Lightweight Transport Chairs / Lightweight Portable Wheelchairs

Who Can Benefit from Lightweight Transport Chairs?

Many elderly patients and those with handicaps have a dire need for transport wheelchairs, but many standard wheelchair and transport chair options prove too heavy for easy use. Moreover, the caregiver, hospital transporter, or family member may need a light transport wheelchair that can provide the same benefits as the user’s standard wheelchairs. The options in this category can provide identical benefits as bigger and bulkier wheelchairs.

Pregnant women in hospitals, as well as other patients who need transport, can greatly benefit from these transport chairs. Hospitals have an obligation to care for the patient as well as possible, and therefore they may need affordable medical supplies options in order to stay within their budget. The hospital staff can greatly benefit from these lightweight transport wheelchairs, since they are able to move their patients and provide better healthcare.

Benefits of Lightweight Transport Chairs

As mentioned above, there are many benefits when it comes to using transport wheelchairs that are lightweight. Some of the key benefits are:

Same Weight Capacity

Most standard wheelchairs and transport chairs offer weight capacities accommodating users who weigh anywhere between 250 and 300 pounds. A lighter wheelchair can provide minimal but necessary safety and security features while being able to serve users within these tolerances as well.

Comfort and Security

Just like many other wheelchairs, ultra-light transport chairs offer an exceptional degree of comfort. Many of them have features such as removable (or replaceable) padded armrests, folding or swinging footrests, and comfortable fabric or vinyl seats that help the patient to remain comfortable and stationary. Some wheelchair accessories like safety belts must be purchased separately, while others come with the chair.

Features Built Specifically for Caregivers 

When it comes to assisting caregivers, many companion wheelchairs that are lightweight also feature special comfort options and security features. From easy-grip handbrakes to keep users from rolling faster than necessary, all the way to ergonomically designed handles and special wheel locks, these features can help transporters and caregivers ensure their user’s safety. It also gives them a bit of a break and allows for transfer to take place without discomfort or injury.

Parts Made for the Partially Disabled

The foot rests on our models often swing out to allow users who may be able to walk from one location to another to be transferred easily. Super lightweight wheelchairs offer these amenities just like standard wheelchairs do. At the same time, there are some transport wheelchairs or rollators that double as a walker or even a self-propelled manual wheelchair.

Ultra-Compact for Portability

All ultra-light transport wheelchairs are designed with portability in mind. They can fold down to various lengths and widths in order to be stored away when necessary. These foldable features on lightweight transfer chairs are also great to aid users when they are travelling. Some portable lightweight wheelchairs even fit into a bag!

Lighter than Standard Wheelchairs

As noted above, lightweight wheelchairs for transport are built much lighter than most other models. Standard manual wheelchairs can weigh 35 and up, which means that while they’re somewhat lightweight, they’re still large. Many standard transport chairs may weigh anywhere between 20 and 25 pounds (they are often lighter because of the lack of the larger wheels), but the lightest transport chairs weigh anywhere from 15 to 20 pounds.

Many Ultra-Light Transport Wheelchairs Are Cheaper

Not only do the frames make lightweight transit wheelchairs cheaper; the lack of extra features does as well. Transport wheelchairs are primarily designed for the purpose of transferring a patient from one location to another. Some people do like utilizing these as their primary wheelchair, however, because they enjoy the lower price tag when compared to other manual and electric alternatives. If a user has to endure long periods in a transport chair, then he can always choose to purchase a wheelchair cushion and extra comfort accessories.

What Makes Transport Wheelchairs Lightweight?

Materials are one of the primary weight-influencing factors. There is more than meets the eye when manufacturing the lightest transport chairs. For example, the Nova Lightweight transport chair is only just above 2 pounds. That’s extremely lightweight! It features aluminum and padded upholstery. It also has the essentials in seating, and no extra accessories (other than a safety belt and foot rests).

The other primary factors that lower a transport chair’s weight are:

The Metal Used for the Frame

Whether you buy a lightweight steel transport wheelchair or an aluminum-framed one, many things in the metal make them both durable and lightweight. The metals are made into hollow tubes, and both steel and aluminum are used in the medical field to create durable yet sturdy medical devices.

Minimal Frame Design

The way that the frame is built also matters. The hollow “pipes” that make up the chair affect the model’s weight due to their positioning and design. Many larger wheelchairs have numerous folds and support bars to render them more secure. These transfer chairs are lightweight because they may have a primary support bar and conjoining parts to ensure the same security and stability while minimizing the “bulk” and size of the wheelchair itself.

Size of the Wheels

Compared to most manual wheelchairs, the wheels of these models are noticeably smaller in ultra-lightweight transport setups. Some transport chairs do have wheels that are larger than the front casters in many applications, but there are even some that have four identically sized wheels.

If you’re looking for lightweight transport chairs, we at AvaCare want to ensure that you get that perfect fit that meets your specific needs! Further, don’t hesitate to read our Wheelchair Buying Guide. Should you need any assistance with your order, have questions or concerns, or simply want to discuss options available to you, feel free to call us at 1-877-813-7799 today!