Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Forcemech Voyager - Ultra Portable Folding Power Wheelchair - Airplane and Cruise Travel Approved (VGR One)

Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2019

Bought this for my 7.5 year old son who has CP. Exceeded my expectations. We have had a powered chair from insurance that costs over 12k, but it was such a pain that I have to only use it manually. This one I had for only one day but both me and the kid love it!!!

Pros:
1. Very compact design. It is adult-size, but it also works for a big kid (7-8 years old). I was worried a bit before I tried it. His feet can not reach the panel but we used some alternatives.
2. Very easy to fold and unfold. This would be useful in air travel.
3. Very easy to maneuver. My son quickly learned to drive it. And it was such a pleasant to drive. It was so compact that we did not have any trouble going through anything. The chair has almost no turning radius, and once you stop push the stick, the chair stops instantly, make it really safe. It also felt safe going down hill. Our driveway is kinda steep but the chair handled it well.
4. Very easy to switch between manual and auto mode. That little flip works like a charm.
5. Light weight. About the same weight as a manual chair.
6. Battery inside the bar. That design was genius. Our old power chair has a battery that hangs under the chair which make me constantly worried when there is water on the road.

Cons:
1. The chair can not handle bumps. We have about 2 inch bump between garage and the driveway, the power mode can not go through it.

2. The back wheels are heavy. Though it is light for a power chair, the weight of this chair is not evenly distributed. Most weight is concentrated on the back wheels (has motor). So I can only lift the chair onto the back of my van when I found a good angle to have my hands closest to the back wheel. I am sturdy-built female (5’4”).

But overall, I am very happy with the purchase. Wish I had bought it before so we did not waste all that insurance money.

7 people found this helpful

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liz980

its worked fine and it folds for my light traveling needs

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2017

Verified Purchase

I used to have a manual folding wheelchair, its worked fine and it folds for my light traveling needs. Recently I saw someone driving around one of the these folding electric wheelchairs and started looking at many of the models and offering between several manufactures online, I called and talked to these dealers and I have to say Forcemech’s guys are very caring and honest about their offerings. They recommended the Voyager R2, said it is their newest offering in their product line that would fit my needs. Btw I am a lady of 140lbs and 5’7.
I am very happy I made that decision, the Chair compared to my old manual chair is like a beast, it is very well made and sturdy the seating area is roomy and seat cushion is comfortable. I could go around my house and the surrounding grounds without any issues, even on occasional trip on gravel path, does not do well on lawn but their support made that clear before I got the chair. The chair design is an eye-catcher and I received a lot of comments driving it around and I was a little surprised with all the attention its getting. I took the chair on airplane trip with AA and it went without any issue with the airline, I imagine the other airlines would accommodate the chair without much issue as well.
The chair’s joystick control is very sensitive, there are several levels of speed you can adjust. When inside my house I was running into the walls and door frames at first, take about a week to get used to it. The top speed is like the speed of a light jogging, as my caretaker could catch up with ease. She can push the chair around by switching to the non-electric mode as well, handy for when battery runs out, though I have not encountered such event yet, I normally leave the chair charging overnight and it always have enough juice for the day.
I would also like to highlight that their customer support is simply outstanding. I am very careful when making new purchases and specially something expensive, there were a lot of emails and calls to them and they always answered quickly and friendly. I called them once at 9PM on Sunday, they got people answering the phone and help me with my questions, they treat their customer right and I hope they continue to do so in the future.
Over all a very good product and excellent support team, bravo!

183 people found this helpful

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Jerald Hutchins

Voyager R2 Very Maneuverable

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2020

Verified Purchase

Have had it for 2 months now and love, love, love the Voyager R2. Seems to be well constructed, attractive and agile. It is narrow and fits through all of the doors in my home and I even went outside on my gravel back yard here in Phoenix for the first time in a year. The reason I only gave it four stars instead of five is because I cannot fully depend on using it full time despite the $2,000+ cost.

I found the same downside as many who have written before me. The foot rest is probably well engineered for strength but is not user friendly. One needs to step around the base a few inches to get in and out or to stand up which takes my body off balance. This is a severe problem for my transitional stability. I had a Hoveround wheelchair previously which did not have this issue as the footrest folded up. Additionally, I often only wear socks at home and the tube construction is very uncomfortable on the bottom of my feet. I bet Forcemech could design a flatter or more indented footrest if they put their mind to it.

