What is the difference between maximum weight load and recommended user weight?
We distinguish between two weight limits on VELA chairs. Below you can see a table and read more about what the two terms mean.
| Type | Model name | Recommended user weight | Maximum weight load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children’s chair with electric lift | VELA Tango 600ES | 15-50 kg | 80 kg |
| Children’s chair with gas lift | VELA Tango 600S | 15-50 kg | 80 kg |
| VELA chair with electric lift | VELA Tango 700E | 50-145 kg | 160 kg |
| VELA chair with gas lift | VELA Tango 700 | 50-130 kg | 160 kg |
| VELA chair with electric lift and sit-to-stand | VELA Tango 700E with sit-to-stand | 50-145 kg | 160 kg |
| Bariatric chair with electric lift | VELA Tango 300E | 130-175 kg | 200 kg |
| Bariatric chair with gas lift | VELA Tango 300 | 130-160 kg | 175 kg |
| Bariatric chair with electric lift for heavy-duty users | VELA Tango 310E | 130-300 kg | 300 kg |
Recommended user weight
Recommended user weight is our recommendation for which chair model you should choose based on the user’s body weight. The recommendation is based on a professional assessment from our development and product management. When we calculate recommended user weight, we ensure that the user has a functional and safe chair regardless of activity; that means the user can also carry, for example, a basket of laundry, or sit with a child on their lap without exceeding the chair’s maximum load.
In addition, the impact of force when sitting down results in a higher weight load than the user’s weight alone. This impact is also taken into account in the recommendation. A chair with gas lift is more sensitive to this impact than a chair with electric lift, and therefore the recommended user weight varies on chairs with electric and gas lift.
Maximum load
Maximum load is the weight that the chair has been tested and approved to carry. It is important that this weight limit is observed.
At maximum load, all weight effects of the chair are included: i.e. the user’s own body weight, but also clothes, a dumbbell during rehabilitation, the weight of e.g. a child sitting on the lap, the weight of a basket of laundry and anything else the user carries on the chair besides himself. In addition, it puts a strain on the chair if the user sits down hard in the chair. In short, all factors must be taken into account when calculating whether the maximum load can be met.
What does this mean for me?
You must always pay attention to whether the user’s weight is within the recommended user weight. In this way, you are guaranteed a safe chair suitable for everyday activities such as light cleaning, laundry, having grandchildren for a visit etc.
If the user has fluctuating weight, or if the user’s weight is on the border between two weight ranges, in most cases it will be best to choose the chair with the highest recommended user weight.
You can of course see the maximum load and recommended user weight on all product sheets. If you have any doubts about which chair is best suited for a user, you can take this test and get our recommendation. You can also contact your nearest VELA dealer.
We Speak from Experience
This content is based on over 50 years of development and expertise in VELA Chairs, with a global reach reflected in the sale of over 500,000 chairs worldwide. This page is a collaborative effort with the author.