A few weeks ago, my husband was watching a YouTube video and came across something he thought would be good for me – the Walkstool which is a lightweight folding stool with telescopic legs. I watched the video with him and agreed that it would be really good for me. The video was showcasing the stool as being ideal for people who have outdoor hobbies such as rambling, fishing or birdwatching. I thought it would also be ideal for people with mobility problems. So I got in touch with the manufacturer and asked if I could possibly review the Walkstool.
Lars, the owner of the company, very generously arranged to send me two Walkstools. He asked what height I was so he knew which height of stool I would need. I am fairly tall, about 5’9″ (I used to be taller, but I’ve lost a few inches along the way!!) so he reckoned that the 55cm/22″ Walkstool would suit me best. But he also sent the 65cm/26″ version to try. He was correct – the 55cm/22″ suited me perfectly. My hubby is 6′ tall and finds the other one perfect for him.
I was really excited to write this review of the Walkstool because I honestly believe it is the perfect walking companion for anyone who lives with mobility problems or chronic pain.
Walking is Good For You – But It’s Difficult if You Live With Pain
Walking is a healthy activity. Even if you live with pain, doctors normally advise you to walk. It’s good for you physically and mentally.
However, for me, walking is often extremely painful. Even just a short distance can be difficult. When I hear the phrase, ‘Walking is good for you’, I really want to embrace it but my pain isn’t so keen. There are some days when I can barely walk from my bedroom to the bathroom.
Related post
Mobility Aids To Help You Enjoy Life Outdoors
I love living here in the countryside. If I was fit and healthy, I would go out walking with my dog every day. But I’m not fit and healthy so I can’t. However, when we have nice weather and my pain allows it, I do try to go out for a short walk.
Even if I’m having a fairly good day, I can’t go far because I need to bear in mind that I have to walk back to the house. If I go too far and end up in too much pain, I would struggle to walk home. Besides that, pushing my limits causes payback pain which could last for days or even weeks.
Sometimes my plan doesn’t take off because I reach the gate outside the house and realise that my pain is saying, ‘not today.’ On a better day, I might walk a short distance and think I am doing ok so could manage to walk a bit further. Then I hear my hubby’s voice in my head (even if he’s nowhere in sight), “Liz, don’t be silly, remember you need to be able to walk home.” And he’s right. Without being able to sit down and have a rest, going a little bit further could take me from managing ok to not managing at all.
If only I had somewhere to sit to take a rest…
The Walkstool
When I was sent the Walkstool, I was so excited to try it out. A couple of things went against that. One was the weather. I wasn’t going for a walk in the cold, rain or snow. I was desperate for Spring to arrive. And it did eventually (for a few days)…but at that time my back was playing really nasty. Yet again, I was struggling to walk to the bathroom so I couldn’t even think about taking a walk outside for some fresh air.
Eventually, my back eased off a bit, so I hung the Walkstool over my shoulder and took Kip out for a short walk. I also took Ian so he could take some photos.
My Review – The Walkstool is Perfect for Me
The Walkstool is very lightweight, weighing just 900g. It comes in a net bag which you can hang over your shoulder. I carried mine over my shoulder like a crossover bag. It was very comfortable and didn’t get in the way or annoy me while I was walking.
Because my back had been so bad recently, I didn’t walk very far before needing to sit down for a rest. I took the Walkstool out of the bag, unwrapped the velcro strap to open the seat, pulled out the legs, and ta-da…I had a stool to sit on.
The legs of the Walkstool are made from lightweight aluminium, so they’re strong and sturdy.
At 55cm/22″ high, it is higher than my armchair and dining chairs. It is the perfect height for someone of my height with back pain or mobility problems. I was able to sit down and stand up from it with no assistance from hubby.
The triangular seat measures 37.5cm/15″. It’s big and it’s strong so I didn’t feel as though I was teetering on a tiny seat. Nor did I feel as though the stool would wobble or fall over. I felt comfortable and safe sitting on my Walkstool.
After a short rest, I headed back to the house because my back really isn’t at its best so I didn’t want to push my limits. Besides that, the weather was a wee bit breezier than I’d realised. My facial pain hates wind so I didn’t want to aggravate that.
Packing the Walkstool up is as simple as taking it out. You fold the seat up and wrap the velcro strap around it. Then you press the red buttons on each leg to push them back in. After twisting the legs together to lock them in place, you can put it back into the bag.
The Specifics
The Walkstool is a Swedish invention and is the only three-legged stool in the world which extends to a higher height because of its telescopic legs. The Walkstool can also be used at a low height without extending the legs. I personally haven’t used it like this as I would struggle to get down and back up but the Walkstool website demonstrates how to use it in this way.
There are six versions of the Walkstool in various heights so that the user has the perfect stool for their height. I’ll show some of the basic specifications of three of the stools here, but please look at the manufacturer’s website for more details.
Walkstool Comfort 45cm/18″
Low sitting height – 28cm/11″
Extended sitting height – 45cm/18″
Seat size – 35cm/14″
Walkstool weight – 825g/29oz
Maximum load – 200kg/440lbs
Walkstool Comfort 55cm/22″
Low sitting height – 33cm/13″
Extended sitting height – 55cm/22″
Seat size – 37.5cm/15″
Walkstool weight – 900g/32oz
Maximum load – 225kg/495lbs
Walkstool Comfort 65cm/26″
Low sitting height – 37cm/15″
Extended sitting height – 65cm/26″
Seat size – 40cm/16″
Walkstool weight – 975g/34oz
Maximum weight – 250kg/550lbs
Click here to see all the specs on the comparison chart of the full range on the Walkstool website
A Top Quality Product
The Walkstool comes with a two-year warranty. In my opinion, it’s a very good quality product. The company website shows demonstrations of using the Walkstool and lists online stores where it can be purchased throughout the world.
One Tiny Niggle But Easily Solved
There’s only one slightly negative thing I would say in my review of the Walkstool. It can sometimes be awkward getting it in and out of the net bag. The velcro strap which wraps around the stool when it’s folded sometimes catches on the bag making it a wee bit awkward. However, I soon discovered that if you put the stool into the bag feet first, there’s less chance of that happening.
I mentioned this to Lars, the owner of the company, and he told me that they are aware of this issue and that future products will be changed.
Pricier But Better
The Walkstool is a wee bit pricier than other portable stools but it’s not like any other portable stool. The Walkstool is the only tripod stool with a patent for telescopic legs. Most other portable tripod stools tend to be approximately knee height. A knee-height stool would be no good for me.
I Am So Glad I Asked to Review the Walkstool
I really am so glad that I asked to review the Walkstool – I love it. It’s lightweight, unobtrusive and takes up very little room. It’s easy to use and, most importantly, it is very comfortable. The best part for me is the height. Most folding stools are fairly low. I would need help sitting down and standing up from one of those. That takes away independence because I would need somebody to be there to help me.
The Walkstool is now going to be my walking companion when I’m able to go out for a short walk. I will also take it in the car when we go out anywhere so that I will always have a seat whenever I need it. Honestly, I think it’s ideal for someone like myself with mobility problems.
If you’d like to learn more about this stool, please click here to visit the Walkstool website.
I want to say a big thank you from my husband and myself to Lars from Walkstool for his generosity in supplying me with not one, but two Walkstools for this review. They will both be getting used frequently.
Thank you so much for reading.
If this post resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
And feel free to share it with your friends or support groups.
Take care,
Liz.
Subscribe to my blog and follow me on my social media accounts to keep up to date with new posts: