Perfect!
My dad lives in Wisconsin, but he has his doctors in Chicago Illinois.He requires a wheelchair to get from the parking garage to his doctors high-rise office.
Getting to Chicago is harrowing enough, but after a two hour trip down, we'd have to track down the building's concierge and beg for a broken down wheelchair that is too wide to get through the office halls.I finally had enough of the begging, and the waiting, and the fumbling involved for a ratty old wheelchair.I wanted a transport chair because not only do they transport patients easily, but they transport themselve by being able to be thrown into the trunk of car.
The Comet 330 folds up and down (the back folds backwards and then the wheelchair sides fold together) in a snap.The 19 pound aluminum frame fits nicely into the trunk.The footrests are easy to take on and off, but we still get them mixed up from time to time (open the foot rests before trying to match the pegs make sure the open end is pointing inward, then swing them out 180 degrees from where they will lock into place, match the pegs and holes, swing the footrest back to its front position until it locks in place).
The handbrakes make it so easy for the person pushing the wheelchair. Short stops or going up and down in the elevator are no longer awkward moments of bending over and looking for short wheel locks.
There are two fixed foot pedals on the back near the rear wheels.Those are for leverage in going over small thresholds or bumpy floor mouldings (for the person pushing the chair). The larger rear wheels make steering and moving the Comet a breeze, not to mention a nice smooth ride for the passenger.
The rear wheel brakes have a decent length on their handles.Easy and solid to lock.The footrests swing outward with a touch of a lever.The patient/passenger has an easy exit/entrance to the chair without a wobble.
My dad loves his Comet 330.He called me a spendthrift and what not for ordering the chair (before the chair arrived).He now will not go anywhere without it, including the hospital.He wants his chair.He loves the size and says that it is ten times more comfortable than the wheelchairs at the doctor's office or hospital.
As a matter of fact, one of dad's doctors called me and wanted to know where I got it.He ordered one for his office.Another patient's wife saw my cousin taking the chair out of the trunk and demanded that we call her back, collect, on where and how to buy the chair (as soon as we returned home to Wisconsin).People were freely giving out their private phone numbers to us, so they, too, could own this chair.
I ordered this chair through Allegro.They have the best price on the internet or elsewhere...by far.Some places were charging as much as $429.00 for this chair.Believe me, it's worth $429.00, so get it at $225.00 while you can.
We are within 150 miles of an Allegro distribution center(they have many). I ordered this item on the internet on a Sunday night and it was at our door, early, the following Tuesday morning, WITH NO SHIPPING CHARGE.In all fairness, I have read comments on many sites, including Amazon, where delivery did not come that swiftly from Allegro.Some have had a great experience with Allegro, some have not.I have had a great experience with Allegro and I will continue to order products from them either through Amazon or at their website.
One more tip, if you order this wheelchair from Amazon/Allegro, I recommend the Quickie Wheelchair Backpack at Allegro.We ordered the EZ Wheelchair storage/tote thingamajig from another wheelchair distributor.A strap had to go along the wheelchair back and loops had to be adjusted ... it was a pain to put on and uncomfortable for my dad.Allegro is the only place (I have found) for the Quickie Wheelchair Backpack. It is somewhere around $43.00 to $49.00 dollars, about ten dollars more than the EZ backpack unit.The Quickie slips a loop over each handle bar, that's it.Easier than EZ. The backpack holds my dad's portable oxygen, sodas, and whatever essentials we deem essential for his trips.Save youself some agony, spend the extra money on the Quickie.***
*** Since my review, Quickie Backpack has changed.Whether the "new and improved" backpack is as easy to attach, to a wheelchair, as the original...is beyond the scope of my experience. The main shape of the backpack has not changed, and it is still far better than a rectangular shaped bag for holding whatever the passenger of the wheelchair my need.
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NOVA 330 Lightweight Transport Chair with Hand Brakes and 12" Rear Wheels, 19"Product Description: Our NOVA 330B, 19" Transport Chair is designed to provide easy, lightweight patient transport.12" rear wheels provide a more comfortable ride.It has a Back Pocket with Velcro Cover and Contoured rear push handles for added comfort.The comfortable padded upholstery and arm pads are reinforced to prevent stretching or ripping.Hand Brakes provide optimum safety and control.For added safety a seat belt is included and each chair is equipped with locking rear wheels.The lightweight aluminum frame (24lbs.) makes loading easier.The quick-release, fold-down back allows the chair to fit compactly into small areas.It has fixed full-length arms and non-skid footplates with heel loops.All chairs have removable swing-away footrests and a limited lifetime warranty on the frame.
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When you are sitting in a wheelchair all day this cushion is great. As long as one is sitting and not having to get up or down. It needs someway to attach to the chair so that it stays put when trying to sit down. It has a tendency to slide back or to one side or the other. The outer covering could be made of a less clingy fabric so that it stays put. You just have to fidget with it too much.
