Jim Black has used a chair since 1982 following a T12 SCI injury. He has worked as a product manager in the wheelchair industry for many years specializing in performance rigid wheelchairs and sports products. He played wheelchair basketball and tennis competitively until 1997 but now is devoted to snow skiing and handcycling. Black travels extensively educating therapists and wheelchair providers about high performance wheelchairs. He certainly knows what it takes to get around on any terrain.

• Why would I choose a rigid over a folding wheelchair?
  I prefer rigid over folding because of the ride. However, I have friends that only ride folding products because of the convenience of traveling. Rigid frames have fewer moving parts and fewer things to go wrong. They also will generally track better and not go out of alignment. Rigid frames are lighter because they have fewer parts and are designed around the end-user. That means that they are not modular frames that are bolted together. The reason rigid frames fit the consumer better is because they are custom fitted to you
• What size casters should I order?
  This is a great question because caster size is very important to the performance and stability of a wheelchair. I’m a big believer that a wider caster is better than a caster that has a larger diameter. I use our 4” soft roll wider caster because it gives me a lower center of gravity which creates more front stability for rolling over cracks and thresholds. In addition, it also gives me a shorter turning radius which makes my chair more maneuverable in everyday life in the city or in the mountains.
• What is the ergo seat option?
  If you need more positioning in a product and don’t want to add weight to your chair, the ergo seat is built into the frame. This option gives the user more positioning and better access to the rear wheels without adding addition weight to there product. Ergonomic seat option is like a built- in level that promotes a neutral pelvic position .It delivers improved posture, propulsion and positioning for end-users that have impaired trunk control. These end-users generally have a seat slope of 3” or more.
• I weigh over 300 lbs and want to order a rigid wheelchair, but most of the chairs only have a maximum user weight of 250 lbs.
  That is a problem within our industry because most chairs are only tested to 250 lbs. maximum user weight. Top End has two products that have a weight capacity of over 250 pounds. The Top End Terminator Titanium with the heavy duty option is tested to 400 lbs. and the Top End Terminator Everyday with the heavy-duty option is 350 lbs.
• I can’t afford a titanium wheelchair so my therapist is ordering an aluminum one instead. Is there that much difference between the two materials?
  No – the big buzz around our industry is Titanium. In my opinion the only advantages is you don’t have to paint titanium so it won’t scratch-up. Yes- titanium is stronger and you can use a thinner walled tube making it a little lighter but in the wheelchair world that’s not that big of a deal. Aluminum is stiffer which will give a more energy efficient ride. If you want better performance in a chair invest in high-end wheels. It’s the components that are added on a chair that reduces weight or adds weight- not the frame! So take a close look at what components weigh and make sure you really need them because it all adds up.
• I have a rigid chair that has adjustable rear seat height and because of that, my casters have to have adjustment capabilities too, but my chair needs constant maintenance and seems to get out of alignment all the time. Do I need all that adjustment?
  No, not if you have been in a chair for a while. Most therapists and dealers will agree that rear seat height adjustment is usually not necessary except for new users. It takes a little more effort to measure for a fixed rear seat height chair, but the benefits of less maintenance and less weight are worth it. For questions or more information on how to measure please contact us.