Drive Medical Cruiser III Lightweight Manual Wheelchair Review

The Cruiser III Lightweight Manual Wheelchair from Drive Medical is a well-built mobility aid suitable for those needing convenience, durability, and adjustability. Its 4.5-star overall rating indicates that this manual wheelchair has good maneuverability, comfortable features, and ease of use, making it a solid choice for those who need a reliable mobility solution.

Product Overview

Specifications

• Actual Product Weight: 41 lbs
• Weight Capacity: 350 lbs
• Closed Width: 12 inches
• Seat Width: 20 inches
• Seat Depth: 16-18 inches
• Seat to Floor Height: 17.5-19.5 inches
• Armrest to Floor Height: 27.5 inches
• Rear Wheels: 24×1 inches

Key Features

Lightweight & Portable:
Despite its weight capacity of 350 pounds, the Cruiser III weighs only 38 lbs whole, such that you can lift and handle it easily.

Maneuverability:
With Mag-style wheels, the wheelchair rides smoothly and navigates through most standard doorways effortlessly.

Adjustability:
Besides a 20-inch seat, this wheelchair has adjustable 8-inch front casters with three height settings. The dual axle design allows users to change to a lower seat height to meet hemi-level requirements.

Comfort & Design:
This model is durable and solid, constructed with a carbon steel frame and silver vein finish. The nylon padded seat is comfortable and cleans up easily.

Customized Arm & Leg Rests:
The flip-back removable full-length arms make it easier to get to a desk or table. Meanwhile, the swing-away footrests also add ease of entry and exit from the chair.

What Customers Love

The Positives

Light Yet Stable:
Users like its solid build, which combines durability with the ability to take it wherever they need to go. Most even say it folds up easily and fits into the car without too much hassle.

Smooth Ride & Easy to Maneuver:
Customers love how it slides smoothly indoors and fits through doorways effortlessly. It is also an easy jog through tight spaces.

Comfortable And Well-Designed:
Many users found the seat padding sufficient for long periods of sitting. The flip-back arms with swing-away footrests make transferring in and out easier.

Excellent for Occasional Needs & On The Go:
Some users use it for doctor’s appointments, traveling, and visits, and they and they praise its reliability.  One user replaced an old wheelchair of 10 years with this model and was impressed at how well it held up compared to his old chair.

Simple to Assemble & Store:
Most users report that the chair arrives almost completely assembled, requiring only the footrests to be inserted. It folds down to a compact size, which makes packing up a snap.

Responsible Customer Service:
When one user was missing screws needed for the seat rail extensions, Drive Medical quickly sent him replacements, and they arrived within two days.

Areas of Improvement

Back Support Could Be Better:
The backrest isn’t as comfortable for long-term use, though.

Not ideal for Rough Surfaces:
The wheelchair glides around smoothly on wooden or tiled floors, but some users find it hard going pushing across carpets, bits of sidewalk or uneven terrain.

Narrow Front Wheels May Get Stuck:
One problem that some users had is that the front wheels get caught in cracks or on uneven surfaces, making outdoor navigation a little more difficult.

No Return Policy: Some users were disappointed to discover that the wheelchair was nonreturnable, meaning they had no choice but to buy and keep it even if it didn’t suit their needs.

Not Recommended for Heavy Daily Use: While good for occasional use, some people found it not good over time. It wouldn’t make good seating at all, so you might want just a chair with casters instead if this aspect is important to you.

Would you buy this wheelchair? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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