Table of Contents
- 1 About Broda
- 2 An Overview of Broda’s Product Line
- 3 Broda Wheelchairs (Part I)
- 4 Broda Wheelchairs (Part I) In More Detail
- 5 Broda Wheelchairs (Part II)
- 6 Broda Wheelchairs (Part II) In More Detail
- 7 Broda Wheelchairs (Part III)
- 8 Broda Wheelchairs (Part III) In More Detail
- 9 Lots of Accessories on Offer
- 10 Broda Wheelchairs Review Conclusion
Do you suffer from a serious mobility issue? Has your search for the right wheelchair to help you deal with it and regain a measure of freedom and independence left you frustrated to this point?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’re going to love this review, and more importantly, you’re going to love the wheelchairs Broda makes.
We’ll take a closer look at Broda as a company and their complete product lineup. This is something we’ve done many times before with other brands and product lines, and often, what we find is that a given company will have hits and misses, with some of their products being significantly better or worse than others.
That’s not the case with Broda. One thing that will jump out at you immediately as you read this review and learn more about the Broda Wheelchairs is that they’re remarkably consistent. Every model this company offers is excellent and targeted at a set of highly specific needs.
These chairs are pricey, which may put them out of reach for some, but most insurance companies offer coverage provisions for wheelchairs and other mobility aids, and that should make the acquisition of one of these amazing chairs a real possibility.
If what you’ve read so far has piqued your interest, let’s jump right into the details and specifics!
About Broda
Before we get to the chairs themselves, allow us to introduce you to Broda, which is a name you may not be familiar with.
Broda is a division of MITY, Inc., a company that sells a wide range of industrial equipment, marketed primarily to hospitals, critical care facilities, and the like. For their part, Broda focuses primarily on wheelchairs and a wide range of accessories that allow for a tremendous amount of personalization and customization that lets each user fine-tune their wheelchair so that it meets their specific needs.
The company’s corporate headquarters are in the United States, and their manufacturing facility is in Canada, and they sell their products all over the world. They’ve been in the business for nearly 40 years, and since 1981, all of their products have featured their patented Comfort Tension Seating system, which is designed to facilitate optimal heat and moisture exchange that prevents skin breakdown.
The chairs Broda makes aren’t designed for people with moderate mobility issues. These chairs are specifically for people who suffer serious mobility issues and require a long-term seating and mobility solution. They’re expertly engineered and built to last. With proper care, this will be the first, last and only wheelchair you’ll ever need.
An Overview of Broda’s Product Line
Broda makes thirteen different wheelchairs, and some of those have one or more variants. Overall, you’ll find a total of twenty-one models available that cater to just about every imaginable need. We’ll begin by taking a high-level view of the Broda Wheelchairs, and then drill down and start talking about the specifics of each model. Here’s a quick overview of the company’s impressive product line:
Broda Wheelchairs (Part I)
Broda Wheelchairs (Part I) | Encore Mobility Chair | Synthesis Tilt Recliner | Latitude Pedal Rocker | Sashay Pedal Chair | Elite Tilt Semi-Recliner |
Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Price | $$$$$ | $$$$$ | $$$$ | $$$$ | $$$$$ |
Seat Width | 16”, 18”, or 20” | 16,” 18,” or 20” | 16,” 18,” or 20” | 16,” 18,” or 20” | 16,” or 18” |
Seat to Floor | 14” to 19” | 20.5” | 14” to 19” | 12.5” to 17.5” | 20.5” |
Seat Depth | 17” or 18.5” | 17” or 18.5” | 17” or 18.5” | 17” or 18.5” | 17” to 18” |
Max. Supported Weight | 350 pounds | 350 pounds | 250 pounds | 350 pounds | 350 pounds |
Model Variants | Encore Pedal Rocker; | Synthesis Transport Chair | Latitude Mobility Rocker | None | Elite Tilt Recliner; |
Pros | Ergonomically designed, highly adjustable, reclines in place, has an optional rocking feature, tons of extras on offer. | Ergonomically designed, highly customizable, infinite seat angle and recline positions, Trendelenburg position available! | Ergonomic seating, slight rocking and reclining function, a bit less expensive than some of the company’s other models. | Ergonomic seating, very slight recline function, and more custom options than offered by the Latitude. | An expertly designed, ergonomically powerful chair capable of laying more than flat! |
Cons | Expensive. If you order the chair with the Dynamic Rocking feature, there’s a decrease in maximum supported weight. | Expensive. | Limited recline range. This is a good day chair but a poor choice for a napper. Underwhelming maximum weight limit. Still pricey. | Very limited recline angle. If you’re looking for a reclining wheelchair, this isn’t the model you want. | Expensive. This model seems to be in flux and undergoing some changes. At present, one variant is for the US market and the other is for the European market. |
Our Verdict | An incredible, versatile chair. Highly recommended. | Worth it for the Trendelenburg position alone. A wonderful chair that can pull double duty as a napping recliner. Highly recommended. | A bit more narrowly focused than some of the company’s other models, but exceptional for the right user. Recommended. | This is an ideal chair for shorter users with wider hips, owing to the custom seat width options (discussed in the review section). Provisionally recommended. | Despite the confusion currently swirling around this model, it is exceptional and incredibly customizable. Recommended. |
Broda Product Line - Part One: 1st Place |
---|
Encore Mobility Chair
RATING | |
---|---|
PRICE | $$$$$ |
OUR VERDICT | An incredible, versatile chair. Highly recommended. |
PROS | Ergonomically designed, highly adjustable, reclines in place, has an optional rocking feature, tons of extras on offer. |
CONS | Expensive. If you order the chair with the Dynamic Rocking feature, there’s a decrease in maximum supported weight. |
More Specifications...
