As a person gets older, they can often lose some of their control and strength. This can make even the smallest movements quite difficult for them. For this reason, elderly people often need the help of an extra aid to assist them with walking.
Although they can also use a walker, today we’re going to be looking at the other form of aid: rollators. But what are they? And what are the best available ones for use on rough surfaces?
Well, we’ve got the answers for you! In our guide below, you’ll find out all about rollators, and the benefits that they bring to the elderly. On top of that, we have a list of the best rollators that you can buy on the market that will help you navigate over rough surfaces. Read on!
What Is A Rollator?
A roller, as you can tell from the name, rolls along. It has four legs, each with a wheel that rolls along the ground.
The person using it holds onto two handles that are attached to the legs, with breaks that can be squeezed to stop the movement of the wheels suddenly, if needed. On top of this, the rollator also has a seat on it, that the user can sit down on to rest.
While a walker also has four legs, its legs don’t have wheels (though some models may have two). For this reason, a walker has to be lifted up and down repeatedly as the user moves along.
However, it has to be very precise too: you should not move your own feet when you’re lifting the walker up. This can make using one difficult, and it doesn’t have the speed of a rollator either. A rollator does not have to be lifted for the person to move forwards, and so it’s much easier to use.
However, it’s important to note that a rollator should not be used to support your body weight, because that can result in it and you falling over.
On top of that, rollators cannot be used for balance while you’re walking, because their wheels can dangerously slip away and move onwards without you.
Why Use A Rollator?
The cause of people, often elderly, to begin using movement aids like walkers and rollators is down to a few different reasons. For one, people who have started to lose their balance use them, because they offer support to keep you standing, as well offering a seat for you to rest upon whenever things have got tiring.
Though it should only be for those who have a little problem with balance, as a walker is much more suitable for issues with balance and weakness. Walkers offer firmer immobile support.
Additionally, the user may have simply developed a general tiredness whenever they are standing, and the rollator can be a great solution to ease the fatigue. On top of this, a rollator user may have a weakness in their arms.
This means that a walker wouldn’t be a good enough solution for them, because they would regularly have to lift it up and put it down. This is where a rollator and its wheels come in very handy.
A rollator can also be a handy device to carry things on. Not only can you sit on it yourself, but you can also use its seat as a platform for carrying things that you need around you.
Some elderly people that use rollators may use it to store their oxygen tank, or other medical supplies that they need around them regularly.
Buying A Rollator For Rough Surfaces
There are a few things that you will want to think about if you’re going to buy a rollator for use on rough surfaces. Look for these features when you’re browsing the market for rollator models.
- A large wheel size, offering much better stability
- Lightweight, so that it moves easily and isn’t a burden
- 4 wheels for greater stability, avoid 3
- A quality wheel locking and braking mechanism, improving safety
- A comfortable seat cushion
- An attached backrest for the seat
These features are going to give you the greatest stability, which is already an essential factor, but even more important if you’re going to be using the rollator on rough surfaces – because they’re bouncy and jagged.
On top of that, a padded seat cushion and a backrest will give you greater comfort in the moments where you need to stop moving and sit down.
Best Rollator Walker For Rough Surfaces
In the list below, we’ll break down the best rollator walkers that you can buy for use on rough surfaces and terrain. Their features will meet the requirements that we just talked about, meaning that they’ll offer the best stability and comfort for when you’re moving over rough surfaces.
Drive Medical RTL10266 Nitro Euro-Style 4-Wheel Rollator Walker With Seat
[amazon fields=”B009SOC9PI” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
This rollator walker from Drive Medical comes with four large wheels of different sizes. This is much better, more stable, and more precise than just having three wheels! The front wheels (also known as “castors”) measure an impressive 10 inches, while the rear wheels measure 8 inches.
The front wheels are traditionally bigger, to help make the rollator steer much better. Both sizes are more than big enough, and will offer a great deal of stability, which will be perfect for dealing with movement over rough surfaces.
