Contents
When we were going through walkers, a thought struck our minds that how much usually a walker weighs? and what factors contribute to the overall weight of the walker? To be honest with you, these questions felt a lot interesting and that’s why we went ahead to learn how much does a walker weighs and what factors lead to lesser or more weight of it.
How Much Does a Walker Weighs?
When we performed our analysis, we came to the conclusion that standard walkers usually weigh somewhere close to 5-6 pounds. After that, we had the front wheel walkers which turned out to be a little heavier, being somewhere around 7-8 pounds.
If we had tested the front-wheel walkers, then how could we have excluded the heavy-duty walkers? As the name suggests, these carry the most amount of weight (7-12 pounds), due to the usage of stronger components and reinforced frames.
A Brief Table Weight Comparison Analysis of The Walkers That We Tested
We had gone through a lot of walkers, but for obvious reasons, we can’t go on including each and every walker here in the table. That’s why we randomly selected some 7 walkers in total, which came from all the three categories: standard, front wheel, and heavy-duty. Let’s check out the brief weight comparison analysis of the following walkers.
Note: The Walkers have been listed in order of highest to lowest pounds
Name | Type | Weigh | Price |
Medline Heavy Duty | Front Wheel/Heavy Duty | 12 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Able Life Space Saver | Front Wheel/Heavy Duty8 | 8 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Drive Medical Deluxe | Front Wheel | 7.5 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Oasis Space Heavy Duty | Front Wheel/Heavy Duty | 7 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Carex Folding Walker | Standard | 6 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Drive Medical 10200 | Standard | 6 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Vive Folding Walker | Standard | 5 Pounds | View on Amazon |
Is a Lightweight Walker always a Good Choice?
To be honest with you, a lightweight walker doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. Of course, in terms of portability, a lightweight walker is far better anytime in comparison to a heavier walker.
However, if your attention is only towards the weight factor, then you may end up opting for a lightweight walker that will just shine in the weight category.
In other aspects, the walker may not perform even a little decently. So, you must choose a walker that serves your needs rather than just going blindly for the weight factor.
Factors That Determine a Walkers Weight
Features & Accessories
All internal or extra accessories like baskets, storage pouches, plastic sliders, etc make up to the weight of the walker.
Wheels or Wheel Less
The front side’s wheels add to the weight as it contains nuts, axles, tires, etc. In heavy-duty walkers, you can generally find two wheels on the front side, making it a lot heavier.
Frame Size
If it’s a larger walker, then a larger size frame would be required, meaning more material, in turn leading to more weight. So, the size of the frame plays a crucial role.
Frame Material
Mostly, the walker’s frame is manufactured out of steel or aluminum. Steel is good for tough usage, but it also adds to the weight, whereas aluminum is a lighter choice.
Height Adjustment
The more the height adjustment of the unit, the greater amount of material will be used in the handles, adding to the weight of the walker.
Weight Vs Weight Capacity
When it comes to choosing a good walker, the weight capacity is a factor that you should consider among the top priorities.
For those, who are confused, what exactly is this weight capacity, then let us tell you that it’s nothing but basically the external weight that the walker can take up. It’s a known fact that that the lighter the product, the lighter is the weight.
Though, you should always double-check the specifications of the product before going ahead with anything. It’s pretty important to understand that an individual should opt for a walker that can support his/her body weight, instead of just blindly looking for the lightest walker.
Conclusion
All in all, you should definitely give priority to the weight factor when looking for walkers, but that should not be your one and only priority set up. Figure out your requirements and based on that plus the body specifications of yours, go for a walker that delivers perfectly for you.
So, the myth that has been going around that a lightweight walker is always best has finally been busted through our article: how much does a walker weigh.