Power add-on that attaches to the rear of the wheelchair frame. Lightweight and can be easily removed to turn the wheelchair back to a manual chair.
After experiencing several issues with the SmartDrive, I switched to the SMOOV. I think both devices have their pros and cons, and they are often compared as two power add-ons with similar features, which also attach in the same way to the wheelchair.
I find the SMOOV controller on the frame a lot easier to use than the SmartDrive’s watch. A huge benefit for me is that the SMOOV can both decrease and increase speed; with the Smartdrive, you have to stop and restart if you want to go slower. The app initially had some compatibility problems with iOS, but now that this is fixed I have managed to set up the SMOOV exactly as I want. There are a lot of speed/acceleration settings that can be customised, which is good as everyone has different needs. The SMOOV can go upto 10km/h, but personally I find this a little bit fast, even with an off-road front wheel, so I have limited mine to 7. The range on it is very good; I easily cover 13-15 km on a single charge.
The SMOOV does not work great on grass or rough surfaces (there’s not enough grip), but the good thing is that you can easily turn it off and use the chair manually. Another downside is that the wheel is not free-spinning, and in small, tight spaces, this can be tricky as the chair is hard to push when the wheel is in the wrong way round. Therefore, I always have to take the SMOOV off my wheelchair when I come home. But it is easy to remove and put into a car, which keeps the chair lightweight.
