Raphael Perlmann
Last Updated - March 24, 2023 @ 2:04 pm
Your All-Terrain Mobility Scooter Questions Answered by Experts for 2023
Table of Contents
We know that choosing the right all-terrain mobility scooter can be a daunting task, which is why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide with expert answers to all your questions. We’ve gone the extra mile to ensure that all the information presented in this guide is accurate and reliable, and we’ve fact-checked and verified everything with official sources, including the manufacturers’ websites.
We’ve also included links to other reputable sources in the mobility scooter industry to help you make an informed decision. With this guide, we hope to provide you with the insights and expertise you need to choose the perfect all-terrain mobility scooter that meets your needs and preferences, so you can get out and explore the great outdoors with confidence.
Explore our diverse full range collection by clicking the green button below.
What is an all-terrain mobility scooter?
Short answer:
All-terrain mobility scooters are mobility scooters for elderly or disabled people which are great for outdoor use on dirt, uneven paths, rough surfaces, grass, and gravel.
Detailed answer:
If you’re looking for a mobility scooter that can smoothly tackle uneven terrain – an all-terrain mobility scooter is what you need.
They are ideal for people who have lost their mobility but require features that are suitable for harsher conditions without compromising safety.
As mentioned on our all-terrain mobility scooter collection page, the words all-terrain, off-road, etc. in the contact of mobility scooters should not be confused with an ATV 9all-terrain vehicle) – the kind used by people with no disabilities, and that can achieve very high speeds and perform stunts.
To be frank, compared to an ATV, all-terrain mobility scooters aren’t all that impressive in the all-terrain department. It is compared with and relative to other mobility scooters that these are considered all-terrain since they are designed to go on grass, gravel, dirt paths, and other uneven terrains where other mobility scooters would get stuck.
How do all-terrain/off-road mobility scooters differ from regular mobility scooters?
Short answer:
All-terrain mobility scooters have higher ground clearance, stronger construction, better motors, and larger tires.
Detailed answer:
A mobility scooter designed to take on all kinds of terrain differs from standard or travel mobility scooters in the following ways:
- High ground clearance. This avoids getting stuck on obstacles such as rocks, unevenness in paths and vegetation, by raising the scooter a good few inches off the ground.
Ground clearance is measured by measuring from the lowest point on the underside of the scooter to the ground. The higher the ground clearance, the less obstacles can get in your way.
Ground clearance also helps you get on and off sidewalk curbs that aren’t lowered to street level. - Strong build. To withstand all the bumping and jolting expected when taking your scooter on unpaved areas, these models have to be built more ruggedly.
- Suspension. If you’re going to ride on dirt tracks and grass and still enjoy your ride, you’re going to need a great suspension system to balance things out. The same goes for a plush, comfortable seat.
- Air-filled tires. There’s no comparing the comfort of a ride over bumpy ground with foam-filled tires vs air-filled. The air in your scooter’s tires acts as suspension for all the jostles that can be expected when going off-road.
This means that while foam-filled, flat-free tires are the usual choice for standard mobility scooters, all-terrain models use air-filled tires.
If worried about getting stuck with a flat, bear in mind, the manufacturers have considered this and are aware that a disabled, mobility-restricted user with a flat isn’t a very good combination. For this reason, all-terrain mobility scooter pneumatic tires are built thick.
As an extra precaution, some models are available with tubeless tires. These are still air-filled, but with no inner tube, they are less likely to get a puncture than their pneumatic alternatives. - Deep tread tires. To help you retain grip and torque on rougher ground, these mobility scooters will often feature deep tread on their tires. This is also useful for situations where one wheel may be off the ground due to an uneven slope or pothole.
- Range. When designing a mobility scooter for outdoor trails and rural dirt paths, it makes sense to assume journeys will be longer than an urban trip to the grocery store. For this reason, these scooters have an excellent range per battery charge characteristics.
- Motor. To get you up hilly trails, over obstacles, and provide sufficient torque, you’ll need a powerful electric motor. All-terrain motor scooters can be more powerful than travel scooters by over 10 times.
Should I buy an all-terrain mobility scooter?
Which situations are all-terrain mobility scooters good for?
Short answer:
Consider an all-terrain mobility scooter if you’ll need to traverse grass, gravel, badly-paved sidewalks or bumpy roads.
Detailed answer:
All-terrain mobility scooters are required if you:
- live in an area where there are unpaved roads
- find there are a lot of potholes on the streets you intend to take your scooter on, or the sidewalks are very uneven.