Broda Product Line - Part One: 2nd Place |
---|
Synthesis Tilt Recliner
RATING | |
---|---|
PRICE | $$$$$ |
OUR VERDICT | Worth it for the Trendelenburg position alone. A wonderful chair that can pull double duty as a napping recliner. Highly recommended. |
PROS | Ergonomically designed, highly customizable, infinite seat angle and recline positions, Trendelenburg position available! |
CONS | Expensive. |
More Specifications...
Broda Product Line - Part One: 3rd Place |
---|
Latitude Pedal Rocker
RATING | |
---|---|
PRICE | $$$$ |
OUR VERDICT | A bit more narrowly focused than some of the company’s other models, but exceptional for the right user. Recommended. |
PROS | Ergonomic seating, slight rocking and reclining function, a bit less expensive than some of the company’s other models. |
CONS | Limited recline range. This is a good day chair but a poor choice for a napper. Underwhelming maximum weight limit. Still pricey. |
More Specifications...
Broda Product Line - Part One: 4th Place |
---|
Sashay Pedal Chair
RATING | |
---|---|
PRICE | $$$$ |
OUR VERDICT | This is an ideal chair for shorter users with wider hips, owing to the custom seat width options (discussed in the review section). Provisionally recommended. |
PROS | Ergonomic seating, very slight recline function, and more custom options than offered by the Latitude. |
CONS | Very limited recline angle. If you’re looking for a reclining wheelchair, this isn’t the model you want. |
More Specifications...
Broda Product Line - Part One: 5th Place |
---|
Elite Tilt Semi-Recliner
RATING | |
---|---|
PRICE | $$$$$ |
OUR VERDICT | Despite the confusion currently swirling around this model, it is exceptional and incredibly customizable. Recommended. |
PROS | An expertly designed, ergonomically powerful chair capable of laying more than flat! |
CONS | Expensive. This model seems to be in flux and undergoing some changes. At present, one variant is for the US market and the other is for the European market. |
More Specifications...
Broda Wheelchairs (Part I) In More Detail
Encore Mobility Chair
Encore Mobility Chair | |
---|---|
Adjustability and Customization | |
Overall Comfort Level | |
Versatility | |
Ease of Use | |
4.6 Summary Ergonomically designed, highly adjustable, reclines in place, has an optional rocking feature, tons of extras on offer. An incredible, versatile chair. Highly recommended. |
Although Broda doesn’t say as much, the Encore can rightly be considered the company’s Flagship Model, and by any reckoning, it’s a masterpiece of design.
Even a casual glance reveals that this is not your ordinary Broda wheelchair. The first thing that jumps out at you is the fact that it comes with either an incredibly high back like a proper recliner or a fully articulated headrest, depending on which seat back height you order. You’ll also notice that the frame supporting the seat is a bit longer than you’d expect, which makes this a larger wheelchair than most.
Chair Specifications
Before we go any further, let’s take a more in-depth look at the basic stats that define the model:
As you can see just by looking at the basic stats, this is a highly adjustable and configurable chair. Even better, it’s ergonomically designed to foster improved posture, which is critical for anyone who finds themselves spending extended periods in it.
Chair Design and Features
Both the seat and the seatback feature a slatted tension support design much like you find in top-end office chairs. This ensures the optimal level of ergonomic support as the owner moves around in the chair.
There are several innovative features to talk about here. First, like all of the chairs Broda sells, it features their innovative Comfort Tension Seating system which, as we mentioned previously mentioned, is pivotal in terms of helping prevent skin breakdown.
The Encore also comes standard with attractive, racy mag wheels and universal leg and footrests. The standard version doesn’t rock, but you can order your Encore with Broda’s patented Dynamic Rocking feature which studies have shown helps to reduce depression and anxiety.
Note, however, that if you order your Encore with the Dynamic Rocking feature, it will reduce the amount of user weight the chair can support. On the flip side, the rocking tension can be adjusted, which gives you yet another way of customizing your Broda seating experience.
The chair can also recline by up to 33 degrees from a sit-straight position and can adjust to an infinite number of positions between fully upright and 33 degrees back.
Most interestingly of all is the fact that when your caregiver reclines you to the angle you want (managed from the push bar at the back of the chair), you’ll actually be reclining in place, which is to say that the chair pivots neatly on its axis, much like a space-saving living room recliner does.
In addition to that, the armrests are independently height adjustable and the leg rests are likewise independently adjustable and conveniently slide out of the way, allowing the person sitting in the chair to wheel right up to a desk or dining table and fully engage with work, family and friends.
Customization Options
When you place your order, you can choose from a modest selection of frame colors, including:
In terms of upholstery, your options are as follows:
If all of that wasn’t enough, there are a number of fun optional accessories you can purchase, either when you initially order the chair, or later on, as your needs evolve and change. These include:
In short, this is an amazing design that the company has built a couple of closely related models around. It’s a rugged, long-lasting Broda chair that’s easy to use and a joy to sit in.
Encore Pedal Rocker
Since the Pedal Rocker is based on the classic Encore frame, all of its core stats are the same, so we won’t replicate them here. Here, we’ll focus on the key differences between this chair and the baseline model.
The first major difference is that this chair should rightly be considered a variant of a transport chair, rather than a wheelchair, given that comes equipped with small 5” rolling casters on both the front and the back. Unfortunately, unlike a proper Transport Chair, it’s not collapsible or lightweight enough to properly fill that role.
Although it’s not quite as versatile as a wheelchair, it does allow the user to propel themselves with their feet, allowing them to navigate through their homes or for short distances without the assistance of a caregiver.
The Pedal Rocker comes standard with the Dynamic Rocking feature and is outfitted with much more generous padding than the baseline model. The standard padding package includes:
Also, note that additional padding packages are available as optional accessories. In addition to that, all of the options and accessories that fit on the baseline model also work with this chair.
The generous amounts of padding make this a particularly interesting design because just about every other transport chair on the market today doesn’t have a lot in the way of padding. While it’s certainly true that the padding this model offers doesn’t compare favorably with a standard living room recliner, it’s heads and shoulders more comfortable than any other transport chair we’ve ever seen.
Combine that with the fact that this chair rocks and reclines and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better transport type chair offered at any price. While it’s not for everyone, for the right user, this is an almost perfect design.
Note: Since this chair features Dynamic Rocking, it suffers from the same weight limit (250 pounds) that the baseline model does if you order it with that feature.
Customization Options
Here, your frame color options are identical to the baseline model, and the upholstery options are as follows:
Encore Pedal Chair
This Broda chair is identical to the rocking version of the Encore, save for the fact that it doesn’t rock. Since the rocking feature is absent, this variant costs a bit less, and has a higher (350 pound) weight limit, in line with the baseline model without Dynamic Rocking.
The key difference between this model and the baseline model is the fact that the stylish mag wheels are replaced by 5” casters, which makes this much more of a transport chair than a proper wheelchair. As we mentioned with the model above though, the comparison to a transport chair only goes so far, because it’s not collapsible to a small enough footprint, nor light enough to completely fit into that role.
It also can’t recline quite as far as the others we’ve talked about and features twenty-five degrees of recline from a fully upright position. It features the same standard padding package as the Encore Rocker.
On the whole, this chair is a good budget option that will save you a bit of money if you’re looking for a good reclining chair for home use, can live without the rocking feature, and can’t afford the fancy mag wheels that the baseline model features.
This chair’s customization options are identical to the Encore Pedal Rocker.
Synthesis Tilt Recliner
Synthesis Tilt Recliner | |
---|---|
Adjustability and Customization | |
Overall Comfort Level | |
Versatility | |
Ease of Use | |
4.6 Summary |
Although the Tilt doesn’t rock like Broda’s flagship model, it offers a tremendously valuable feature which is hinted at in the name of the model. Before we talk about it though, let’s review the core stats:
It should be noted that these are just guidelines for the most part. If you want or need a custom seat height, width, or seat depth, contact the company, and they can work with you on that. Similarly, although the tilt’s default configuration has 6” rear casters and 5” front casters, this too can be customized if you desire. Taken together, those facts make the Tilt one of the most adjustable and customizable chairs on the market today.
