At Strongback Mobility USA, our wheelchairs provide everything that you might need for a successful vacation or business trip. The supportive design that helps the spine to feel more comfortable for prolonged periods is just one aspect of why our award-winning wheelchairs are so suited to travelers. Wheelchairs come in many style types and are used to help people with disabilities, injuries, or other conditions, such as old age, that impair their mobility.
What's more, the lightweight design we have produced means that wheelchair travel becomes that much easier for everyone in your party. Our products typically weigh in the region of 26 lbs and some are less than that. Indeed, the whole concept behind our wheelchairs came from travelling, when one of our company's founders developed the idea, that a superior wheelchair was needed following a camping trip. Nevertheless, we know that traveling with a wheelchair still needs some forethought. Read our wheelchair travel guide and find out everything you'll need to know for a successful vacation.
Air Travel in a Wheelchair – STRONGBACK's Wheelchair Travel Guide
The number of travel locations you can enjoy exploring significantly opens up when you fly. All too often, however, wheelchair users are put off air travel because they think it will be a hassle to board the plane from the terminal building and vice versa. Although it is fair to say that you will need to think ahead, wheelchair travel by air isn't as hard as it used to be a decade or so ago, especially in North America and Europe.To begin with, allow yourself more time to check in and to pass through security. STRONGBACK's advanced frames are lightweight but they'll often set off metal detectors and need to be checked manually by airport security staff. The majority of airlines will allow you to take your wheelchair to the gate and settle into your seat before other passengers before stowing your chair in the hold. Because you will need to transfer from your wheelchair to an airplane seat, the easily foldable design is helpful to others who may not be familiar with wheelchairs, especially if you are relying on help from airline employees on your journey.
The signature STRONGBACK blue color also makes it less of a hassle when you arrive because your chair will be easier to identify. Nevertheless, in case another passenger has a STRONGBACK wheelchair, it is best to label your one. In addition, it is a good idea to remove any accessories you might have added to your wheelchair. It is possible for these to become dislodged in flight and this might mean they are lost. Keep them with you in the cabin and ask a flight attendant to stow them away for you in the overhead locker.
Traveling in a Wheelchair by Road - Our Wheelchair Travel Guide
As any good wheelchair travel guide should point out, you will need a car that is adapted to your particular mobility needs for most wheelchair vacations by road. After all, road trips often involve many hours behind the wheel, so you need to feel as comfortable in your car as you would in your posture-supporting STRONGBACK wheelchair whether you are driving or a passenger. What makes our wheelchairs so good for road travel is that they do not take up all the space in the trunk, leaving room for other items. For example, the STRONGBACK 22S model measures just 29 by 14 by 27.5 inches when folded down. A lightweight model is also preferable. This is because even if your car's trunk has a lip to get over, a lighter wheelchair can be more easily hoisted in by hand.
Many people who travel in a wheelchair every day will find that fitting car caddies – adjustable straps that are attached to the car's door – are beneficial on road trips even if they don't use them for short journeys. This is because you are going to be getting in and out of your car more frequently on a road trip than you might be used to at home. Swivel seats and leg lifters are also an investment worth considering if you have any difficulties rotating yourself in the car.
If you are traveling in the USA, then you will never be far from a hotel you can book yourself into. When traveling with a wheelchair, it is best to reserve your room in advance rather than turning up unannounced. Not only does booking ahead often mean you'll find the best prices but it will also result in being able to reserve an accessible, ground floor room.
We hope you have found our wheelchair travel guide useful. While you're here, why not check out our stylish and extremely practical range of wheelchairs that are designed for modern travel needs?
