Strongback Heavy Duty Wheelchair

Bariatric capacity. Standard doorway.

Bariatric wheelchairs tend to solve one problem and create another. You get the weight capacity, and you get a chair too wide for your own hallway, with a flat sling back that leaves you aching by mid-afternoon.

The Strongback Heavy Duty is rated to 375 lb and measures 31 in across, which is home-compatible: it passes through a standard 32 in interior doorway. It carries the same patented frame-integrated ergonomic backrest as the rest of the range, and drum brakes are standard. It is self-propelled: 24 in quick-release rear wheels with ergonomic hand rims.

Key features

Capacity	Rated to 375 lb, the only ergonomic wheelchair we know of at that capacity
Access	31 in overall width, which passes through a standard 32 in interior doorway
Safety	Drum brakes standard, giving the attendant progressive braking rather than on or off
Ergonomics	The patented Strongback backrest, built into a reinforced frame rather than dropped for it
Mobility	Self-propelled on 24 in quick-release rear wheels with ergonomic hand rims

What it feels like to use

It fits the home you already have. At 31 in overall width the Heavy Duty passes through a standard 32 in interior door, so bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways are open to you without widening a doorway or settling for a narrower chair.

The backrest does what it does on every other Strongback. Award-winning ergonomic design, shaped into the frame, holding your lumbar curve. There is no reason a higher weight capacity should mean a worse chair to sit in, and on this one it does not.

The person pushing has real control. Drum brakes are standard, operated from the push handles. Unlike a parking brake, which is on or off, drum brakes give progressive braking. On a ramp or a slope, that is control rather than a decision.

You push it yourself. This is not a transport chair. 24 in quick-release rear wheels with ergonomic hand rims, a double crossbar for rigidity, and a center of gravity set for a heavier user.

The backrest

A flat back panel rolls the pelvis backwards and pushes the head forward. For a larger user, sitting in that position for hours is not just uncomfortable, it makes breathing harder and shoulders sorer.

The Heavy Duty carries the same shaped, frame-integrated backrest as the rest of the range. It is part of the frame rather than a cushion strapped on afterwards, and it fills the hollow of the lower back to keep the ribcage open. It is the same award-winning ergonomic design, and the same curve, that has been in every Strongback since the first one.

Rated for users up to 375 lb

375 lb / 170 kg, tested to ISO 7176-15 for static, impact and fatigue loading. That is the highest capacity in our range and, as far as we know, it is the only ergonomic wheelchair rated to it. The reinforced double-crossbar frame is what pays for that number. Static stability is at least 7 degrees, per ISO 7176-1.

The Heavy Duty frame carries a 2-year warranty. Every other model in the range carries 5 years, and the shorter term here reflects the loads a bariatric frame is asked to carry.

Built for the loads it carries

The front castors are 7 in, an inch larger than the 6 in castors on the rest of the aluminum range. The legrests are reinforced and still swing away and detach by hand. The desk-length armrests are shortened at the front, which lets the chair pull right up to a table or kitchen counter instead of stopping at the edge. The anti-tippers double as a tipping-assist lever for whoever is pushing, and come off by hand. It is not a light chair in absolute terms, and it is not meant to be, but at 27.8 lb carry weight it is light for its capacity.

