Elenker Upright Walker
Price: (Click here to check price on Amazon.)
Pros: Great value. Fairly lightweight. Small and easy to maneuver.
Cons: The seat is a little uncomfortable after long periods.
Best For: You want a budget-friendly upright walker complete with seat and storage.
Related: Best Upright Walkers of 2023
In a hurry or don’t feel like reading? The Euro Style upright walker from Elenker earned the title of Best Overall Upright Walker in our review of the top upright walkers due to its relatively lightweight, ease of use, and lowest price in the category. Click here to check it out on Amazon.
Overview
The Elenker Upright Walker claimed top honors in our “best of” comparison, beating out the original upright walker UPWalker upright walker and UP Walker Lite, mostly thanks to its solid overall performance and significantly lower price. While the UPWalker ‘s might both technically be slightly better products, the question is are they worth more than two times the price of the Elenker? Perhaps for some people, but overall we think the Elenker is the better choice for most. As such, this is our go-to if you want an upright walker that does the job well and won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Features
- Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
- Product Weight: 24 pounds
- Handle Height Adjustment: 38″ – 47.3″
- Approximate User Height: 5′ – 6’2″
- Overall Width: 25″
- Overall Length: 28″
- Width Between Handles: 18″
- Storage Bag Dimensions: 15.4″W x 3.8″D x 11.8″H
- Seat Height: 22″
- Seat Dimensions: 18″W x 10″L
- Wheel Size: 10″ front and 8″ rear
- Folded Dimensions: 17″L x 35″H x 13″W
Our Analysis
Elenker entered into the upright mobility market fairly recently in 2017. Since then they have released a number of well-regarded and highly-rated rollators and knee-walkers. Their Euro-Style Upright Walker is the newest product in the lineup and it’s already getting lots of positive reviews from customers. In fact it was one of our readers who bought one and liked it so much they brought it to our attention and suggested we take a look at it.
Design & Style
Frankly there’s not too much to say about the design of this Elenker product. It’s about as standard looking as you can get for an upright rollator. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a simple design focused more on function than form. The main part of the frame is constructed from aluminum tubes connected with a black aluminum “X” style cross brace that connects the two sides of the rolling walker and provides the hinge for folding the unit. The extendable forearm rests are mounted on silver aluminum tubes. Exposed brake cables, chunky armrests, black plastic knobs, and a nylon seat and storage bag complete the look. It certainly won’t win any awards for its design aesthetic but it’s simple and functional and is available in your choice of three colors; red, white, or silver.
On The Road
The Elenker Upright Walker performs well indoors thanks to its smooth-rolling 8-inch wheels and easy to maneuver lightweight frame. Floorboards, tiles, and carpet are all handled with ease, as are the transitions and little bumps between surfaces. One of our testers did find the position of the seat when you are walking a touch too close to their knees, so when you are first getting used to the walker you might lightly bump your knee into the soft fabric seat until you adjust your gait. However, our other two testers did not mention this as an issue so this is likely down to the individual.
Outdoors the Elenker works well on flat and smooth surfaces such as sidewalks, carparks, and around the mall. Firm grass and compact dirt are also not a problem. Obstacles such as small cracks in the pavement and little pebbles were easily overcome and the Elenker made short work of them. However, while the manufacturer says the wheels are “multi-terrain” this is really not an all-terrain walker. When the road gets bumpy, the grass gets soft, or the obstacles get larger, the Elenker will start to bog down a bit. To be fair, this is a fairly common issue with most upright walkers because they are really not designed for this type of use.
Maneuverability
The Elenker Upright handles swiftly and is a breeze to walk around the house. Navigating through doorways, halls, and around furniture is quite easy thanks to its relatively lightweight and it’s fairly small footprint. To put things in perspective, it weighs just 24 pounds, which is 8.5-pounds heavier than the UPWalker Lite, but 1.5-pounds lighter than the original UPWalker. And it measures 25-inches wide and 28-inches long, which is about an inch shorter and narrower than the UPWalker Lite, and significantly smaller than the original UPWalker. So maneuverability-wise it’s right up there with the more expensive models handling relatively tight spaces.