As with the Encore, the Tilt is ergonomically designed and has a slatted seat and seatback that provides dynamic, ergonomic support as the user sits and moves in the chair. This is augmented by well-implemented head and neck support, independently adjustable armrests, and leg rests that can either be moved as a single unit if you leave the calf pad on or, if you remove it, each leg rest can be adjusted independently.
The real strength of this design, however, comes in the form of its tilt and recline functions. The angle of the seat can be tilted up to 40 degrees, and in addition to that, the chair reclines up to 90 degrees, which means it lays completely flat.
Given that the Tilt comes with generous padding, that means it can pull double duty as a reasonably good napping recliner, especially if you invest in one of the even more plush padding options available. It gets even better, though. This chair features an advanced seating option in the form of Trendelenburg position!
What’s remarkable about that is while you occasionally find the position offered in high-end recliners and lift chairs, you almost never see it on a wheelchair or other mobility device. It’s a wonderful addition to this design because the position has documented benefits for people who suffer from chronic pain, poor circulation, or who have recently had and are recovering from surgery.
When you place your order, you can choose from a modest selection of frame colors, including:
Where upholstery is concerned, the following options are available:
In addition to that, the chair you order will have its headrest cushion, shoulder bolsters, upper side pads, lower side pads, and sole pads upholstered in the color of your choice, while the seat and back pads and the calf pad will be in black, with white or grey terry cover options also available.
While the full range of accessories are available and will fit on this chair, according to patient and caregiver statistics collected by the company, the most popular accessories purchased with this model include:
It’s an amazing model with a lot to offer, but in our view, the biggest selling point of the model is the fact that it can lay completely flat and has an advanced seating position, which is virtually unheard of on a wheelchair.
Synthesis Transport Chair
The transport version of the Synthesis features all the great features of the core model, but also comes equipped with a variety of safety features that optimize the chair for transport from one location to another with the user remaining in the chair during transport.
This is a departure from a conventional transport chair. Conventional transport chairs are typically designed to collapse for easy storage, while the user sits in the transport vehicle and then is transferred into the chair when the destination is reached.
The additional safety features included in this model are:
As the company describes it, the Synthesis Transport chair “bridges the gap between a standard wheelchair and a stretcher.” Given its ability to lay completely flat, it’s easy to see where the comparison comes from.
Note that the transport variant of the Synthesis is every bit as adjustable as the baseline model. According to company statistics, the most popular accessories purchased with this model are:
Latitude Pedal Rocker
Latitude Pedal Rocker | |
---|---|
Adjustability and Customization | |
Overall Comfort Level | |
Versatility | |
Ease of Use | |
4.4 Summary |
With 5” casters all around, this chair falls into that same curious middle ground that’s not quite a wheelchair and not quite a transport chair either. It is an exceptional chair for use around the house though, and although it is a little more narrowly focused than the models we’ve talked about previously, it’s still a solid design and perfect for the right user. It’s just that the pool of ideal users is somewhat smaller for this particular model, owing to its modest maximum supported weight.
Before we go further, let’s take a closer look at the chair’s core stats:
This model shares some traits in common with the Synthesis chair in that a number of the dimensions are customizable beyond the thresholds mentioned above. Refer to this brochure for the particulars.
Like the other Broda models we’ve talked about so far, the Latitude is ergonomically designed, providing exceptional dynamic back support, augmented further by the fact that the seat reclines back modestly. This, we regard as something of a limitation, as the seat only reclines 18 degrees.
On the other hand, the model also rocks back up to 33 degrees, which adds to the chair’s versatility. Note, however, that the user sitting in the chair cannot activate the rocking function. It’s activated by a control on the seatback, just beneath the push bar. Also note that the Latitude features a tension control knob that controls the amount of force needed to rock in the chair, allowing the caregiver to set this to the user’s taste.
In addition to that, the side “wings” are removable, the rocking function can be locked by the caregiver as a safety feature, and the armrests are height adjustable to ensure that the chair fits the person using it like a glove.
The standard padding package for this model includes the neck rest pad, lower side pads, shoulder bolsters, and seat and back pads.
Customization Options
Where upholstery is concerned, this model offers the following options:
There are two frame options available: Black and Grey Hammer.
According to the company’s statistics, the most popular accessories purchased with this model are:
Latitude Mobility Rocker
This model is identical to the baseline Latitude, save for one difference. Instead of having 5” casters all around, this variant has a mag wheel upgrade, which allows the person sitting in the chair greater freedom of movement and the option to propel the chair with their arms, instead of simply having to pedal around with their feet.
