Best Mobility Scooters for Tall People (Scored for Tall Riders)
Have you been searching for the best mobility scooters for tall people without much luck?
Best for Disabled or Heavy Tall People (and Comfort Seekers)
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I’ve researched, and it turns out that “mobility scooter for tall adults” is not a standard category among significant manufacturers.
It’s not your imagination.
The elusive “best” mobility scooter for you is hard to find.
It’s even worse if you’re set on a 4-wheel over a 3-wheel model. The 4-wheelers tend to have wheels where you’d like to put your feet, making them less tall-person-friendly.
The other stumbling block I’m sure you’ve uncovered is the combination of mobility scooter types from which to choose.
What if I could show you a luxury, all-terrain mobility scooter with tall-person-friendly features? The only drawback? It’s too big to use indoors.
Would that be a deal-killer? It would be for a lot of shoppers!
I created mobility scooter scores based on their tall-person and category features to make sense of this landscape.
The Tall-Person Suitability Score rates mobility scooters for features like length, seat position, and foot room.
The higher a mobility scooter scores on this scale, the more tall-friendly its features are.
I scored each mobility scooter on its features, so you’ll know immediately if a specific choice is Indoors, Outdoors, All-Terrain, Bariatric (for heavy people), Recreational (Luxury), or Disability-Friendly.
See the scoring methods below.
What Are the Best Mobility Scooters for Tall People?
Here are the best mobility scooters for tall people to consider.
1. Golden Technologies Companion (GC440).
Best Comfort + Luxury/Recreational Mobility Scooter for Tall People
The Companion excels at so many categories that it was difficult to choose just one.
It’s suitable for all-terrain, luxury (recreational), and bariatric use indoors and outdoors.
Luxury and all-terrain mobility scooters are usually large (heavy-duty), but the Companion is a full-size model.
Its 60-lb. heaviest piece hampered its portability (lift that into your car trunk), but it’s airline and cruise-friendly.
Skip below this section to see how these scores are calculated.
See it! | Best for Tall People | Weakness Issues | Disabilities | Long, Comfortable Rides
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Golden Technologies Companion (GC440) Scores:
- Tall Person: Yes
- 4-Wheel: 100%
- Indoors: 50%
- Outdoors: 60%
- All-Terrain: 67%
- Luxury: 58%
- Bariatric: 82%
- Disability: 75%
- Portability Type: Take-Apart (Disassembles)
- Heaviest Piece: 60 lb.
- Portable Airline: Yes
- Portable Car Trunk: Yes (with limits)
- Portable Cruise: Yes
Advantages (for the tall)
- The Companion is 48 inches long (2/3 of a six-foot tall person). It’s one of the longest mobility scooters, so it has more room for your legs.
- The seat slides back to give you more room.
- The seat height adjusts up to 4 inches precisely to accommodate taller riders.
- You can angle the tiller away from your legs for more room.
- The seat rotates, making it easier to get on and off.
- The extremely tall person might take advantage of the optional elevating seat disability feature. It adds 3 inches of usable height to the seat. Customarily used to help disabled people reach tall things, you can take advantage of it at a cost. The motor locks out at 6 inches, so you can’t ride around with a 6-inch height advantage. But the engine will run at half speed when the seat is elevated to 3 inches.
- It’s excellent for heavy people and off-road fun.
- Despite its 48-inch length, it’s only 24 inches wide, making it suitable for indoor use.
- It’s airline- and cruise-friendly.
- It has many features for the disabled.
- You can technically put it in the car trunk, but see the disadvantages below.
- It’s full of luxury features.
- It has 4-wheel stability.
Disadvantages
- Features that would help a tall person that this model doesn’t have: seat recline, tiller height adjustment
- While it works indoors, it’s oversized for the task.
- It is not portable despite having a disassembly (take-apart) feature (unless you can lift 60 lb. into the car). If you can lift 60 lb. into your trunk, then this scooter is portable!!
Golden Companion GC440 Score Details
This table shows you how the GC440 scored on a feature-by-feature basis. Each item below is explained in the scoring section below.