Weights and measurements

Measurement	Figure	What it means
Frame	Reinforced aluminum, double crossbar	The second crossbar is what carries the higher rating. Aluminum keeps the weight down without giving up strength, and it will not rust.
Propulsion	Self-propel	24 in rear wheels with ergonomic hand rims. An attendant can also push from behind.
User weight limit	375 lb / 170 kg	Tested to ISO 7176-15. The highest in the Strongback range.
Carry Weight	27.8 lb / 12.6 kg	The frame alone, with wheels, legrests and anti-tippers off. This is what you lift into the car.
Total Weight	39.2 lb / 17.8 kg	Frame plus wheels plus legrests. Anti-tippers and the shipping box are not included.
Seat width	22 in / 56 cm	Measured between the inside faces of the armrest skirts. The Heavy Duty comes in this one width.
Seat depth	19 in / 48 cm	Measured from the backrest to the front edge of the seat. It sets how much of your thigh is supported, which is what stops you sliding forward over a long day.
Overall width	31 in / 80 cm	Fits through a standard 32 in interior doorway.
Rear wheels	24 in	Quick-release, with ergonomic hand rims. Off in about two seconds, no tools.
Front castors	7 in	One inch larger than the 6 in castors on the rest of the aluminum range. They carry the chair over thresholds and door frames, and they are what makes the chair turn.
Brakes	Drum brakes, standard	Operated from the push handles, giving the attendant progressive braking rather than on-off. The push-to-lock parking brake at each wheel is unchanged and works independently.
Armrests	Desk-length	Shortened at the front so the chair pulls up close to a table or counter.
Legrests	Reinforced, swing-away, detachable	Come off without tools.
Unfolded (L x W x H)	43 x 31 x 35 in / 109 x 80 x 88 cm	Set up and ready, legrests deployed.
Folded (L x W x H)	31 x 13 x 35 in / 80 x 32 x 89 cm	Everything still attached. Taking the wheels and legrests off makes it smaller still.
Static stability	At least 7 degrees	The chair resists tipping on a slope of at least 7 degrees, tested to ISO 7176-1.
Frame warranty	2 years	Seat, footrests and auxiliary parts, 12 months. The 12-month component term is the same on every model; only the frame term differs.

Carry Weight is the frame alone, with wheels, legrests and anti-tippers removed: what you lift into the car. Total Weight is the chair as it rolls, with wheels and legrests attached, excluding anti-tippers and the shipping box.

The Heavy Duty weighs 27.8 lb as a bare frame. Frame, wheels and legrests together weigh 39.2 lb, excluding anti-tippers and the shipping box. We publish both, and we say which is which. A bariatric frame is heavier by design, and we would rather tell you the real number than quote you the lightest one we can measure. Always ask what a stated weight includes.

Find your seat width

Measure the widest point across your hips and thighs while seated, then add 1 inch (2.5 cm). That is your seat width.

Seated hip width	Seat width	Strongback model	Weight capacity
Under 15 in / 38 cm	16 in / 40 cm	Comfort S	300 lb / 136 kg
15 to 17 in / 38 to 43 cm	18 in / 45 cm	Comfort M, Comfort Flip, Excursion M	300 lb / 136 kg
17 to 19 in / 43 to 48 cm	20 in / 50 cm	Comfort L, Excursion L	300 lb / 136 kg
19 to 21 in / 48 to 53 cm	22 in / 56 cm	Heavy Duty	375 lb / 170 kg

Read the full measurement guide

Which Strongback is right for you

Model	Choose this if	Frame	Propulsion	Seat width	From
Comfort S	You need a 16 in seat, or the standard frame swamps you	Aluminum	Self-propel	16 in / 40 cm	$909
Comfort	You lift the chair often and want the most adjustable ride	Aluminum	Self-propel	18 or 20 in	$949
Comfort Flip	You transfer sideways to a bed or car seat every day	Aluminum	Self-propel	18 in / 45 cm	$999
Excursion	Someone else pushes you most of the time	Aluminum	Attendant-pushed	18 or 20 in	$889
Heavy Duty	You need a 22 in seat and a 375 lb capacity	Reinforced aluminum	Self-propel	22 in / 56 cm	$1,199

Seat width is the nominal class, measured between the inside faces of the armrest skirts.

Shipping and returns

Shipping is free and it is quick. Free anywhere in the contiguous USA on orders of $249 or more, and most orders arrive within 5 to 7 days. For Hawaii, Alaska, Canada or expedited delivery, call (757) 349-7790 or email usa@strongbackmobility.com and we will quote it.

You have 30 days to change your mind. If the chair arrives in perfect condition and simply is not right for you, you have a full 30 days from delivery to return it for a refund. Ask us for a return authorization first, keep the original packaging, and send the chair back unused. Return shipping is at your expense, and a return that reaches our warehouse without an authorization number cannot be refunded.

