If you’re researching walkers for yourself or a loved one, you’ll quickly find out that there are a lot of trusted and established brands selling walkers. You’ll also learn that there is a wide variety of walker types offering many useful features and a wide range of prices.
Ultimately, finding the best walker, suited to one’s unique situation is the ultimate goal. Boomer Buyer Guides has undertaken the task of researching, reporting, and recommending the best walkers currently available for online purchase.
In this article, we present a 7-step process for selecting a walker.
Simplifying The Process of Choosing the Best Walker
While a variety of choices is a good thing, it can make finding and buying the best walker for you a very challenging endeavor.
This article will help you understand exactly what to look for when shopping for a walker, and the best way to go about buying a walker online. We’re even going to give you a list of some of our top picks for you to consider, in addition to plenty of other useful information about shopping for the best walkers available.
Whether you’re looking for more information on wheeled walkers, upright walkers, hemi-walkers, or the many other types of walkers and rollators, then our walker guides are for you.
Equally, if you have no idea what any of the walkers mentioned above are but are looking to buy a walker – either for yourself or for a family member – then BoomerBuyerGuides.com should prove invaluable and send you well on your way to finding the perfect walker!
7 Step Guide to Finding the Best Walker For Seniors
As mentioned earlier, finding the perfect walker for your situation can be a challenge, but following our 7-step process will help simplify the process with a logical approach.
Following the 7 Step Guide, we’re going to provide you with more information about walkers, walker types, when you should consider buying a walker and we’ll even make a few recommendations for walkers you should look at when you start shopping.
Here we go…
1. Understand Exactly Why You Need a Walker
Although walkers ultimately serve the same end purpose for everyone (helping you walk), there are many underlying reasons which may cause you to require a walker. For example, you may need one because your legs are no longer strong enough to support your body, or because your body has lost its balance.
The bottom line is that you need to feel steady and confident on your feet. Once you have identified the underlying reason(s) which is limiting your ability to walk confidently and safely, you can move on to step two.
2. Measure Your Height And Weigh Yourself
Buying a walker that is the right size for you – or adjusting it to the perfect height when you first get it – is very important, as walkers which aren’t the correct size for you will be uncomfortable to use or might not be usable at all.
choose the best walker
Some models are equally suitable for people of pretty much all sizes. However, it is still best to measure yourself in case the model you’re interested in isn’t adjustable (or is only adjustable for a small range of heights.)
And be aware that even the best walkers for seniors have weight limits. Be sure you check the weight limits on the walkers you are considering.
To measure your height, you should stand up straight against a wall while wearing a pair of shoes and allow your hands to hang to the sides of your body, naturally. Next, you should use a tape measure to measure the length from the crease in your wrist down to the floor. This length is the handle height the walker you buy should have (or should be adjustable too.)
Don’t be surprised if you’re not as tall as you thought you were. Once we reach 40 years old, almost everyone loses about a half-inch in height every 10 years. Height loss increases after age 70. You could lose a total of one to three inches over time.
3. Know Where You’ll Be Using Your Walker
A walker or rollator that doesn’t fit through every doorway in your house won’t be useful for you. If it’s too big you may struggle to use it or store it, so it is strongly suggested that you measure the width of the doors and walkways in your property before making a purchase decision. Be sure to make a note of these widths so you can refer to them when searching online for a suitable walker to ensure it can comfortably fit where you plan to use it.
The vast majority of walkers can fit through standard doors without any difficulty, but you may need a narrow walker if there are any narrow walkways on your property. It is always better to be on the safe side.
4. Set A Budget For Your Walker Purchase
A walker can be an important purchase and there’s no doubt that it can improve your independence and quality of life, but most of us have certain financial restrictions we need to consider. Setting a budget early on in your search for the best walker will keep you disciplined and focused on the models that you can realistically afford.
