Please Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through one of the links, I may get a small commission, without any cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.
Snow and ice are an inevitable part of the winter months in Canada. Navigating snowy and icy terrain poses an extra challenge for wheelchair users. Bumps and uneven surfaces can cause wheels to spin out, or get stuck. Which makes it difficult to get traction. When coupled with extremely cold temperatures, this can turn into a potentially serious problem if you are unable to get indoors or if you get stranded in a parking lot. There are several different products with various price points designed for wheelchair users to help navigate the snow. This is my independent review of the WheelBlades XL caster wheel ski attachments so you can decide if this product is a good fit for you.
There are two separate models of WheelBlades: S and XL. I ended up going with the XL version which are technically considered the model for strollers rather than wheelchairs. The S version is specifically designed for wheelchairs and contain a more robust stainless steel clamp. But they are also way more expensive, and have a smaller surface area. I went ahead and ordered the XL WheelBlades, and crossed my fingers that they would be compatible with my wheelchair set up.
Thankfully they fit wonderfully! When attached there was plenty of clearance between the blades and my large wheelchair wheels. If you have a smaller wheelchair with less distance between the caster wheel and the main wheels it may get caught up so keep this in mind. The skis have great maneuverability and can spin 360° without resistance. They also intuitively auto correct and straighten out in your direction of travel. They fit snugly onto the caster wheels with a plastic clamp, and can be adjusted for any wheel width between 2 to 7cm with the enclosed tool.
WheelBlades XL Overview
Size wise the XL WheelBlades are still fairly compact. They measure roughly 39cm (≈15inches) in length and 12.5cm (≈5inches) in width. The front tip of the ski curves up about 5cm (≈2inches) and the back of the skis curve up about 3cm (≈1.25 inches). These allow for smooth navigation over bumps and snow. There are grooves on the bottom of the skis to help stabilize and maintain direction. Weight wise they are about 560g each, so 1.12kg (≈2.5lbs) for the pair. Their compact size and weight make them small enough to throw in a backpack when not needed.
Putting Them to the Test
They arrived in the mail just in time for ice fishing. It was a perfect opportunity to try them out on the ice and snow. Here is a video to see them in action. They worked great on the ice and snow. The wide surface area allowed for some grip to get traction over the glare ice surface. One of the skis wasn’t properly adjusted and popped off when I encountered a snow patch, but once it was tightened it was good to go.
The limiting factor was definitely the low profile tread on my main tires. When paired with some knobbier tires they would have been unstoppable. Unfortunately both sets of tires I have right now are low profile so will have to wait to test out that hypothesis. The suggestion was made to cut an old mountain bike tire in half and zip tie the tread to my wheels to budget rig some traction. This way I don’t have to worry about readjusting my brakes or buying a new set of rims. Once I procure an old bike tire I will be trying this out for sure. Another fun option would be using them with ski poles as a cross country skiing set up to get some cardio in. Will also be one the list to try next time.
We put them to the test with a tow rope behind the van at slow speeds. They provided a smooth ride and intuitively tracked with my direction of travel. All in all they worked fantastic. They provide great support and don’t stick out very far in front of the wheelchair, making it easy to position your wheelchair and are low profile so they don’t get in the way when you are transferring to and from your chair.
The clamp mechanism makes it super easy to get on and off. But, it is worth noting that I had help getting the blades on before I transferred to my chair. It may be tougher to get them on independently while sitting in your chair. But, if you are confident in your wheelchair skills and can line up a wheelie to get the wheels into place and have the upper body mobility to reach down and lock them into place it is definitely do-able. Although, I would recommend getting someone to help you attach them if possible since an errant wheelie may cause damage to the plastic clamp mechanism if you land it wrong.
Conclusion
I would definitely recommend these attachments for anyone who is out and about in the snow and ice. They are great for outdoor recreation during the winter months which are typically an isolating time for wheelchair users. Apparently they can also be used to go over top of sand as well. I am looking forward to trying them out at the beach this summer to see how they fare. (Update: I tried them on sand, and they work good to keep the castor wheels from sinking in, but the big wheels still get stuck and you essentially dig yourself into a hole. Wider tires are needed to self propel on sand. But the wheelblades made it easier for someone to push me through the sand, as they work to pack down the sand and make a little track for the larger wheels).
Overall they are a great product for me due to their versatility, portability, and maneuverability. They are also more competitively priced than other wheelchair attachments designed for snow. My only concern is the long-term durability of the plastic clamp compared to the metal clamp offered on the S model. Time will tell, but so far so good!
I hope this helps anyone looking for an option to deal with the ice and snow in a wheelchair. Let me know what you think, or if you have any additional questions. I hope this review of the WheelBlades XL was helpful and informative!
