Journey So Lite Review (the Comfy Chair) (Lightweight Foldable) 2024
Indoors | Outdoors | Portable Journey So Lite |
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It’s understandable that mobility scooter manufacturers put skimpy seats on travel models, but it’s also a pain in the butt.
Journey found it in their hearts to save our tushies with a perfectly nice seat cushion on their travel mobility scooter.
Besides having a nice seat, the Journey So Lite is a compact, foldable and lightweight travel mobility scooter that works well indoors and on flat surfaces outside. It is best for short and average-height people, travellers and people needing a car-portable mobility scooter.
It has a better than average seat cushion, top speed and travel range for a compact travel design.
Learn about the pros and cons in this Journey So Lite review.
Why I like the Journey So Lite:
- A 17 in. wide cushioned seat that’s nicer than any I’ve seen
- Wide as possible while still working well indoors (21.5 in. width)
- Faster than average 5 mph top speed
- Taller than average 4 inch ground clearance for safer outdoor travel
- An insane 8 degree incline rating for conquering steep hills
- Light 44.5 lb. weight for eash portability
- A healthy mile range between charges
- Airline, car trunk and cruise portable
Journey So Lite Review
Journey So Lite is ideal for the mobility-challenged who need better cushioning in their compact travel mobility scooter. It has a nicer-than-average seat cushion with proper padding for those in pain.
It’s also got above average speed, travel range and off-road capabilities.
The Journey So Lite folds into towable loggage (the Trolley configuration) making it easy to pull through airports as if it were a piece of luggage.
So Lite Pros and Cons
On top of its nice seat cushion and outdoor features, the So Lite folds into a trolley luggage configuration. You can pull the wheeled scooter across the airport without trouble.
However, only one foldable lightweight mobility scooter I’ve found has a suspension system, something that makes the ride easier for those with chronic illness.
- 17 inch wide cushioned seat
- Plane, train, bus, car, cruise portable
- It is lightweight and easy to lift
- It is foldable to a luggage configuration for easier storage and travel
- It is airline friendly
- Its compact size fits through cruise statement doorways
- 4-wheel stability
- Better than normal 8 mile travel range
- Speedier than average 5 mph max speed
- Flat-free solid tires
- Ambidextrous (either hand) throttle
- Lights improve visiblity
- Automatic braking is safer on inclines and for users who might have coordination issues
- Good storage options for shopping and carrying your gear
- Pull the tiller up or push it down for your comfort
- Armrests for comfort and they flip up to get out of the way
- Much better than average seat cushion
- Good ground clearance doesn’t get caught up on obstacles
- Safe but efficient travel speed
- Lithium battery lasts longer between charges and has longer lifespan
- No suspension or turn signals
- As with all compact models, the Journey is not a great fit for tall people.
So Lite Portability
The Journey So Lite is designed with portability in mind, making it a great option for travelers and those who need a scooter that’s easy to transport. At just 44.5 pounds total weight, it’s one of the lighter mobility scooters on the market.
This scooter is indeed airline-friendly, with a battery capacity of 240 watt-hours, well below the 300 Wh limit set by most airlines. This means you can take your So Lite on flights, opening up more travel possibilities.
- Total Weight: 44.5 lb
- Battery Weight: 3.7 lb
- Seat Weight: Not specified
- Heaviest Piece: 40.8 lb
- Length x Width x Height: 39.5″ x 21.5″ x 37″
- Folded Length x Folded Width x Folded Height: 39″ x 21″ x 17″
- “Luggage” Folds with wheels and handle: Yes
- Removable seat: Yes
- Airline friendly/watt hours: Yes / 240 Wh
It’s car, plane and cruise portable:
Car
With its folded dimensions of 39″ x 21″ x 17″, the So Lite should fit in most car trunks. However, measuring your specific vehicle’s trunk space is always a good idea.
The scooter’s compact folded size means it should fit on many cars’ back seats, though this may vary depending on the vehicle model.
Airplane
While compact, the folded dimensions are likely too large for most airplane overhead compartments. You’ll probably need to check it or gate-check it.
The So Lite is well-suited for airplane cargo holds, given its airline-friendly battery and manageable size.
Train + Bus
The scooter’s portability makes it suitable for train and bus travel, though you may want to check specific carrier policies.
The So Lite offers a “luggage” configuration with wheels and a handle, making it easy to transport like a rolling suitcase. This feature is particularly useful in airports or other situations where you must move the scooter while it’s folded.
The scooter’s removable seat adds to its portability, allowing you to break it into smaller components if needed. This can be helpful when lifting it into a vehicle or storing it in tight spaces.
The Journey So Lite lives up to its name, offering a highly portable mobility solution that’s well-suited for various modes of transportation. Its lightweight design and foldable structure make it a strong contender for those prioritizing ease of transport in their mobility scooter choice.
So Lite Indoors
The Journey So Lite is designed to be compact and maneuverable, making it suitable for various indoor environments.
In a crowded home interior, the So Lite’s relatively compact size should allow it to navigate through most doorways and around furniture. However, you might need to be cautious in very tight spaces or homes with narrow hallways.
