Tag: products

Use a camera bag to hold your wallet, cell, & more

youshouldgoanyway

One of the first questions I had when I started using a wheelchair was “What the hell am I supposed to do with my wallet?”

I tried putting it in the front pocket of my pants, but that was uncomfortable and difficult to access. I tried putting it in the pocket of my wheelchair but I felt like it could easily fall out unnoticed. Then I had to also deal with a cell phone and it required a better solution anyway.

Thats when I tried a small camera bag — specifically the Lowepro Ridge 60. I know you can attach various bags and what-not to your wheelchair but I really didn’t want to have to dig underneath or behind every time I needed something.

So I picked up the camera bag after seeing it at a store and thought it might work. It was a great decision. I have had the same one for almost five years now and was recently looking to replace it with a new one — maybe a different one. But I decided that there was nothing about it that I didn’t like so I re-upped with a fresh version of the same model.

I love it for several reasons:

  1. It’s small enough not to get in the way but big enough to notice if you drop it.
  2. It holds a lot. I can get my wallet, phone, and either iPod or camera in there plus change, receipts, etc.
  3. It has two extra pockets — one small one that zips and one larger one that velcros shut.
  4. It’s inexpensive at around $12.
  5. It travels well — great for planes since you can keep it on your lap at takeoff.
  6. You can quickly throw change & receipts in it after checking out at the store.
  7. It fits nicely on your lap when used in conjunction with the leg strap I use.

The only negative is the occasional teasing by friends and family about my “purse” or “manbag” but the easy comeback is to say, “Well where the hell would YOU put all this crap if you were in a wheelchair?!?” They usually can’t come up with an answer. Then I say, “Well I can think of a place you can put it!”

If you’re struggling for a solution to how to deal with all the “stuff” when riding around in a wheelchair, I highly recommend the Lowepro Ridge 60 or any other small camera bag that you can find to use.

How to find a cheap wheelchair

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I have yet to get a wheelchair through insurance. First of all, my insurance wouldn’t approve the chair I wanted with the features I needed. Second, the deductible on my insurance is actually more than I’ve seen some used wheelchairs for and more than what I paid for my current wheelchair. So far I actually have been lucky enough to find cheap wheelchairs a couple times in a couple different places.

If you know exactly what wheelchair you want — make, model, features — then it can be easier to search for the type of wheelchair you want and get a used one for much much cheaper than new. In my experience the used wheelchair market is about 10-20% or less of new cost for a wheelchair that is slightly used. Also many people usually give you the chargers and any other equipment that might have gone with it because they have no idea what these things cost.

The first wheelchair I got was actually a demo model that the vendor was trying to get rid of for cheap. Just like a vehicle that has been around the block a few times, demo wheelchairs can be sold for much less than the original selling price. The advantage to getting a demo wheelchair is that it is cheaper than new and has likely been taken care of by the vendor. However it can still be a pricey way to get a wheelchair.

My first recommendation is to look on Craigslist.org in your area. Do a quick search for “wheelchair” in your area under the entire “For sale” category and see what comes up. I tend to monitor my area for the type of chair I am currently using so that if I find one come up for cheap I can snag it and use it as a backup, keep it for parts, or use it if my current chair ever fails completely.  I bought my current chair from someone advertising on Craigslist an hour away. New, my chair would cost $7500. I got this one for $300 and he threw in a manual chair for free.

Second, check out eBay. You can set up a regular search and check to see if your wheelchair comes up in auction or Buy It Now. Usually the chair is not in your area and it seems as though most people are reluctant to ship wheelchairs across the country because it can be cost prohibitive or a hassle. I actually do not recommend buying a wheelchair off eBay unless you are able to check it out in person and make sure it works. I have had luck with buying wheelchair parts unseen on eBay but would probably not buy a wheelchair unless I saw it first.

Lastly, check rummage sale listings and auctions in your area. I have seen wheelchairs come up at estate auctions quite often. One time a nice Quantum chair went for around $200. Usually at these things people have no interest in buying wheelchairs so you can find a cheap wheelchair if you keep your eyes out.

Overall I think patience is the top thing to keep when looking for a cheap wheelchair. But you never know when the one you want might come up, so you can’t give up. I usually like to check both Craigslist and eBay whenever I am on a road trip to see if there are any cheap wheelchairs in the area I am driving through.

One caveat to keep in mind. If you have particular mobility needs or positioning requirements, make absolutely sure you get your new (used) wheelchair checked out and tuned up by a professional. You do not want to sacrifice your health simply to save money on a cheap wheelchair.

Good luck on your search for a cheap wheelchair! I know you’ll find one eventually if you keep your eyes open.

Weight belt as a leg strap

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One of my biggest pet peeves once I started to use a wheelchair was that my knees and parts of my legs would always rub against the footrests because they’d always want to push apart. I discovered the knee pad attachments for a wheelchair can run around $600 and make your chair look even bulkier than it already is.

I solved this problem by starting to use a weight belt as a leg strap and it worked amazingly! I particularly recommend the Altus weight belt because it’s very thin and has a lot of velcro so it stays very secure.

Aside from solving the initial problem I discovered that using a weight belt as a leg strap had some added benefits:

1. When driving it made it much easier to move my leg from the gas to the brake.
2. When getting into bed, I can take the strap off my legs and then use it to pull my foot up into bed.
3. When showering I can use the strap to pull my foot over a bath tub ledge.

Typically one of these belts will last anywhere from 12-18 months for me. The only issue is that the velcro starts to accumulate lint or other things that make it slightly less effective. I do recommend having an extra strap on hand just in case you lose your first one or something happens to the main one you are using.

Find the Altus weight belt now

Reacher

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Reacher
A reacher tool

One of the most helpful products I have ever used is a reacher tool. Also called a reacher or reacher grabber this tool was helpful when I was walking and is helpful now that I use a wheelchair.

Once I had trouble standing back up after bending over, a relative of mine got me a golden retriever reacher. This was so helpful for picking up things I would drop or picking up clothes off the floor or getting things out of the dryer. It made life so much easier.

I’ve used several different types of reachers and reacher tools and many of them are great. Some, not so much. So check out the links above to find some reacher reviews and recommendations.

In any case a great reacher can make independent living much more pleasant and definitely possible.