8 Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchairs 2023

Transport wheelchairs are an essential part of most people living with disabilities. They effectively aid them in mobility than crutches would. These wheelchairs have been around for decades and with each year comes a new model with superior and improved features. A newer and super convenient transport wheelchair currently, is the lightweight type. What makes this different from the traditional wheelchair is that they are lightweight. This makes them very portable, and especially since they are foldable.

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	Price	Product	Our Rating
		NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair – 12” Rear Wheels	9.6
		Maclaren Major Elite Push Chair	9.9
		NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair – Full Length Padded Armrests	9.7
		Medline Lightweight Transport Wheelchair	9.1
		Medical Supply Team Aluminum Transport Chair Lightweight Wheelchair	9.3
		Medline Aluminum Transport Chair with 8 inches Wheels	9.4
		Lightweight Deluxe Folding Transport Travel Wheelchair	9.5
		NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair with Anti-Tippers	9.3

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A lightweight wheelchair is mostly made from either aluminum, steel or a combination of both. They typically weigh no more than 50 pounds. With such less weight added, you can easily and comfortably wheel your loved one around without feeling like its a burden. The best thing about lightweight wheelchairs is that they are pretty affordable, easy to carry around and easy to store.

 

Benefits of buying  lightweight transport wheelchairs

To start with, these wheelchairs combine the function of an electric wheelchair and the portability of a rollator. Most of them weigh less than 50 pounds as mentioned earlier, are smaller in size and much more compact. They differ significantly from the traditional wheelchair. Here are the benefits of choosing them as opposed to the standard wheelchair.

 

Makes one travel independently

The main goal of any wheelchair is to make someone as independent as possible when it comes to mobility. The fact that lightweight chairs are self-propelling allows one to travel independently without needing another person to be present for the user to move. You can easily propel yourself without feeling any sort of strain. They can accommodate up to a weight of 250 pounds.

 

They cost less

Lightweight wheelchairs are fairly priced and even with a very limited budget, you can still find one that suits your needs. Most sellers take also allow for payment plans.

 

They are easy to store

You can pretty much store them anywhere from your car’s trunk, under the bed or a couch. They don’t take up much space since they can be folded. This makes traveling with them so much easier.

 

Perfect for both indoor and outdoor use

A lightweight wheelchair, compared to the standard one, is very easy to move around. You can effortlessly control the chair to where you need it to go. This also allows you so much freedom and control of your mobility. You don’t need to be transferred to another chair when you want to go out of the house, this wheelchair works perfectly fine on outdoor terrain.

 

It’s easy to maneuver

With a lightweight transport wheelchair, you can easily go about doing your house chores since you can maneuver within the house easily. You can move swiftly from one surface to the other and from one room to the other.

 

Factors to consider when purchasing a transport wheelchair

There are several things you need to know before you purchase a lightweight or an ultra-lightweight transport wheelchair. Understanding these factors will ensure that you know what you want and thus pick the best-buy.

 

Here are the key factors to consider:

 

Your lifestyle habits

Your activities and overall lifestyle, which you engage in every day can impact your transport wheelchair buying decision. Do you need a chair mainly for moving around the home? Or do you need one for a lot of outdoor movement? Once you figure out the answers to these questions, then you will be able to make the right decision and buy just the one that suits your needs.

 

It’s legs and footrest

The legs and footrest of the transport wheelchair is also another critical factor to consider before buying one. The chair’s footrest supports the feet and ankles while the leg rest should support the whole leg. These features, however, may not be required for all people, and therefore one first needs to consult with their doctors to know whether they should get one with or one without.

 

Seat cushioning

Your travel chair’s cushioning determines whether or not you can sit on that chair for long without being fatigued. The three types of seat cushions are preventive, comfort, and positioning. Preventive cushioning is one that is made to ensure you don’t get sores while sitting, or you don’t get pain. Positioning cushions, on the other hand, are for adjusting posture. This ensures that your posture or spine does not get damaged while sitting in this chair for long. Comfort cushions are designed to make the chair more comfortable. These are made of either gel or foam.

