Andrew's Kids Review – Skippi, Kimba and kidevo

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Ottobock Skippi

What is the Skippi?

It's a versatile powered wheelchair for kids' powered mobility solution that comes apart.

Why is it a better kids' powered wheelchair solution?

It's one of the few paediatric powerchairs that can be disassembled for easy transport in a vehicle. It's a unique product that's been available for many years; however, it continues to look modern and is a trusted choice.

Why do parents choose the Skippi?

This powerchair is often chosen by parents who need a solution that fits in the car. It comes apart for easier lifting and storage. This is not common amongst powerchair designs. Most of our Skippi customers are families who are not satisfied with an NHS-powered wheelchair. They commonly seek charity donations or crowdfunding to buy one. Sometimes, you can use an NHS wheelchair voucher to reduce the cost of the Skippi.  

Who does it suit?

We offer the Skippi to children from around age 2 upwards. Depending on how quickly children grow, it can still be ideal for young users by the time they reach 6 or 7. 

Why does Recare recommend the Skippi?

Here at Recare, we're great fans of the Ottobock brand and the Skippi. Ottobock tends to be more well known for its high-quality prosthetics however its wheelchairs are just as good. The Skippi has all the German build quality you would expect and has loads of great features for versatility. 

Kimba family

What is the Kimba family?

It’s a range of two modular seating systems and five separate mobility bases that can be interchanged. Therefore, children with disabilities benefit from flexible living. 

Why is the range unique?

No other manufacturer offers this range of seating and bases, so all aspects of indoor and outdoor living are covered. There is no other solution as versatile. The seating comes in two sizes to suit children up to around 10 or 11 years old. For example, you can instantly swap the seat from a wheeled base for indoor use to a three-wheeler trailer which attaches to a bicycle. There are other choices as well. It depends on where your child needs to go.

Why do parents choose the Kimba range?

The range is so cost-effective as you don't need to buy separate buggies, wheelchairs or trailers – just one seating system that fits onto a range of bases. Plus, many of our customers say they like the Kimba because it doesn't look like assistive equipment. Many parents choose to cover the cost through charity donations or crowdfunding. Explore our equipment funding guide for more information. This is because it's not available through the NHS.

It provides very good postural support for young disabled people with a range of discreet fittings from headrests and lateral supports to chest harnesses. There is a wide range of choices. We find that no two chairs are the same. 

We recently supplied a Kimba combination to parents who didn't own a car and cycled everywhere. With a Kimba seat, Buggy base, and Cross base, they were able to either walk and push their 4-year-old daughter or tow her when riding their bikes. 

Why does Recare recommend the Kimba range?

There are similar products out there, but they just don't perform as well as the Kimba range. As it’s so well-made and versatile, it's the only one we recommend for the tasks it solves.

kidevo

Who chooses the kidevo?

The kidevo family is a range of compact manual wheelchairs suitable for children and young adults. We find this paediatric wheelchair range is ideal for active families who want to get out without any fuss.

What are the product benefits?

Each kidevo is designed to be ergonomic and easy to push. There are lots of seating options, so the user benefits from good postural management. The wheelchairs are made to look nice and 'funky'. They aren’t institutional-looking products; they’re something that kids want to be seen in. 

There are many seating options and adjustments available with kidevo wheelchairs, so they remain suitable for a growing child. The seat has a tilt range of -10 to 50+ degrees, so getting out is easier, and pressure can be managed accordingly. Also, each kidevo has a dynamic backrest option, which is ideal for children with disabilities who thrust and push back. This is quite key as it saves on wear and tear. Moreover, it helps calm active children by absorbing the resistance, so they have nothing to push against.  

kidevo wheelchairs are crash tested as well, which means they can be safely secured with tie-downs, with an occupant, in an accessible vehicle.

What are the different models to choose from?

There are three kidevo models to choose from: the Prime, Prime T and Adapt. The compact Prime is for smaller children and does not have any seat tilt, whereas the kidevo Prime T has tilt-in-space. They are both built well, easy to push and provide a stable ride. 

The kidevo Adapt, which has the same chassis but is bigger, allows for different seating to be added, such as specialist moulded seats. Even so, it's still light and easy to push for a parent or carer as users commonly can’t self-propel. In our opinion, it has a very modern design. We recommend it as it's still manoeuvrable.

Any accessories you would recommend?

There’s an optional accessory called the Mud Cruiser, which we highly recommend. It’s a centre wheel that quickly clamps to the frame. This lifts the front castors off the ground, allowing users to go off-roading – it’s a brilliant piece of kit. 

This really enhances a child’s quality of life, as they can go and enjoy many more places. Grass and bumps are no longer a problem. It's easy to fit, so they don’t need to transfer to another product. Therefore, they can go in the woods or somewhere more challenging that they want to go.

Why does Recare recommend the kidevo over other products? 

The typical problem with similar products is that they don't look the best and are hard to manoeuvre. Whereas the kidevo range is different. The wheelchairs are more compact, so they're easier to get into the car and through doorways, etc. The designers have really thought about the user, the person pushing the wheelchair and the environment they're in. It's very clever. 

It's a popular range, and here at Recare, we like it as it's completely different. The wheelchairs are not heavy, bulky, or ugly like many others, and hence they promote people ‘seeing’ the child rather than being distracted by the equipment. Kids and parents are happy to go out in it; it makes them smile, and all the parents we help say, 'wow, it's so easy to push.'