Please note, this is not my typical wheelchair review! I trialled both chairs for just one hour on a steep hill in my local area.
Product Name: Whill f
Price: Visit tiga Whill directly.
Why you should trust my review:
(This blog post is not paid, all opinions are my own)
initial thoughts:
On Brightons Hills particularly, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with how well it coped but I did tip up a couple of times (although I never fell out) and I’d worry if you were lighter than me you’d tip more..
First I tried the Whill F. I had high hopes for this model after a few recommendations and watching lots of videos but unfortunately I think it still has a few teething problems, however that being said if they were fixed I think this could be a good contender for a foldable power chair.
During the trial, the cable got stuck underneath the seat in the folding system when they were doing the demonstration and it became worn & snapped, it made me wonder whether this would become a regular fault or if this was a one off with the chair. All power cut out in the middle of the road (on the flat) and had I had no one with me I would’ve been stranded!! Similarly down hill it did lean to the left slightly. Perhaps if someone slightly lighter than me were sat on it, it might not have done this so much, however I would worry that someone lighter than me may flip up on it.
Why I'm using the product:
So I’ve been looking for a second chair to take travelling with me (lol as if I don’t spend most my days in bed rn) anyway… so I need something that is portable and easy to just get on and go and take on all sorts of transport- particularly a plane. The chronic explorer on instagram suggested I tried the Whill F by TGA, a little while back I had the opportunity to try both the Whill F model and Whill C2 so here are my thoughts…
Comfort:
The ergonomic style joystick on both chairs fits in your palm really nicely, compared to a normal style joystick this could be great for a whole range of disabilities, I’d love to see this style joystick more readily available, although I’m sure it’s patented. I'd personally opt for this joystick over other styles.
Appearance:
The blue was such a nice shade and would most definitely be the colour I would go for, although I did love the white too.
Comparison to others on the market:
Incredibly comfortable compared to others of similar style on the market.It folds in a similar style and its in the car very well. I was pleasantly surprised.
Who is this product best for:
I feel this would make a great wheelchair for someone who lives in a flat city or town and intends to use this mainly for office use or inside shopping malls, it could be great for an elderly person who struggles walking distances or a younger person who is an ambulatory wheelchair user and needs a chair for days out. I would say it is a primarily indoor use chair from my own experience using it on different terrains outside.
overall?
Having tried many a similar style I do feel it ranks quite highly against others. I’ve measured this against my own specific criteria which I looked for in a folding power chair. The way it folded up would be great for storing in small flats, smaller car footwells and boots and for flights compared to the Whill C2.
Portability - How small does it fold up? How lightweight is it?
Stability
Comfort
Ability to Climb Hills
Battery Life (Something I could not consider on a short trial)
Faff factor?
During the trial, the cable got stuck underneath the seat in the folding system when they were doing the demonstration and it became worn & snapped, it made me wonder whether this would become a regular fault or if this was a one off with the chair. All power cut out in the middle of the road (on the flat) and had I had no one with me I would’ve been stranded!! Similarly down hill it did lean to the left slightly.
Perhaps if someone slightly lighter than me were sat on it, it might not have done this so much, however I would worry that someone lighter than me may flip up on it.
Now the technology on both chairs was top of the range- it really could not be faulted. The app that accompanies both chairs is great and a really innovative design.
Whill C2
I was actually pleasantly surprised with this. Now I was expecting it to be a lot more clunky but it was actually very smooth, it feels like a great cross between a scooter and a powered wheelchair but also looks incredibly stylish.
I absolutely love that you can steer both the whill models with an app, I think this is a great opportunity particularly as an attendant control alternative for carers.
Appearance
The look of the chair was sleek. I liked that it comes apart, it seemed to cope better than I thought going up hill, although at points it sounded like the motor was working hard it didn’t seem to struggle too much physically to get up a very steep incline.
It It felt much more like I was sat in the chair than sat on the chair which was great therefore I felt much more secure and comfortable.
Comfort
It felt more stable than the F and more like a mobility scooter, however as someone who suffers with back issues I think long periods of time in this chair I may need to stand & stretch as it does offer little support as I was conscious not to lean back- incase it tipped up- however the chair was not set up to the correct height for me and therefore this could have helped.
Someone who may need more support on their back and neck for example it would be nice to see alternative seating options or adaptations like some other companies offer such as an additional headrest or cushions.
What problems does it solve?
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with its ability to get you from a-b with a bit of power. It's stylish and builds the gap between mobility scooter and wheelchair.
overall
Occasionally when going downhill it did lean to the left & skid however, the wheels were much better than other chairs I have had in the past at controlling this and I did not tip and the chair was able to settle itself. The one thing that would sway me against a chair like this is that they are not able to be customisable in terms of seating measurements, cushions, armrest adaptations if my disability deteriorates further.
Comparison?
So the main difference between the two would be the folding mechanism, the wheels and the user weight. Below I have added all the details.
Whill f 780mm turning radius and 20km with 6km/h with 5 hours to charge and 115kg max user weight
Whill C2 has a turning radius of 760mm due to … is 18km 6km hour 136kg max user weight 5 hours to charge. Omni wheels.
Overall
My favourite was probably the c2.
Comentarios