If you have mobility issues but still want to get outdoors whenever possible then finding the best wheelchair for outdoor use may be at the top of your list.
While there are a lot of wheelchairs that function both indoors and outdoors some just excel outdoors over others. This guide will explain in-depth the top 5 best power wheelchairs for outdoor use.
So, what are the best power wheelchairs for outdoor use? Wheelchairs with the proper tires, strong long-lasting batteries, and brushless motors will provide an easier way to move with your wheelchair outdoors over all types of terrain. Also, the battery-powered should last longer to ensure you don’t get stuck outdoors especially on far trips.
Table of Contents
The Best Power Wheelchairs For Outdoor Use
| Our Rank | Electric Wheelchair | Our Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Porto Mobility Ranger | 4.7/5 |
| Runner Up | Innuova Intelligent Lightweight Foldable | 4.6/5 |
| Best Folding | Sentire Med Forza | 4.6/5 |
| Best Heavy Duty | Porto Mobility Ranger Heavy Duty | 4.7/5 |
| Excellent Value | Drive Medical Cirrus | 4.6/5 |
The Proto Mobility Ranger is excellent stability and comfort in a lightweight electric wheelchair for outdoor use. We consider this our top pick for power wheelchairs in our review process.
It is ergonomically designed for excellent comfort and can be used in grass, gravel, or snow. This chair can also fold and collapse for easy storage and transport at only a 55-pound chair only.
The long-range and powerful battery can get you up to 12 miles of drive time. Turning is also excellent with a radius of only 33 inches.
This electric wheelchair uses a joystick to control so steering and moving are simple with little movement.
Important information about this electric wheelchair:
- Weight without batteries: 50 pounds
- Weight capacity: 330 pounds
- Travel speed: 5 mph
- Climbing slope: 25° Slope Grade Max
- Travel distance: Up to 12 miles
- Controller power: AC 100-220V
(4.7 / 5)PROS
- 12 mile distance on full charge
- Brushless DC electric motor type
- Weight capacity: 330 pounds
- Joy stick controller
CONS
- Not many downfalls
This is our runner up for the best power wheelchairs for outdoor use. The very lightweight and portable electric wheelchair from Innuovo makes an excellent choice in chairs.
This electric chair has a small turning radius of only 35.4 degrees making it easy to turn even inside.
This wheelchair is light at 50 pounds with the batteries in it makes it convenient for travel.
We love that this chair also comes with excellent basics like 7.5CM thick seat cushions. It also uses a 360-degree joystick.
The armrest on this chair can also be lifted up so the user can easier get in and out. Another great feature is you can place the joystick on either left or right armrest.
This chair uses 2 lithium batteries.
Important aspects of this chair:
- Two batteries can go 12.5 miles
- Weight capacity: 265 pounds
- Battery weight 3.1 per battery
- Wheelchair weight without battery: 43 pounds
- Maximum speed: 3.7 MPH
- Max climbing angle: 6 degrees – to 8 degrees
(4.6 / 5)PROS
- Very lightweight even with batteries
- Turning radius of 35.5 in
- Excelent seat cushion for comfort
CONS
- Weight capacity of only 265
This electric outdoor wheelchair is one of our top folding chairs and is an excellent chair for travel on a train, car, plane, and hotels. This chair uses an aluminum-allow frame and is only 67 pounds with the battery included. It also includes a black travel bag making travel more convenient.
This chair can be driven on gravel, grass, and more and the shocks make sure to absorb the bumps to give you a smoother ride.
The seat cushion and the backrest are washable up to 95℃.
You can travel far with this chair and on full lithium batteries can travel up to 20 miles with its brushless motors. This makes it one of our best power wheelchair for outdoor use in our opinion.
Important features on this electric chair:
- Made from high-grade lightweight aluminum allow frame
- Dual lithium batteries
- 20-mile range
- Smart touch joystick for both right and left users.
(4.6 / 5)PROS
- Supports up to 360 pounds
- Two 250-watt motors
- Included cup holder and storage bags
- Joy stick controlled
CONS
- Very sensitive joy stick controls
Ranked as one of our best heavy-duty electrical power wheelchairs for outdoor use this wheelchair has two 300 watt brushless ultra-powerful motors that can tackle all types of terrain.
A heavy-duty electric wheelchair needs to have the proper batteries and this wheelchair uses two lithium batteries that provide travel up to 30 miles. This allows you to have worry-free outdoor experiences when away from the home.
The joystick controller lets you move in all directions. This allows you to drive your wheelchair with just a finger.
This fully assembled delivered mobility chair has a 19-inch seat and can hold up to 400 pounds. It is also cruise and airline approved and can fold up into a compact space for easy travel.
Important aspects of this electric wheelchair:
- Max weight capacity: 400 pounds
- Max speed: 6 mph
- Turning radius 31″
- Per battery weight 3.5 lbs
- Brakes: Intelligent braking
- Base weight without batteries: 55 pounds
(4.7 / 5)PROS
- Extremely long battery times
- Moves over all types of surfaces
- Joystick controlled
- Can hold up to 400 pounds
CONS
- None we can comment on as of now
The Drive Medical is a lightweight steel cross-brace fame that makes operating outdoors easy and stress-free. You can climb an angle of 6 degrees and have found a clearance of 4 inches.
