Before we take a look at these Extra Heavy Duty Mobility Scooters For Obese People and overweight persons, I want to ask you a simple question. How much would a high weight capacity scooter improve your quality of life?. Wait before you answer, let me tell you.
Answer: There is no rating high enough to truly represent the vast improvement in happiness and freedom a scooter can provide. Correct!.
Unfortunately the stigma attached with being an overweight or heavy person cruising around on a mobility scooter is too overwhelming for many big people. Well out in public anyways. Humans have and always will be nasty to others that are not like them. It’s something us larger folk deal with on a daily basis.
Everyone Needs To Be Mobile
But when it comes to having the opportunities to live life as a ‘normal’ person would, mobility should be your number one priority. Being kept down because taking outdoors walks or even going to the mall is too hard on the muscles, joints and overall body just leads to more sheltered living and even depression.
If you want the freedom to do the things your body won’t allow you to do, then a heavy duty mobility scooter may be your answer. Even short commutes to work can be made easier using a heavy duty e-scooter.
A mobility scooter is great for the plus size people who love to be active but struggle to maintain the fitness level to achieve such tasks. A scooter can help us big Guys and Gals get out and see more of the world, instead of being trapped indoors.
With that in mind I say who cares what the ‘normal’ people think when they see a fat Guy on a scooter. If I want to go for a scoot down in the park I will dammit!. If I want to flaunt my big body on a treadmill followed by a relaxing session on a heavy duty Hammock I will!…. But lets not get too carried away right now… So lets have a look at the available high weight capacity mobility scooters suitable for overweight and obese people.
Highest Weight Capacity Mobility Scooters
Quick Links to Info on this Page:
For obese people that weigh up to 500 pounds, the choices can be quite slim, especially buying online. However, the four scooters below are in the range of 400 to 500 pound capacities. Click on the link to each scooter to learn more about them.
300 Lbs Capacity Mobility Scooters
Spitfire Scout 4 Wheel Scooter By Drive Medical
We think the Spitfire Scout 4 Wheel is classified as an entry level 300 pound mobility scooter that’s an Ok price. It’s a great portable scooter for overweight people up to 300 lbs looking to get out and about for the simpler things in life.
As this scooter is more affordable when compared to some top end scooters, don’t expect to take it on a 4wd adventure. The hard plastic wheels are ideally suited to pavement and can go on gravel/dirt when needed. As this scooter has 4 anti tip wheels, I rate it as one of the more stable travel scooters.
The scooter comes with a chargeable battery (Yes charger should be included), which the specifications say it should last 8 hours of drive time between charge. However always take into account the terrain and sloping conditions as this can chew up the battery more. Can the Spitfire Scout 4 Wheeler survive a trip to the mall?.
Yes without a doubt, I would go as far as saying you will end up broke in the Mall before your scooter looses charge. Another great thing about this scooter and taking it to the mall is that the padded armrests actually move completely out of the way. So you can easily reach over and grab any items you wish without the hassle of an armrest in the way. Plus the arms outwards to cater to us bigger people.
Can this scooter handle those pesky speed bumps? The Spitfire Scout has one of the biggest clearance areas for a scooter of this price. Depending on the height of the speed bump you can generally tackle a 3″ bump with ease. But it’s important to always take it easy and go slow over any bumps in the road.
Width Of The Scooter
As for dimensions the 2 most important things to look at are the seat width and overall width of the mobility scooter. The seat has a 16.5″ width which is not the widest by any stretch of the imagination. But as the scooter is only rated to 300 pounds, I would assume most people around 250 pounds would be able to fit comfortably.
The total with of the scooter is 21.5 inches. This is very important if you will be using a scooter to go between door frames. So even with a 24″ bathroom door frame this scooter should fit between the frame with minimal problems. However as the turning radius on this scooter is just under 56 inches don’t expect to be pulling off 90 degree turns if you have doors frames close together to try squeeze between.
As for portability I think this scooter is amazing. If can be easily taken down into 5 separate parts to be packed in the trunk or back seat of most cars. This is great for long road trips or holidays and because the 5 individual parts aren’t too heavy, it’s not such a hassle putting it back together either.
Overall I find the Spitfire Scout 4 Wheel Scooter to be well suited to the overweight person who needs an affordable scooter not intended for heavy duty usage. One could spend hundreds and even thousands more dollars on a higher end model with a only a few extras more.
In saying this the Spitfire scout can handle most accessories as well including the ability to upgrade the battery for extended travel time which is hard to find on a scooter of this price tag. It’s extremely quite to operate, rather comfortable and does it’s job very well. Our recommended buy for any person under 300 lbs.
Spitfire Scout 4 Wheel Assembly/Dissembling
Watch first hand how easy the Spitfire Scout 300 lbs mobility scooter really is the disassemble and assemble. While it is a video from the UK, it’s a similar if not the same US model. The video is short and quick to the point. If portability, high weight capacity and quality is what you’re after, the Spitfire should satisfy your needs.
The 3/4 Wheeler 400 Pound Rated Mobility Scooter
The 400 pound weight capacity mobility scooter I would consider to buy is the Pioneer III 3 wheel electric model. The only thing I would be wary of is that it has only 3 wheels compared to 4. So if you’re a little like myself and balance is an issue, perhaps stay clear of 3 wheelers as they can tip easier.