This applies to chairs bought here on strongbackmobility.com. If you bought from Amazon or from a retail store, the return goes back to them under their own policy and their own time limit, not ours.

See how returns work or request a return authorization.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Strongback Heavy Duty and other bariatric wheelchairs?

Four things. The backrest is the patented Strongback backrest, contoured to follow the curve of the lower spine, rather than a flat sling that lets the spine round over a long day. The overall width is 31 in, which is home-compatible with a standard 32 in interior doorway, and doorway fit decides whether a chair works throughout a home or only outside it. Drum brakes are fitted as standard rather than sold as a paid upgrade. And the carry weight is 27.8 lb once the wheels, legrests and anti-tippers come off. It is the only ergonomic wheelchair we know of with a 375 lb capacity.

What is the best bariatric wheelchair for heavy adults?

The right chair in this category is decided by three measurements: weight capacity, seated hip width, and the narrowest opening the chair has to pass. Capacity should sit above the user's weight with margin, not at it. The Strongback Heavy Duty is rated to 375 lb with a 22 in seat and the patented Strongback backrest. At 31 in overall width it is home-compatible with a standard 32 in interior doorway, which is the measurement that decides whether a chair works throughout a home or only outside it. Measure your narrowest clear opening against that figure before ordering.

How do I know whether I need the wider seat or the higher capacity?

They are two separate measurements and you may need one without the other. Capacity is about the user's weight, and the 375 lb rating leaves headroom that a chair rated exactly at the user's weight does not. Seat width is about the user's hips, not their weight. Measure seated hip width against the Sizing Guide: 19 to 21 in points to the Heavy Duty's 22 in seat, while 17 to 19 in is served by the Strongback Comfort L. A user can need the capacity without needing the full 22 in seat, or the reverse.

Is the Strongback Heavy Duty a transport chair, or can the user propel it themselves?

It is self-propelled. The 24 in quick-release rear wheels are full-size drive wheels with ergonomic hand rims sized for the user to push themselves. A transport chair, by contrast, has small rear wheels with no hand rims and can only be pushed by someone else, like the Strongback Excursion. Drum brakes come standard so a caregiver has real speed control on an incline when they are pushing, but that is a second mode of use rather than the primary one.

Will the Strongback Heavy Duty fit through a standard doorway?

The Heavy Duty is 31 in wide overall and a standard US interior door is 32 in, so it fits. Clear openings vary from house to house, so measure yours before ordering: open the door to 90 degrees, measure the narrowest clear opening in the home, and compare it against the 31 in figure. Bathroom doors are usually the tightest. If your measurement is close, call us at (757) 349-7790 and we will work through it with you.

Is the Strongback Heavy Duty easy for a caregiver to lift into a vehicle?

The carry weight is 27.8 lb once the wheels, legrests and anti-tippers come off, and that is what a caregiver actually lifts. The 24 in rear wheels release without tools. Complete and ready to roll the chair is 39.2 lb. Folded with everything still attached it measures 31 x 13 x 35 in, which fits an SUV, a wagon or a hatchback comfortably; a small sedan trunk is tight.

What are drum brakes and why do I want them?

A drum brake sits inside each rear wheel hub and is operated from the push handles. A normal parking brake is on or off. A drum brake can be applied gradually, so whoever is pushing can control speed down a ramp instead of choosing between rolling and stopping. On a heavier chair, where the combined weight of chair and user is greater, that is a real safety difference on any incline. They are standard here, not an upgrade, and the push-to-lock parking brake at each wheel is unchanged and works independently.

Why is the Heavy Duty frame warranty 2 years when the rest of the range is 5?

A bariatric frame carries loads the rest of the range does not, and the 2-year frame warranty reflects that. The component term is unaffected: seat, footrests and other auxiliary parts carry 12 months on every Strongback model, including this one.

Helpful links

• Sizing Guide
• Returns and how they work
• Request a return authorization
• Warranty claim form
• Find a Retailer
• Replacement Parts

Current data: As of September 2026 | A.E.