It is light compared to other electric wheelchairs that I have used so that is good. Unfortunately, it is a little too bulky for my wife to lift into the (big) trunk of our Impala or even the rear seat as she does with my manual wheelchair even though it is only a couple of pounds heavier. The arm rest (and other pieces) have caught and ripped her clothing while loading. A handle of some type to ergonomically lift and otherwise maneuver the chair into the car trunk while folded would be welcomed. I can and do get out of the car, get into my manual chair, stand by the trunk (I can stand and have good upper body strength but cannot move my feet) and help my wife get it into and out of the trunk. Otherwise, we need a friendly stranger or friend to help her. Consequently, I still need my manual chair in the car to help load it.

I have over time found that the latch in the back which allows the chair to be (cleverly) folded sometimes unhitches so that the back of the chair needs to be slammed back by my body to re-latch it again. Also, the screws attaching the armrests to the chassis allowing the arm rests to swing up and down and stay in a certain position keep loosening. The downside of this is transitioning stability and the controller bends back to bounce off the rear wheel. In addition, the seat cushion seems crushed in the front after a month. Seems like a $2,000+ chair could have a better cushion.

One of the batteries was defective in the beginning so I called Mark at Forcemech and he sent a new one to a vacation address in Florida where we were going in a timely fashion. Thus far I have had good customer service.

The chair is quite maneuverable around the house (and outside) and we will keep it. I am rating this 4 stars but could be upgraded to 5 with minor modifications.

4 people found this helpful

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Crystal Wilson

Great portable wheelchair!!!

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2020

Verified Purchase

Got this because the one that Medicare provided was very large and cumbersome and hard for my wife to load up. This thing is awesome, very light, folds up like a stroller, and easy to load. Is our go to when we are out and about. Any of my friends can come get me to go any where. Fits in the trunk of every car I have been in. Battery life has been awesome. Use it all day and only about half the charge is gone. Short enough to let you right up to almost any table at restaurants. Has plenty of torque to get you through almost any terrain. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a chair to make your life more independent.

7 people found this helpful

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Ron J

Good value for the price.

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

The only problem I have is it is hard to get in and out because of the foot rest. Also, it is heavy to have to take in and out of the car. The good is that is it very maneuverable and will turn in tight spaces. It is of good quality and the batteries last a long time. I would buy again.

3 people found this helpful

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Michelle

This chair has a lot of problems. I'd recommend something else.

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2021

Verified Purchase

I have a long history of paralysis and weakness on my left side secondary to a brain tumor diagnosis and removal when I was in my early 20’s, so when I suddenly couldn’t walk one day recently, I decided on this product.

I like the chair and love that I don’t need a giant, expensive van to transport my chair and myself around. However, I do have a few semi-nitpicky suggestions to make (of course!). First, the foot rest thing should be straight (most people don’t sit with their toes pointed at the ceiling, after all) and the bars attached to it should be shorter so that it doesn’t stick out so quite so much. It’s a bit of a trip hazard to those of us who use these chairs and those who help us. Second, the chair really could be a bit taller from the seat to the ground or the foot rest so that your knees don’t cramp up when you’re sitting with your feet on the rest. This might be solved, or at least made better by making the rest straight instead of curved up, as I said earlier. I also realize that if you want a custom chair, you’re going to pay more, so hey.

That being said, these minor discomforts can be overlooked for the ease of use. It folds rather easily and really doesn’t seem to be much heavier than my standard heavy duty wheelchair, so it’s nice for my mom, who is the one that loads and unloads it. She calls it my heavy duty DeWalt tool chair and I call it a p’d off bumblebee because of it’s colors!

As I’ve only left my house with the chair once, I’m not sure about it’s battery life yet. I’m still trying to get used to driving the thing without hitting the door frames, but it really does turn on a dime, so I’ve found it relatively easy to get myself out of any mess I get into, speaking of the maneuverability.

All-in-all, I give this chair a 5/5. Even with its issues, it’s loads better than the traditional power chairs I’ve found myself saddled with in the past and I don’t understand why Medicare will pay for those uncomfortable monstrosities and not these much more affordable and reasonable versions.

EDIT (05.05.21) - the battery life isn’t great, even if I’m just in my house and there is a small, somewhat “easily fixed” issue of a thing on the back getting stuck and preventing the breakdown of the chair, but it’s still better than the $5,000+ regular power chairs that you damn near need a crane to lift and an overly expensive van to move. If you get one of these and you can’t get it to break down, email the company and you’ll get a nice email back with a short video on how to fix it, which is nice. I’m just glad I didn’t have to send it in or find a way to transport it somewhere for repair. I think this is going to be a pretty common issue if you go over any kind of rough terrain, like the track of a sliding glass door (pretty sure that’s what knocked mine out of whack).
Edit #2: 06/07/21 Okay, so it's NOT so great. It's gotten creaky and almost feels like it has a busted weld, but I'm not sure that's it. It has almost no power on our carpet and the batteries don't hold a charge well. It's 2 days outside of my 90 return ability and the damn dowel problem has happened again. I've had to go to my last three doctors appointments in my crappy manual chair that my mom has to push me in. I'm waiting for Forcemech to respond to my request for my money back so I can get something dependable, but I'm not sure that's going to happen. We'll see.