- Length x Width x Height: 39.5″ x 21.5″ x 37″
- Number of Wheels: 4
- Turning Radius: 35.4″
The scooter’s 21.5″ width should comfortably fit down most aisles for grocery store use. Its four-wheel design provides stability, which is beneficial when reaching for items on shelves.
The So Lite should perform well in department stores. Its 35.4″ turning radius is tight enough to maneuver around clothing racks and display cases without too much difficulty.
So Lite Outdoors
The Journey So Lite is a 4-wheel scooter, which generally offers better stability than 3-wheel models, especially on outdoor surfaces. This stability comes at the cost of a slightly wider turning radius, but it’s a fair trade-off for outdoor use.
The solid tires mean you won’t have to worry about flats, which is convenient for maintenance. However, the ride might be rougher than air-filled tires, especially on uneven surfaces.
- Number of Wheels: 4
- Tire type: Solid
- Tire Size: Front 6.0″, Rear 10.0″
- Ground Clearance: 4.0″
- Incline rating: 8 degrees
- Max speed: 5.0 mph
- Travel range: 8.0 miles
- Motor strength: Not specified
- Battery power: 24 Volts, 10 Ah (240 Watt-hours)
With 4 inches of ground clearance, the So Lite can handle small obstacles like door thresholds and minor sidewalk imperfections. However, it may struggle with larger rocks, roots, or tall grass.
The maximum speed of 5 mph is about average for mobility scooters. It’s fast enough for comfortable travel on sidewalks and in stores but not so fast that it’s unsafe in crowded areas.
The 8-mile travel range is sufficient for short trips and errands but might be limiting for all-day outings or theme park visits. If you intend to use it extensively throughout the day, you’d need to plan for recharging.
The 8-degree incline rating suggests the So Lite can handle modest slopes, but steep hills might be challenging.
Based on these specifications, the Journey So Lite should perform well on:
- Sidewalks
- Smooth paved paths
- Indoor surfaces
- Short, dry grass
It may struggle with:
- Gravel paths
- Wet or long grass
- Rough wooden trails
- Steep inclines
So Lite Comfort
Sometimes I feel like calling the mobility scooter engineering departments to ask if it would hurt them to put a cushion on their foldable travel mobility scooters.
Thank goodness Journey figured out that seniors don’t like sitting on hard surfaces.
- Seat cushion: Yes
- Seat height adjustable: No
- Armrests: Yes
- Armrests flip up: Yes
- Armrests width adjustable: No
- Suspension Seat: None
- Suspension Wheels: None
- Tire Type: Solid
- Tiller angle adjustable, height adjustable: Yes, No
- Throttle ambidextrous?: Yes
- Number of wheels: 4
- Seat slider: No
The scooter comes with armrests, which can enhance comfort during rides. These armrests flip up, making getting on and off the scooter easier. However, the width of the armrests is not adjustable, which might be less than ideal for users who prefer a custom fit.
There’s no suspension in the seat or the wheels, so you’ll likely feel more bumps and vibrations on uneven surfaces. This, combined with the solid tires, suggests the ride might be rough on anything but the smoothest surfaces.
On the plus side, the tiller is angle-adjustable, allowing you to find a comfortable steering position. However, it’s not height-adjustable, which could be an issue for very tall or short users. The throttle is ambidextrous, a nice feature that allows operation with either hand, adding to the scooter’s versatility.
As a 4-wheel scooter, the So Lite offers increased stability compared to 3-wheel models, but this comes at the cost of slightly less footroom. The lack of a seat slider means you can’t adjust your distance from the tiller, which might affect comfort for some users.
So Lite Safety
The Journey So Lite offers some important safety features while lacking others. Let’s break it down:
Lights are included, which is a significant safety feature. These will help with visibility during low-light conditions or nighttime use, making it safer for riders and others nearby.
- Lights: Yes
- Signals: No
- Horn: Yes
- Alarm: No
- Braking: Automatic Magnetic
- Mirrors: No
- Number of wheels: 4
- Seat belt: No
The braking system is automatic magnetic, which is a positive safety feature. This type of system typically engages automatically when you’re not accelerating, and importantly, it should remain engaged even if the battery dies. This makes it safer on hills or inclines compared to manual brakes.
With four wheels, the Journey So Lite offers good stability. This design is generally more stable than three-wheel models, especially when navigating bumps or slightly uneven terrain.
So Lite Convenience
- Cup Holder: Optional
- Phone Holder: Not specified
- Bluetooth Speaker: No
- USB Port: Not specified
- Seat rotation: No
- Basket: No
- Bag: Yes (Front and Rear Pouch Storage)
- Under Seat: Yes
- Hitch receiver: No
The So Lite’s recreational features include an optional cup holder and storage.
As with all foldables, it’s holding back on features that would add weight to the design.
Final Thoughts
Although the Journey So Lite is a portable mobility scooter for travel, it does surprisingly well outdoors. It has a 5 mph top speed and an 8-degree incline rating.
But my favorite part is the extra-cushiony seat cushion, because too often the lightweight mobilty scooter class gets hard plastic for sore bums. Let’s hear it for catering to comfort!
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