some tempting crutch options

Hmm, so I have been having a bit of an online wander around for spiffy crutches (rollators too but they are accumulating in a separate post).

Thanks to cranky grrl for her pointer to the Tornado crutch tips at Thomas Fetterman's. Sad to say, one of the significant problems I have had with my Cool Crutch - much as I  wanted to declare them fabulous no matter what - is that the tip has proved less than fab on a couple of fronts:


1) wet weather the Cool Crutch is incredibly slippery:
I understand when things are wet the world is somewhat more hazardous but I was not prepared for the slipperiness induced with a bit of wet pavement and a smooth cafe floor the first time I used them on a wet day (very soon after I had become the proud owner). Very nearly went the overdramatic sixer as the thing slipped out sideways from me and became me supporting it rather than vice versa.


2) the Cool Crutch silencer for the zombie clunky noise appears to have worn off rapidly:
This has happened within six months of using them. It is a little disappointing as this was one of Cool Crutches' key selling points for me and an important factor in my decision to buy in the first place.

Cool Crutch tip after 8 months of infrequent use - admittedly I belatedly realise looking more than a lil skanky in this pic, oh dear

I understand that they are likely to wear out but at that rate that is pretty frequent replacement, and especially given it has not been in high use. Perhaps it is to do with me hurling myself around like a disgruntled elephant?? Whatever the reason, it seems I have rapidly used up all its elegant silent capacity. Clunking along with a friend several months ago who was using one of  the more bog standard numbers - admittedly she does have a rather more elegant demeanour than yours truly, but still - I was surprised to realise that I was distinctly louder with my supposedly silent crutch than she with hers that had never come with any such claim.


Top end bottom-end tips

Hence reading about the benefits of the Tornado tip keenly noted.

I quote from the Fetterman site:

Tornado Gel Crutch Tips engineered pivoting action enables more of the bottom of these tips to engage the ground for amazing traction, even at very steep crutch angles.

Tornado tip from Thomas Fetterman - there's gotta be others roight??

Internet and globalisation: pro or con - or both simultaneously?
While I have drooled over TF stuff in the past - the internet both brings the distinct advantage of letting one know What Is Out There, alas the distinct drawback of all too often being taunted by tempting things just beyond reach because the supplier either
a) does not ship to Aus; or
b) does but at a prohibitive cost; and then
even if those factors are overcome there is: 
c) the hazard of judging by look rather than being able to physically handle it to gauge its appropriateness, resulting all too often, in this neck of the woods, in a NQR aid where a slightly different product would have been more appropriate. Alas, this only able to be ascertained with the joy of hindsight, once the dosh has been handed over for both the product and the postage.


Often, it's not that I doubt the quality, it's just that I don't want to buy something that turns out to not be exactly what I need.

Which brings me back to Crankygrrl's helpful post on what a difference she has found the Tornado tip to be. Plus a tip rather than a whole new crutch is in a much more affordable price range ($15- $50 or so depending on which ones you order) than the one whole new crutches circulate at.

Alas, while the merits are vouched for and the doubts allayed, the next hazard presents itself:  I don't seem to be able to order through the TF site from Oz at the moment - taunted hey!


Meanwhile.... 

Telescoping travel crutches

Of course, while I was over there, my gaze couldn't help but drift to other parts of the store - in particular to these somewhat tempting looking Dutch-designed QuickSteps that are collapsible (telescoping with memory re-set!) for storage and travel with a stable upside down standing option (I am a little wary of hygiene-wise... but there is an attractive vid they have put together showing it in action) for them when not in use. Because the other ongoing crutch hassle is, of course, the crutch itself tipping over and not being able to put it readily out of the way when it is not in use ie reaching to unlock the car door or to pay in a real live store!

Arbin's Quickstep telescoping travel crutch

Handing over the dosh variables

Thomas Fettermans is a distributor in the US for the Arbin Quickstep. Over there, they are retailing for the very best part of US$600 (approx. AUD$570 plus postage if you are able to successfully negotiate setting up an account).


There are also distributors through Europe (stockists listed on Arbin's webstore) and in the UK the groovers at Chic Aid stock them for around £160.

(Here in Oz the exchange rate comes out a lot cheaper to get them from the UK than the US at those price points, that is, approx. AUD $237 plus postage - again that is if you can successfully manage to create an account without a UK postcode, grrrr).


However, on Arbin's Dutch online webstore they retail for the very best part of €160 (which makes them about AUD $200 plus postage to Aus €62 (AUD$74)) for a grand total of €222 (AUD$274).

Shipping hazards
Unfortunately on the US Thomas Fetterman site and  the UK ChicAid site, their systems do not display p&p figures nor even a ballpark and trying to set up accounts proves impossible with an O/S address despite the taunting option provided to select a country beyond where they are located.

Through the maker Arbin's site in the Netherlands no such prob's - there's even an option to request to be a distributor. At Aus p&p €62 (AUD$74) this still brings them in at substantially cheaper than the Thomas Fetterman before postage cost. 

If you are in the UK, Chic Aid may be comparable as p&p to the UK with Arbin is €26. 

Unfortunately, not able to check for shipping to the US from Arbin. 

Temptations
Must say, I am seriously tempted, they are elegant looking (albeit, placing the cuff on the ground not the most appealing option for many locations!) - the Dutch seem to be giving the Scandinavians a good run for their money on well thought design of late (some very swish looking rollators coming out of the Netherlands too).

They also sell what look like some thought through accessories, such as clamps for on bikes, rollators and scooters; cuff pads, LED lights and some not too bad looking crutch covers ala in the mode that an umbrella might have a cover!

Of course none of that solves the original problem of sprucing my crutch-in-the-hand Cool Crutch back to suitable calibre....

Addendum:
In Oz the Fetterman Tornado tips approx. AUD42 plus postage ...via Independent Living Centre in NSW (links to a couple of regional NSW suppliers)