Touring throughout the U.S. in a leisure car is a staple of American tradition, and it’s additionally been a dream for a lot of wheelchair customers. Not too long ago, Winnebago has launched two accessibility-enhanced RVs designed to make it simpler for these with mobility disabilities to get out on the street. I had the chance to discover the within of the smaller mannequin, the 19-foot-9-inch Winnebago Roam, and whereas it’s not fitted to all wheelchair customers, many with mobility limitations may gain advantage from its options.
Stepping into the Roam is a breeze with the BraunAbility Beneath Automobile Carry, which may be managed with a pendant or non-obligatory distant management. As soon as contained in the Roam, you possibly can switch to the driving force’s or passenger seats, or keep in your chair utilizing the Q’STRAINT tie-down system.
Shifting from entrance to again, the primary area to contemplate is the driving force’s compartment. The Roam is constructed on a Dodge Ram chassis and designed to journey like a minivan. The 2 captain’s chairs rotate 180° to allow transfers between the entrance and most important compartments. The chairs are a number of inches increased than a regular wheelchair, so that you would wish some mixture of arm energy, sliding-board abilities, or sufficient leg perform to face up and pivot for self-transfer. Hand controls may be put in on the driving force’s facet.
Additional again, the galley space provides a small fridge, a number of drawers and cubbies for storage, and a 12-gallon sink, all simply reachable from my energy wheelchair. The microwave is put in excessive above the counter, nevertheless, and out of my attain. I would wish a companion to function it. Shifting across the cabin is tight — it’s a camper van, in spite of everything — however I used to be in a position to handle in my Whill, a smaller energy chair. Most guide wheelchair customers ought to be capable to navigate the cabin, however these with bigger, extra complicated energy chairs would possibly discover the inside aisles too small to be practical.
Proper subsequent to the galley is the bathroom and bathe compartment. There’s a 3.5-inch step as much as the bathroom, with a detachable waste tank that detaches like a cassette. The bathroom has two seize bars and rotates 90° for simpler showering whereas seated. The bathe compartment has a handheld showerhead with cold and warm water, and a magnetic enclosure to forestall spillage. The lavatory often is the most difficult function of the Roam as a result of it requires that further step as much as the bathroom. A robust guide wheelchair person would possibly be capable to make the lateral switch, however it could be tough.
Throughout from the toilet space is the dinette. It encompasses a desk that folds and locks into place, has an extender and is excessive sufficient for a wheelchair person to simply roll beneath. There’s additionally a 24-inch pivoting tv with USB ports and streaming functionality. Above the dinette is a storage compartment with a strap that you could attain from a seated place. Lots of the controls, together with temperature, lights, couch mattress and water heater, are situated on a panel to the left of the tv, and had been inside simple attain.
On the rear is a custom-sized couch that converts to a flat mattress with push-button controls situated in the back of the car and on the management panel. The mattress measures 5 toes 10 inches from one facet of the RV to the opposite, has a reminiscence foam topper and is kind of comfy. There’s a seize bar to assist with transfers, and it’s slotted to accommodate a cupholder. Whereas Winnebago describes the mattress as accommodating two individuals, they must be two average-to-smaller-sized individuals.
The Winnebago Roam isn’t a very good match for everybody. One chair person with a companion might be the utmost you may comfortably match — it could possible be too small for household journey. And a few of its accessible options do require a little bit of mobility. Nonetheless, for these with the correct amount of perform, the Roam may very well be a terrific possibility for street journeys or longer tenting holidays. Having facilities like a bathroom and kitchenette may additionally make day journeys or lengthy days of working errands simpler and extra comfy.
The Roam has a beginning MSRP of $179,684. For extra data examine go to Winnebago’s web site.