On top of that, the rollator walker has a good overall weight. It comes in at 17.5 pounds of heaviness. This is by no means the most lightweight rollator that you can buy, but it also isn’t near the heavier ones too, coming down in the middle. This means that it’s still lightweight, while retaining some extra heaviness that should keep it firm and full of features.
Additionally, the rollator has a built-in brake cable that’s connected right to the wheels. This improves the safety of the aid, because it means that you can suddenly stop the wheels from moving, if problems suddenly come up.
The rollator is also highly adjustable, with a push button that allows you to change the height of the handles, meaning that it can suit people of many different heights.
Importantly, the rollator has a seat with a backrest behind it. This will give extra support and comfort whenever you have to sit down for a moment, and stop moving.
On top of that, you can use the seat and the backrest to store things like oxygen tanks and medical necessities. Even better, though, is the extra addition of an under-seat pouch.
You can use this store even more, admittedly smaller, things – giving you aid. Moreover, its concealed location will give you some security and privacy, if you need to store sensitive medical things, or anything else.
The rollator walker is also easy to fold away, designed so that you can fold it with just 1 hand. A plastic clip then holds the folded up sections closed, meaning that the rollator won’t spring back out when you don’t want it to.
Whenever you need to put it away, you can with ease. It’s also perfect for those who don’t have a lot of room or storage space at home, because you can fold it away snugly without taking up a lot of space.
Finally, it may not be the most important factor, but you can also get it in a few different colors: black, red, green, and white.
This can give the user a special sense of customization, and give them a color and design that’s going to be most pleasing to them when they use it for prolonged periods of time.
Specifications:
- Weight: 17.5 pounds
- Front Wheels Size: 10 inches
- Back Wheels Size: 8 inches
- Adjustable Handle Heights: 36 to 41 inches
- Seat With Backrest: Yes
- Height: 33.5 inches
- Width: 27.75 inches
- Length: 23 inches
Medline Premium Empower Rollator Walker With Seat
[amazon fields=”B07G8GY1JX” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
This premium rollator walker from Medline comes with all the features that will help you navigate over rough surfaces with ease and stability. For one, it’s got large wheels, measuring 8 inches.
Unlike the previous rollator, all the wheels are the same size as each other, with no difference between the front wheels and the back wheels. This may not give quite as much control as that would do, but the fact that they are a good size still gives the user solid stability.
On top of that, there are four wheels. This is much better than three, which wouldn’t have nearly as much control as a result, and therefore less stability – especially when using it on rough surfaces. Speaking of support, the rollator can support up to 300 pounds of weight. This should cater to most users, meaning that the rollator shouldn’t topple over from use.
On top of that, the wheels can be brought to a sudden halt through the use of very easy to use loop brakes. These are located at the handles, meaning that they’re in the prime location, as users will be holding onto the handles anyway.
Being able to stop the wheels quickly is a good measure for preventing accidents, allowing the rollator to stop its movement and not carry on whenever you need to.
The handles are spaced 17.5 inches apart, which should be a good width for most users, meaning that their arms won’t strain apart. Additionally, the handles can have their height adjusted via a button.
For this reason, the rollator can be used by people who have a height of anything from 4’11” to 6’4”. This means that most elderly people are going to be able to use the rollator, and it can be easily adjusted to suit whatever height you are.
In terms of the seat, you get an extremely comfortable seat made out of memory foam. This means that it should mold to your shape, and even remember it, for extra comfort and simplicity.
It should feel as comfortable as a chair. On top of that, it has a thick and cushioned reversible backrest, giving you more support and stability.
Even better, there’s plenty of storage. Underneath the seat, there’s a huge storage compartment. It can be accessed by lifting up the seat cushion, and will hold lots of handy belongings, with the added protection and privacy of a non-see-through bag.
Even better, there’s a cup holder for holding drinks, or even your phone, right near the handles. Perfect for quick access if you need a drink or have to make a phone call!
