This Hugo Elite Rollator Walker is one of those things that you think you don't need, then once having it, realize you needed it all along! At least that has been the case for me. Despite the vocal opinions of well-meaning family and friends, I continued on with my cane/s, happily, saying that I don't need a walker except for hospital recovery. And then came the latest hospitalization, with a major vacation planned just 5 weeks away, and I decided to get a walker "for the vacation". The walker arrived 20 hours after ordering it! Just in time for coming home from hospital. And guess what? I am SO glad I got it, and yes, I need it! I always saw a walker as taking away from my mobility rather than adding to it, but this will undoubtedly be adding both quantity and quality to the times I am able to be out and about.
Now, to this model walker specifically. As a big, tall woman, I was concerned the seat would be too narrow for comfort. It is not. While my body does touch the frame, it is not uncomfortable, and does not "squeeze" me. That was my biggest concern, now alleviated. The walker is extremely sturdy and stable. Everything about it speaks quality: from the large 8" wheels that are about 1.5" wide, to the aluminum tubing, brake mechanisms, reflectors on the handgrips, curshion handgrips, ergonomic styling. This walker just glides along ever so smoothly.
Brakes are easy to set, lock, use, and release, and it doesn't take a lot of pressure to do so. I am 5'10" and the handles are plenty high for me and have a bit more adjustment left - I also use them a bit higher than most might, so I would think a person up to 6'3" or so would be comfortable as well. There is a lot of room in the underseat storage, which also has two end pockets. The saddlebag is adequate, and could carry a jacket and folding cane. The backside as several pockets for phone, wallet, etc.
One thing needs noting: Assemby is more involved than the Product Page indicates. It took my son-in-law over an hour to put it togerther, and a couple of double-checks and figuring out along the way. I am not sure I could have done it on my own if he had not been here, and usually I have no problem assembling furniture and equipment. So, just be aware of that, and have someone available to assemble this if the person receiving it cannot.
Update: April 5, 2017
Some reviews have mentioned folding issues. Since I use public transit, and family has a pickup, I did not address this in prior post. During vacation, we used Uber, and the walker was a problem. Four of the twelve vehicles used had a problem fitting the walk in (while folded) -- two to the point of almost needing to cancel and call another car. (There were four people as well as the walker). Even one of the six "XL Uber" cars had a problem in the back with it. Also, on the third day, problems arose trying to unlock it from the folding position. We learned to push it more closed, then the knob worked. It almost always took two people to fold and unfold -- though by the end of vacation my son in law had the routine down pretty good.
Overall, my review remains five stars and very positive. I can walk faster, farther, and more confidently with this walker. During loooong days at theme parks, I walked over five miles a day, and was able to provide my own seat to sit anywhere needed, instead of using up energy looking for a place to sit. Because of the walker, I could keep up with the family, and not slow them down, which if I had taken just my cane, would have been the case.
This walker is a beast! I'm 6'4" & 300 lbs. Waiting 2 weeks for my hip replacement. This walker is great. Helps me get around everywhere. Heavy duty but if you need to lift into your trunk it's light. Going over cracks and grass is very easy. Easy to put together. Just snap on wheels and snap on the back bar. Adjust your brakes and register the walker. I fully recommend this to anyone who needs one.
This rollator is AWESOME!!! I am pretty young for a walker (54 y/o) but a back injury rendered it necessary. I thought it would make me look "old". In fact I can walk twice as fast and stand twice as straight as I did with my cane! I can take my dogs for a walk again!!! The only downfall I see is pretty much the same with a rollator walkers: The seat is cheap padding and heat fused light plastic seams. The back rest hits me at a very uncomfortable part of my back even though the height of the seat, handle bars, etc. are correct. I find that I have to sit forward a bit. I also have to say that the BLACK plastic seat material not only looks like it won't last long, but it is sure to be extremely hot. Luckly I have crocheted a seat cover... Geez... I'm brillant! I hope that I'm wrong about the durability of the seat, because I haven't seen anyone offering "replacement parts". PLEASE NOTE: ALL Rollators seats are pretty much the same as of 7/1/12. The look and operation of this lovely invention is REALLY NICE. If I didn't know, I would think it would cost $500.00 to $1,000.00! Oh, and to save you some time, I checked prices all over the internet, and Amazon was the least expensive and gave free shipping!!! IMPORTANT INSURANCE INFO: If your doctor writes a "doctors order" for a Rollator, you can "bill your insurance company for reimbursement"! I have a private insurance company as my primary insurance, and Medicare as secondary. In any case, both tried to be very helpful to give my "out of pocket expense" back to me! Make sure the "doctors orders specify "Rolling Walker" or "Rollator" WITH PADDED SEAT & BACKREST. AND>>>ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT The "DME" (Durable Medical Equipment) or "procedure code" is "E0143". IT TOOK ME A LOT OF RESEARCH TO FIND THIS CODE, SO PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN!!!Your doctor will also need to write your diagnosis code on the "doctor order". Hope this helps!!!! :o)
Just arrived today, assembled by me, a patient in her 60's. It was fairly easy except for one issue. Pictures are attached of a rubber gasket. I had to remove the four gaskets to insert the legs into the posts. The second picture had a red arrow to show where the gasket was. It doesn't say anything about this in the instructions that I can see. I hope they were put on the posts to prevent damage during transit, because I had to take them off if I was going to get the legs to go into the leg frames. See the pics.