Feature Score | The Good | The Bad |
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Wheels: 100% | 4 Wheels | |
Tall-Person: Yes | – 48 In. Length – Optional Elevation – Seat Rotation – Seat Slider – Adjustable Tiller (Angle) – Adjustable Seat (Height) | – Battery-to-tiller Length Is Unknown – Deck-to-seat Is 17-19 In. – Seat Does Not Recline – Tiller Height Is Not Adjustable |
Indoors: 50% | – 24 in. width – Non-marking tires | – 48 in. length – 56 in. turning radius |
Outdoors: 60% | – Front lights – Rear lights – Suspension coils | – No turn signals – Only 2.5 in. ground clearance |
All-Terrain: 67% | – 8-degree incline rating – Rear anti-tip wheels – Suspension coils | – Stadium seat – 2.5 in. ground clearance |
Luxury: 58% | – 19 mile range – Front basket – Optional rear basket – Flip-up armrests – Adjustable width armrests – Battery charging port on tiller – Digital dash display – Accessory hitch – Mirrors – 18 x 16 x 18 in. seat – 20 x 18 x 18 in. optional seat – Seat height adjusts – Seat rotates – Seat slides back and forth – 10.75 in. tires – Speedometer – Tiller angle adjusts – USB charging port – Front lights – Tail lights | – 5 mph top speed – Tiller height does not adjust – No turn signal – Solid (no-flat) tires (less cushioned ride) – No storage box, seat bag, or under-seat storage – No phone holder – No odometer |
Bariatric: 82% | – 400 lb. weight capacity – Flip-up, width adjustable, removable armrests – 20 x 18 optional seat – 10.75 in. tires – Rotating seat – Sliding seat – Adjustable tiller (angle) | – 18 x 16 x 18 stadium seat – Solid tires |
Disability: 70% | – 10.75 in. tires – Flip-up, width adjustable, removable armrests – Adjustable tiller (angle) – Seat height adjusts – 20 x 18 optional elevating seat – Ambidextrous throttle location (use either hand) – Delta tiller – Electromagnetic brakes – Rotating seat – Sliding seat – Accessory hitch – Suspension coils | – Solid tires – No tiller height adjustment – No headrest – 18 x 16 x 18 seat |
Portable Lightweight: No | ||
Portable Take-Apart: Yes | If you can lift a 60 lb. motor, you might be able to put this mobility scooter in your car trunk. Otherwise, you’ll need a lift and truck, or a disability-modified van. | |
Portable Folding: No | ||
Portable Airline: Yes | ||
Portable Car Trunk: Maybe | ||
Portable Cruise: Yes |
Is the Golden Companion 4-Wheel Right for You?
If you want an outdoor-superior 4-wheel but also need indoor features (in a spacious home), consider the Golden Companion GC440 mobility scooter.
View the Companion at these stores:
2. Golden Technologies Eagle HD (GC595).
Best Bariatric (for Heavy People) Mobility Scooter for Tall People.
The Eagle HD is a powerhouse of a mobility scooter for tall people.
The objective ratings scored 83% for all-terrain, 80% for disability accommodations, 68% for luxury options, and 100% for bariatric (for heavy people) and outdoor suitability.
It has a 56.5-foot deck (4.7 feet!) and a 21-inch distance from the seat to the floor, ideal for tall people.
The seat rotates for easier onboarding, slides to give you more legroom, and reclines to give you more you-room.
The Eagle has a Captain’s High Back seat for maximum comfort.
Skip below this section to see how these scores are calculated.
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| Best for Tall People | Heavy People | Disabilities | Luxury
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Golden Technologies Eagle HD (GC595) Scores:
- 4-Wheel: 100%
- Tall Person: Yes
- Short Person: 20%
- Heavy Person (Bariatric): 100%
- Indoors: No
- Outdoors: 100%
- All-Terrain: 83%
- Luxury-Recreational: 68%
- Disability: 80%
- Portability: 20% (you can use a cargo carrier)
- Heaviest Piece: 179 lb.
