8 questions to ask when purchasing a Beach Wheelchair

1. How long will my Beach Wheelchair last?

The lifespan of a chair varies a lot depending on the amount of use and how it's looked after. A chair used in a public hire situation will have a much harder life than a privately owned chair used for occasional weekend trips.

The best way to find out the lifespan of a chair is to ask your supplier for warranty info, especially the frame. This will indicate how confident the manufacturer is on the lifespan of their product. Typical warranties vary from 1yr to 10yrs.

The lifespan of a beach wheelchair is a combination of 3 main parts

1. Frame: The frame is the most important part for long wheelchair lifespan. Wheels and fabric can be replaced but the frame forms most of the cost of the chair.  There are 3 types normally used:

• 316 Marine Grade stainless steel
• Aluminium – clamped parts
• Aluminium welded parts
   

Stainless steel offers the longest lifespan often with 5 - 10 year warranties. Clamped parts aluminium chairs also have a long lifespan. Normally the aluminium has a protective coating applied. Welded aluminium chairs can suffer badly from corrosion as the welding process destroys the protective coating at the welded joints. The corrosion occurs internally so it’s hard to visually notice it's happening. Chairs can fall apart with very little warning. Accidents and injuries overseas have meant some countries such as the USA and Australia have introduced ‘Yearly Audit of Compliance’ of fitness to public hire chairs.

Always ask the manufacturer for the frame warranty.

2. Fabric: Privately owned chairs will have limited exposure to the elements, but chairs used in a public hire environment will be exposed to the sun and salt water on a daily basis. Some points to consider:

• Fabric should be quick drying. It’s not nice to get into a wet chair
• Fabrics need good UV resistance. NZ is one of the toughest places in the world for UV
• Fabric should be easily removable for cleaning and replacing. Check all the seating fabric can be removed by either clips or velcro
   

3. Balloon wheels: Balloon wheels work incredibly well on soft sand. Anyone who has driven a car on sand knows the importance of letting out air to reduce the tyre pressure. The combination of low tyre pressure and soft flexibility, wheel width and diameter are what makes balloon wheels work so well! 

When choosing a chair ask how long the wheels will last, lead time and cost for replacements.

2. How do I get in and out of the chair?

Firstly, consider if this is a private chair for specific use or public for general use and the range of people who may use the chair.  Chairs with seat height at health and safety regulation height will be easier to get in and out of on land. For chairs that sink with bodyweight a lower chair will allow the user to float off the chair at a shallower depth

• for wheelchair to wheelchair transfer a chair at regulation Health and Safety makes it easier to transfer for both the user and the handler. In addition, check space available to bring the wheelchair seats close together to minimise transfer distance
• for standing transfer check standing area clearance close to the seat and seat height. Higher seats are normally easier to get in and out of
• check armrests can easily be moved out of the way to create space to make the transfer easier.
   

3. How manoeuvrable do you need the chair to be?

Look at where you expect to use the chair. Look at the chair length and width. Longer chairs can be harder to turn than shorter chairs. Chairs with castors on the front wheels are easier to turn than a fixed front wheel. Wide chairs may be larger to fit through doorways or even some beach access ways where posts block all but the narrowest of chairs. Check how the chair is designed to turn. Can you push in the direction, or do you need to lift the front wheel? Note fixed wheels still turn well on soft sand but get harder on concrete, asphalt etc.

4. Can I take the chair into the sea?

Some chairs are designed for saltwater immersion, some have parts that corrode quickly in such situations. For those designed for immersion some chairs are designed to sink with bodyweight allowing the user to float out and swim. Others will float on the water. Most chairs with large balloon wheels float due to the amount of air in the wheels. For those that float some are stable without handler care, others need handler care. 

5. What do I need to know about balloon wheels?

Most beach wheelchairs use balloon wheels to make the chairs travel easily across soft sand. There are lots of different types and sizes and these greatly affect how a chair handles on various terrains:

• Wheel diameter: The larger the diameter the easier a chair rolls. Larger diameters are especially useful when traversing sand with lots of pits or bumpy surfaces as the wheels do not sink as far into the holes. In addition, larger diameter wheels will make it much easier to get over hard obstacles such as rocks, boulders and steps.
• Wheel width: Increasing surface area over sand stops the chair digging into the sand. Larger width wheels are generally easier to push across sand
• Wheel tyre material. The two most popular balloon wheels are PVC and polyurethane (PU). 
  • PVC: Cheaper material and difficult to repair punctures. To resist punctures the wheels are normally made thicker which increases weight and reduces pliability limiting surface contact.
  • PU: More expensive material than PVC. Very hard wearing, able to travel over things like oyster shells and broken glass generally without puncturing. Punctures are easily fixed with a self-weld technique.  PU wheels have a long lifespan and vastly increased temperature range without melting or distorting.
• Bearings/Bushings: Bushings are the holes in the wheels where the axle pushes through. Bushings wear out over time as sand between the bushing and axle wears the bushing material away. Bearings reduce the rolling resistance. Metal bearings need good sealing and are prone to corrosion. They need regular maintenance to keep in good operating condition. WheelEEZ™ bearings are unique and do not corrode. They are made from plastic bearing cases with stainless steel ball bearings and felt inhibitors which prevents sand and grit getting into the bearing.
• Replacement wheels: Check the price and availability of replacement wheels
• Wheels that are soft and pliable with low pressure have amazing shock absorbing qualities which makes it more comfortable travelling across sand. 
   

6. What size chair do I need?

Some beach wheelchairs are one size fits all, some are available with 2 to 4 different size options. For public use pick a chair that caters for as many different user sizes and weights as possible. For growing children it can be beneficial to get a smaller chair for ease of transport but also beneficial to get a larger chair and add in extra cushioning to future proof the investment

7. What makes a chair portable and easy to store?

Some chairs are kept full time at the beach and others are transported to the beach regularly. The ease and simplicity of how a chair assembles and disassembles for transport makes a big difference to your experience for a day at the beach. Check the size of the chair after breakdown for ease of storage and ability to fit in the boot of your car. Watch for areas that may jam over time. For example, aluminium parts that slide inside another aluminium part can corrode and jam over time unless regularly cleaned and maintained. Check spring loaded parts have access to the springs as sand often works inside causing parts to jam. 

8. What accessories are available for the chair?

Check what's included with a chair and what accessories are available. The following items are often available:

• Sun Canopy/Umbrella
• Posture Control cushioning
• Medical Supports
• All terrain wheels vs beach wheels
• Travel Bag
• Floats
• Traction devices
• Bike trailer adapters
• Skis