For many manual wheelchair users, smooth sidewalks, indoor floors, and paved paths present little difficulty. But venture onto a sandy beach, a snowy trail, loose gravel, or muddy ground, and those same wheels can quickly lose traction or sink into the surface.
Freedom Trax was designed to solve that problem without requiring users to buy an entirely new wheelchair.
Instead, the Colorado-based company has developed a motorized tracked attachment that works with a compatible manual wheelchair, allowing users to stay in their own customized seating while exploring terrain that would normally be difficult—or impossible—to cross. Using tank-style tracks, electric motors, and a handheld joystick, the system transforms a conventional manual wheelchair into an all-terrain mobility vehicle built for outdoor adventures.
A different approach to off-road mobility
Unlike many all-terrain mobility devices that require users to transfer into a dedicated chair, Freedom Trax is an attachment rather than a replacement wheelchair.
The user simply rolls their manual wheelchair onto the powered platform, secures it in place, and drives using a handheld joystick. Once the journey is over, the wheelchair can be removed and used normally again.
This approach offers several practical advantages. Users can continue using the seating, cushions, positioning systems, and adjustments already tailored to their needs, while avoiding the cost and inconvenience of maintaining a separate off-road wheelchair.
The company describes Freedom Trax as the only motorized off-road track attachment designed specifically for manual wheelchairs. It is engineered and assembled in Golden, Colorado, USA.
Why tracks instead of wheels?
The secret lies in the tracked drive system.
Conventional wheelchair wheels work extremely well on hard surfaces because they minimize rolling resistance. On softer terrain, however, they tend to dig into the ground and lose traction.
Freedom Trax replaces those wheels with continuous rubber tracks similar in concept to those used on tanks and construction equipment. Because the tracks spread the user’s weight over a much larger contact area, they reduce sinking and provide significantly better grip on loose or uneven ground.
According to the company, the system is designed to travel across:
- Sand
- Snow
- Mud
- Gravel
- Grass
- Forest trails
- Wood chips
- Cobblestones
- Ice
- Soft soil
The tracks also improve climbing ability on uneven terrain while maintaining stability over obstacles that would normally stop a standard wheelchair.
Simple joystick operation
Operating Freedom Trax is intentionally straightforward.
Once the wheelchair is secured to the platform, the user controls movement with a handheld joystick. The joystick provides proportional steering and allows the system to turn in tight spaces while maintaining precise control over speed and direction.
Both current Freedom Trax models include:
- Dual 24-volt electric motors
- A 24V lithium-ion battery
- Handheld joystick controller
- Battery charger
Under typical conditions, the system offers a top speed of approximately 4–5 mph (6.4–8 km/h) and a travel range of up to 8 miles (13 km) on a single charge, although actual range depends on terrain, user weight, and driving conditions.
Two models for different users
Freedom Trax currently offers two versions of its all-terrain attachment.
FT1 Pro
The FT1 Pro is the company’s compact model and is designed for most standard manual wheelchairs with widths between approximately 18 and 26 inches.
Its tracks sit underneath the wheelchair, creating a relatively narrow footprint. That allows the FT1 Pro to fit through most standard doorways while remaining compact enough to transport in the trunk of many vehicles.
The company positions the FT1 Pro as the best choice for users looking for everyday portability combined with reliable off-road capability.
FTX
The newer FTX expands compatibility considerably.
Rather than placing the tracks beneath the wheelchair, the FTX mounts them outside the rear wheels. The wider stance provides greater stability on uneven terrain and accommodates a broader range of wheelchair types, including:
- Standard manual wheelchairs
- Pediatric wheelchairs
- Tilt-in-space wheelchairs
Unlike the FT1 Pro, the FTX can also be separated into three pieces for easier transport and storage. The trade-off is width—it does not fit through standard residential doorways because of its wider track profile.
The FTX is intended for users who need maximum stability or who use more specialized seating systems.
Designed for travel and outdoor recreation
Portability has always been a major focus of Freedom Trax.
Because users continue using their own wheelchair, there’s no need to transport a second mobility device simply to visit a beach, campground, park, or nature trail.
The company also offers an optional backup battery weighing around six pounds. Carrying a second battery effectively doubles the available operating range for longer outings where charging may not be available.
The attachments are designed to fit into many passenger vehicles, making them suitable for road trips, vacations, and outdoor recreation without requiring a trailer or specialized transport.
Built around existing wheelchairs
One of Freedom Trax’s biggest strengths is that it works with equipment users already own.
Many manual wheelchair users invest significant time and money into selecting the correct seating system, backrest, cushion, and positioning accessories. Replacing all of that with a dedicated off-road chair can be both expensive and inconvenient.
Freedom Trax avoids that problem by keeping the user in their existing wheelchair while simply adding powered tracked mobility whenever it’s needed.
For many users, that means transitioning between everyday indoor mobility and outdoor exploration without changing seating or transferring between devices.
Pricing and availability
Freedom Trax sells its products directly through its official online store.
At the time of writing, pricing is:
- FT1 Pro: US$7,999
- FTX (Freedom Trax Extreme): US$7,799
- Backup Battery: US$990
Each unit is customized to fit the customer’s wheelchair, and the company also offers grants, financing information, and dealer support through its website.
Expanding where a wheelchair can go
Manual wheelchairs are exceptionally efficient on paved surfaces, but they have always been limited by terrain. Freedom Trax approaches that challenge from a different angle—not by replacing the wheelchair itself, but by giving it a removable tracked drive system whenever conditions demand it.
Whether crossing a sandy beach, exploring woodland trails, navigating snowy paths, or rolling across loose gravel, the system aims to extend mobility beyond sidewalks while allowing users to remain in the wheelchair that already fits them best.
For people who enjoy outdoor recreation or simply want greater access to places conventional wheelchair wheels struggle to reach, Freedom Trax offers a practical alternative that combines portability, familiar seating, and all-terrain capability in a single attachment.
Source: Freedom Trax