- need to get over a patch of grass or gravel driveway to get into your home or a friend’s home
- enjoy going on outdoor adventures on trails and uneven paths
- need your scooter to continually go over grass
You might not need any of this but still prefer and all-terrain scooter simply because they are better in terms of:
- Comfort – all-terrain mobility scooters come with superior suspension, seats and other comfort features, aimed to soften the bumps expected when riding off-road. Even if you only intend to ride on paved surfaces, you still benefit from a smoother, more comfortable ride
- Strong, rugged build. Again, regardless of what terrain you ride on, there are clear benefits to a long-lasting scooter, built to withstand stronger forces than an everyday mobility scooter is engineered to deal with.
- Luxury features – since these models are more expensive, they usually go hand-in-hand with deluxe features such as digital displays, USB charging ports, built-in cup holders, and better lighting packages amongst other factors.
There are also mobility scooter upgrade features which manufacturers have figured that these features are more commonly requested on off-road mobility scooters, whose use overlaps with these extra features more regularly:
- Foot pedal acceleration – not all off-road/all-terrain mobility scooters have foot pedal acceleration, in fact, very few do. However, all models that do offer foot pedal acceleration are all-terrain models.
- Dual seat or multi-passenger mobility scooters. Since these are in any case carrying much more weight than regular mobility scooters, they are built stronger and so are often designed as all-terrain models.
- Canopy – it makes less sense to design a partially or fully enclosed travel mobility scooter. Those that have canopies or are fully enclosed are intended for longer, more demanding journeys, so most covered mobility scooter options are found on all-terrain models.
Watch this video featuring the Afiscooter SE, a timeless all-terrain mobility scooter designed for optimal performance and versatility:
Who sells all-terrain and off-road mobility scooters?
Short answer:
Go to heavydutymobility.com for the #1 place to buy an all-terrain mobility scooter!
Detailed answer:
Heavy Duty Mobility offers a variety of all-terrain mobility scooters. We specialize in these models and unlike other companies who sell all kinds of unrelated mobility aids, we hyper-focus on these and they make up a majority of our offering.
We offer free shipping, directly from the manufacturer’s warehouse, saving you time and money and ensuring you get a brand new scooter, not a repackaged showroom sample. We also do not charge any sales tax.
We will match any online price conforming to manufacturer guidelines and offer freebies with every all-terrain mobility scooter.
We’re here to narrow down the search and recommend what’s best for you! It’s our goal to offer the best service from pre to post-sale. Contact our friendly team at 1-888-233-5563 or visit our Contact Us page to discuss and get help on your all-terrain mobility needs – Heavy-Duty Mobility is personally here for you!
Where can I buy the cheapest all-terrain mobility scooters?
Short answer:
Online prices are the best versus showrooms. Out of online stores, we at heavydutymobility.com offer the cheapest prices too.
Detailed answer:
Buying your all-terrain mobility scooter online or over the phone has the advantage of being the cheapest way these days to buy a mobility scooter. Showrooms are more expensive since they have higher over costs to pay.
Here at Heavy Duty Mobility, we offer the cheapest price online too so you’re getting the cheapest of the cheapest! If you find the same item for cheaper (within manufacturer rules), we will price match or do better!
Shipping is free, we don’t charge sales tax, and many of our scooters come with free in-home service contracts and other freebies.
In a nutshell, heavydutymobility.com is the cheapest place to buy an all-terrain mobility scooter.
Can I buy an all-terrain mobility scooter on a financing, monthly payment, or lease-to-own plan?
Yes! Heavy-Duty Mobility is partnered with PayTomorrow for easy-application financing, monthly payments, and lease-to-own plans on all-terrain mobility scooters.
Especially when it comes to buying more expensive scooters (which all-terrain models tend to be), being able to spread your payments over time can be a great help. Plans start from 0% APR, depending on your credit score.
Disability and old age don’t differentiate between the wealthy and not wealthy, and even if you have a low credit score, PayTomorrow will likely have a plan for you. Of course, the lower your credit score, the higher the interest rates will be.
What are the best all-terrain mobility scooters in 2023?
Which mobility scooter is best for rough terrain?
With so many all-terrain models available on the market, things can get confusing! We have a dedicated blog detailing the best all-terrain/off-road mobility scooters we think you should buy, given a choice.
Also note that all the all-terrain mobility scooters on our collection page are pre-selected too, so they’re doing pretty well!
Do mobility scooters work on gravel?