- Portable Airline: No
- Portable Car Trunk: No
- Portable Cruise: No
Advantages (for Tall People)
- The Eagle HD is 56.5 inches long, which is 89% of a 6-ft. tall person’s height. It’s LONG, so it has legroom.
- The seat height adjusts an inch from 19.75 to 20.75 from the deck.
- You can angle the tiller away from your for more legroom.
- The seat slides back to give you more legroom
- The seat rotates, making it easier to get on and off.
- It’s excellent for heavy people and off-road fun.
- It has many features for the disabled.
- It’s full of luxury features.
- It has 4-wheel stability.
Disadvantages
- It’s not indoor-friendly or portable.
- Features that would help a tall person that this model doesn’t have: tiller height adjustability
Golden Eagle HD (GC595) Score Details
Feature Score | The Good | The Bad |
Wheels: 100% | 4-wheel stability | |
Tall-Person | – 56.5 in. Length – Captain’s Full Height Seat – 20.75 seat height – Seat Rotation – Seat Sliding – Seat Reclining – Tiller Angle Adjustability | – Tiller Height Is Not Adjustable |
Indoors: 25% | – Non-marking tires | – 27 in. width – 56.5 in. length – 69 in. turning radius |
Outdoors: 100% | – 5 in. ground clearance – Suspension – Front lights – Rear lights – Turn signals | |
All-Terrain: 83% | – 8-degree incline rating – Rear anti-tip wheels – Suspension coils – Full-size Captain’s seat | – pneumatic (air-filled) tires |
Luxury/Recreational: 76% | – Storage Box – Front Basket – Padded height-adjustable and removable armrests with flip-up arms – Phone holder – Tiller Charging Port – USB port – Bluetooth Speaker – Digital Dashboard – Mirrors – Captain’s Seat – Height-adjustable seat – Seat Rotation – Seat Recline – Seat Slide – 13-in. wheels – 8 mph max – Angle-adjustable tiller – Front Lights – Rear Lights – Turn Signals – Air-Filled Tires | – Tiller height does not adjust – No storage bag – No storage under the seat – No lithium battery – No mobility aid attachment hitch no odometer or speedometer |
Bariatric: 100% | -Removable, width-adjustable padded armrests with flip-up arms Captain’s seat 13-inch wheels Air-filled tires 500 lb. weight capacity Seat Rotation Seat Reclines Seat Slides Tiller Angle Adjusts | |
Disability: 75% | – Captain’s seat – Seat height adjustment – Headrest – 13 in. wheels – Flip-up, width adjustable, removable armrests – Angle-adjustable tiller – Ambidextrous throttle location (use either hand) – Delta tiller – Electromagnetic brakes – Rotating seat – Sliding Seat – Reclining seat – Height-adjustable seat – Suspension coils | – Height-adjustable tiller – Pneumatic Seat Rise – Elevate-in-Place |
Portable Lightweight: No | ||
Portable Take-Apart: No | ||
Portable Folding: No | ||
Portable Airline: No | ||
Portable Car Trunk: No | ||
Portable Cruise: No |
Is the Golden Eagle HD Right for You?
The Golden Eagle HD is tailored to tall people, heavy people, and those looking for luxry-recreational comfort.
Does a 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter Have More Legroom?
Mobility Scooters Direct’s Sergio is a tall guy.
He chose the Pride Mobility Victory 10.2 3-wheel as his favorite scooter for tall people.
It’s usually true that 3-wheelers have more footroom than 4-wheelers.
The Pride Victory is a heavy-duty bariatric with luxury and comfort features.
The three-wheel design lets the tall person put their feet on either side of the tiller.
But with a long-chassis 4-wheel, you can achieve the same results without the danger of tipping!
The Golden Companion 4-wheel is similar to the Pride Victory 3-wheel.
While it’s true that the Pride has a larger turning radius, there’s an easy workaround for that.
Instead of doing U-turns indoors, do K-turns!
It’s not that big of a deal, but 4-wheel stability is!
The Pride 3-wheel and the Golden 4-wheel are practically the same, except the Golden Companion GC440 is more stable.
\The foot area is inclined on both, so the 3-wheeler has no advantage at that point.
