Ziesel Ground Squirrel Off-Road Wheelchair Review 2024

Do you suffer from a mobility issue keeping you from enjoying life like you once did? Do you have abundant resources to address the issue any way you please?

If you answered yes to those questions, you’ll love this review. Even if you’re not swimming in resources, you’ll still be interested because the Ziesel Ground Squirrel Off-Road Wheelchair is a fantastic machine. Granted, it is off-the-charts expensive, which is why we downgraded it in terms of versatility, but there’s no denying it’s incredible.

In the sections that follow, we’ll give you all the details we have on it, but note that in this case, we’re up against a pair of limitations:  First, the company that makes Ziesel wheelchairs plays close to the vest, so there’s not much information available. Second, given the extreme cost of the machine, the company is not in the habit of sending out demo models for review. 

Even so, the details we’ve unearthed reveal the Ground Squirrel to be phenomenal. 

Key Features of the Ziesel Ground Squirrel Off-Road Wheelchair

What do you get when you cross a mountain goat with the wheelchair belonging to Professor X from the X-Men? As far as we can tell, you get the Ziesel Ground Squirrel Off-Road Wheelchair.

This mobility aid is flat-out amazing and one of a kind. We mean that since every single one is hand-built by master craftsmen in Austria to the exact specifications of the person placing the order.

There’s nothing quite like Austrian engineering, and these machines are a superb example of that. 

They’re exquisitely built and designed to be a natural extension for anyone with a mobility issue. 

You’ll find state-of-the-art electronics, rubberized tracks, high-efficiency battery packs, rapid charging technology, wood grain accents, supple leather upholstery, a four-point safety harness to help keep the rider firmly in position and more.

We don’t have many baseline stats for the chair for two reasons: one, the company is stingy with them, and two, virtually every aspect of the chair can be customized to your exact specifications.

Specifications

There are, however, a few things that are set in stone. These include:

We were blown away by a couple of these stats. The top speed is as impressive as the maximum range. We’ll talk about the Ground Squirrel’s relative lack of portability a bit later on, but the good news is that with a hundred-mile range, it may be possible to drive it to where you want to go if transport proves to be a challenge.

Even better, while every tracked wheelchair offers exceptional handling over various terrains, the Ground Squirrel takes things to the next level and can handle slopes of up to sixty degrees. Most people wouldn’t feel comfortable tackling a steep slope, but if you do, the tracked wheelchair can handle it.

Limited Adjustability But Virtually Unlimited Customizability

It’s good that virtually every aspect of the Ground Squirrel is customizable because once the device (it would be a gross oversimplification to call this machine a ‘chair’) is made, it’s only moderately adjustable. 

There’s some play in the seat position, and the arms are maneuverable, which makes transfers into and out of the Ground Squirrel easier, but that’s about it.

What that means, then, is that you’ll want to work closely with the manufacturer and check your measurements twice before placing your order, or you’ll wind up with a product that doesn’t fit you well. Take extra time with your measurements, though, and communicate them to the craftsmen, and you’ll get a machine that fits you like a glove and is a tracked extension of your own body.

There are no hard and fast rules here. Since each machine is hand-built, the company is willing to work with their customers and can accommodate many, if not most, requests, so don’t hesitate to ask if you have a special request or need.  

While there are limits to what they can do, again, we’re talking about Austrian Engineering here, so you’re almost guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised.

Storage, Customization Options, and Extras

For all its excellence, the company doesn’t offer many extras. Perhaps the biggest and most significant extra is the trailer it sells to haul the Ziesel Tracked Wheelchair from one location to another.

Like the machine it was designed to transport, it is cunningly designed. You can hitch it to the back of your vehicle, tow the Ground Squirrel to where you want it, offload the machine, and then hook the trailer up to the Ground Squirrel to tow whatever gear you’d like to bring to your adventure. 

Given that the Ground Squirrel has a half-ton towing capacity, there aren’t many limits to what you can bring.​

The lack of extras and add-ons isn’t as big of a limitation for the Ground Squirrel as for most other wheelchairs. Since everything is customizable, if you want an extra, make the request when you order. The craftsmen assigned to build your machine may well be able to incorporate it.

The key here is to think far ahead and anticipate your own needs. Every detail matters because there are no do-overs. Once you take delivery of your machine, that’s it. Sending it back for modifications would be ridiculously expensive, so if you forget something, you can only use some applied creativity and rig a DIY solution.

Not Very Portable

None of the tracked wheelchairs we’ve reviewed are portable. That comes with the territory, and the Ground Squirrel is no exception.

It’s true that if you have your own pull-behind trailer, you can use it and a sturdy ramp to move the machine around.

But in our opinion, if you’re going to spend the money on a device like this, you may as well get the specially designed trailer to pull it.

Yes, it will add to the already extravagant price, but as mentioned in the section above in our Ziesel Off-Road Wheelchair Review, the custom trailer pulls double duty, making it well worth the investment.

Masterfully Designed Controls

Like almost every other aspect of the Ground Squirrel, the controls are a masterpiece. Getting the hang of the machine’s basic operation is a snap, although if you’ve never been in a tracked chair before, it will take you some time and practice to get used to the handling. 

Even so, you’ll love every second of those first few rides for the sheer exhilaration and discovery, and you’ll enjoy every ride after that simply because tracked chairs are amazing. Once you’ve seen firsthand what a tracked chair can do, you’ll wonder how you got along without one. A “regular” wheelchair will seem boring by comparison.

Pros & Cons of the Ziesel Off-Road Wheelchair

If money were no object for the bulk of the market, this would be the hands-down winner in the tracked wheelchair category. It can go anywhere and get you there quickly. It looks cool. Every aspect of the machine is customizable and has a tremendous range.

On the other hand, for the money you’d spend on the Ground Squirrel and its custom trailer, in some parts of the country, you can buy a plot of land, buy a kit home, pay someone to assemble it for you, and still have money left over for furnishings. 

It’s not that the Ziesel Wheelchair is marginally out of reach for the bulk of the market; it’s simply an insanely expensive piece of equipment. That is its one big (fatal) drawback, which makes it more of a curiosity than anything else.

Ziesel Tracked Wheelchair Review Conclusion

There are no two ways about it. The Ziesel Ground Squirrel Off-Road Wheelchair is simply out of reach for more than 99% of the people interested in owning one. It doesn’t matter how amazing it is; it’s simply so expensive that unless you’re a multi-millionaire, you’ll probably not have the spare funds to afford one.

If you can, and you’re looking for something totally unique and next-level in terms of a mobility aid, you’ll love it. The mere mortals will have to continue gazing longingly at the various videos of the Ground Squirrel in action scattered around the web.

Recommended Reading

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Teftec Omegatrac Wheelchair Review

While promising on paper, our Omegatrac Wheelchair review found some shortcomings.

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Official Manufacturer Support

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

• Ziesel Adventures, Official Brand Website.
• Luxury Wheelchair, Karman.
• Types of Wheelchair, Physiopedia.
• How to Purchase the Right Wheelchair, AliMed.
• 3 Signs That You May Need Mobility Aids, Hospital Overstock.