stuff in it, rather than it being something extra to carry.

Also you can put it on your lap and use it like a bean bag lap tray.

Some more diagrams and pics are coming.

Laura (below) summed up the uses brilliantly




Cheers

Duncan

Hi everyone

Here's a new link to a page aimed at wheelchair users in response to some of your comments.

www.trabasack.co.uk/mobilityaids/wheelchair-bags

Hope you like it

Best wishes

Duncan