All upholstery and frame options are identical, and the same accessories are recommended for this variant.
Sashay Pedal Chair
Sashay Pedal Chair | |
---|---|
Adjustability and Customization | |
Overall Comfort Level | |
Versatility | |
Ease of Use | |
4.5 Summary |
The Sashay is a somewhat smaller chair than the Latitude, but despite that fact, it’s capable of supporting more user weight, but there are a couple of important tradeoffs between these two models. Before we get into the particulars of that, let’s review the basic stats that define this model:
Compared to the Latitude, the first thing that jumps out at us is the fact that this model supports an extra hundred pounds of weight, but has a significantly lower seat to floor height range. It’s an unusual combination of features, but it makes it a fabulous choice for shorter users who are a little on the heavier side.
Like all of the other chairs we’ve talked about so far, this one is also ergonomically designed for incredible dynamic support. Unlike most of the models we’ve discussed to this point, it doesn’t rock and only reclines marginally – a scant 18 degrees.
That makes it a relatively poor choice if you’re looking specifically for a reclining chair, but it is delightfully comfortable, with the standard padding package that includes:
If you decide that the Sashay is the chair for you, know that there are a few custom configuration options available, including optional seat widths of 22”, 24”, 26”, or 28” and custom seat depth options of either 15.5” or 20”.
Customization Options
The following upholstery options are available for this model:
There are two frame options available: Hammer Grey and Black.
According to Broda’s statistics, the following accessories are most commonly paired with this chair:
Elite Tilt Semi-Recliner
Elite Tilt Semi-Recliner | |
---|---|
Adjustability and Customization | |
Overall Comfort Level | |
Versatility | |
Ease of Use | |
4.5 Summary |
The Elite is an interesting model because it has recently been compressed, with two variants having been retired. Unlike the other products in the Broda lineup, the two remaining Elite models are targeted at markets in different sides of the world, with this variant being offered for sale in the United States only, and the other Elite variant being offered for sale in Europe only.
Before we get into what makes this model different and unique, let’s take a look at its core stats:
The thing that jumps out at us about this model just by looking at the numbers above is that it’s not quite as adjustable as most of the other Broda chairs since the seat height is static. However, the base stats only tell part of the story. This is actually one of the most customizable chairs the company makes.
In addition to being able to choose between 20” or 22” mag wheels, if you have a custom need where some of the dimensions are concerned, you can contact the company directly and ask to get your Elite with:
On top of that, the baseline model of this chair sees the seat recline by up to 40 degrees, with the back being capable of reclining an additional 15 degrees beyond that. If that’s not enough for you, you can order your Elite recliner with the capability of reclining by up to 80 degrees.
Combined with the seatback recline angle, that means the chair can actually lay more than flat if you want it to, and of course, you’ve got an infinite degree of recline angles to choose from, so you have perfect recline freedom.
Given the padding that comes standard on the chair (which includes the seat and back pad, the upper and lower side pads, a sole pad and a calf pad), this actually makes a decent napping recliner. Even better, more deluxe padding options are available.
Just like the rest of Broda’s chairs, this one features the innovative slatted seat and seatback design, so it provides exceptional dynamic, ergonomic support while you’re sitting in the chair, which further enhances its comfort.
Customization Options
Unlike the other chairs we’ve talked about so far, this model has relatively fewer upholstery and frame color options. The frame is available in either Grey Hammer or Black, while the upholstery color options are:
According to company statistics, the following accessories are most commonly paired with this model:
Although you don’t get as many fun color options, make no mistake: The Elite is a serious contender and one of the best wheelchairs on the market today.
Elite Tilt Recliner
This chair is functionally similar to the Elite Semi-Recliner but is geared to the specifics of the European market. While there are a few structural differences to meet European standards, it’s fundamentally the same chair. If you live in Europe and want one of these, just let them know where they’ll be shipping it to and they’ll make sure you get the right chair for the part of the world you’re in.
Elite Transport Chair
Although this model is still mentioned in a couple of places on the company’s site, it appears to have been discontinued in preference for the Elite Tilt Recliner. We wanted to include a brief mention here though, for the sake of completeness and to avoid any confusion.
Elite Tilt Chair
Although this model is still mentioned in a couple of places on the company’s site, it appears to have been discontinued in preference for the Synthesis Transport Chair. We wanted to include a brief mention here though, for the sake of completeness and to avoid any confusion.
Broda Wheelchairs (Part II)
Broda Wheelchairs (Part II) | Vanguard Tilt Recliner (Bariatric) | Midline Tilt Recliner | Acute Care Chair | Revive Tilt Chair |
Rating | 4.6 |