 

The components of the transport wheelchair

Small details like the type of armrest that a chair has can help you determine whether or not the chair will be useful. A transport wheelchair has either a full or desk armrest. The one with a full armrest is the standard design of a lightweight travel wheelchair that lets your entire armrest on it. This is, therefore, the best if you are looking for comfort in these wheelchairs, or if you have a larger upper body.

The other type is the desk armrest. This one comes with a shorter armrest and allows one to have easy access to tables or desks, thus the name desk rest. It works just the way an office chair fits well with the office desk at work. This, however, is not as comfortable as the full armrest. Therefore you need to weigh between the two to know which one you need for your daily activities.

 

Best Lightweight Transport Wheelchairs 2023

 

#1 NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair – 12” Rear Wheels

This ultra-lightweight wheelchair is easy to carry and to fold. It is safe to use as it has safety features like the removable anti-trippers as well as the secondary wheel locks. Another fascinating feature of the lightweight wheelchair is its locking handbrakes that enable the companion to not only manage the speed but for him/her to also park the brakes. This transport chair also has 12” rear wheels that allow it to move on any type of ground.

NOVA lightweight wheelchair is popular for being user-friendly. It is easy to move and operate its parts such as the footrests and has removable, padded and flip-up desk arms. These desk arms are designed to make it easier to move the user in and out of the chair. Other additional features include an adjustable seat belt and a storage pouch for small personal items. The chair has a weight capacity of 300 pounds and the seat measures 18.5 inches in width and 15.75 inches in length.

Pros

• Has antilock handbrakes to control the speed
• It folds compactly
• It has adjustable foot brackets and handbrakes
• Comes with a storage pouch to store personal items

Cons

• The design of the seat may not be the most comfortable

 

#2 Maclaren Major Elite Push Chair

This pushchair weighs 16.5 pounds and measures 46 inches by 9.75 inches by x8.25 inches when folded without the footrest. It is therefore easy to carry and space-efficient. The chair features four sets of small dual 7-inch wheels fitted for smooth surfaces as well as front swivel wheels. Its strong aluminum frame supports a weight of up to 110 pounds while its quilted fabric seat and safety belt offer safety and comfort.

This pushchair has rear childproof brakes and is designed to make it easy to move around indoor spaces like schools, malls, and restaurants. Going by the reviews of those already using this pushchair,  It stands rated among the best transport wheelchairs for children.

Pros

• It packs down nicely and can hence fit into tight storage spaces
• Has childproof brakes for safety
• It moves easily with a gentle push
• Can be used on both smooth and rough surfaces

Cons

• It is not very strong and hence it can break if not handles properly

 

#3 NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair – Full Length Padded Armrests

This sturdy transport chair is built for safety, durability, and versatility. Its 12 inches rugged wheels and locking hand brakes make it possible to safely navigate on any terrain. This makes it the best lightweight wheelchair for travel. The locking brakes also help with bumps, during parking and in controlling speed. The 12.5 inches full-length padded arms offer comfort while its secondary wheel locks offer safety. It also has an adjustable seat belt and a weight capacity of up to 300 pounds.

Compared to most lightweight transport wheelchairs, this wheelchair is very easy to use. It has removable parts such as the footrests that you can easily adjust, remove or swing aside. You can also effortlessly fold and store the wheelchair when traveling. The seat measures 19.5 inches in width,  16 inches in length and 20 inches in height.

Pros

• Compact and portable
• Easy to use
• Easy to assemble and dissemble
• It has large wells that make movement easy
• It has handbrakes for safety

Cons

• It is not suitable for shorter people under 5”9’

 

#4 Medline Lightweight Transport Wheelchair

If you love to travel and are looking for the ideal transport wheelchair for sale, look no further. The Medline transport wheelchair features an aluminum frame that is not only light but durable as well and comes at an affordable price.

This ultra-lightweight wheelchair folds easily and is therefore portable. Its 12 inches rear wheels enable it to work on different surfaces while the manual handbrakes lock these wheels and keep the chair steady when transferring users. The transport chair also features a seat belt, a full-length armrest and removable footrests for ease of use, safety, and comfort.