This particular electric wheelchair is joystick controlled making it really easy to navigate for anyone, even with limited hand movements.
Folding:
The Cirrus Plus Folding Power Wheelchair folds easy which makes it easier to transport and store. The frame is made from carbon steel which is lightweight yet still strong.
Important wheelchair facts:
- Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
- Wheelchair weight: Without battery: 90 lbs
- Battery Weight: 56 pounds
- Steering Type: Joystick
- Max Speed: 5.5 mph
- Anti Tip Wheels: Yes
(4.6 / 5)PROS
- Made from high elastic LYCRA & knitted mesh
- Thick gel padding at palm
- Velcro straps
- Perfect for both men and woman
CONS
- Small front wheels
Best Power Wheelchair For outdoor Use Buying Guide
We break down the best power wheelchair for outdoor use so you can make a more educated decision on what type of wheelchair is right for you. Below are some important aspects when searching for a powered outdoor wheelchair.
Battery type
When searching for the best power wheelchairs you will want to find ones that have long-lasting batteries. In-fact the battery is the heart of your wheelchair so making sure the battery is in top working order is critical so success when using an electric wheelchair.
You never want to overcharge your battery as it can damage the battery and cause it to not function as intended leaving you with chair you cant use.
Most wheelchairs use lithium batteries for lots of power and range that can push some wheelchairs to an impressive 30 miles.
The range on a full charged battery
Today’s batteries are getting lighter, and stronger allowing most fully charged batteries to push an electric wheelchair anywhere from 12 to 30 miles on a full charge.
The longer millage is typically found when the chair runs dual batteries. Look for an electric wheelchair that can at least give 15 miles or more on a single charge.
Weight holding capacity
Not all wheelchairs can hold the same weight. If you need a wheelchair that can hold a higher capacity of weight be sure to check the holding capacity of the chair. we also recommend you go up a little more than what the suggested maximum weight is to be on the safe side.
Foldability and ease of transport
For those of us who require an electric wheelchair, we should make sure that it can be transported as easily as possible.
This happens easier when we can fold up the chair quickly and with the least amount of effort when we need to take this chair in a car, plane, or cruise ship on a vacation.
Almost all the powered wheelchairs we reviewed and listed above have the ability to fold and be transported.
Type of ground the chair can move over
When you are outside it may be unrealistic to think you will only be on smooth flat ground. The top outdoor wheelchairs should be able to get around on grass, gravel, slopes, and even snow when they have to.
Electric chairs have a big advantage over their manual counterparts outdoors over terrain that is not flat. A good chair will get you where you need to get and back safely.
Slope percentage
The slope percentage is what the recommended slope the wheelchair can climb. If you live in hilly locations this is important to know.
Some powered wheelchairs for outdoor use have a 6 degrees to 8 degrees slope that is safe.
Almost every manufacture labels what the climbing angle is for their powered wheelchairs.
Why Use A Powered Wheelchair
Benefits of using an electric wheelchair
From our research, we have learned that a lot of users have a powered wheelchair and also a manual wheelchair but a lot prefer and use the powered wheelchair more often.
One of the main reasons for this is as follows.
Health issues resulting from the use of manual wheelchair overtime.
- The development of shoulder pain and injuries from the use of a manual wheelchair.
- Developing of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Did you know that the average wheelchair users can take anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 pushes a day? That can lead to over a million pushes a year.
Using an electric wheelchair gain ease pain and help reduce injury over time from having to propel yourself when using a manual chair
Our Power Wheelchairs Covered By Medicate?
Yes. Medicare part B will cover powered-operated equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters because they are durable medical equipment or DME. There are rules that have to be met in order for Medicare to help cover the cost of some of the wheelchair.
- The doctor and the supplier both must be enrolled in Medicare
- Must be able to use this equipment in your home
- Must be of age to safely operate the wheelchair and get on and off safely.
- Unable to do activities in your daily life even with the help of a mobility device like a walker, cane, or crutch.
- Have a health condition that causes difficulties in moving about your home.
Final Thoughts
Using a power wheelchair for outdoor use can be much easier on your arms and hands than a manual wheelchair.
With extremely long run times it is not uncommon for a wheelchair with two lithium batteries to be able to travel 15 to 25 miles when fully charged.
Between the lightweight materials and advanced designs, powered wheelchairs are lighter, stronger, and easier to travel with than ever before.
So, what is the best power wheelchair for outdoor use?
If you are looking for a great lightweight powered wheelchair that can get you to where you are going safely and comfortably then we have our top pick.
Our top choice for the best power wheelchair for outdoor us is…
Porto Mobility Ranger D09S All Terrain Wheelchair
It provides a smooth long ride with great battery life. Can maneuver over many different terrains, and it lightweight and easy to break down and fold so it can be taken with you when you travel. There is a good weight limit and turning radius to this chair making it our overall winner.
If you require a larger or heavy-duty powered chair then you will not be disappointed with the Porto Mobility Ranger Quattro XL Heavy Duty Wheelchair. This meets and excels all of our research on a powered chair and you can’t go wrong with either one in our opinion.