My initial reaction is that this is a fairly sturdy rollator. Let's just say, I am a 3x, plus size gal. I have ample hips that I am hoping to get rid of when my knees are replaced, but I can sit on the seat without issue. I am extremely uncomfortable in an economy airline seat, as a comparison. Inspecting under the seat, there is a are two sturdy bars, front and back, that hold the seat up. They provide a sense of security in that they appear to be substantial and strong. We shall see as time goes by.
One of the posters mentioned a sticker on the seat. The rollator is shipped with a large red "warning" placed right on the seat. I can see why she was upset. The seat was sticky when I removed the sticker and my clothes would have stuck to the seat had I not used "goo gone" to remove the sticky stuff. I had to rub quite hard to get it all off, then rinse the stinky goo gone off the seat and pray that it doesn't damage the seat.
Time will tell if this will hold up. I am already practicing using it for my upcoming surgery to strengthen my upper body. The brakes seem to do a good job of holding the rollator still when going from a sitting to standing position.
The width of the upper hand grips is 20 1/2 inches from one handle to another. The widest point on the rollator seems to be the back wheels, measuring 23 1/2 inches across. I found one thing in my hallway that will need to be moved since it is just about 1/2 inch to wide to get past. It fits through all my standard doors with the exception of a set of french doors when one of the doors is closed.
It is a complete pain to fold up. If I had surgery, there is no way I could fold or unfold it myself. I had to put my feet on the frame to hold it steady to hold the button that is on the right side that allows the frame to fold. It is not light, either. I will have to have someone to help me get it in and out of the car when I start therapy outside of my home.
The seat will be handy for transporting things around the house as I recover. The seat has room where I can pop in some ice packs as I hobble from the kitchen to my living room, there are places for pens, and ID, a nice slot for paper, etc. Lots of storage!
I have no idea why the cranberry red rollator was far more expensive than the blue one. I have a thing against blue...blue makes me blue. I have no idea why the red rollator was so much more expensive. I guess I will have to live with this blue thing, though red would make me so much happier!
Will update if there are any issues as I use it. My impress so far is that it is worth the money.
I waited several months to write my review so I had time to use my walker first. Thanks to this walker I was able to take and enjoy an 11 day trip to Disney World and Legoland with my 3 year old granddaughter. My problem isn't walking, it is being on my feet in one place for very long. I will be in terrific pain that will last for hours afterwards when I have to stand in one place for very long which is why I wanted a walker. I have an extremely bad back so bending over and carrying things aren't good for me either. On a previous trip by myself to Disney World I observed many people using walkers and spoke with several of them. When I returned home I was determined to buy myself one and am so glad I did. I would never have even considered attempting to take my granddaughter on our 11 day trip by myself otherwise. Because I was able to sit down while we were standing in lines I was able to go all day. When I needed to talk to my granddaughter I didn't have to bend over to be able to hear her because of all the people and noise. I would lock the brakes and she would hop up on the seat to talk to me. This walker is very sturdy and stable so I didn't worry about her tipping it over and falling off. Because of all the storage I didn't have to carry anything and my back and shoulders didn't hurt. I even used it to transport our groceries from the car across the parking lot, up the elevator and down the hallways to the unit we stayed in. I hung bags from the handle bars and put a big box on the seat so was able to bring everything up in one trip. .