I admit that most 3-wheel mobility scooters have more footroom and legroom than 4-wheel models, but if it were for my family or me, I’d choose the stable scooter every time.
Scores: How I Rated Mobility Scooters for Tall People
Each set of scores represents a feature that might be important to you.
I created separate score categories to cover all the bases.
The ranking included my bias for the stability of four-wheel models.
The score is most important when it’s unclear whether the mobility scooter will work for a tall person.
- The All-Terrain Score measures how many off-road features the mobility scooter has.
- The Bariatric Score measures the suitability of this mobility scooter for heavier people.
- The Disability Score looks at features that comfort and support the rider.
- The Indoors Score reports on whether this mobility scooter will work indoors. If it’s a small vehicle, the score doesn’t matter. But if you’re going to push the limits by using a wide mobility scooter indoors, the score is a measure of how likely that will work.
- The Luxury Score measures the number of comfort and accessory features the mobility scooter has.
- The Outdoors Score is how equipped the mobility scooter is for use outside. This is just a surface measurement; the All-Terrain score is more complete.
Tall-Person Suitability Scores
This is where you learn how to choose a mobility scooter for a tall person. Selecting a mobility scooter involves reviewing tons of features.
I pulled out the ones that add legroom and space for the rider’s enjoyment and comfort.
These are the features that make a mobility scooter tall-friendly or not.
It doesn’t matter when there’s plenty of room, and there’s no question the design will work for tall people.
They become more important when trying to squeeze a “tall person” mobility scooter out of a scooter that’s not quite there.
The Tall-Person Suitability Score gives you an idea of how flexible this model is in becoming tall-friendly.
- Length: The longer the mobility scooter, the more room for your legs. I give points for lengths over 40 inches.
- Battery-to-Tiller: This is the depth of the area where your knees go. The longer this is, the more room you have to stretch your knees, putting your feet out in front of you. Few vendors print this info, but I include it when I can.
- Deck-to-Top-of-Seat-Height: When published, the distance from the floor to your knees tells us how much vertical room you have from your knee to your toe.
- Seat Height Adjustment: Raise the seat for more legroom.
- Seat Rotation allows you to enter and exit without putting your legs between the seat and tiller before sitting down. It makes getting on and off less awkward.
- Seat Recline: The seat back tilts backwards for your comfort. In a cramped situation, this can alleviate some pressure.
- Seat Slider: The seat pushes back to give you more room.
- Tiller angle adjustable: The tiller adjusts away from you to give you more room.
- Tiller Height Adjustment: Move the tiller up or down for your comfort.
- Seat Elevation: This feature gives you six inches of height to help you reach things without getting off the mobility scooter. The feature locks the motor for safety. That would make it useless for a tall person, except that in some designs, you still get half speed when you use the elevation halfway. Put the elevation up 3 inches to gain that much space, and use the mobility scooter at half speed. It’s a kluge, but it might help.
All-Terrain Scores
- Incline: This determines how steep of a hill you can climb.
- Anti-Tip (Rear): These prevent the mobility scooter from tipping backward on inclines like that steep hill you just climbed.
- Tire Type: While air-filled (pneumatic) tires are more comfortable, solid wheels rule on all terrain to avoid getting flat in the woods.
- Seat Type: For your comfort, the more cushioned the seat, the more fun your ride will be.
- Ground Clearance: The higher the ground clearance, the less likely you will get hung up on tree roots or large rocks.
Bariatric Scores
- Weight Capacity: This is the maximum weight the mobility scooter will handle.
- Seat Type: A Captain and a Full-Size seat are the largest and most comfortable options.
- Seat Dimensions: The larger seats are more comfortable for bigger people. I give a point for seats 20 inches or wider.
- Seat Dimensions, Optional: You can upgrade to a bariatric-size seat.
- Seat Slider: The seat pushes back to give you more room.
- Armrest flip-up: The armrest flips up and out of your way.
- Armrest, removable: You can remove the armrest to get it out of your way.
- Armrest, width adjust: Adjustable armrests allow you to make them wider.
