Amazon
Medline Ultralight Transport Wheelchair
Features
- Type: attendant-propelled transport wheelchair
- Seat size: approximately 19″ W x 16″ D
- Wheelchair weight: approximately 25 lbs
- Weight limit: 300 lbs
- Rear wheels: 12″
- Frame: aluminum
- Folded width: approximately 12″
- Warranty: 1-year limited
Other features: attendant handbrakes; locking brake function; padded full-length armrests; swing-away detachable footrests; seat belt; nylon upholstery.
The Medline Lightweight Transport Wheelchair is our pick for caregivers who want better speed control than a basic transport chair provides. Unlike a self-propelled wheelchair, this model is designed to be pushed by an attendant, and the brake levers are positioned directly at the push handles. This makes it much easier for the person behind the chair to slow or secure it without reaching down toward the wheels.
The configuration we tested weighs about 25 pounds, supports up to 300 pounds, and uses 12-inch rear wheels with smaller front casters. The larger rear wheels help it deal with minor pavement changes and everyday outdoor surfaces better than very small-wheel transport chairs, while the swing-away footrests make transfers simpler.
What do we love it for?
The handbrakes are the main reason to choose this Medline. They give the caregiver useful control on slopes and allow the chair to be secured before the user gets in or out, which is a meaningful improvement over transport chairs that rely only on wheel-mounted locks.
We also like the 12-inch rear wheels. They make this chair feel less nervous over small surface changes than compact transport chairs with equally small wheels at both ends.
What could be better?
At around 25 pounds, this is no longer an ultralight chair. It is still much easier to load than a traditional 40- to 50-pound wheelchair, but anyone prioritizing minimum lifting weight should look at the Drive Fly-Lite instead.
This is also an attendant chair, not a self-propelled wheelchair. The smaller rear wheels mean the seated user cannot independently wheel themselves around in the same way they can in the Karman or Hi-Fortune.