While it is good to shop with a budget in mind, a walker is not a purchase you want to scrimp on. So, spending a little extra to get a model that lasts longer and is better suited to your individual needs might be wise. After all, you are likely to be spending a lot of time using your walker or rollator. If you view the purchase as a long-term investment, you will undoubtedly see the value over time.
To give you some ballpark figures, some standard, wheel-less walkers can be bought for as little as $50-$80, though lightweight models can cost more. Wheeled models and rollators can cost well over $200, but, as mentioned, the extra $100 or so you spend is likely to be a worthwhile investment in the long run.
5. Make Of List Of Must-Have Features You Need
While all walkers ultimately serve the same purpose, some have features that you may require or at least prefer to have. For example, you may want a walker with a basket to hold items when you go shopping, a cup holder, or a seat for your convenience. Some also have other useful features, such as phone holders, which you may want to improve the functionality of your walker.
Additionally, you might want a walker that has a specific characteristic (for example, you may prefer a lightweight walker), so this should be factored into your search early on to save you time and effort.
6. Research The Various Types And Models Of Walkers
Once you have decided on all of the above points and measured yourself and your property, you can begin researching the various types of walkers and rollators. Examples of walker types include front-wheel walkers, upright walkers, and four-wheel rollators.
We have more in-depth information about the various types of walkers that are available. You can find them by clicking on any of the links in the following list.
- Best Upright Walker
- Best Lightweight Walker
- Best Heavy-Duty Walker
- Best 4-Wheel Walker
- Best 3-Wheel Walker
- Best Standard Walking Frame
Once you have decided which is best suited to your needs and budget, you can research specific brands and models.
It is a good idea to create a shortlist consisting of a handful of models you think are strong contenders, before narrowing down your selection and ultimately buying one of them.
7. Purchase Your Walker, Try It Out And Make Adjustments
Once you have found what you believe will be the best walker for you, you simply need to place your order and wait for it to arrive in a few days. Then, you can adjust it to suit your height (if it is an adjustable walker), before trying it out and making further adjustments if needed.
After this, you can simply enjoy the extra mobility you now have and take advantage of this newly found independence to safely go for walks and get about more easily when running errands.
Boomer Buyer Top Picks
Below you can find our top picks, helping to save yourself hours of research by taking you straight to some of the best, most cost-effective models being sold by trusted sellers on Amazon today.
UPWalker Lite Original Upright Walker (Stand Up Rolling Mobility Walking Aid with Seat)
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UPWalker Original Upright Walker (Stand Up Rolling Mobility Walking Aid with Seat)
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ELENKER Upright Walker (Stand Up Folding Rollator)
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Drive Medical RTL10266-T Nitro Euro Style Walker Rollator
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Drive Medical Four Wheel Walker Rollator
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Assembly My Walker By Myself?
Most of the walkers in our Top Picks section can easily be assembled, so you can save a chunk of change as you should have no trouble doing this by yourself and therefore won’t need to pay an assembly fee.
Furthermore, many of the models don’t require any tools as part of the assembly process.
Do I Need To Pay For Shipping?
This varies depending on the individual store you are buying from. Still, most sellers on Amazon offer free shipping, and many even offer next-day delivery if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, so you can begin using your walker asap.
How Can I Clean My Walker?
You can easily clean your walker or rollator with soap and water or wet wipes. The seat, handlebars, and frame are the areas that you should focus your cleaning efforts on.
Can I Pay in Installments?
Many Amazon sellers allow you to pay for large purchases bit by bit. For example, if you purchase a rollator for $179.99, you may be able to pay for it by setting up a monthly direct debit of about $30 for six months.
Should I Buy a Used Walker?
There are plenty of bargain, used walkers and rollators on Amazon, which can be helpful if you are on a fixed or low budget. However, we recommend buying a new one, as second-hand walkers may have faulty components or may have already used up their warranties.
With many established Amazon sellers offering finance packages that allow you to pay in installments, everyone can afford a fantastic brand-new walker or rollator to give them their independence back!