I am very pleased with this walker and purchased it after reading on a couple of different websites many reviews of various walkers. I picked this walker for the following reasons.
1. The bigger 8" swivel wheels. They make a huge difference in your ability to maneuver. Don't waste your money on a walker with smaller or fixed position wheels.
2. The height adjustment. Both the seat and handle bars. I am able to easily adjust it by myself to the perfect height or to make it smaller to store.
3. Seat size and weight limit. I bought this walker because I needed to be able to sit down and the seat is wide and deep enough to sit comfortably on for more than just a few minutes. Although I don't need the 300 lb. weight capacity when I was comparing/considering the different walkers, the fact that this one is designed to hold that much told me that it is not a flimsy piece of junk.
4. Storage. The most storage of any walker I looked at. I like being able to have things stowed out of sight under the seat and in the storage bag.
5. Ease of collapsing and storing. After reading other's comments, I practiced a few times collapsing the walker and loading it in the car to get the hang of it. I have to say that I am impressed with how easily I now collapse it and load it in the car without any help! I drive a 2005 Elantra and was afraid it would take up my whole backseat or trunk after reading other people's comments. Not so. I like to put the walker in the backseat behind me and on our trip was able to fit the walker, a cooler, my granddaughter in her car seat with all her stuff, a duffle bag and more in the back seat of my little car.
6. Weight and Stability. I'm not frail but will confess that I don't work out and I have no problem picking this walker up. After using my walker and observing other people's walkers, the smaller or lighter weight walkers seem rickety by comparison. Stability has greater priority than weight for me.
Other people's comments called this walker the Cadillac of walkers and it truly is. Every time I have been somewhere with my Hugo Elite Rollater Walker I have received comments/questions from other walker users who wish they had one like it. I got it right the first time with this purchase!
Feature Product
- Tool-free assembly makes this rolling walker quick and easy to set up, simple to fold down and fits into most car trunks
- Designed to support adults up to 300 lbs. and well suited for those that have conditions that compromise balance
- Extra Large 8 inch wheels give you reliable stability for more confidence and security when walking indoors or outdoors
Description
Rollators by Hugo give you the mobility, convenience and portability that you need in a walker. This blue Elite Rollator has a 2 inch height adjustable built-in seat with backrest that provides a perfect place to sit and rest. In addition, this mobility aid has a convenient under seat storage bag that provides security for your valuables. Hugo’s Rollator has height adjustable handle bars for proper posture and ergonomic hand grips which place your hands at a natural angle for comfort and better brake access. The tool-free assembly makes this mobility aid quick and easy to set up, simple to fold down for easy storage and even fits into most car trunks. Hugo‘s Elite Rolling is designed to support adults up to 300 lbs. and is well suited for those rehabilitating an injury, dealing with severe arthritis or those who have conditions that compromise their balance. With extra large 8 inch wheels, this rollator gives you reliable stability for more confidence and security when walking indoors or outdoors and includes a saddle bag for extra storage. If you are 5 feet 3 inch or shorter, first remove all 4 spacer tubes from the wheel shafts. Model # 700-959E
Great product. Just got this for my 96 year old father. I'm impressed with the frame, has a premium solid feel, but not heavy. Seat is comfortable and the backrest is nicely padded and comfortable as well. I use it as a chair when I visit my father. Great storage under seat for a newspaper or book, lunch, jacket or whatever plus there are several zippered pockets, including a clear plastic window to slid an ID card in, handy if there are a lot of similar looking walkers at the facility. The large vinyl pouch in front is provides additional storage and has it's own individual storage areas for smaller items. There is some assembly required, but everything snaps into place, not tools required. Took about 15 minutes with no need to consult the large diagram instructions. Wheels roll over any surface you'll likely encounter with ease. Breaks are easy to reach, and handles are ergonomically designed for comfort. The brakes lock easily be pushing the lever down until you feel a snap. I read a review that called this walker the Rolls Royce of walkers and can't agree more. This is a premium product in every way that was carefully designed. Cons - none. A super deal at $99 for the blue frame, but we paid extra for the deep red color because blue was very common and we haven't regretted the choice. Highly recommend.
I think this is the third walker I have bought. The others were serviceable, but this one is more!! Great balance, carrying space adequate, you can see that it is being used, with key chain hanging out and business cards in view. I hate not being able to walk, but this is just what anyone needs to keep up with life and living to ones own abilities. I recommend highly this very model. It is strong, serviceable, good looking as a walker can be. I live and work with this.
