I’m looking for a scooter suitable for a sandy beach, or soft, ‘beach buggy’ type wheels I can fit to my existing pavement scooter. I can’t be alone in really enjoying sandy beaches, but most wheelchairs and mobility scooters have wheels totally unsuitable for that environment. Lifeguards sometimes have a ‘beach buggy’ type vehicle, so they must be available somewhere.
I’m a Secondary Progressive MS sufferer and can no longer cope with beaches without some type of buggy, and although all types exist for mud and tarmac, I’ve been unable to find wheels suitable for a sandy or stony beach - so far; any help much appreciated.
There are beach wheelchairs. when we last holidayed together (Great Yarmouth 2011), their Tourist Information Centre had them for free loan - you just roll up in your chair and they keep that while you have the beach chair. You must be able to self transfer though (or with the assistance of someone with you). They’re not the easiest of things to manoevre, but did allow my husband to go on the beach with the little people for the couple of days that he felt up for it. (their tourist information centre is just over the road from the beach, with wide concrete ramps to actually get on the beach)
Forgot to say - these aren’t electric chairs, they are manual so you’ll need someone to push you (but I did it at 8st nothing, with the little people in tow who were 3 and 7)
Aye Oop,I applaud your desire to get onto the beach.Unless you weigh less than a couple of stone I can’t see it happening,unless the Tramper Owners Club tell me to shut my yap.The pressure the buggy exerts on the ground is high,but the size of tyre required to spread the pressure will be whopping.Even if you could find a big enough wheel and tyre there would be no steering and it would have to be much higher than it is now.If my numbers come up I’ll be right onto the problem.
If tou saw the Top Gear episode in which the resident clowns built mobility scooter things, the one with the tracks would do the job.
Yes - Wb - but it was the Tramper scooter that was the winner on Top Gear!!! l have been just about everywhere with mine but l haven’t tried a sandy beach. Works on quite deep snow!!This morning - after a couple of days of torrential rain - all lanes into the village are flooded. l came upon a few cars that were trying to turn back rather then chance the deep water. l ploughed through on my trusty Tramper - dogs diving in the deep-end. Behind me was a large truck and a Land Rover coming in the opposite direction. A cheer went up when l emerged out the other side. At least it washed some of the mud off my wheels.
A machine to get through sand - as Wb - says - would need wide tyres - and good ground clearance - something like a Quad Bike.
lt is a problem - not just for us disabled but for mums with pushchairs - on beaches. l live too far from the seaside to give it a try - but if l did live near the coast then l would certainly want a suitable scooter. Years ago - l did have a Pride Ranger - large scooter with very wide wheels - which l could imagine would be good on sand. They are used a lot in USA as Golf buggies. l think a lot of ‘googling’ is required to see what is available for loan at seasides.
Wow - thanks very much for all the helpful information. I’ll do some more research and let you know the outcome.
What I didn’t say was that this was the first time I’ve ever used or looked at the forums - but it certainly won’t be the last. What a good idea, and a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to us all!
I have a Tramper, I tried it on the beach this year ( the temptation was just to much lol), it is fine if the sand is a little damp but if it is very loose dry sand I am sure it will get stuck, I didn’t but possibly because I had a run up and only tried it once. So in conclusion even a four wheel Tramper is not the answer.
I saw someone in a wheelchair with very big wheels a few years ago in Newquay and have found something similar by doing an internet search. I also found that you can rent them in Tenby and I would guess there are more places that rent them out.
I saw those ‘balloon wheeled chairs’ in Falmouth a few years back and wanted the Lifeguard to push me down to the water with their quad bike. No chance…Elf and Silliness.