The world of mobility is changing faster than a speeding bullet. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise given the momentum we are witnessing in technology in general. Now a lot of people might not be comfortable with change, or the speed of change and we get that. From our perspective though, change can be a good thing. Manufacturers we have represented for years continue to exceed expectations. There are some new manufacturers that have come on the scene and we very much like what we have seen from them so far. Bear in mind, we are not so much impressed with ‘bells and whistles’ as we are durability, dependability and what the mobility device means for the individual using it. At the end of the day, it is all about your comfort and being able to depend on the mobility device you are using.

Travel Buggy City2Plus Power Chair

Golden Buzzaround CarryOn Power Chair

The maturing of the powered wheelchair class of mobility is especially exciting. For years powered wheelchairs have fallen into one of two groups. There is that group of electric wheelchairs that support up to 250-300 lbs. and you disassemble the unit in order to transport it. These are still around and quite popular. I am thinking about the Golden Envy and the Pride Go Chair in particular. They are super dependable and affordable; hence the reason for their popularity. The second group of battery powered wheelchairs tend to be larger and either don’t disassemble at all or disassembly requires some solid effort. Some of these are still in the 300 lb. or under class but will have larger and more comfortable seating, or a larger footprint for greater stability. Some will have a mid-wheel drive and four caster wheels for superior stability. Then there are those that are front wheel drive. This second group will also have the powered wheelchairs that can support up to 500 lbs. Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility have supported this group as well for years with a wide array of chair options. There are a couple of fresh players in the game though that have impressed us. Whill is one of them. We have written about the Whill Ci in previous blogs and how much customers have enjoyed that new power wheelchair. Today we are going to talk about two new power wheelchairs to the market – one from a new manufacturer (for us anyway) and one from one of our favorite old manufacturers. You are getting a ‘twofer’ today!

The first new power wheelchair we want to talk about is not new to the market but new to us. In 2023 a little-known company (in the states anyway) crossed international lines from Canada and made their debut into the United States. Travel Buggy dominates the Canadian power wheelchair market with a 93% market share! That is unbelievable. In just over a year Travel Buggy has established 380 dealers across the U.S. The story behind its’ founding happened seven years ago at an airport. The founder was lugging a big, heavy wheelchair out of his trunk when he saw something amazing. He saw a powered wheelchair scooting into the terminal. He was so intrigued by this device that he left his accounting career and founded Travel Buggy. Powered wheelchairs are all they do, and they are doing it very well. They are constantly innovating and creating. They stock and store every part for every model they have ever made. Travel Buggy has an insane level of customer service and support. Their factory warranties are twice that of other manufacturers. They are quickly en route to challenge the likes of Golden Technologies and Pride Mobility.

There is one chair though that has us particularly excited. The Travel Buggy City 2 Plus has broken the traditional norms of what is available for larger people. It is the first portable, fold-down, reinforced frame, bariatric powered wheelchair that can accommodate people up to 395 pounds. This is huge and it is just the beginning of what this workhorse offers. The City2 Plus weighs a mere 60 lbs., manageable for one or two people. But it easily disassembles into three pieces with the heaviest piece being 40 lbs. It has an extra-long driving range of up to 15.5 miles. It folds flat and the batteries are TSA approved for airline travel.

How about this – a reclining back; something typically reserved for much bigger chairs! It has a deeper seat than other powered wheelchairs at 18.5.” Not only that but the seat is a plush 3” thick, providing you with extended comfort across boardwalks, grass, dirt or about any other surface. The 12” rear tires and powerful 250W motors not only assist in a smoother ride but this unit will boogie uphill in a heartbeat. You can add a headrest as well as adjustable leg rest extensions. The City 2 Plus also provides up to 23” between armrests! Even the footrest is adjustable! This unit just doesn’t quit with features that bring you the benefits you have always wanted. There is more. You can order the City 2 Plus power wheelchair in any one of 6 eye-catching colors: blue, green, pink, purple, red, or black. The lithium-ion powered wheelchair has been so well received and we cannot wait to see how it goes over here.

 
 

You know we love our Golden Technologies products. A couple of months ago we shared with you the introduction to the new Ally powered wheelchair from Golden Technologies. We have had so much fun showing this product off to people and it has been a big hit. If you didn’t get to read that blog you can view it here: https://affordablemedicalusa.com/blog/goldens-new-gp-303-ally/

Well, Golden Tech has done it again with the new GP130, the power wheelchair cousin to the famous GB120 CarryOn travel scooter. This new lithium-ion powered wheelchair has so many beautiful new features that will bring a new level of independence and enjoyment to your mobility life. The battery weighs 6 pounds, is TSA airline approved, and comes with a fireproof bag standard. With the battery fully charged you can get up to 12.5 miles on a single charge. Here is huge point number one. This electric wheelchair is a true, center-wheel drive power chair with an 8” center drive wheel and 5” casters in the front and rear. This means that this little powerchair can do a true 360° turn on a literal dime. If it can roll into the bathroom and then swivel around in the bathroom. If you can drive onto an elevator, you can turn 180° and drive out of the elevator. This is a first for a small, portable, lightweight power wheelchair! All we have been able to offer in the past were either rear wheel or front wheel drive powered wheel chairs. Though good, they just cannot turn like the Golden Buzzaround GP130!

 
 
The next big advantage we see with this new chair by Golden is the independent four-wheel suspension and a springless articulating chassis. What does this mean? Naturally, it means a more comfortable ride but the springless articulating chassis translates into smoother transitions going up and down ramps, going over bumps, sudden rises and drops in your traveling surface. etc. Basically the front caster wheels operate independently from the rear caster wheels. The armrests can be extended out from an 18.5” standard inside width to 21.5” inside width. Like the GB120, the GP130 has lights front and rear. It has a fold-down height of just under 10” and weights just 46 lbs. The way it is designed, it can easily be picked up by one or two people. There are no wires to disconnect; simply remove the seat and the unit folds right down.
Finally, it comes in eight brilliant colors – Velvet Red, Coastal Blue, Stone Grey, Orchid Pink, Crisp White, Desert Tan, Canary Yellow, and Army Green. Whether you are traveling in your car, on the train, on a cruise, airline, or just going to the mall, the GP130 is the new you! We hope you like attention because you are sure going to get it in this cool new powerchair!
 
 

We are genuinely excited about both of these new lithium-ion powered wheelchairs. They each have their own unique advantages. The Travel Buggy is the first fold-down electric wheelchair that supports over 300 lbs. The Golden GP130 is the first portable, fold-down, center wheel drive powered wheelchair. Of course, we have them both in our showroom for you to check out and test drive. If you have worked with Affordable Medical Equipment/Mobility Solutions before, you know that we don’t sell anything we don’t like or feel we can’t properly support. We trust our manufacturers to provide us with dependable technical service and accessible parts. We also ship to anywhere within the continental United States at competitive prices. So come by our showroom at 1812 Sunset Blvd. in West Columbia, S.C. or call us at 803-926-2224. We would love to speak with you.