Recently we featured an article on the Tank Chair, a 450lb tracked wheelchair which boasts the ability to travel over mud, rocks, hills and even take a gunshot, which we dubbed the ‘most American take on mobility technology’. Well, move aside, Tank Chair, Ripchair 3.0 is here to slog it out for the title. Coming in at 1,200lbs and with top speeds of 17mph, the Ripchair 3.0 by Howe & Howe Technologies is certainly a fascinating piece of equipment. Rather than being a wheelchair in its own right, it features a ramp and lock in system to allow the user to easily operate it from a manual or automatic wheelchair. The 11-inch wide tracks and 10-inch clearance rate of the vehicle allow it to negotiate almost any terrain and the user to travel in environments otherwise totally inaccessible via wheelchair. It even comes with a fire extinguisher (just in case) and holders for a fishing rod and, of course, a rifle. Howe & Howe also offer a number of extra add-ons, such as an attachable snowplough and the Equalizer Shooting System for aiding the user in hunting.

While many people, outdoorsy or otherwise, will enjoy the idea of driving what is essentially a small tank, the Ripchair 3.0 isn’t the most practical of vehicles to own. For one thing, it has to be transported by trailer to its destination and its size and weight would make it largely unsuitable in an urban environment. Its base price is also pretty prohibitive; at 27,000 USD (~17,900 GBP) the vast majority of people are not going to be able to afford it any time soon. However, if you have the money and a love of the outdoors then the Ripchair is a dream on tracks.

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