Hills, grass and gravel: what to check before you buy
There is very little real all-terrain choice. At the store we checked, the menu had no all-terrain section at all, and the one item built for rough ground was a heavy scooter that doesn't fold.
Two things we looked at
| Model | Kind | Price | Holds up to | Battery and motor | Range | Top speed | Steepest slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Transporter Cheeta Ninja | 4-wheel scooter | $4,495 | 500 lb | 48 V, 30 Ah lithium; 1,100 W motor | 25 miles | 14 mph | 35 degrees (as listed by both sellers) |
| Karman XO-505 | Standing power wheelchair | $14,870 (listed at $19,800 before the sale) | 250 lb | Not listed on the pages we read | About 25 miles | Not listed | Not listed |
Cheeta Ninja at Electric Wheelchairs USAKarman XO-505 at Electric Wheelchairs USA
The Cheeta Ninja
Two sellers publish the same weight limit, battery, motor, range, speed and slope rating, and the same price. They disagree on how heavy it is: one says 200 lb, the other about 230. So we are not giving a weight. Plan for something over 200 lb that does not fold. You need a ramp and a truck or trailer to move it.
Both sellers say the range is 25 miles. One of them adds that it will be less on rough ground, which is the whole reason you would buy this thing. Hills eat battery.
The slope rating is a listed number, and we couldn't trace it to a test. A scooter rated for 35 degrees on a test is not the same as one you should drive up a 35 degree hill with a person on it. Ask the dealer what they would actually drive it up.
The Karman XO-505
This is a chair that lifts the rider to standing. The store page calls it "capable of handling the toughest of outdoor terrains." That line is on the store page only. The brochure we read doesn't repeat it, and gives no speed, battery or slope figure. Ground clearance on the store page is 2 inches. Two inches is low for a trail.
The chair's seat, back and overall sizes did match between the store and the brochure: 45 in long, 28 in wide, 250 lb limit. It is a standing chair first. Whether it suits you is a question for your therapist. More on that on our questions page.
Measure these before you pay
- The worst hill you will really use. Measure it. Phone apps that read tilt will do.
- Ground clearance. Ask for the number, and ask what the biggest rock or root is that it will clear.
- How you will move it. A 200 lb scooter and a 26 lb folding chair are different lives.
- Where it charges. A big battery that does not come off needs an outlet near where you park it.
- Can it fly? A battery this size can't. See the flying page.
Vive also lists a "Sunstride All-Terrain Rollator" at $199.99 for people who walk but need a rolling frame outdoors. The page we read gave no weight limit or size numbers, so we are not comparing it. See it at Vive Health