The Great Outdoors

For most people, summer means heading to the beach or the mountains to take advantage of the warmer weather. And today, whether it’s swimming, camping or golfing, there are a number of products that make it easier than ever for people with disabilities to reap the physical and emotional rewards of outdoor recreation.

One of those products is the Freedom Tent, developed by BlueSky Design and Binghamton, N.Y.-based Johnson Outdoors’ Eureka tent brand. Designed for campers with a wide range of disabilities, this two-person tent has a 32-inch opening with a zipperless door that can be opened with minimal dexterity. The tent features large pull handles on its internal door and window zippers, large windows for good ventilation and a spacious interior with a vestibule for storing mobility devices or other equipment.

Of particular interest to wheelchair users is the fact that the tent can be set up entirely from a seated position. It also has an entry that is flush with the ground so a wheelchair can be rolled inside, and a sleeping area with side entry doors for transfers onto a cot.

Taking a universal approach to the Freedom Tent was a fundamental aspect of BlueSky’s development process, because the St. Paul, Minn.-based company recognizes the importance people with disabilities place on interacting with friends and family.

“Recreation is a social outlet,” explains Diane Goodwin, BlueSky’s president and director of research. “People with disabilities or people who are getting older want to play with their friends and families. Accessible recreation equipment will work best when it works well for everyone.”

Golf is another popular outdoor activity, and companies like Cedar Falls, Iowa-based Upright Golf provide a number of products for people with various disabilities so they can better enjoy the game.

“Today’s adaptive golf products and playing aids allow golfers with disabilities to play or practice as often as any able-bodied golfer,” says Upright CEO Jim Egli.

With a focus on senior and adaptive golf aids, the company’s product line is designed to minimize the discomfort people with disabilities face in having to bend or stoop continually while playing the game. Upright’s Backtee product, for example, clips on the grip of a golf club and allows the player to push a tee into the ground and place a golf ball on it without bending. And the company’s ADAptive Golf Stick allows a physically disabled golfer to tee up the ball from a seated position at a distance of 4 to 5 feet.

No summer would be complete without some pool time, and products like the Wheelchair to Water Pool Lift from Pine Island, N.Y.-based SureHands allow wheelchair users to go directly from their chairs to the water. This transportable, motorized lift is battery operated — by pressing a button, the boom can be raised to the desired position and the user can be lowered into the water.

Outdoor recreational products such as these offer the opportunity both to serve customers’ needs and expand retail product offerings. Don’t miss your chance to help your customers learn about activities they may never have dreamed were possible — and increase your sales.