Product of the Year 2019: Lifestyle and Mobility
Product of the Year: Empulse R20 Powerpack from Sunrise Medical
Darren Macey, Business Development Manager of Lifestyle & Mobility
“We have reviewed so many products this year and it has been a hard decision to choose the Product of the Year. In our industry, it is common to trade off the pros & cons of the products we advise our customers on. This can be for a multitude of reasons but inevitably, it is due to the sheer range of conditions, level of function and environmental challenges we have to deal with every day.
“Powerpacks are a segment that had remained largely untouched, with models that have rolled into the fold often presenting the same cons we have seen before. A typical end-user scenario we come across time often is an elderly couple struggling to get around town whilst the ageing spouse pushes their partner. Adding a powerpack to the wheelchair can help reduce the strain and offer more independence, however, time and time again we have seen these products annexed to the cupboard under the stairs because they are too heavy for the spouse to mount – usually because as time has gone on, they have become weaker themselves.
“Of course, there are a whole host of other users that these products are suitable for but I am guessing there is likely to be people in similar situations buying powerpacks up & down the country every day. The reality is as that couple ages, that powerpack becomes more unsuitable – it’s not futureproofed.
“Tackling many of the aforementioned ‘cons,’ the Empulse R20 Powerpack takes a stellar leap in innovation that aims to futureproof the product for longer and blows the demographic wide open in terms of suitability.
“At an ultra-lightweight of the only 4.5kg – less than the battery pack alone from the majority of powerpacks in the segment – the Empulse R20 also folds with the chair, giving users the choice to leave it on or take it off – made possible by its low weight. Both of these elements are possible because of how it gains traction which has been cleverly designed so it doesn’t need the giant battery to weigh down the drive wheel.
“It is easy-to-use, looks great – a powerpack is never going to look sexy but using a neat backpack design and a small lithium battery certainly helps – and gets my vote because it delivers the very definition of innovation to a vulnerable client group that deserves a solution that is going to see them into the future. It means that they can enjoy their days out with ease and that puts a smile on my face.”
www.lifestyleandmobility.co.uk
Discover more Products of the Year as selected by mobility retailers