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We’re 10-year Drive brand loyalists. My Dad’s had mobility challenges from is Parkinson’s for about 10 years now, and for the better half until now, we’ve been using the very same Drive Brand walker #ad.
My dad uses the 10-years old version of the Drive Medical 795B Duet Folding Transport Wheelchair Rollator and Walker in beautiful royal blue. Since my dad's a tall guy, we seldom tuck his legs into those cramped wheelchair stirrups. We could have gotten the model without the foot rest.
4 out of 5 stars - It’s not as durable outside and only works on cement, pavement, and other smooth surfaces.
I asked my dad what he thought, and he said “It’s good for bumping up [from a sitting to standing position], and it’s good for getting around the house. Outside when it’s gravely it’s hard to push. My favorite thing about the walker is it’s nice looking, it’s got that blue. My least favorite thing about the walker is it could be a little more durable.”
4 out of 5 stars - Damn good walker but after years of use, it’s old technology.
Drive brand is clearly “durable” in the sense that this single walker has lasted the better part of a decade with day to day use. For that reason, I’m looking to buy from Drive brand again.
I did consider other rolling walkers before deciding to buy Drive.
This particular model is “not durable” in the sense that its tires aren’t well purposed for off-terrain walking. They look like they’re just hard plastic. I’ve seen my dad on many a loop around the block. Any patch rougher than a well-groomed lawn stops my dad in his tracks.
Trying to understand the difference between Drive brand mobility aids?
Walkers might have wheels, but their mostly for indoor use to stand up and stay stable.
Rollators are the indoor/outdoor aids with a folding frame, four wheels, and handles to help the person walk.
On long trips like at an airport on your way to Shanghai, the person with Parkinson’s is likely to get tired. Hell, I’m able bodied and tired too!
One feature of this Drive Brand walker is the ability to sit on the black pad atop the basket. It can hold a full person’s weight, but apparently it’s a bit top heavy and feels unsafe. My dad says:
“If you get going it’ll tip forward. It’s not stable. You can get some real speed then spill over onto your nose. The alignments off or something, when you hit a bump on either the wheels or the foot holders you just go straight forward.”
My dad uses the breaks all the time. Not so much like breaks to stop like riding a bike. Instead, it’s the “Lock in Place” break that my dad’s using.
When he’s using the walker to stand up from a sit-down position, he’s using the lock-in-place breaks. When he parks the walker in the hallway before entering the bathroom to take a dump, he’s setting the walker to lock-in-place.
“The breaks work pretty well, even though the left and right. The left slips more than the right. Maybe they need to be adjusted or something.”
Yes, the walker helps me get out of the bed. I’m able to put it close enough. I don’t really use it to get me up, but I use it to transfer from the wall to walking after I’m already stood up.
Actually, my dad sleeps with his head next to the wall, with only a very narrow passageway between the wall and where he plops into his side of the queen sized bed. The passageway is too narrow for the walker to fit into, so my dad has to scoot his but all the way down to the foot of the bed before he can get ahold of the walker.
That’s not a negative feature of the walker itself, but it’s a reality for those of us who live with a smaller slumber chamber.
“I eat off of it sometimes. I keep small flashlights, hand napkins, sometimes toothpaste and a toothbrush in the walker carry compartment.”
Indeed, one of the features my dad loves most about his Drive Walker is the compartment he uses to hide gadgets and trinkets inside. If you can’t find his pills or the TV remote, this is probably where it is.
The compartment is one of the more useful features when taking the thing outdoors. Keeping drinks and snack for a walk around the park or whatever dad wants to take before he’s willing to get out the door for some exercise. Having this backpack sized cubby hole is very convenient!
Again, I'm very happy with the Drive brand in general. When you run into another Drive brand owner at Meijer or Walmart, you kinda get to do the head not like people who drive Jeeps do.
I'm saving up for a new Drive brand walker for my dad's Christmas or birthday. I'll let you know which one I pick.
I'm going to look for the same compartment and seat style, with two hand breaks gain, a little taller if possible, with rubbery slightly larger wheels to get better over bumps.
As per my dad's request we'll pay attention to the comfort of the handles, though I do think getting softer tires will ease the vibrations my dad says numb his hands after a walk around the block. We've put pads around the handles to mitigate the problem with our current model, but maybe we can find a more ergonimic handle for bumpy rides next time we buy a Drive walker.
