Manual Wheelchair Buying Guide

The right manual wheelchair gets you where you want to go without wearing you out. The wrong one can be too heavy to lift into the car, too wide for the bathroom door, or too hard to push on your own. Manual wheelchairs come in a wide range, from a light chair a helper pushes on a short trip to a chair built to your measurements for all day use.

Choosing well comes down to a few questions. Who will push the chair? How long will you sit in it each day? How much do you weigh, and how much can the person who lifts it handle? Where will it go, and how will it get there? This guide takes them in that order. The figures here are typical ranges for each type. Each product page gives the exact figures for that chair, and the product page is the one to trust.

Start with who will push the chair

This one question sorts most chairs before anything else.

• A helper pushes the rider. A transport chair has small rear wheels and handles at the back. It is lighter and smaller than a wheelchair, and the rider cannot push it on their own.
• The rider pushes themselves. A wheelchair has large rear wheels with push rims, so the rider can move on their own. A helper can still push it from the handles.
• The rider pushes with their feet. Some riders move the chair by walking it with their feet. They need a seat that sits low enough for their feet to reach the floor flat, which is covered under fit below.

The main types at a glance

You can see every type on our manual wheelchairs page, including reclining and tilt chairs, sport chairs, shower chairs and chairs for children.

Transport chairs

A transport chair is made to be pushed. Its rear wheels are small, usually about 8" to 14", so the rider cannot reach them to push. In return, the chair is light and folds small. Most weigh about 18 to 28 lbs., and the lightest are near 13 lbs. Folded, many are only about 9" to 12" wide, which fits in most trunks with room to spare.

A transport chair suits a rider who walks at home but tires on longer outings, a trip to the doctor, or travel. Most are rated for about 250 to 300 lbs., and heavy duty transport chairs go up to about 400 lbs. Look for hand brakes on the push handles, which let the helper slow the chair on a slope.

The small wheels are the trade off. They roll well on smooth floors and pavement, and they catch more easily on thresholds, gravel and grass. If the rider will spend much of the day in the chair, or wants to move on their own, a wheelchair is the better choice.

Standard wheelchairs

A standard wheelchair is the familiar folding chair with a steel frame and 24" rear wheels with push rims. It is sturdy, simple and usually the lowest cost way to get a chair the rider can push. Most weigh about 33 to 44 lbs., and seats come in widths of about 16" to 20". Most are rated for about 250 to 300 lbs.

The weight is what to think about. A steel chair is fine when it mostly stays at home. If someone has to lift it into a car several times a week, a lightweight chair saves a lot of effort. Many standard chairs offer two seat heights, about 18" and 20", which helps a shorter rider or one who pushes with their feet.

Lightweight wheelchairs

A lightweight wheelchair works the same way as a standard chair with a lighter frame, usually aluminum. Most weigh about 23 to 36 lbs., and the lightest folding chairs are near 19 lbs. Rear wheels are usually 20" to 24", and many come off with a quick release button, which makes the chair easier to lift into a car in two pieces. Seat widths run from about 16" to 22", and most are rated for about 250 to 300 lbs.

A lightweight chair suits a rider who pushes themselves for part of the day, or a family where the chair goes in and out of the car often. It is usually ready made in set sizes, so it ships sooner and costs less than a chair built to order.

Ultra lightweight wheelchairs

An ultra lightweight wheelchair is built for someone who pushes themselves all day. It is made to your measurements, often in 1" steps of seat width and depth, and set up for how you push. Makers usually list a transport weight, which is the frame without rear wheels, armrests or cushion. That is about 9 to 16 lbs. on most chairs, and the complete chair weighs more.

These chairs come rigid, where the frame does not fold and the back folds down, or folding, where the frame folds side to side. A rigid frame is lighter and more of each push goes into moving forward. A folding frame takes less room in a car or closet. Our ultra lightweight wheelchairs page walks through the choices and the measurements.

Heavy duty and bariatric wheelchairs

We call a chair heavy duty when it is rated above 300 lbs., and bariatric when it is rated above 400 lbs. Every bariatric chair is also heavy duty. These chairs have a stronger frame and a wider seat. Seat widths run from about 20" to 30". Ratings commonly run from about 350 to 700 lbs., and a few chairs go higher.

Most heavy duty chairs weigh about 35 to 65 lbs. A few aluminum chairs are much lighter, so check the chair weight on the product page if it will travel. Always choose a chair whose rating sits comfortably above the rider's weight, with room to spare.

Other kinds of manual wheelchair

• Reclining and tilt chairs. These are for riders who need to rest or shift pressure in the chair. A reclining or tilt chair is pushed by a helper.
• Sport chairs. These are built for court sports and recreation. See sport and recreation wheelchairs.
• Shower and commode chairs. These roll into the shower or over a toilet. See shower and commode wheelchairs and our bathroom safety buying guide.
• Chairs for children. A child's chair is chosen differently. Read our pediatric wheelchair buying guide.

How chair weight is listed

Makers list chair weight in different ways, so compare like with like. Some list the complete chair. Others list it without the footrests, or without the rear wheels and armrests. A chair listed at 15 lbs. without its wheels may weigh 25 lbs. ready to ride. Each product page says how its weight was measured. If one person will lift the chair into a car, the number that matters is the heaviest piece they lift.