10 people found this helpful

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Gary Groff

not as good as it looks

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

OK...I am a 100% disabled vet. I have been using a electric wheelchair for almost 8 years, so I am not a newcomer or amateur with wheelchairs...Having said that...This chair write up gives the impression that it's suitable for narrow spaces and for trips outdoors...the best I can say about this chair is that it looks good and was delivered in a timely manner...and that is all!!

I am not going to go into all I totally dislike about this chair...suffice it to say that there is a steep learning curve to it and it is very difficult to navigate the house with...I will say this...If I had to do it over I would NOT buy this chair...I don't know where the reviews of it came from, but they were not truthful...if there was a satisfaction guaranteed clause in the purchase this chair would be on it's way back to manufacturer

20 people found this helpful

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teona

This chair gave me my independence back

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

A bit of background, I have Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Myalgic Encephamalitis and a host of other chronic pain issues that prevent me from really getting around.

I was originally using a manual chair until my arm weakness got too severe for me to be able to self propel anymore. Back in July, I was finally able to get my first powerchair- this one.

I've never known true pain free independence before this chair. It's fast, easy to maneuver and the battery life lasts a long time. It doesn't handle grass or soft dirt well but that isn't a fault of this chair - it simply wasn't made for that type of terrain. It folds easy and I can push it or pull it to where I need to store it, even with hands as weak as mine. It is definitely too heavy to lift on my own but with me and my mom, we can lift this folded into our car.

This chair has been in several cars and stores perfectly in the trunk of a small car with no issue. I love the fact that I can easily switch between batteries when needed and the small pouch underneath is perfect for storing the charger when out. The back pouch us also nice to store things in that I need quick access to.

The cushion isn't super firm or plushy but the chair is comfortable enough to ride around in all day while also being supportive

My only thing I wish I could change is the ability to lower the footrest down just a smidge. It can only really fold back so that you don't have your feet on it, or extend out in a fixed position. Though this isn't uncomfortable, I can tell that adding the ability to fully adjust the foot rest would be even more comfortable.

It isn't a silent chair, meaning you can hear the motor running as you move along but this doesn't make or break the chair.

Almost six months later and still going strong.

This chair gave me independence I didn't have because leaving my house was inaccessible and painful but now I can go and do what I need to without over exerting myself by walking and standing when I'm not always able to.

I named it "Bee" by the way. I love this chair so much.

9 people found this helpful

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Aundrea Singer

Don't love it; Like it way better than I thought I would.

Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2017

Verified Purchase

I bought this chair in April for my husband to use when we're away from the house. He's the driver of the family, but he can't stand up or walk on his own. Previously we'd been using a Shoprider Dasher (I say 'we' because I'm the one who packs and unpacks the mobility devices and helps him transfer in and out of the car). The Dasher is great, for a scooter, but separates into 4 pieces that have to be assembled and then disassembled to get it back into the car. It's a hassle, so I went looking for a decently solid, folding wheelchair that wasn't too heavy to get into the back of a Subaru Forester. I'm female and barely 5 ' 1.5", so I wasn't looking forward to hefting 56 pounds in and out of the car, but the other options we looked at either had bad reviews, or didn't seem safe enough. And overall, the Forcemech seemed like it might be pretty cool.

I won't lie, initially I was extremely disappointed with the purchase (and some things I didn't like I still don't, which is why this doesn't get 5 stars). Because of the nature of my husband's disability, as well as to make it possible, let alone not too difficult, to get him in and out of the car from the wheelchair, the height of the seat from the ground is extremely important (We use a Beasy Transfer Board and a transfer belt). The website said the chair was 19 inches from the ground to the bottom of the chair seat. It is not. It's barely 18 inches to the TOP of the seat, and that's with the cushion. If I'd known that ahead of time I honestly wouldn't have bought a Forcemech. We didn't even use it for weeks because of its size, until we figured out a workaround.

Other things I hated (and still am not thrilled with): the footrest folds up and down, yes. It absolutely does not come off, fold out of the way or take up any less space in front up or down. This means that I am stuck with basically climbing over my husband when I'm trying to get him into the car, in order to find a place to put my feet to get any leverage for pulling him into the driver's seat. I've gotten better at this with practice, but it's not easy and it's not fun. I've been considering replacing the screws holding the footrest in place with hitch pins so I can take the damn thing off, but since we've made it work I don't want to mess with it. (We had to take the cloth storage bag off so I could step in the space it occupied behind the footrest, which means we can't carry anything in the chair that won't fit in my husband's lap. Not a big thing, but not awesome either.)