Short answer:
Certain mobility scooters will work on gravel. Be sure to get advice on the particular model you’re buying.
Detailed answer:
Our all-terrain mobility scooters are selected for their ability to ride on gravel. This means all our scooters in our all-terrain collection can ride on gravel. Other mobility scooters, such as travel or basic models might not be able to do so, so it’s really important to check.
Another note on gravel is that there are varying levels of gravel thickness. Depending on the model you choose, even within our all-terrain mobility scooter offering, there will be variance regarding the kind of gravel any particular scooter can cope with.
Our all-terrain mobility scooters are able to perform well on gravel due to their large, high-grip wheels and tires, high ground clearance, and powerful motors.
Most of our all-terrain scooters have full suspension so not only will the scooter be capable of riding on gravel, but it will also protect you from the worst of the bumping the scooter will absorb instead of you!
Can mobility scooters go on the beach?
Short Answer:
Mobility scooters are generally not intended for the beach, especially not on puffy sand which can damage the scooter and get it stuck. Bespoke (pricey) solutions can be arranged, though.
Detailed answer:
Mobility scooters do not generally do well on sand. Some all-terrain models will work on wet, packed sand, but when it comes to soft sand, we don’t advise using a mobility scooter, even if it’s an all-terrain model.
Mobility scooters can get stuck in the sand and sand may also cause the mobility scooter to break down.
There are exceptions to this rule – you can find beach mobility scooters, meaning mobility scooters designed specifically for the beach. You may have seen some of these owned by a municipality at the beach offering free rides or rentals.
The issue with these beach mobility scooters is simply the price – they cost in excess of $10,000. If price isn’t an issue for you, please contact us and we can arrange a beach mobility scooter delivered to your home.
Can mobility scooters go off-road?
Provided your scooter is marked as an all-terrain scooter on our website collection, you can take it off-road and it will perform fine. Remember, as stated above, an all-terrain scooter is not an ATV and there are limits to the kind of terrain even these scooters can be taken on.
Can mobility scooters go on grass?
Short answer:
Certain mobility scooters will work on grass, to varying extent. Be sure to get advice on the particular model you’re buying.
Detailed answer:
Most mobility scooters that don’t travel scooters will get you over even grass if you push it to do so once in a while. Prolonged, sustained use on the grass with average models can damage your mobility scooter.
For more frequent and sustained use over grass, we recommend an all-terrain mobility scooter. This will also be able to perform on uneven and overgrown grassy areas where other mobility scooters would get stuck and lack the motor power and ground clearance to safely avoid obstacles and get out of them.
Can wheelchairs go over gravel?
Wheelchairs, even electric ones, are not as good at driving over gravel as all-terrain mobility scooters specifically designed for this purpose.
They lack the torque, wide wheels and power all-terrain mobility scooters offer, not to mention comfort features such as full suspension.
Can mobility scooters go up hills?
How steep can a mobility scooter go?
What gradient can a mobility scooter climb?
Short answer:
Yes. All-terrain mobility scooters can go up steep hills. The power of the motor, the steepness of the hill you’re trying to climb, and the maximum incline rating are important factors to consider.
Detailed answer:
Mobility scooters can travel up and downhills. Different scooters will have different incline abilities, some can go up very steep hills, and some can only manage shallow inclines. Look out for “maximum incline’ in the product specification section.
You will usually see a figure measured in degrees or percentages. These figures represent the maximum incline that a particular model can handle. Riding your scooter on a steeper than the indicated specification can be dangerous.
Some models, like the Afiscooter S4 have different incline capabilities within the same model, depending on the motor package you choose, with higher speed packages having relatively less torque, meaning they can only cope with shallower inclines, and lower speed motors having maximum torque and incline rating.
Checkout Afiscooter S4 along with its other configurations in the video below:
All-terrain mobility scooters often have better incline capabilities, but this is not a strict rule and you can find mobility scooters great on steep hills in other categories too.
The main factors which allow a mobility scooter to ride up steep hills are:
- A powerful motor. Look for motors rated at 1000 Watts or higher
- High torque motor. This means a transmission that prioritizes torque (low gear motor grip) over high speed
- Wheels with large surface areas and deep tread for high grip
- A low center of gravity to keep the scooter stable even when on a tilt
It’s easy to forget that for a scooter to be good at traversing inclines, it needs to be able to go down hills – not just go up them! Mobility scooters with good incline ratings will often have these features to help them go downhill:
- Automatic electromagnetic braking. These brakes kick in as soon as you let go of the throttle/accelerator and will bring you to a standstill even when going down a steep hill, up to the specification allowance.
