The outdoors – even the slight slope of our yard – can become treacherously risky if we find our mobility hampered by age, a medical condition or a disability. But this doesn’t have to stop us from enjoying the outdoors, and exploring every bit of it – with the right mobility scooter, you can still rev over uneven terrains and inclines, be it a hilly plain or a bumpy beach-side, with ease. Some mobility scooters are in fact specifically designed for outdoor use in mind, with a more rugged structure than many indoor or indoor-outdoor hybrid scooters, to not only withstand the bumps and scrapes of rough terrain, but also deliver more power to propel you over inclines and safely down slopes.
You’ll find these mobility scooters all have four wheels – three doesn’t give you the right stability to go over uneven surfaces without the risk of losing your balance – while a larger battery gives you the push and torque you need to make the climb uphill with ease. The unit’s climbing angle is another important – if not the important – feature to look out for, since this determines how well a scooter can overcome an incline. We’ve down the rounds for the best mobility scooter for slopes – here are our picks.
KEN’S PICK
Pride Mobility Go-Go Sport 4-wheel Electric Travel Scooter
A heavy-duty four-wheeler, this 18-Ah battery pack-powered scooter handles inclines and slopes like a champ, with a maximum allowable incline of 6 degrees and obstacle climbing ability of 2 inches – be it for a paved uphill route or the bump you expect when getting onto the pavement, this sturdily built scooter is up to the task. With a maximum angle capacity of 9 degrees to boot, this scooter can hold weights of up to 325 pounds, the comfortable swivel seat front frame-mounted to enhance stability. At a top speed of 4.7 mph and a range of up to 12 miles, this is a powerful machine perfect for navigating both outdoors and in, with a dual braking system to allow you to operate it safely on unsteady planes without risking losing control.
Winning features include the feather-touch and one-handed disassembly design, with the scooter coming apart into five portable and reasonably lightweight components that can be tucked into your vehicle’s trunk or checked in at the airport so you can reassemble and use it at your destination, as well as the ergonomic and intuitive design of the tiller, letting you grip the handles comfortably and steer even with limited upper body mobility. The battery can be charged both on- and off-board, while a pair of blue and red shrouds and Pride’s non-scuffing tires earn it additional points for durability.
KEN’S BUDGET PICK
Drive Medical Scout Compact Travel Power Scooter, 4 Wheel
One of the things we love about this scooter – apart from how incredibly pocket-friendly it is at nearly half the price of a standard four-wheeled mobility scooter – is its versatility. You won’t find yourself uncomfortably scrunched and running out of leg-room, thanks to features like adjustable seat height and arm-rest width letting you set up the scooter to your comfort, the padded seat and backrest also making the time you spend in it much comfier than many scooters tend to.
But that’s not all – this scooter offers great functionality at an affordable price, the four-wheeler built to handle uneven and inclined terrains with its anti-tip wheels, flat-free tires and a climbing angle of 6 degrees. At a range of 9 miles and maximum speed of 4.25 mph, this scooter has an ergonomic delta tiller to make steering and operation easy even for those experiencing lack of dexterity, and dismantles into five lightweight, portable components ideal from transporting via car or air travel. Appearance-wise, the scooter comes with interchangeable red and blue color
panels, and rear reflector for visibility.
RUNNER-UP
Drive Medical 4 Wheel Heavy Duty Scooter
A more rugged and heavy-duty cousin of our budget pick, this scooter is specifically designed to handle rough outdoor terrains, with a 15-mile range making it powerful enough to conquer slopes and inclines with no sweat. With a top speed of 4 mph and a weight capacity of 350 pounds, the scooter has a climbing angle of 6 degrees, and ground clearance 3.57 inches to let you smoothly drive through uneven terrain. Anti-tip, flat-free tires and the robust four-wheeled design also add to the scooter’s stability, while a 4-part disassembly system lets you take the scooter apart and transport it easily.
Despite the tough build of the scooter, it’s still flexible in ensuring the user’s comfort – seat heights and armrest widths are adjustable, with the padded seating and backrests as well as the swivel feature giving you plenty of room to relax. The ergonomic “Finger-Pull” throttle is simple and intuitive to use even for those with limited dexterity, while the adjustable angle tiller is designed with an auto-straightening feature allowing you to position it to your convenience and comfort so you can operate and steer with ease.
The scooter also comes with a headlight for improved visibility and the advantage of not limiting your outdoor adventures to daylight hours, as well as interchangeable red and blue color panels.