Unless I'm missing something, there is no way to keep the chair from unfolding unless you hold it footrest side up, but if you do that, the folded back arms will fall and bang against the ground. It's a fascinating balancing act, and not one I've become terribly fond of.

The plug for the battery comes out very easily. Check that it's in securely every time you unfold the chair, or you or your loved one might end up stranded when it pops out. NOT FUN.

The fact that you're required to strip the back pad and the cushion off the chair before you fold it. I've stopped taking the back pad off because otherwise I will literally be standing behind the car for twenty minutes trying to get the damn thing back on straight. Luckily you can fold the chair without removing the back pad. It doesn't fold quite as flat, but you don't have to put the pad back on. (It's also remotely possible that the chair won't unfold so easily without the back pad. I can't remember from the couple times I took the pad off initially, because I was too frustrated trying to get it back on straight.)

Now, lest you start wondering why I gave this chair as much as four stars since I apparently fear and loathe the thing, not so! I have, over the past several months--and honestly, much to my own shock--come to like it *better* than the Shoprider scooter, which I honestly never thought would happen. Here's why:

You have just the chair and the cushions to put in the back of the car. That's it. Not the seat, the battery, the back wheels and the main chassis. It folds very easily (though I wish it didn't unfold so easily when you're trying to lift it), without requiring turning a knob to lower the handlebars. This makes it quicker to get in and out of places, and means there are fewer pieces to forget, something I definitely appreciate.

Transferring my husband from the car to the chair is a lot easier than transferring him from the car to the scooter. The reverse with the chair, however is an exercise in acrobatics and hilarity, because of the lack of space for me to put my feet because of the damn footrest.

The battery stays charged forever. Seriously. We've started using the chair every time we go anywhere and he needs to leave the car, and the battery is still nearly full. I'm a little concerned I'll have forgotten where the cord is by the time we actually need to use it.

The arms rotate all the way back and out of the way. This is ideal to get my husband in and out of the chair, and makes it a lot easier to sit at normal sized tables.

So far we've only used this chair indoors and on cement, so I can't speak to how well it might work on gravel, grass or dirt. Nor does my husband trust it on particularly steep inclines or very uneven pavement, but that may be part of the learning curve. We don't mind keeping the scooter for the heavier-duty activities, and the streamlined, much cooler wheelchair for everyday stuff.

Bottom line: If you can sit down and stand up from a regular-height chair on your own safely, and you or your faithful companion can lift 56 pounds without risking a hernia, this chair is ideal. If you need help transferring from a chair to a car or other surface, and if 56 pounds is an impossibility, give this baby a pass.

299 people found this helpful

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Stephen Dantzig

Mobility without fatigue!

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

I have been waiting a while before writing a review for the Forcemech Voyager R2 Power Wheelchair until I was able to give it a fair trial. To be honest, this was a tough purchase for me. I have Cerebral Palsy and my mobility has been declining steadily as I get older, but it was time to recognize that I needed more assistance. I purchased the Forcemech chair with the hope of increasing my independence rather than thinking it meant a decline in my ability to move around on my own. It was never meant to replace my walker or canes for everyday activities, but was purchased to allow me to cruise around in places and/or for time durations that would be difficult for me to enjoy. The Voyager R2 gets a resounding 5 stars from me in that regard! I have taken what we now call “The Bumblebee” out 4 times so far. I spent about five hours with friends at our local zoo, ventured around a very cool little town with my wife, explored a very artsy part of town with a friend and even took it into places in my own backyard where I never walked. Time, energy and fatigue are no longer a consideration and I am able to concentrate on really observing the surroundings and on photography.

There are, again, in all honesty, a few minor issues that became part of the “learning curve.”

The chair is fairly lightweight, but it is still too heavy and/or bulky for me to load/unload into my car alone. However, it is not a problem with my wife and I sharing the effort.

The chair does work on grass, but don’t try it in muddy situations! Similarly, you might need to increase the power when traveling over gravel.

Driveways that cut into sidewalks are a minor issue: you want to go straight and the chair wants to veer down the driveway when it hits the slant in the sidewalk. This is not a major problem once you know about it and can plan for it in advance.

The battery life seems quite acceptable so far, but you have to switch batteries when the power runs down in one. I learned that from a review video.

We haven’t tried it yet in an airport, but will soon. Overall, my wife and I are very pleased so far and the small issues outlined above pale in comparison to what I can now do and enjoy with the Voyager R2. OH! At least three people have stopped me to ask about the chair and where to get one. All three people were met with very positive comments from me. Here’s to more travels and adventures!

2 people found this helpful

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