Trekinetic GTE – Powered Wheelchair

It’s recommended you go for the Ni-MH battery as it has a longer range (3-5 hours) and is safe to travel with, unlike the Li-ion battery. Although I don’t see the preferred option lasting that long, because I regularly go out for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to a dry dirt track with a couple of wet/muddy areas and the rest is paved, and it drops my battery down to 30% which I found very disappointing if I’m honest. So, I would recommend buying two batteries if you’re going to be spending a lot of time on uneven terrains. Even on a normal day, which involves taking the dog for an hour long walk on a fully paved path, going down to the supermarket about 7 minutes away, coming back and using the chair all day until bedtime, the battery reduces to about 45%. That doesn’t mean to say you can’t get more hours out of the battery, it just depends on what your day looks like and the terrains you go over. I also haven’t removed the battery by myself from the chair, as it’s pretty low down so would be a struggle. But luckily it seems easy for others to take it out of the splash-proof box, with a magnetic lid.

I really like how the tilt in space mechanism allows you to recline the chair back, as unless you are inside the footplate catches easily, especially when going downhill. The only problem is that I need help reclining the chair, meaning I must decide in advance what position I need the chair to be left in. Although I recently found out that Trekinetic can add an easier alternative to the chair for around £400 plus £95 for the fitting, which personally seems quite expensive considering you’ve already spent so much on the chair itself.

I also wish I had chosen a more padded backrest and armrests, as I’ve had to add some padding and Jay Active seat cushion. But again, these features add a lot of cost to an already expensive purchase, so you must assess what’s vital and what you can go without. One optional feature I had no choice but to purchase was a headrest. Whilst testing driving a chair without one, I realised I would not manage to go about my everyday life. So, I recommend trying it for yourself to see how it feels before purchasing, even if you don’t normally use one it might be worthwhile seeing as this chair can go over very different/uneven terrains.

Folding the chair to fit in my Jaguar E Pace is something most powerchairs cannot do! It was for this reason that I looked at the chair in the first place, as I needed the folding push handles to be able to close the car boot. Incredibly both the entire chair and the removable front wheels fit in! Although I can’t independently fold/lift the chair, it makes life SO much easier for others to help me.

I think my favourite feature is the fact that Trekinetic not only made a fully operational powerchair but also one that can be switched in manual mode! You simply flip the levers beside the front wheels to change it from power to manual and back again, which is great if the battery was to run out or if I needed a break. It’s also extremely lightweight, so moves easily which it’s amazing!

Despite the cost associated with the additional features mentioned above, I am extremely grateful to have a chair that allows me to see and access the world in a totally different way. Thank you Trekinetic – we certainly need more designers and engineers to think as you do, as it would create a more accessible world!