Weight & Folded Size
Hitting the scales at 24-pounds the Elenker mobility aid is right around the average weight for a rollator walker. Most seniors and elderly people will have no trouble using a walker at this weight for regular day-to-day activities. When folded down for transport or storage the Elenker compresses to 13-inches wide, which is a little wider than average compared to other products in this category. For comparison, the UPWalker Lite folds to 8.5-inches wide and the original UPWalker folds to 11-inches wide. So if ease of transport is a high priority for you then the UPWalker Lite is probably a better fit due to its lighter weight and smaller folded dimensions.
Seat
The Elenker comes fitted with an 18-inch wide by 10-inch deep sling-style seat with a backrest for comfortable support. On the plus side, there is a seat, and in a pinch, it can come in handy if you are tired and there are no other options. Unfortunately, the negative side of the seat outweighs the positive as the seat is not the best design and is fairly uncomfortable. Slung between the two upright arm poles, there is little room on either side of the seat because you are wedged in between the frame of the walker. If you do manage to fit in there comfortably then you have the armrests and strap which get in the way of your upper body, and there’s no backrest to offer support. Finally, if you do manage to sit without any of those issues affecting you, getting up can be difficult because there are no sit-to-stand handles and no easy place to use your arms to help you get up.
If the seat is an important factor in your decision and you will be using it on a regular basis then the Elenker might not be a good option for you. You would fare better looking at the UPWalker Lite which comes with the same size seat but is more comfortable, better-engineered, and has sit-to-stand handlebars.
Wheels
10-inch front wheels and 8-inch rear wheels adorn the Elenker Upright rollator walker, which is fast becoming the standard on most walkers because it provides a nice balance between handling, smooth rolling, and the ability to glide over most obstacles. These are wrapped in “multi-terrain” tires that while not suitable for true off-road duties are more than capable of tackling your typical everyday needs.
Brakes
The Elenker features the same dual-lock loop-style brakes that you find on most walkers. To slow down you pull the hand brake levers towards you. To engage the lockable handbrakes on the walking aid, simply push the levers away from you activating the park brake. These are fully adjustable so you can get the correct braking force for your size and weight. The brake cables are external which does present a small chance of snagging them on obstacles, although this is fairly uncommon.
Overall we found when using the supportive upright posture walker correctly the brakes work well and provide the safety and stability you need. However the weak point in the braking system is actually the tires, which will break traction if you push hard enough on the walking aid. This is not a problem under normal conditions, however on particularly loose or slippery surfaces, or if you’re trying to force the walker to move despite the brakes being on, then keep in mind that you will probably be able to do it!
Storage
On the front of the Elenker walker you’ll find a large nylon storage bag suitable for personal items. The personal item bag measures approximately 15.4-inches wide by 11.8-inches tall and 3.8-inches deep. Plenty of space for your purse, wallet, car keys, and other daily necessities. But it’s not really deep enough to carry any shopping or anything bulky. And the position of the storage bag makes it a little cumbersome to access because you have to open the bag from in front of the mobility walker. It’s not easily accessible from the side you walk on nor from the seated position which is a shame. There is also a built-in cane holder which is a nice touch.
Build Quality
The frame of the Elenker Upright Walker walking aid is made of high quality aluminum and is extremely sturdy. Even close to the 300-pound weight limit it showed no signs of flexing or bending. The plastic components do feel a little cheap but they are all very strong and seem like they will last a long time.
What We Liked
- The price!
- 300 pounds weight capacity
- Suitable for people from 5′ to 6’2″
- Small, light, and easy to maneuver
- Most of the same features as products costing 2-3 times as much
- Very sturdy and well-built frame
- Available in red, white, or silver.
- Padded armrest
- Comfy padded seat with backrest
- Comes with a cane/umbrella holder
What Could Be Improved
- Seat is not very comfortable
- Beverage holder is not included.
Benefits of using an Upright Walking Aid
- Walk with a more natural posture encouraging better posture
- Be more mobile with greater dignity
- Reduced pain when walking by relieving painful pressure in the lower back
These are the benefits of using an upright walker over a traditional walker or a conventional walker.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the best value upright walker on the market then the Elenker is hard to beat. It’s fairly lightweight, easy to walk with, and has the same basic features as other products in the category costing more than twice as much.
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