Wheelchair Accessories!

Here comes Fall. Cooler weather, crisp air, and colorful foliage. No need to stay indoors if you use a wheelchair to get around. Here are some products that let you enjoy your favorite forest trail, hiking, camping, or fishing with your friends.

1. The Top End Crossfire All Terrain Wheelchair

Here’s a wheelchair designed for the rugged terrain of the outdoors. Get out and enjoy all that Autumn has to offer. The Top End All Crossfire Terrain, reinforced with a heavy-duty aluminum frame keeps it relatively lightweight while enhancing its durability. The wheels resemble dirt bike tires with their extra knobby traction. And the front casters are even designed to roll over roots, rocks, and reeds when they get in your way.

2. Sportaid Cold Weather Leather Wheelchair Gloves

So you’ve decided to take your wheelchair to the woods or the shore or the park. Some Fall days are warm, but some can bring the chill once the clouds cover the Sun.

Protect your hands from chaffing, cracking, and chapping with a pair of warm gloves. You’ll protect your skin from the roughness of your tires, but also keep them warm in the cool air.

3. An Affordable And Portable Tire Inflator

Once outside on your journey, you may be quite far away from your vehicle. And that’s the whole point. So be prepared and bring a small portable tire inflator tool with you. Keep it in a pouch or pack attached to your wheelchair, and you’ll be able to refill your tires if you need to, without having to interrupt your fun by traveling back to your vehicle to hook up to the car battery for air.

4. Quick Repair Kit of Parts

For even more convenience, consider packing some common quick repair tools and parts to take with you. For example, you can fit a spare wheelchair tube, wheelchair forks and axles, tire tools, and bead jacks.

5. Packs and Pouches

There are a variety of packs and pouches that can be attached in different places on your wheelchair. This gives you the freedom to customize what you carry and where you carry it. Factor in what’s most accessible for you; what you need to reach frequently, and what you may not need as often.

There are strap-on packs that loop onto the back of your wheelchair. There are open trays made of polyester and netting that can suspend out of the way and under your seat.

Some bags have quick release buckles and carrying handles to take the bag with you when you’re not using your wheelchair.

And what about those moments when you’re sitting around the campfire, or fishing from the shoreline? You’re not moving and may want to have a drink within reach. There are many universal cup holders that you can buy. They typically attach to the wheelchair frame in a way that works best for you. Remember, customized to your unique set-up.

The rain need not be a bother either. There are umbrellas that have clamp mount brackets designed to attach to wheelchairs. Pack one of these for your trip outdoors, and you’ll be ready to snap it on in minutes if the clouds open up with the rain. Your arms and hands will remain free to maneuver your chair, drink from your cup holder, hold your fishing pole, or dig a snack from your carry-on pouch or bag.

If you enjoy the outdoors and all the beauty that Fall weather brings, you can absolutely get outside. Experience nature with the right equipment and accessories.

Types of Wheelchair Accessories

There are many types of wheelchair accessories that can help make the user’s experience more comfortable and convenient, and even safer.

Types of Wheelchair Accessories for Storage

Many accessories provide more creative ways to store your personal belongings on the go while riding in the wheelchair.

For example, tote bags for manually driven wheelchairs are a popular method for storage convenience. Tote bags have variations for how and where they are mounted on the chair.

There are bags that mount on the back, and some that mount on the arms.

Some features to look for include weather and water-resistance, multiple pockets and/or dividers that help keep items organized, handles, and quick-release clasps that enable you to remove the bag easily from the chair for further mobility.

Additionally, some available features are fleece-lined pockets and zip enclosures.

There are also storage bags for the chairs themselves. There are suitcases that fit collapsable wheelchairs, and the cases have handles and casters so that they can be easily dragged along.

There are shelves that attach under the wheelchair seat, and there are specialized pouches designed to snugly and safely hold an oxygen tank, or a set of crutches, or a cane.

Types of Wheelchair Accessories for Convenience

In the “convenience” category, I would include the lap tray. There are many types with slight variations. Basically, a lap tray is a tray that resembles a tablet arm, similar to the mini-desk surfaces at which high school and college students sit.

Another way to think of these trays is to imagine an airline tray.

The trays are useful for a person in a wheelchair to set down some food or a cup or rest an iPad or a book.

There are also grip pads that you can set down on top of the lap tray surface. These grip pads create a non-slip surface so that items set on them will have a better chance of staying in place.

Cup holders, made specifically for wheelchairs, can be attached to the trays or the arms, to keep those drinks safely contained during movement.

Types of Wheelchair Accessories for Comfort

Want to make your wheelchair more comfortable? You can shop for comfort cushions that either line both the seat and the back, or just the seat, or just the back.

There are cushions designed to place the user in a more comfortable and more ergonomic position, called “positioning cushions”.

Pressure ulcers are a big concern for people confined to a wheelchair for long periods. There are specially treated seat cushions treated with materials to help reduce the chance of the skin breaking down from friction and heat.

There are cushions made of many materials, including air, foam, and gel. There are sheepskin linings available for that soft and fuzzy feeling.

In addition to back cushions, there are attachable back positioning cushions that look like small wings. They mount at the rear of the chair and keep the shoulders in place.

The comfort category is particularly expansive. Consider the feet and legs too when shopping for better comfort. There are positioners that attach to the wheelchairs standard leg braces that will keep one’s calves and heels secure.

If you are an amputee, there are swing-away attachments designed for your comfort too.

If you need to keep your knees or ankles at a 90-degree angle, there are elevation kits you can buy that will help you do so.

Types of Wheelchair Comfort for Safety

Many items are available to keep hands and arms protected from friction and chaffing, such as gloves and arm sleeves.

Seat belts can keep someone in place and prevent someone from falling out of the chair. Anti-rollback devices mounted to the back of the chair can prevent someone from tipping over backwards.

There are many types of covers and canopies for weather protection as well.

It’s worth a look to see what else is out there. Don’t assume that if you’ve got an issue, there isn’t a product or wheelchair accessory that couldn’t make your life better.