See No Bounds

There a several main types of crutches.

• Forearm open cuff
• Forearm closed cuff
• Under arm
• Gutter crutch

Forearm Open Cuff - These sit on your forearms where you gain most of the stability and the hand grip sits on a vertical to take your body weigh. For short term use these are great but are they great as off-road crutches? Due to the design there are good and bad points. The good with the open cuff is if you fall you can throw them away from your body. However, there is a greater chance that you arm could in fact simply slip out of the open cuff. So as these are not designed to be taken into extreme situations it is safe to say the answer would be no. Although, if you was to upgrade the ferrell then they may just cope with some light off road use.

Forearm Closed Cuff - Very similar design as the open forearm however the cuff is closed and normally on a swivel to allow for some flexibility in movement. You still put all your weight down into the grip but these are stronger and a little more stable than the open cuff. The standard ferrell that is supplied with most crutches is a definite weak spot when it come to off-road capability. If you was to add the FlexyFoot Ferrell then you would have something that would cope with a relative challenge. However your hands are going to suffer with the force downward pressure so looking at the grips maybe something you would need to look at.

Under Arm - These are not something that are seen very often these days. As a crutch for day to day use they are terrible. Uncomfortable and clumsy. For off road use they are a big No No. Literally nothing more to say.

Gutter Crutch - Now what is a gutter crutch? Simply a crutch that is in the shape of a gutter, and the forearm rests within the gutter. Relatively comfortable in comparison to some of the above, however your forearm is strapped in. They may not suit everyone. These style of crutches have been use in extreme conditions in the past and even to climb Everest. In fact someone has climbed Everest on under arm but that don’t mean they are the best for the job. Gutter crutches benefit you as all the pressure is taken away from the wrist and transferred in the shoulder, making for a more stable and effective off-road crutch.

SmartCrutches - Why do we feel that the SmartCrutch is the best off road crutches on the market? Well we sell them for a start but before that Jamie McAnsh the founder of See No Bounds had already used them for several years. Pushing them to the limits, Up Ben Nevis and Snowdon as well as many other smaller mountains. Jamie was first asked to review the SmartCrutch as part of See No Bounds and he gave honest feedback that led to the relationship between SmartCrutch and FlexyFoot. Followed by another See No Bounds Review.