- Seat Rotation: The seat turns to face you for easy access.
- Tire Size: Large tires handle more weight.
- Tiller angle adjustable: The tiller adjusts away from you to give you more room.
Disability Scores
The focus on comfort helps the person in pain avoid bumps that might worsen things.
- Hitch: A spot to add accessories for holding canes, oxygen tanks, and other supplies.
- Tire Type: Solid tires transfer the bumps to the rider. Air tires are more comfortable.
- Tire Size: Larger tires absorb more shock.
- Suspension: A coil system absorbs road shocks.
- Armrest flip-up, removal, width adjustment: Manipulate the armrest for your comfort.
- Seat Type: A Captain and a Full-Size seat are the largest and most comfortable options.
- Seat Headrest: A seat addition for your head and neck comfort.
- Seat Height Adjustment: Raise the seat for more legroom.
- Seat Elevation: This feature gives you six inches of height to help you reach things without getting off the mobility scooter. The feature locks the motor for safety.
- Tiller Angle Adjustment: Move the tiller toward or away from you for your comfort.
- Tiller Height Adjustment: Move the tiller up or down for your comfort.
- Throttle Location: The throttle can be on either side or be controllable from both sides (ambidextrous). For someone who can use only one hand, the throttle (and break) must be accessible from their good side.
- Tiller Type: A delta control wraps around, giving you lots of surface area to grip. A handlebar is a straight bar that is parallel to the ground.
- Seat Dimensions: The larger the seat, the more room you have for comfort. I give points to seats that are 20 inches or wider.
- Seat Dimensions Optional: Points if the optional seat is large and comfortable.
- Seat Rotation: Rotate the seat for easier access.
- Seat Slider: Push the seat back or forward for your comfort.
Indoor Scores
Whether you can use a mobility scooter indoors depends on its dimensions. The average (U.S.) door is 32 inches, but doors can be narrower. Twenty-inch-wide scooters easily pass through, and larger ones can get stuck.
The turning radius is the radius of the circle you make to do a 180-degree turn and face the opposite direction. The smaller this number is, the easier it is to turn the wheel and turn around. If the radius is too large, you must do a K-turn to turn around.
- Length: Mobility scooters are typically 35 to 45 inches long. The longer the body, the harder it is to move through a door into a hallway.
- Width: Older homes can have doorways smaller than 32 inches wide. The narrower the scooter, the easier it is to use inside.
- Non-marking tires: These do not leave marks on the floor.
- Turning radius: Defines the tightness of the mobility scooter’s turns.
Luxury Scores
- USB Port: A place to charge your phone
- Bluetooth Speaker: A mechanism to stream from your phone to another mobility scooter.
- Phone Holder: A place for your phone.
- Cupholders: A place for your drink.
- Hitch: A spot to add accessories for holding canes, oxygen tanks, and other supplies.
- Storage Under Seat: Either a place for your container or a container with the scooter. The battery is often in this spot.
- Storage Box: A hard-sided storage container
- Storage Basket Front and Back: Basket Storage
- Storage Bag Seat: A bag on the seat back.
- The armrest flips up, and the width adjusts. Move the armrest for your comfort.
- Lithium Battery (Standard or Upgrade): A lighter-weight battery that holds a charger for longer.
- Battery Charging Port: This is a more convenient spot to plug in the charger than the battery, such as a spot on the tiller.
- Digital Dashboard: An LCD with mobility scooter info.
- Key Fob: An automatic way to start the motor.
- Mirror: To make it easy to see behind you.
- Odometer: A measure of how far you’ve ridden.
- Range: The maximum miles you can expect under ideal conditions on a single charge.
- Speedometer: A measure of how fast you’re going.
- Tiller Angle Adjustment: Move the tiller toward or away from you for your comfort.
- Tiller Height Adjustment: Move the tiller up or down for your comfort.
- Front, Rear Lights, Turning Signals: For your safety.
- Tire Type: While air-filled (pneumatic) tires are more comfortable, solid wheels rule in all-terrain to avoid getting flat in the woods.
- Seat Dimensions: The larger the seat, the more room you have for comfort. I give points to seats that are 20 inches or wider.
