Karman Healthcare S-Ergo 5 Limited Edition, Alpine White, 18"x17", 1 Count

I fell and shattered my femur and the hip prosthetic that I had because of AVN, avascular necrosis of the hip. Well, shattering my brittle bones was a fear that became a reality. I am missing about 7 inches of bone in the femur. They made a special prosthetic held together with rods and plates and a ton of screws. I had to be non-weight bearing for about 10 months then another three months while learning to walk again. This wheelchair was just perfect. I have mild paralysis of the left side. I can even roll in it by myself. A gentle spin takes me half way down my hallway! It is so light weight, sturdy and comfortable. It will last me decades as it is so well made.

I got this wheelchair because I have a very rare, Advanced, Aggressive, and Progressive Recurrent Subtype of Neuralgic Amyotrophy (Parsonage-Turner Syndrome). In the last year I've gone from walking to using a cane, to using two canes, to needing a Rollator, to this wheelchair, to this wheelchair and now two arm crutches for when I absolutely have to walk because I've progressed so quickly we haven't had time to build any ramps on the house because I keep speeding up in my degeneration. And 8 weeks I was supposed to be setup to get a motorized wheelchair but I apparently fell through the cracks at my neurologist's office which I have to speak to him about tomorrow. 8 weeks of lost time is a lot of lost time when you're terminal. PTS is a lot like ALS, except where ALS only attacks the body, PTS can also attack the Central Nervous System...that's part of what makes my case rare and why I'm in the wheelchair. This wheelchair has been my saving grace. It's comfortable, it fits me perfectly at 6'1". I know there are a lot of people who complain about this not fitting taller people, but this easily fits me. I started off in this chair in November 2016 at 273lbs and it fit me, I'm now at 160lbs in April 2017 and it fits me even better. I used to be able to push myself but that time has passed. But when I could it was easy to do. My caretakers (family) are very happy with the fact that this wheelchair is so light at only 25lbs and that it fits in my trunk. Note: this wheelchair does not fit in smaller sized trunks of sedans like the Toyota Corolla and trunks designed like it. Similar trunks will be found in Hondas, Nissans, etc. I have a Ford 500 which is a large sedan which it easily fits in. And of course vans, suvs, and trucks are no issues. I wouldn't recommend getting this wet though as it does take some time for it to dry. But the padding on the back and bottom of the chair do some off and are machine washable and dryable. Caution though, you will have to reform the padding in the cushioning to get it back to flat if you do this. I've only had to do this once and it wasn't much of a pain but it is a little annoying and mostly happened with the larger seat cushion. I would if you're bound to a wheelchair all the time get a wheelchair cushion because while this will be comfortable for a few months you will want something else after a while. And you will NEED something else to try to prevent Hemorrhoids which come from sitting all the time. (Basic note: if you're new to this and it hurts to go and you see bright red on the tissue, you have Hemorrhoids, make an appointment with your GP or Gastroenterologist).I additionally got the Karman Universal Folding Headrest Karman Universal Folding Headrest for Wheelchair, Arctic Silver, Large, 20-22 Inch which I have found to be absolutely necessary for comfort, but in addition to my Parsonage-Turner Syndrome I also have Cervical Facet Arthropathy and Degenerative Cervical Disc Disease, along with two Bulging Discs at C3-C4 and C5-C6 (both right-lateral). So for me a headrest was beyond necessary, but it also provides a place for you to rest your head and even sleep during long waits for doctors or scans or in the car if you have a modified vehicle. I'd highly recommend buying the pair together. That headrest is only $158 but it's worth so much more in ease of muscles and total body comfort, you wouldn't believe how much of a difference it makes in just having that there to relieve the weight from your head. (My head weighs 10lbs which exerts a lot of force the muscles in my neck, shoulders, and back. Your head weighs at least 8lbs so consider that stress it puts on your muscles and the stress headaches that follow).

I purchased this wheelchair out of box "As Is". Though it was missing the gray cover and seat padding, and 2 nuts; Amazon has since compensated me. I love how light the chair is, yet it is durable. I am 5' 10.5" tall, slender gal, and that is the maximum height I'd recommend for this sized wheelchair. IF you are taller, I'd get a different model. I am 148 pounds, and I have a little room without my hips pushing up against the sides of this 18x18 inch wheelchair. The chair back folds down and this helps to fit it into the car trunk better. The foot rests can come off, but for ease we just leave them attached. The chair is about 24 pounds which is a gem compared to my last chair which weighed 33 lbs. It has ergonomic grips on the wheels to make propelling them easy when I have the strength to roll myself around a few aisles in a store. This was my first purchase and experience with Karman wheelchairs, and it will not be my last. I LOVE this product!!

Purchased chair about 2 months ago to replace the standard wheelchair that you get from Medicare. My expectations go up as the price goes up so if this was a standard Medicare chair I would rate it 5 stars. However, this chair costs about 4 times more and based on my experience after 2 months of use I feel a price around $300 would be reasonable. It is a well built chair, light weight, easy to fold, brake handles well designed and easy to use and it does not have that institutional look. The seat and back cushion are okay so far, but they seem somewhat thin and flimsy and I have some concern as to how well they will hold up. The plastic side pieces on the side by your thighs are flimsy and confining. Might be more comfortable if they were eliminated. The Ergonomic claim for the seat and back cushion is way overblown. Probably would be more accurate if the seat and back cushion were more substantial.