After breaking my right foot I struggled with crutches for a week before getting this scooter and it was like night and day. I've been using it for just over a month, now, and I have 1-3 weeks to go in a non-weight-bearing cast. I still use my crutches for getting up and down stairs and in smaller spaces but this scooter has become indispensable for getting around at work and at home. PROS: 1. It's cute, I like the curved design and bright blue paint job. It makes it look a little more fun than the other medical scooters out there. My kids keep stealing it from me to ride around when I'm not using it. 2. Wheels ride very smoothly, handling well on concrete, asphalt, bricks, hardwood, rugs, and smooth floors. Not as easy on uneven ground or grass but I wouldn't expect it to be. 3. Feels very stable. The entire frame is very sturdy and it has never felt flimsy or unsteady. 4. Comfortable, for the most part. Settling your weight back on the knee pad takes some getting used to - at first the hamstring in my injured leg would hurt from balancing but after a week it went away - but overall it allows for a lot more freedom and that's worth it in my opinion. 5. Hand brake - this is important if you really get going with it, and it's so fun that you probably will really get going with it. It's touchy but I use a combination of light braking and dragging my good foot to slow down. Maybe I'm taking it too fast to begin with. :) 6. The knee pad is nice and long - my 8-year old daughter injured her own foot and had to have stitches and I was able to drive her around the grocery store sitting on the front of the knee pad while I knelt on the back. It was pretty fun! 7. The basket is great! Being able to carry stuff around is fantastic and it's a nice size. 8. I am 5'2" and was easily able to adjust it to my height. It has a ton of options to go much taller so I think it would suit a large variety of people. 9. This sucker collapses nicely, the handlebars can be pushed down below the level of the knee pad (take the basket off) and it fits into the trunk of a car easily. CONS 1. The handlebar grips that came with it were way too big for my hands to grasp comfortably. I got terrible cramps from them. I replaced them with foamier kids' bike grips that aren't nearly as durable but they're not curved and a lot more comfortable for me. 2. The brake cable is pretty loopy and gets caught on things. I've nearly tripped on it a couple of times, so wrap it securely behind the basket to keep it out of the way if you can. 3. The turning radius isn't super great. I considered getting the offroad model for the larger tires and single wheel in the back, but this one was cheaper and looked nicer. I have an older house with narrower rooms and doorways so it takes some doing to get turned around. I'm able to lift the front of it and swing it around while standing on my good leg, so it's not impossible, just a hassle. 4. The knee pad is covered in vinyl and I'm kneeling on it with my bare knee (I have a lower leg cast and wear skirts) and it makes me sweat. At home I keep a hand towel around to put on the pad while I'm working in the kitchen or using it for extended periods. Definitely consider getting a proper cover for it. 5. The handlebars could be longer. I find my left arm and elbow, especially, getting fatigued when I'm out and about from keeping the front wheels straight (I injured my right foot). If the handlebars were 4-6 inches longer on each end it would balance out the leverage quite a bit. 6. The clamp that holds the handlebars in place gets wobbly pretty quickly. It's still secure, the pin that holds it in doesn't come loose, but it rattles around because the clamp comes undone. You have to turn it clockwise and mash the lever to secure it and it goes from way too loose to way too hard to push down in a centimeter. I use my foot to push it down. When it's completely stable it's a dream, but most of the time I deal with it being a little wobbly because I don't feel like messing with it any more. 7. The basket initially didn't fit over the hooks because the vinyl coating on the top edge was getting caught on the part that holds the hooks. Once I mashed it in a few times a bit of the coating came off and it fits fine, now. Give it a good mash. 8. As other reviewers have mentioned the wheel bolts stick out a lot on the front wheels and I've bashed up my door frames and trim quite a bit with them. Oops. 9. Can be unbalanced if you're not careful. I was driving it forward at camp and hit a tree root and tipped myself forward right over the handlebars - the rear end lifted right up and I ended up stomping down on my broken foot to keep from falling. I've been a lot more cautious since that happened and make sure I have my weight settled back on the knee pad at all times. 10. The brake lock isn't fantastic - it doesn't hold perfectly tight and it can slip unlocked. I don't use it, really, so it's not a huge concern - just be aware of it. 11. Don't run over your foot. Be careful backing up while looking behind you. That's my bad, but it still hurts. My good foot is covered in bruises - maybe I really do need to slow down! Overall, the cons are pretty minor compared to the freedom and mobility I've gained using this scooter - I really love it! In addition to the softer handlebar grips I got a bicycle cup holder (essential) and a cute horn shaped like a dinosaur. I had purple streamers but my cat kept trying to eat them. I get comments and compliments every time I go out in public with this scooter. Best of all it was radically cheaper than what was offered to me by the medical supply store - they didn't have one in stock and wanted me to pay nearly $600 to order the one scooter they offered, sight unseen! The price I paid on Amazon was about the same as it would have cost me to rent a scooter for the duration, and this thing is going to last. In short: if your mobility is limited due to a foot or leg injury you owe it to yourself to get this scooter. You will be SO happy with it, I guarantee. Who knows, perhaps we'll re-purpose it once I'm done needing it and cause some more injuries? Just kidding! Maybe. :)
