ByACRE Rollator: The Essential Mobility Aid For Senior Travelers (Review)
When my husband, Jerry, walks outside with his ByACRE rollator, some people look at it in wonder. A few are gutsy enough to ask, “What is that?”
“It’s my Porsche,” my husband typically replies.
While his answer might seem purely emotional, Porsche is actually known for combining precision engineering with everyday practicality. The cars can handle rugged off-road racing and also ferry kids to after-school activities. The company’s motto: There is no substitute.
My husband feels the same about his ByAcre rollator: There is no substitute.
Why Buy A Better Rollator?
A walker is generally called a rollator when it has four wheels, so it doesn’t have to be lifted off the ground to get from place to place. They typically also have handle breaks and a seat that allows the user to stop and rest wherever they are.
Several months ago, Jerry complained to his cardiologist about being unable to walk long distances without becoming fatigued. He also said that this was causing him to walk less frequently. The doctor pointed out that this could be a vicious cycle. The less you walk, the less able you are to walk.
He suggested Jerry try using a rollator to increase distance and wrote a prescription for a “Medicare walker.” (Medicare Part B generally covers 80% of the cost of Durable Medical Equipment for eligible patients.) The price was certainly right.
We took it out for test runs several times, and the four-wheeled walker, while economical, felt flimsy and not very supportive. It vibrated over rough patches of sidewalk and didn’t enhance his sense of security or ability to walk.
Finding the Right Rollator
Before investing in a premium product, we did copious online research. Because we often travel and like to walk outdoors, we decided to order a byACRE Carbon Ultralight Rollator, which might be considered the top of the line.
Factors That Drove Our Decision to Purchase a ByACRE Rollator
These are the reasons that factored into our choice of this mobility aid:
Weight
We knew we wanted something compact and light. ByAcre advertises itself as the “world’s lightest carbon rollator,” weighing in at 10.6 pounds. A standard rollator generally weighs 15 pounds or more.
Weight really matters when a senior is lifting a rollator in and out of a car or taking it on a trip.
Intelligent Engineering
The rollator not only looks great but performs flawlessly.
Folding it is also quick and easy; you don’t have to worry about trapping your finger in the frame. You simply lift the canvas seat in its middle to collapse the walker. Then use a convenient elastic tie attached to it to keep it closed.
The brake cables are discreetly hidden so they don’t get in your way. Its compact design makes it easy to place in the trunk of our mid-size car.
One unique feature is the “curb lifter” near the wheels, which lets you easily navigate curbs by placing your foot on the lifter as you go up the curb from the street.
Suitability for Indoor/Outdoor Use
We never know where we’ll wind up, so we wanted a rollator that works on different indoor and outdoor terrains. In the few short months we have had it, ours has proven invaluable for walking long passageways from the bow to the stern of a cruise ship and up the elevated hills on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
We also use it closer to home on the unpaved paths around the lake at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. The thick 1.5” wheels absorb shocks and allow it to effortlessly go over rocks and bumps in the road.
Comfort of Use
Jerry finds the handgrips comfortable, loves the rollator’s stability, and likes having a comfortable seat to rest on when no benches are available. The height of the handles is also fully adjustable to ensure good posture.
The rollator also comes in different sizes to accommodate different body weights and physiques.
Ease of Return
We weren’t able to find the walker locally, so we wanted to make sure our purchase was eligible for return. Although it an be purchased from the manufacturer, buying it from Amazon assured us that a return would be easy.
(We also liked the fact that it was delivered fully assembled.)
ByACRE Rollator: An Enabler
Probably most importantly, it has allowed my husband to walk greater distances—comfortably and confidently. It comes in a range of attractive colors (Jerry’s is a champagne beige), and its sleek design makes it look like a Porsche rather than “durable medical equipment.
“It lets me go wherever I want to go,” he says. “I feel so secure with the ByACRE rollator that I can enjoy the beauty around me, rather than watching the walker.”
TIP: Get a Travel Bag
After we decided this was a keeper, we purchased a ByACRE travel bag for our vehicle from the same manufacturer. Although the bag is attractive and sturdy very useful to travel (especially by air), fitting the rollator in the bag can be a bit clumsy at first and takes some practice. (By the way, the rollator isn’t counted as baggage because it is a mobility device.)
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However, More Time to Travel participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This means the blog earns a small commission on purchases made through its Amazon links at no extra cost to you.
