Pride Jazzy Carbon Featherweight Power Chair, Black, with 5-Year Extended Warr

This electric chair is everything advertised to be. Extremely light weight for portability and easy to operate.

Update - October, 2024 - I've since purchased a second Jazzy Carbon and it is the newer Version 2. There are a number of notable changes which you may wish to consider:Acceleration is faster - Version 1 had sluggish acceleration. This as been rectified now and is a dramatic improvement.Top speed is lower - This is "seat of the pants" measurement, but it feels slower than Version 1. Closer to a brisk walk versus a slow jog.Lower traction tires - The rear tires do not have the same grip as the original ones. I'm hoping to scuff them up on asphalt and see if the issue goes away. I noticed the problem when going up an incline, they slipped.Seat cushion foam is denser - and likely to last longer. The original one wore out within weeks of use.Joystick controller has been restyled - The joystick is curvy and elongated versus the more squared off original. Confirmation beeps are now quiet and only the horn function is loud. The new joystick is not backwards compatible as the pin configuration has changed.Owners manual improved - now has better diagrams and photos to guide you.The easiest way to determine if you have Version 1 or 2 is the joystick shape/style. Now that I have both I prefer Version 2, but that may not necessarily be true for everyone. The immediate acceleration takes getting used to. It can be tricky to stay in a straight line.==== Original Review ======In the interests of full disclosure, I purchased the Jazzy Carbon from a different retailer than Amazon. However, the chair itself is absolutely identical to the one pictured here. I have owned the chair now for about six months so I have long term feedback as well.In quick summary, the chair performs well at its intended task. It is lightweight, foldable, and easy to use. It is comfortable for all day use. It is an expensive chair to be sure. But, what you're paying for is its light weight and compact form. There are less expensive travel chairs constructed of aluminum alloys but they weigh almost twice this one. Very challenging to transport.Having said all that, this chair isn't intended for off-road use despite the coil spring shock system on the wheels. This chair is ideal for the restaurant/mall, city streets, cruise ships, or just getting around the house. It has provided me with a tremendous amount of freedom when on vacation and has become invaluable.Let's go through the chair's key aspects:Drivability - If you're expecting that finesse of an expensive (read Premobil) chair, you'll be disappointed. The controller does offer digital proportional control, but it's not as precise. Practice is needed for accuracy in tight situations. But, it can U-turn in very narrow areas such as the typical house hallway.Braking is provided by the electric motor's magnets. There is no physical wheel lock. As a result, suddenly letting up on the power results in a jolt as the brakes kick in immediately. You want to ease off the joystick for a smooth stop. This plays into my previous comment about lack of steering finesse. Trying to operate the chair at a very low speed often results in a jarring set of stops and starts. Again, practice makes perfect.The wheelchair steers by reducing power to the inside rear wheel versus increasing power to the outside wheel. This means that any steering corrections will slow the chair down. A 90 degree turn results in a dramatic drop in speed. Acceleration can also be very slow. I weigh 155lbs, and it's sluggish initially. At this price range, this is to be expected. It's not a limitation of the electrical motors as they have full torque at zero RPMs. It's a result of limiting the amps drawn so as not to damage the electronics.The chair does have adjustable top speed settings. Setting 1 is a slow walk. Mid-point is a typical walking pace. At max speed: a brisk walk or slow jog. However, the faster you go, the more drain on the battery. I believe it has a top speed limiter as well as I tried to accelerate quickly down a sloped hallway and it didn't go any faster than the preset top speed.Range - This is impossible to gauge. What I can tell you is that I spent a full day exploring a city during my vacation and the battery held up fine. But your own experience may differ. Driver weight, surface smoothness, inclines, constant stop & go, and ambient temperatures. All these things will impact range. Keep an eye on the power meter display to know when a pitstop is needed.Features - The chair has a number of useful features. First, both arm rests lift up and out of the way. Useful for transfering onto the chair from a car, or getting the chair up close to the dinner table. Note that if you have problems with hand strength (e.g. arthritis), you may find the unlocking mechanism challenging.All fabric portions (seat cushion, seat back, under chair bag) can be removed for cleaning. Very useful if you use the chair outdoors. The seat cushion isn't the best as it doesn't offer a lot of padding. However, it's a fairly standard size at 17" x 16". You can replace with a gel mat. There's a zipper on the back of the seat cushion cover. Please note - if you do this, it'll probably add a couple of pounds. Gel mats are heavy!Coil Spring Suspension - One of the key advantages of this design is the suspension system. It seems like a small thing, but makes a big difference in ride comfort. Whether it's rough asphalt or tiled surfaces, it smoothes out the ride a bit.The battery pack is under the seat and well protected. You can charge it via the joystick/controller port without removing it. Or, you can remove it and charge it outside the chair. This has an added benefit of being able to "hot swap" a new battery. The battery pack is a proprietary design.Durability - It's held up well after six months of use. I've used it both indoors and on city streets in various cities I've traveled to. However, it is exhibiting some wear & tear. First, the chair creaks and rattles now. Likely a result of its carbon fiber construction. It doesn't impede functionality but you notice it.Second, the battery pack is starting to show its age. It doesn't last as long and it shows in the battery meter built into the controller. I've since acquired a second battery pack for extended usage scenarios.Weight - It's light. Anyone with reasonable strength should be able to lift and carry the unit. However, maneuvering it into a trunk may require two people.Folding - The ability to fold this wheelchair into something compact is a great selling point. And it does fold easily. However, when folded, it lacks any logical areas for you to hold the chair for lifting. What would be great is a telescopic handle like a carry-on bag. I've seen it on a different chair. The folding function is fundamental to why people buy this chair, it should work better.Finally, strongly recommend you remove the controller/joystick if you're transporting it on a plane. That unit protrudes and can be easily damaged.Airplane Usage - No fault of the wheelchair, but you need to be prepared to be at the airport early, have the technical specs of the chair handy, and talk to a number of people before you're allowed on the plane.First, lightweight powered wheelchairs are still a novelty for airlines, so sometimes they don't know what to do, or reference the wrong FAA regulations. But know this: this wheelchair is allowed in the cargo hold of the plane. I've traveled successfully internationally numerous times with this chair.Most airlines will require you to remove the battery pack and take it onboard as carry-on. So, be sure you know how to remove the battery beforehand.Most airlines will ask you for the weight of the chair (40lbs) as well as the capacity of the battery (288 Watts). Up to 300 Watts is permissable. However, I have run into situations where the gate agent has confused the laptop regulations with wheelchair and argued that 100 Watts was the max. Be patient and ask them to confirm with a colleague.You CAN ride this chair all the way to the airplane door. They basically treat it like a baby stroller at that point and take the folded chair into the cargo area. Be sure YOU know how to fold and stow the chair properly because they won't.Again, if you travel by plane with this chair, remove the controller or risk it being damaged in transport.