- Seat Dimensions Optional: Points if the optional seat is large and comfortable.
- Seat Type: For your comfort, the more cushioned the seat, the more fun your ride will be.
- Seat Rotation: Rotate the seat for easier access.
- Seat Slider: Push the seat back or forward for your comfort.
- Seat Headrest: A seat addition for your head and neck comfort.
- Seat Height Adjustment: Raise the seat for more legroom.
- Seat Recline: The seat back tilts backwards for your comfort.
Outdoor Scores
All mobility scooters are designed for use outdoors. A few features make that easier.
- Ground Clearance: The higher the ground clearance, the less likely you will get hung up on tree roots or large rocks.
- Suspension: A coil system absorbs road shocks.
- Front, Rear Lights, Turning Signals: For your safety.
Portability Scores
One of the more difficult goals is finding travel mobility scooters for taller people.
The best portable scooters are small and lightweight for easy carrying and storage, but we want more legroom for the taller user.
It’s difficult to find a comfortable portable or travel mobility scooter. That’s why the top picks compromise.
- A lightweight portable is small and light enough to be picked up and stored in a car trunk or airline bin.
- A take-apart (disassembly) portable disassembles into lighter and smaller pieces, making it easier to store in a car trunk.
- A folding portable gets smaller but not lighter; a smaller object is easier to lift.
- A hybrid take-apart/folding folds to get smaller and comes apart to make the pieces easier to lift.
“Lightweight” is up to each person to decide. Most “lightweight” mobility scooters are heavy for someone like me (a woman in her sixties who lifts weights three times a week). Pay attention to the “heaviest piece,” which differs from what the scooter weighs.
The Pride Go Go Elite Traveller is a typical full-size take-apart portable mobility scooter. The heaviest piece is the motor, weighing over 35 lb. I can lift it, but it’s difficult, so it’s not a good choice for someone with strength or stability issues.
But finding a genuine lightweight mobility scooter is still a dream.
The lightest is about 27 lb. Ultralight mobility scooters are bare bones and lack the required comfort features. Otherwise, you’ll be too uncomfortable to ride them.
The easiest answer is to “get help,” but this is unrealistic for many who want to regain independence by using a mobility scooter.
If the budget allows, another option is to get a “scissor lift” to transfer the mobility scooter to another machine. Scissor lifts weigh 25-30 lb., so you still have to lift that to make this plan work!
Safety Scores
- Mirror: To make it easy to see behind you.
- Alarm: Makes an annoying sound in case of theft.
- Anti-Tipping Wheels: To prevent rear tipping on inclines (in 3- and 4-wheel mobility scooters) and side tipping in 3-wheel mobility scooters.
- Brake Type: Electromagnetic brakes are “on” by default. Should you lose power on a decline, the mobility scooter’s default action is to put on the brake. Other brakes depend on you squeezing the handle to engage them.
- Horn: Toot Toot.
- Incline Rating: The hill’s steepness, the mobility scooter, is rated for climbing. Five degrees is a mild hill. Ten degrees is quite steep.
- Front, Rear Lights, Turning Signals: For your safety.
- Seat Belt: This is for staying on the mobility scooter.
Conclusion
Finding the right mobility scooter for a tall person requires careful consideration of several key features.
The Tall-Person Suitability Score introduced in this article helps evaluate options based on length, seat adjustability, and tiller angle.
While no single scooter may be perfect, models like the Golden Technologies Companion and Eagle HD offer many tall-friendly features.
- The 4-wheel Golden Companion (GC440) provides a good balance of indoor and outdoor use
- The 4-wheel Golden Eagle HD (GC595) excels in outdoor and bariatric applications.
When choosing a scooter, consider your primary usage needs – indoor, outdoor, or both.
Also, factor in portability requirements if you plan to transport the scooter.
Depending on your preferences, pay attention to scores in relevant categories, such as All-Terrain, Bariatric, or Luxury features.
By carefully weighing these factors and using the scoring system, you can find a mobility scooter that offers the best comfort, functionality, and suitability for your taller stature.