- A motor that stays engaged (and does not slip into neutral) when in gear, even when under considerable stress, ensuring there is a cap on the maximum speed you can reach when going down a steep hill.
To give you an understanding of incline capabilities, here is a table showing the incline abilities of various popular all-terrain mobility scooters, with an incline range from 11 to 18° (20 to 33 %).
| Scooter Name | Incline Rating in Degrees | Incline Rating in Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| AfiScooter S3 | 11°-18° | 20% – 33% |
| AfiScooter S4 | 11°-18° | 20% – 33% |
| AfiScooter SE | 15° | 20% |
| Merits Silverado Extreme | 10° | 18% |
| EWheels EW-72 | 12° | 21% |
| EWheels EW-52 | 14° | 25% |
Are Mobility Scooters 4 wheel drive?
Short Answer:
Some people confuse 4-wheel mobility scooters with 4-wheel-drive.
Plenty of mobility scooters has 4 wheels. Actually, a majority have 4 wheels versus 3, because users prefer the extra stability over 3 wheels. You can find our 4-wheel mobility scooters here.
As far as 4-wheel-drive is concerned, i.e. engine to power all four wheels equally like a 4 x 4 car or truck, no standard, mass-market mobility scooters have 4 wheel drive. They are either front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, with a transmission delivering equal power to both wheels (in the case of rear-wheel drive).
This is the case even with all-terrain mobility scooters that have impressive performance capabilities.
If you absolutely need a 4 x 4 mobility scooter, there may be bespoke solutions for you but bear in mind, these are pretty expensive. Please contact us for further details.
Explore our diverse full range collection by clicking the green button below.
Sources for Mentioned Features and Specifications
- Merits USA (manufacturer of Silverado Extreme) full Silverado Extreme specifications sheet and Silverado product page taken from manufacturer website, meritsusa.com.
- Afikim (manufacturer of All-terrain Afiscooters S3, S4, SE) full Afiscooter S3 specifications sheet, S4 specifications sheet, SE specifications sheet, and Afiscooter S3 product page, S4 product page, SE product page on manufacturer website, afiscooters.com
Raphael Perlmann
Raphael is an experienced professional in the mobility scooter industry, committed to providing exceptional customer service and helping individuals make informed purchasing decisions. He has sold numerous mobility scooters and gained valuable firsthand experience with these vehicles, allowing him to offer reliable insights and practical advice to his customers.
With a deep understanding of the various models, features, and capabilities of mobility scooters, Raphael is dedicated to providing his customers with trustworthy information to help them make the best decisions for their mobility needs. He is always available to answer questions and address concerns, going above and beyond to make the buying process stress-free and easy for his customers.
Overall, Raphael is a highly knowledgeable and dedicated mobility scooter expert who takes pride in providing transparent and honest information to his customers. His commitment to exceptional customer service and helping people make informed purchasing decisions makes him an invaluable resource in the mobility scooter industry.
Why Buy an All-Terrain Mobility Scooter from us?
Pre-Selected Scooters
We only sell mobility scooters that have been pre-selected
Pre-selected to match our site’s mission – large, heavy duty, recreational and all-terrain. This means all our attention is where you need it to be, and you don’t have to go hunting through huge lists of products you aren’t interested in.
Price
We will not be beaten on any online price.
If you see a product advertised online for cheaper we will sell you the product for the same price or cheaper, provided that pricing is not in violation of the manufacturer’s minimum advertised pricing policy.
Free Shipping
All shipping for all products on our site is free of charge
We believe when paying for an item like a heavy duty mobility scooter, shipping should be free. We also offer White Glove Shipping as an optional service if necessary. Though White Glove Delivery isn’t cheap, we charge our customers what it costs us and don’t make any profit on this.
Excellent & Personal Customer Service
We are here for you every step of your journey
Our phone lines are staffed by humans, not robots, and it’s really easy to speak to a member of staff at all business hours, even on weekends. If the line is busy, we’ll call you right back.
Post sale Service
We are here to help if there are issues with the shipment or any issues with your scooter.
We will work with you over the phone or send out a technician to address your concern, depending on your scooter type and its associated warranty.
Relationships
Heavy Duty Mobility enjoys excellent relations with the manufacturer of its products.
This is an advantage to our customers, as manufacturers are often involved with the warranty process and answering technical questions.