Comfortable Lightweight Wheelchairs

What Is a Manual Lightweight Wheelchair?

A manual wheelchair is a lightweight wheelchair without a motor. It is a wheelchair that can be self-propelled by the person sitting in the wheelchair by either pushing or pulling on the engaging the large rear wheels or by a caregiver pushing or pulling the chair when standing behind the chair.

How to buy a Lightweight Manual Wheelchair?

The best way to buy a lightweight manual wheelchair is to call one of our wheelchair specialists and we will walk you through the process from start to finish. However, there is no one way to buy a wheelchair:  some of our customers like to research wheelchairs online,  watch our videos on our website or on our YouTube channel and then place their order online. Other customers enjoy the advice of our wheelchair specialists who are live and ready to talk to you seven days a week on the phone. We also have a Live Chat to connect you to our wheelchair sales and customer service team if you prefer to text

Do all Lightweight Wheelchairs Fold? 

Yes, all wheelchairs fold, 90% of wheelchairs fold by pulling up on the center of the seat and opening by pressing down and out on the armrests. Performance chairs or rigid chairs fold too by folding down on the back of the seat and the tires pop-off for an extra snug fold and fit into tight spaces.

What is the difference between a Transport chair and a Lightweight Manual wheelchair? 

See our wheelchair buying guide for a detailed explanation. 

Transport wheelchairs: are defined by their small wheels and tend to be light -  under 25 lbs.  are great for small trips. (note: In a transport wheelchair the user cannot self propel) 

Manual wheelchairs: are wheelchairs with larger rear wheels. These chairs are for people who will be sitting in a wheelchair for more than 3 hours a day and want to self propel in their chair. The larger wheel makes it easier to push and will go over small obstacles easier than a transport wheelchair making it for a more comfortable ride. 

What are the different types of wheelchairs?

We organized our wheelchairs into six convenient categories: (Note: all our wheelchairs fold and ship fully assembled)

Transport Wheelchairs - these wheelchairs are for short trips outside the home. These wheelchairs are defined by their small wheels making them super lightweight, foldable, and super easy to lift in and out of a car when traveling Our most popular transport wheelchair is the Medline Ultralight Transport Chair that weighs only 15 lbs. And folds super compact.

Economy Standard Wheelchairs - These wheelchairs are your basic economy wheelchairs, priced at under $300, these are great basic wheelchairs and great for someone who is in a wheelchair for a short period of time. The only drawback is that they are kinda heavy weighing over 30 lbs. and may be difficult to lift into a car. Our most popular standard wheelchair is the Drive Blue Streak Wheelchair.

Lightweight Wheelchairs - By far our most popular category of wheelchairs. These chairs are for long term use and travel. They are defined by their lightweights, making them super easy to travel and lift in and out of your car, van, train, or airplane. Our most popular lightweight wheelchair is the Featherweight 13 lbs. Wheelchair making it the world’s lightest wheelchair weighing in at only 13 lbs. - the Featherweight wheelchair also folds super compact to fit into any trunk and most closets.

Heavy-Duty Wheelchairs - The wheelchairs in this category section is for people who need a wide seat and may weigh over 250 lbs. You will find that we have wheelchairs that have a capacity of up to 1000 lbs and 30” wide. These wheelchairs tend to be heavy (over 35 lbs.) to lift into a car. Our most popular heavy-duty wheelchair is our Featherweight Heavy Duty 19 lbs Extra Wide Wheelchair. Our customers love that this Wide wheelchair weighs only 19 lbs. an anomaly with heavy-duty wheelchairs.

Reclining Back Wheelchairs - These wheelchairs are for people who spend a long time in their wheelchairs and want or need to recline in their chair.

Rigid ultra-lightweight / performance wheelchairs - These wheelchairs are custom built for each customer. They are built like a racing bike in the sense that they are built to fit your body like a glove and the frame is constructed for maximum movement performance with each push of the rear wheels. These chairs are optimum for users that self-propel and use their chairs all day especially outdoors. These chairs start at $1,200 and increase as you add more features. 

Does Medicare Pay for wheelchairs?

Medicare will pay for 80% of a wheelchair’s cost if you meet Medicare’s “medical necessity” regulations. Medicare will choose a wheelchair for you, you will not have a choice which chair you receive. Call 1800MEDICARE to see if you are eligible for Medicare to reimburse you for your wheelchair (If approved Medicare will pay up to 80%.  We do not accept Medicare or any Insurance as payment. 

How do I choose the correct lightweight wheelchair size?

The easiest way to measure your wheelchair seat is by sitting on a measuring tape, measuring from hip to hip, and adding two inches, the total distance is your wheelchair seat width size. You can also measure from underneath your knee to the back of your buttocks and minus an inch -  and that is your seat depth 

When Is a wheelchair considered lightweight?

We consider a lightweight wheelchair when it’s under 25 lbs. And a transport chair should be under 19 lbs. Of course, the most important reason to have a light wheelchair is so it can be lifted in and out of a car or bus so  If you will be using your wheelchair for travel we recommend, you consider what weight you can lift. 

What is the Best Folding Wheelchair?

Our all-time best folding wheelchair for adults is the Featherweight 13 lbs wheelchair. It is the world’s lightest wheelchair and our customers love it because anyone can lift it in and out of a car - even grandma! 

What’s the deal with wheelchair leg-rests?

There are two types of leg-rests: (Note: all leg-rests are removable) 

• Footrests -  these are footplates that allow the user to rest their feet. The footplate flips up and down for easy entrance into the wheelchair (all footrests can swing away and are removable)  
• Elevating leg-rests are legrests that elevate up to 90° (degrees) for people who need to extend their legs. All elevating leg rests also swing-away and hooks on and off very easily.

Why do I need a wheelchair cushion?

Wheelchairs are super uncomfortable because the seat and back are made from soft, loose fabric, which allows the wheelchair to fold, but it makes for an uncomfortable sag seat that will put pressure on your butt and block the natural flow of blood thus creating bedsores when sitting in a wheelchair for an extended period of time a wheelchair. 

Which Accessories should I buy with a wheelchair?

Wheelchair Cushion - for comfort and to avoid bed sores 

Wheelchair carry bag - to carry personal belongings 

Wheelchair cup holder - to hold your coffee, water, or drink 

Wheelchair cell phone holder - to carry your mobile phone

Are wheelchairs returnable?

Yes! 90% of our wheelchairs are returnable within 30 days if your wheelchair is in clean condition and in the original packaging  (some may have a small restocking fee)  See individual wheelchairs return policy. Only our custom made to order chairs such as the Quickie and TiLite wheelchair brands is non-refundable as they are custom-tailored to you, the customer.

What if my wheelchair breaks? 

At 1800wheelchair we take care of our customers and their products pre and post-sale. If you have any issues or needs for parts or are under warranty call us at 1-800-320-140 and reach out to our technicians and we will have your wheelchair back to working condition as fast as possible.