The rollator weighs 19 pounds, which is slightly more than the previous one. However, it is still lighter than some others.
Specifications:
- Weight: 19 pounds
- Wheel Size: 8 inches
- Adjustable Handle Heights: allows for heights 4’11”-6’11”
- Seat With Backrest: Yes
- Height: 37 inches
- Width: 13 inches
- Length: 31.5 inches
[amazon box=”B07G8GY1JX”]
Carex Rollator Walker With Seat
[amazon fields=”B000AEGC9Y” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
Carex makes a rollator walker that should be good for use on rough surfaces, due it having a lot of the factors and features that would help it keep stable.
Firstly, it has four wheels. This is much better than a rollator that has three wheels, because it offers more control, and therefore more stability when you’re going on rough surfaces. All the wheels are the same size, rather than the front wheels being slightly larger than the back wheels.
This is a small shame, because large front wheels can offer even more control, but it is still stable. The wheels themselves all measure 8 inches, which is a large size – meaning even more stability on rough surfaces.
On top of this, the wheels can be brought to a sudden halt, or safely slow down, through a squeezing of the lockable handbrakes. These are located by the handles, so that users can stop their rollator from moving forward whenever they need to, especially in cases of emergency.
Additionally, the handles can have their height adjusted. At their lowest, they can be 33.75 inches low, while their highest can be 38.75 inches high. This allows a wider range of people to use the rollator, because it takes into account different heights.
Additionally, it has a padded seat, allowing you to sit down and be comfortable whenever you want to take a break from movement.
On top of that, there’s a padded backrest for increased support, which has a washable nylon cover for easy cleaning and hygiene. Better yet, if you lift up the seat you can find a storage compartment, allowing you to privately and securely hold your belongings.
The rollator walker weighs about 17.5 pounds, which is the same as the first one we looked at. Though there are some that are lighter, this is definitely a good and lightweight measurement, which should make it not too taxing for an elderly person to move around on rough surfaces.
Specifications:
- Weight: 17.5 pounds
- Wheel Size: 8 inches
- Adjustable Handle Heights: 33.75-38.75 inches
- Seat With Backrest: Yes
- Height: 33.75 inches
- Width: 38.75 inches
- Length: 27 inches
[amazon box=”B000AEGC9Y”]
RINKMO Rollator Walker
[amazon fields=”B088Z7HV2B” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
This is the most lightweight of all the rollator’s we’ve looked at, weighing just 15.6 pounds. This makes it very easy to move for elderly people, without any need for extra strength.
It has four large wheels, each of them measuring 8 inches. This is a good size, meaning that you should have greater stability and control. There are two brake systems so that you can bring the wheels to a slow or a stop, and they are attached near the handles, as well as being easy to squeeze.
The handles can be adjusted themselves, raising their height anywhere from 32.2 inches to 37.4 inches This adaptability means that more people will be able to use the rollator in a way that’s most comfortable to them and their height.
If you’re 5-5.7 feet tall, this should be great for you. A warning, however: if you’re 5.7-6 feet tall then you may have to stoop to hold on, which is understandably not comfortable.
On top of that, the rollator has a breathable nylon mesh seat, providing you with a comfortable break whenever you want to stop moving. Additionally, there’s a padded backrest to give you extra support.
Near them, there’s a zippered bag, giving you a safe and secure space to store some belongings. Better yet, there’s a cane holder at the side, which can hold your support cane – and keep it close for quick grabbing.
Specifications:
- Weight: 15.6 pounds
- Wheel Size: 8 inches
- Adjustable Handle Heights: 32.2-37.4 inches
- Seat With Backrest: Yes
- Height: 37.4 inches
- Width: 24.2 width
[amazon box=”B088Z7HV2B”]
Final Thoughts
Rollator walkers can provide stability and support to the elderly. Use our guide if you need one for rough surfaces!