Measure for a good fit

Measure while sitting upright in a firm chair, in the clothes and shoes you usually wear. Ask someone to help.

• Seat width. Measure across the widest part of the hips or thighs. Choose a seat with a little room to spare. A seat that is too wide makes the whole chair wider and harder to push.
• Seat depth. Measure from the back of the hips to the crease behind the knee. Leave about 1" to 2" between the front of the seat and the back of the knee.
• Lower leg length. Measure from the crease behind the knee to the bottom of the heel, with shoes on. This tells you the seat height and footrest setting you need. A rider who pushes with their feet needs a lower seat, often about 17" to 18" from the floor, so the feet rest flat.
• Back height. Measure from the seat to where you want the back to end. A lower back gives an active rider more freedom to move. A higher back gives more support.
• Weight. Choose a chair rated above the rider's weight. If the rider is close to the limit, move up to a higher rating.

A cushion raises the seat, so include it when you check seat height. Our wheelchair cushion buying guide covers choosing one.

Features worth checking

• Armrests. Full length armrests help you push up to stand. Desk length armrests let you pull up close to a table. Armrests that flip up or swing back make side transfers easier.
• Footrests and legrests. Swing away footrests move aside so you can stand up or transfer. Elevating legrests raise the legs for comfort or swelling.
• Wheel locks and brakes. Every chair has wheel locks to hold it still. Hand brakes on the push handles help a helper on slopes.
• Tires. Solid and flat free tires never go flat and need little care. Air filled tires ride softer outdoors and need their pressure checked.
• Anti tippers. Small wheels at the back stop the chair from tipping backward on a slope or curb.
• Seat height. Some chairs offer two or more seat heights. Choose the one that fits the rider's leg length and how they push.

Getting it into a car

Most manual wheelchairs fold side to side. Folded, a transport chair is often about 9" to 12" wide, and a folding wheelchair about 12" to 15" wide. Quick release rear wheels let you lift the frame and the wheels separately, which makes each lift lighter. If lifting is too hard, a manual wheelchair lift can load the chair for you. Our vehicle lift buying guide explains the options.

Insurance and Medicare

Medicare and many insurance plans can cover a manual wheelchair, usually with a doctor's order. Coverage varies by plan, and approval is never guaranteed. Hieline sells direct and does not bill Medicare, Medicaid or any other insurance, so the price you see is the price you pay. If your private insurance covers durable medical equipment, keep your receipt for a reimbursement claim. Medicare pays only for equipment from suppliers enrolled in Medicare, so it will not reimburse a purchase from us. If you want Medicare to pay, start with your doctor and a Medicare-enrolled supplier before you buy. For the steps to take with private insurance or Medicare, read our insurance and Medicare guide.

Buying from Hieline

You do not need a prescription to buy a manual wheelchair from us. Shipping follows our shipping policy. Financing is available through CareCredit on purchases of $200 or more. Low price guarantee: find it advertised for less and we will work with you.

How to decide

1. Decide who will push the chair. If a helper always pushes, start with transport chairs.
2. If the rider pushes, decide how long they sit in the chair each day. For part of the day, look at standard and lightweight chairs. For all day use, look at ultra lightweight chairs.
3. If the rider is above 300 lbs. or needs a wider seat, go to heavy duty and bariatric chairs.
4. Measure seat width, seat depth, lower leg length and back height, and compare them with the product page.
5. Check the chair weight, how it was measured, and who will lift it.
6. Measure your narrowest doorway and compare it with the chair's overall width.
7. Choose the armrests, footrests and tires that fit your day.

Common questions

What is the difference between a transport chair and a wheelchair?

A transport chair has small rear wheels and must be pushed by a helper. A wheelchair has large rear wheels with push rims, so the rider can push it on their own. A transport chair is usually lighter and folds smaller.

How much does a manual wheelchair weigh?

Transport chairs weigh about 13 to 30 lbs. Standard steel wheelchairs weigh about 30 to 44 lbs., and lightweight chairs about 19 to 36 lbs. Ultra lightweight frames weigh about 9 to 16 lbs. without their rear wheels. Check how each product page measured its weight.

What seat width do I need?

Measure across the widest part of your hips or thighs while seated, and choose a seat with a little room to spare. Most adult chairs come in widths of about 16" to 20", and heavy duty chairs go up to about 30".

What weight can a manual wheelchair hold?

Most standard and lightweight chairs are rated for about 250 to 300 lbs. Heavy duty chairs are rated above 300 lbs., and bariatric chairs above 400 lbs., with some rated to 700 lbs. or more. Choose a rating comfortably above the rider's weight.

Can I push a wheelchair with my feet?

Yes. Choose a chair with a low seat, often about 17" to 18" from the floor, so your feet rest flat. Many standard and lightweight chairs offer a lower seat height setting.

Does Medicare cover a manual wheelchair?

Medicare can cover one with a doctor's order when it comes from a Medicare-enrolled supplier, and approval is never guaranteed. Hieline does not accept Medicare, so Medicare will not reimburse a purchase from us. If you want Medicare to pay, start with your doctor and a Medicare-enrolled supplier before you buy.

Start on our manual wheelchairs page, or use Help me choose there to narrow it down in a question or two.