However, a 4 Wheel Version (400 Lbs Capacity) is also available. I do think the Pioneer III is of higher quality and more of a heavy duty scooter to what maybe expected. It’s a scooter that looks and feels like it may be by your side for many many years.
View Our Recommended Mobility Scooters For Obese People
Video recap breaking down the 3 scooters available for the big and heavy people recommended by us.
Why can’t I find an adult scooter for 400 pounds under $500
Just the way it is unfortunately. The more reinforcements and the greater the weight capacity, typically results in a higher price for us to pay sadly.
The weight capacity is great. But the writer of this review, talks like he is obese but I’m obese and I would never say a 16 inch seat is generous . Besides weight my next question is seat width. 22 inch seats would sure make my scooter experience better.
Thanks for picking this up Belinda, you’re absolutely correct and this issue has been rectified. A 16 inch seat is not going to be wide enough for a wider person. However, the scooter in mention only has a 300 pound weight capacity so the seat could be wide enough for a larger Man around 250 pounds. We all gain weight in different areas, so it wouldn’t be fair to disclose this scooter. However the Drive Medical Panther Scooter found on Amazon.com here is said to have a 22 inch wide seat which is also height adjustable. Also with a weight capacity of 400+ pounds. Hope this helps.
Will any of these scooters work for me? I am 500 pounds and I am in need of a scooter but im scared one of these wont be able to hold my weight
Hi Crystal, the above scooters don’t have a 500 pound weight capacity. However the Pride Maxima 3 has a 500lbs capacity and a fairy wide seat. I don’t know much about this scooter, but you can check it out on amazon here for more information.
I weigh 550 pounds and wish I had a mobility scooter they are hard to find in my size and I have no health insurance.
Loose some weight……DUH!
What a stupid comment
Wow, you’re a dick.
Why post such a mean-spirited comment? Do you think that the gentleman is unaware that losing weight would help?
The problem for many people is that being active when you’re heavier is painful, which can lead to being more sedentary, then to loneliness, and on to depression, to which many people self-medicate with food. When you then take into account all the secondary health problems that can be caused by being obese, you can understand how losing a large amount of weight can seem an impossibility. Patience, encouragement, and kindness by friends, family, and yes, even strangers will do far more to help than nasty remarks ever will.
To James Leonard, you can do this! Never mind about the numbers on the scale right now. Start by doing just a little more this week, like doing a walk around your living room twice a day, take all the time you need. Maybe next week you could also swap out soda for water with your meals (if you drink soda). Add a little something each week. You’ve got this!
These scooters are a lifeline for many, everyone deserves to be included in life- not set apart from it.
Best of luck!
Loosing weight is not easy and losing large amounts does not happen overnight. So a heavy duty scooter is still required, even if you were trying to lose weight.
I took a long time to come around to the idea of how much better my life would be with a scooter. I ended up making the decision after renting one for a week after foot surgery when I had a work trip for a convention in Las Vegas.
That hotel was huge, and even “normal” size people were complaining about the long distances. I would have never made it even before surgery. But that scooter changed my life for a week! I was going to all the events – at home I was almost housebound. I was zipping back and forth to anyplace I wanted for food (instead of skipping meals altogether or painfully trying to make it to whatever was closest). I was going to the vendor parties at night and having a great time instead of just going back to my room exhausted and in pain after the sessions were over.
I felt like a normal person, I was having so much fun. And I wasn’t in pain! I decided I needed one. I wanted to go to the museums and the zoo and get out of the house. I wanted to be able to go into the office more than once or twice a week.
So now I ride my scooter on the subway into work every day. And I go out and get lunch. And I’ve got more energy to be able to stay up and talk to my boyfriend after work.
As far as what scooter I got. It was the Pride Maxima. It’s small and the 3 wheel version has a tight enough turn radius to be able to manuever indoors without issue most of the time. I did try and research other models, but hated to spend the money without being able to try it out. No one had rentals to suit me in my town. So I settled for the Maxima because it was what I rented in Las Vegas.
It does come apart to fit in the back of a van or large SUV if you need that option. Although it’s not the easiest thing to disassemble and reassemble.
Anyway, thanks for the reviews of so many things. I’m 450 lbs and I’ve been reading this site all night to see what might work for me in other categories.
Which scooter do you have?
Nevermind. Missed it the first read. Pride Maxima.
Thanks for sharing your story Shannon. That is a great tip for anyone else trying decide if a scooter is right for them. Simply hire one and see how you feel about it. Great advice. Thanks for your kind words.
I have had a scooter for about six years. I am about 380 pounds but have not had any mean comments. I am sure some think unkind things but my knee joints are gone and I have other health issues. My scooter has brought me incredible joy and freedom. I can go shopping again, go to the lake, cruise downtown, sightsee, etc. We live in a small village and I can get to the post office, Doctor, pharmacy, grocery store, etc. all on my scooter. It serves us better than a second car. The only challenge is Canadian winters and heavy rain.
I’m looking to get a scooter for my mother at the moment. She has previously resisted this even though she is stuck in the house most of the time because she refuses to be seen on a scooter. This article is great and I am sure that it will be the thing that convinces her that a scooter is going to improve her life drastically. Do you have any other insights I can put to her? Thank you!