In a Nutshell:
The Boma 7 Off Road Wheelchair is an exceptional, rugged adventure chair that can tackle even the most challenging of terrains. This is not a casual or even moderate-use chair. It’s designed for adventurers who want to go where there are no roads.
Customization options
Ease of Use
Comfort
Performance
Overall Rating
4.6/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended For: This is not a casual or even moderate-use chair. It’s designed for adventurers who want to go where there are no roads.
Do you consider yourself to be an adventurer? Has your mobility issue been keeping you from getting out and enjoying the wilds the way you once did? Have you been looking for a way to fix that?
In our recent roundup review of the best all-terrain wheelchairs on the market today, the Boma 7 off road wheelchair placed a solid second in the best adaptive wheelchair for hiking category.
In the sections that follow, you’ll see why we gave it such a high ranking. Even if you ultimately decide that it’s not right for you, we think you’ll agree; by any reckoning, this chair is a wonder. Let’s see what it can do.
About the Makers of Boma All Terrain Wheelchair
More than twenty years ago, the Boma was envisioned by engineer Chris Swift, who became a tetraplegic after suffering a neurological illness.
Not one to be easily defeated or kept down, Swift began collaborating with long-time friend Jon Anders, and the two of them created the very first Boma. Not only did it help Swift regain his mobility, but in the years since its creation, it has helped thousands of others.
Initially manufactured by Molten Rock, Swift’s own company in England—until it sadly closed its doors in 2017—the Boma design has been acquired by Equal Adventure, an equally well-respected company in Scotland that promotes inclusive adventure, sport and active lifestyles with disabled people.
This is the reason why you would find Equal Adventure Boma and Molten Rock Boma off road wheelchairs sold by different distributors, but they are essentially just the same product. Although, the new manufacturer has implemented some upgrades to the chair, which they currently sell as the Boma 7.75.
But, since this is a relatively new chair as of this writing, we’re focusing our review on the tried and tested Boma 7 by Molten Rock.
Overview of the Boma 7 All Terrain Wheelchair
In many respects, the Boma 7 off road wheelchair is similar to the more expensive Outrider. It’s a highly customizable, go-anywhere adventure chair.
It’s got a four-wheeled design and the general appearance of a dune buggy. You can order your Boma 7 in two basic steering configurations, either handlebar or joystick controlled.
The handlebar option offers easy, intuitive steering, and is best for people with light to moderate mobility issues. If you only have limited use of your arms, this one’s a non-starter.
The joystick-controlled variant is much closer to a traditional electric wheelchair, so if you’ve used one before, then you’ll find yourself taking to this method of steering and control and mastering it in no time.
Basic Specifications of the Boma Wheelchair
Regarding basic stats, there are only a few to list, because when you place your order, you can customize just about every other aspect of the chair. Here are the basics:
Its all-tires, paired with its dune-buggy-style design make it capable of navigating just about any type of terrain. You won’t have to worry about going around (most) rocks or fallen limbs, just power over them and keep going!
Adjustable and More Comfortable
The seat of the Boma 7 all terrain wheelchair is adjustable, allowing you to tweak its position for optimal comfort, and reasonably well padded. This isn’t the kind of chair you’ll want to take a siesta in, but then, that’s not what it’s designed for.
This is an action chair, designed to take you places that few other wheelchairs can go. If you want a leisure chair, this one isn’t for you.
Given its low seat to ground height, this model might not be suitable for people with certain kinds of mobility issues, as it may be quite difficult to transfer into a chair that sits that low to the ground.
On the other hand, once you’re in it, you’ll find it to be reasonably comfortable, and you’ll probably be having so much fun riding around in it that you won’t mind or notice how low you are sitting.
Once you get your chair, you won’t find many adjustment options beyond the positioning of the seat, but you have virtually unlimited freedom to customize the chair at the point of sale to make sure what gets delivered to your doorstep is precisely what you want.
Note: In the Boma wheelchair’s stock configuration, it only has a range of fifteen miles, which is relatively modest, especially for an adventure chair. You can, of course, order additional batteries to extend the range.
Storage, Customization Options, and Extras
As mentioned above, you can customize just about every aspect of the Boma 7, so before you contact the company, you’ll want to take careful measurements of yourself, so you know exactly what to ask for.
While you won’t find a definitive list of “extras” you can order with the Boma all terrain wheelchair, again, it’s incredibly customizable, and the company takes requests, so if you want something, the best thing to do is ask.
Upgrade Options
Having said that, there are a few highly popular upgrades you should be aware of. These include:
Extremely Portable
The Boma off road wheelchair is designed to be collapsible, and although it’s too large to fit in the trunk of a sedan, if you’ve got a roomy hatchback or a full-sized SUV, you’ll be able to fit it into the available storage space. Granted, you won’t be able to fit much else, but you will be able to squeeze it in.
Simple, Intuitive Controls
The Boma 7 can be ordered in two different configurations: Handlebar and Joystick.
The handlebar configuration gives you the option to manually power the chair, in much the same way that lever-action chairs like the GRIT and the ORC, which will extend the range beyond what the batteries alone will give you, subject to the limits of your own strength and stamina, of course.
Whichever option you order, you’ll find the controls to be simple, intuitive, and easy to master. Expect to spend five or ten minutes getting used to the chair’s handling, but beyond that, there’s really no learning curve to speak of.
Pros & Cons of the Boma 7 Off Road Wheelchair
As you can see, based on our review to this point, the Boma is supremely capable, very customizable, and well-designed. Plus, it’s a chair with a fascinating history, designed by someone who intimately understands what it is and what it means to have a mobility issue.
The only thing we don’t outright love about it is the price, and even that is understandable. You don’t get a chair like this on the cheap, and the fact that you’ll have to import it from the UK only adds to its hefty price tag.
Unfortunately, the price of the chair will put it out of the reach of many people who would want one. On the other hand, this chair will last you a lifetime, and if you can make full use of its capabilities, it’s well worth saving diligently for (not to mention the fact that even though it’s pricey, it’s still significantly cheaper than the Outrider)!
Final Thoughts on the Boma 7 Wheelchair
The Boma 7 off road wheelchair is a rugged, capable, exceptionally designed adventure chair. Even better, it hails from the UK, which means that if you live in the US, you’re likely to be the only person you know, or are likely to meet that will have one. That, coupled with the extreme customization will give you, for all intents and purposes, a one of a kind creation.
That said, we have to judge this model as a niche product. The simple truth is that not everyone is going to want or need a chair with the capability that the Boma offers.
If you’re looking for something to putter around your yard in, this is way more chair than you’ll ever need. On the other hand, if you consider yourself an outdoorsman, and are looking for a chair that can go just about anywhere you dare to take it, this is an excellent choice, and we highly recommend it.
Recommended Reading
Outdoor Extreme Mobility Nomad All Terrain Power Wheelchair Review
We reviewed the Nomad All Terrain Wheelchair, the pinnacle of rugged exploration gear.
Mountain Trike Wheelchair Reviews and Ratings
Read about the rugged versatility of the Mountain Trike Wheelchair in this comprehensive review.
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Equal Adventure Equipment, Official Brand Website.
- Molten Rock Boma 7 Brochure.
- My Bike: Michael Bonney’s Boma 7, Cycling UK.
- All Terrain Boma7 Wheelchair, Disabled Gear.
- All-Terrain Wheelchairs: Where The Wild Things Are, Able Magazine.
- Off Road Wheelchairs – Opening Up The Great Outdoors To Everyone!, Blue Badge Style.