Accessible hiking in the mountains: The X8 off-road power wheelchair takes users to the top

Clear mountain air and a breathtaking view of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain – the perfect reward after hiking the trail to the summit. Think that's sadly not in the cards for wheelchair users? Well, think again! It’s all possible with the right wheelchair.

"The Extreme X8 is an off-road electric wheelchair that was originally developed by Magic Mobility to experience the Australian outback. In other words, it was designed to conquer all terrains," says Leticia Voland Aguilar, Marketing Manager Germany & Austria at Sunrise Medical. "The 4 wheel drive power with direct steering, 4 powerful 4 pole DC motors at 700W each and the 14-inch low-pressure knobby tires provide optimum traction and ensure a safe driving experience even in rough terrain."

With all this technology under the hood, there is nothing stopping users from hiking to the Tannenhütte in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The "Hütte" (hut) was redesigned in 2018 to be accessible. Prior to that, visitors could reach it via a designated wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus with all-wheel drive. Hut operator Andreas Hertle is a member of the Förderverein Bewegung und Begegnung (BUB e.V, English: Association for the Promotion of Movement and Friendly Encounters). Together with his colleagues, he is committed to inclusion projects that support climbing, sports, and mobility. This prompted the idea of creating an independent and self-determined path for wheelchair users to ascend the mountain.

Wheelchair manufacturer Sunrise Medical was made aware of this project by Rainer Friedel, one of the company’s sales representatives, and was immediately excited about it. After the initial contact, Sunrise Medical knew that it wanted to actively support the project. The company provided an Extreme X8 power wheelchair for demonstration purposes during the "Tannenhütte" project. Sunrise Medical employees were on-site to help supervise the start of the project and to answer any questions.

"The project reflects our mission of improving our customers' lives every day. Giving people with limited mobility the ability to autonomously visit the Tannenhütte is an amazing idea. Our Extreme X8 wheelchair enables us to push beyond and redefine limits," says Voland Aguilar.

The first test drive took place in May 2020. Interested parties were subsequently able to use the off-road power wheelchair on location for drives between August 1 and September 15. The event far exceeded the expectations of the responsible parties: all test runs were fully booked during the campaign in a short amount of time. "We are now committed to implementing similar projects at other locations in the future and offering people with limited mobility the same type of experience. We will work out additional plans to that effect in the next few months."

Test driver Christine is one of the lucky ones who already enjoyed the view from the summit as a reward for the hike. She underscored that she felt absolutely safe at all times driving the X8 wheelchair. And as an added bonus: This marked the first time in ages that she was leading the group on the trail. For years, she had always been the one that was forced to catch up with the other hikers. "It was so much fun to go mountain hiking after such a long time! Awesome. The Extreme X8 really gives people with disabilities back a slice of freedom and truly delivers on its promises," the test driver gushes about her experience.

Leticia Voland Aguilar also recalls another touching response to the chance at an accessible mountain hike. "We accompanied Renate on her hike to the Tannenhütte. She was so touched that we had to stop along the way. She thanked everyone in tears. Renate has been in a wheelchair for 51 years and never thought it possible to experience a mountain hiking adventure in her lifetime."

Sunrise Medical and Magic Mobility want to give people the chance to live an active life and reach far beyond the limits they have run up against in the past. "This scope is limited when it comes to traditional power wheelchairs. If conventional power wheelchairs have reached their limits, Extreme X8 is the solution," says Voland Aguilar. The power wheelchair can assist with long walks through the woods, visits to the beach, and it supports a return to work – in farming and agriculture, for example. BUB’s and Sunrise Medical’s commitment shows that the right assistive device can create opportunities to lead an active and self-determined lifestyle.