Many people rely on a wheelchair to assist them with everyday life. Whether you are unable to walk and require your wheelchair at all times or you only need to use it every now and then, it is still so important to ensure that when investing in a new wheelchair, you are choosing the best possible option available.
These days, lightweight folding wheelchairs are much more popular, due to their numerous benefits and their ability to make general life much easier for many. Of course, if you’ve never had a chair like this before then you may find navigating the vast selection to choose from quite difficult. To help anyone currently trying to choose the right lightweight folding wheelchair, our team here at Karma Mobility have put together a list of things to look for.
How the chair folds
Of course, the first thing to look for in a wheelchair like this is how it folds. You may find that different chairs fold in slightly different ways and even though they are lightweight so you shouldn’t have any issues in this regard, they might be fiddly or difficult to fold independently.
We would recommend that you always find out exactly how a lightweight folding wheelchair actually works before you invest. If you’re worried about this being an issue for you then, if it is possible, it may be worth visiting a showroom and trying to fold the chair before you purchase it. You can then relax knowing that this won’t be an issue when it arrives.
The wheel size
One of the next most important things to look out for is the wheel size of the chair. Whilst this may sound strange, by simply looking at the wheels you will automatically know whether the chair is able to be self-propelled or not, and this is a make or break factor for many.
If you plan on self-propelling your chair, make sure that you are able to comfortably reach the wheels too as they are often set at different heights of different lightweight folding wheelchairs. Also, when looking at the wheels on a chair, you should look into whether they will cause any issues when the chair is folded too.
All individual measurements
Of course, every chair will have its own set of measurements, always look at these. Not only are the measurements important for when the lightweight folding wheelchair is being used but you should also look at the measurements when it is folded too.
Every aspect of the wheelchair will have individual measurements as well. So, you need to look at these specifics too, such as the seat width and the back height. It is essential that your lightweight folding wheelchair is comfortable and safe, no matter how long you plan on being in it at one time.
Maximum weight limits
All wheelchairs will have a specific weight limit too and this is something else you will need to look at. Often, these limits aren’t too much of an issue, but you may find that due to the nature of the chair, they are lower or more strict on lightweight folding wheelchairs.
Thankfully, you can now get lightweight folding wheelchairs that have really high maximum user weights, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding a chair that is suitable. Whilst you’re looking into weight, it is also worthwhile looking at the overall weight of the chair too, especially if you plan on manoeuvring and lifting it yourself.
Are you looking to buy a lightweight folding wheelchair?
Hopefully, the list above can help you to ensure that you’re purchasing a wheelchair that meets all of your individual needs and requirements. There is such a vast range of lightweight folding wheelchairs on the market nowadays, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a chair that ticks all of your boxes.

We are proud to offer our customers a huge selection of lightweight wheelchairs that are all incredibly high quality and we are confident that you will find a product to meet your needs within our extensive range. If you do have any questions at all or you require some assistance choosing your wheelchair, please feel free to get in touch with our team today, and we will happily help you.