[Hedgejamz01]

Traveled up to my rehab center yesterday (Tuesday) for an 'all day' chair eval. I tried 4 different chairs and am struggling between two (Quantum 600 or C300 Corpus by Permobil). If any of you use a power chair I'd love to know your thoughts...I'm especialliy interested in anyone using or who has had the two I am condsidering.


which chair do you have (make, model plz)?
Is it easily manuverable to you in tight spaces?
Any significant problems with reliablity?

Thanks all for any feedback.

Hedgejamz@yahoo.com

[CaptDave4499]

I use the Blast 850

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[HiltonP]

The "big thing" in powerchairs right now is CWD's, or centre wheel driven, models. This is as opposed to RWD's and FWD's, namely rear- or front-wheel driven.

CWD's are promoted as being more agile with smaller turning circles, this is sometimes true, but not always. Whilst CWD's might pivot on a centre point they all have four wheels on each corner, which tends to make them bulky. Technically a CWD spins differently to a RWD, but the drive wheel location is only one of a number of factors which contribute to a powerchair's nimbleness. Others include joystick control, frame shape, anti-tip positioning, add-ons, etc.

I still believe that the "footprint" of the current breed of 6-wheeler CWD's is larger than many RWDs. That might change in the future. The base frame of many CWD's is 38" long, and the base length of my Arrow is 28" long . . . so even though my RWD supposedly turns in a larger arc I can still spin it around in less space than the CWD takes up when standing still! I can spin my RWD chair 360deg in my 3-foot wide house passage, in one single motion.

I use an Invacare Arrow RWD, and an Invacare RangerX RWD, and have used an e-Fix in the past. The e-Fix was German made, and therefore built like a precision piece of machinery. The Invacare's are like Harley's, crude and basic, but they get the job done. I use a strap instead of footrests, and I've removed my anti-tippers, so my chairs are short, and very agile.