Pros

• It is comfortable and well-built design
• Works on different surfaces
• Durable
• Reasonably priced
• It has large back wheels that make it easy to push
• It is light and easy to fold

Cons

• The handbrakes can break easily if not handled carefully

 

#5 Medical Supply Team Aluminum Transport Chair Lightweight Wheelchair

Weighing only 20 pounds, the aluminum transport chair makes movement fast and easy.  The chair has detachable, swing-away footrests and is easy to fold and unfold. For this reason, the aluminum transport chair is suitable for travel.

Its padded and fixed armrests provide comfort to users of up to 300 pounds. If you are searching for a durable transport wheelchair for sale, the aluminum transport chair has strong 8-inch caster wheels that require minimum maintenance. It will therefore not only last longer but save you money as well.

Pros

• It folds easily and fits well in the trunk of a car
• It is easy to put together and to use
• It is light and moves smoothly

Cons

• The footrests are not adjustable

 

#6 Medline Aluminum Transport Chair with 8 inches Wheels

The Medline Aluminum transport chair with 8 inches wheels is one of the best lightweight transport wheelchairs available on the market. The ultra-lightweight wheelchair that weighs only 19 pounds is not only built for functionality but durability as well. It has a sturdy powder-coated aluminum frame that is light and lasts long hence saving you the cost of repairs and replacements.

Also, this transport chair is ideal for traveling. Folding and storing it is easy and it can perfectly fit in the trunk of your car. It also has removable footrests that make transfers easier and a full-length armrest that ensures the user is comfortable. It can hold up to 300 pounds, has seat dimensions of 19 x 16 inches and comes in an attractive red color.

Pros

• It is light and portable
• Safe to the user
• Well-built and sturdy
• It is user-friendly

Cons

• The cover on the armrest tears easily

 

#7 Lightweight Deluxe Folding Transport Travel Wheelchair

This transport wheelchair features 12 inches of rear wheels and attendant handbrakes that can function as slowing brakes or as locking brakes depending on how you operate them. You can pull the levers up if you want to use the brakes as slowing brakes or push them down to use as locking brakes.

It also features padded desk arms that provide comfort and several cross braces that strengthen it. This transport chair is popular for its convenience in traveling especially since it comes with a travel carry bag. For this reason, this deluxe transport wheelchair has ranked high on several lightweight transport wheelchair reviews.

Pros

• It is very easy to assemble and use
• It is light and easy to maneuver
• It has handbrakes that offer safety
• Travel-friendly

Cons

• Its armrests are not removable nor fold away

 

#8 NOVA Lightweight Transport Chair with Anti-Tippers

This NOVA Lightweight transport chair comes fully assembled and ready to use. Its features, like the detachable, flip-up and padded desk arms as well as the removable footrests are designed to make transfers easier for caregivers and to offer comfort to users. Like the other NOVA lightweight transport chairs, this wheelchair is also designed to make traveling easy. It folds well and compactly hence making storage easy.

Movement in this ultra-lightweight transport wheelchair is safe and comfortable. The chair has 8” rugged wheels that are not only durable but also provide a smooth and steady ride on different grounds. It also has an adjustable seat belt for safety and storage pouch for functionality. The pouch is fairly big and can hold small items like keys and wallets. It weighs 22.75 pounds and has a weight capacity of 300 pounds. This weight capacity is fairly large and can accommodate big-bodied people. This NOVA chair is among the most user-friendly lightweight transport wheelchairs on the market especially because of its easily adjustable parts like the footrest.

Pros

• It has anti-trippers
• It is easy to use
• Adjustable footrest
• It comes fully assembled

Cons

• The seating area is not very comfortable and needs a cushion.

 

Conclusion

When looking for a lightweight transport chair,  it is essential that you first determine what features stand out for you and how beneficial they are to you. Comfort, safety and maneuverability should also be your top concerns. If you are looking for one that is affordable but still functional, our review has the best lightweight transport wheelchairs. Pick either of them and we guarantee you you won’t regret it.