Mom refused to get one, said she didn't need it. She was using a cane, and not using it very well. So I bought it anyway. She gave me the look of death as I was putting it together, which is very easy. Well, we did a test walk and she was walking fast enough that my FitBit actually registered my steps! She use to check her mail only on the weekends because it took her an hour with her cane. Now she goes every day and she's down and back in 20 minutes. She absolutely loves it! Her leg muscles are getting stronger, her balance is getting better, her confidence is getting stronger, and she loves walking around the complex! Best thing I ever bought
I exhaustively searched the market (on Amazon and elsewhere) before settling on "Hugo" (that's what we're now calling him) -- and we're thrilled!
We chose the Hugo Elite model because it offered seat height adjustment (a feature we're using to obtain a more suitable lower seat height) and the saddle bag (which we thought might be handy some day -- and which is now being used to stow a folding cane).
This walker is for my just-turned-90 petite mother who was beginning to get too wobbly with just a regular cane when going to doctors and such on her own (when shopping, she loves, instead, using shopping carts for stability with the occasional assist of her cane). She has taken to Hugo and her mobility is vastly enhanced. The under-seat storage is perfect for her large purse.
What's more, she is able to get Hugo folded and into and out of the rear seat of her 4-door sedan on her own (she remains capably self-sufficient)!! Hugo sits on his side on the car seat, handlebars facing forward.
Hugo has one feature we've found to be important that most other rolling walkers seem not to have -- a secure snap lock to keep Hugo folded. He locks automatically when he is folded; you pull a knob for just the second you start to unfold him.
Other features. The "Pacific Blue" color is gorgeous. Hugo feels sturdy and durable. The wheels are full-sized (smaller wheels on other brands don't work as smoothly). The Hugo company believes in progressively improving Hugo. The picture on this website (as of this writing) is of an earlier version. The wheels have since been improved. Our version had chunky rubber wheels on the rear (instead of plastic, as in the front) which work a lot better with the brakes.
There was one issue with assembly of Hugo which served to demonstrate that customer service is outstanding. As shipped, Hugo would have been fine if we'd used him with the seat in the higher setting. However, an inner leg tube needs to slide further into the outer leg tube to yield the lower seating and that wasn't possible in one of the legs as shipped. Customer service was exceedingly considerate and helpful in resolving this issue as rapidly as possible (ultimately taking the part from one of their new samples since parts for this newest version were not yet fully stocked).
Since using Hugo, we've had great pride of ownership and have recommended Hugo to the numerous folks who have taken notice of him and inquired.
We have absolutely no connection to the company but are customers and users who are delighted at this superior product, priced here very reasonably, which has substantially improved my mother's life!
By the way, in researching rolling walkers we discovered that local medical equipment stores, in general, have prices for such equipment which are often vastly higher than the prices charged on Amazon.
Thus I reach the only conclusion possible: Hugo is the one to buy (and do so here on Amazon)!
=====Addendum:
Based on our experiences using Hugo, I would like to add a CAUTIONARY warning. There is a risk of the user tumbling forward with Hugo to the ground (probably also the case with many/most other rolling walkers). The user must never STRETCH forward while using Hugo to reach something (like to open a door). The risk becomes large that both will tumble uncontrollably forward. Best to position Hugo such that one is reaching to the side.
I would like to make one other usage recommendation: it helps considerably to LOCK the brakes before folding Hugo and keeping the brakes LOCKED until completely opening Hugo (these practices help keep Hugo from rolling out while doing the folding and unfolding). (The brakes should also always be locked for safety before using Hugo as a fixed point to hold onto while either circling around him or transitioning to sit down or stand up.) Another detail: we don't make a point of =completely= folding Hugo before sliding him into the back seat; the final folding to the point of getting the frame to click shut can happen once he is getting positioned on the car seat.
In my earlier writing I forgot to also point out another advantage of Hugo compared to other rolling walkers: the fact that the under-seat storage is made of solid material, not the wire mesh of some other models. If you're putting a purse in this storage, you don't want to risk things falling out through wire mesh and becoming lost!
This walker is all what is described. Unlike the smaller ones this is folded by a strong strap in the seat pocket. Once you pull the strap, it folds up and locks. There is a pull button on the side to unlock it. The basket is a very good size. The pouch on the back, extends out little when adding things. There are also many pockets on the front. A great product!
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