XSTO MP4 PRO misses the mark
I recently purchased the XSTO MP4 Pro expecting it to be a major upgrade from my current wheelchair. The main reason I bought it was to be able to do more outdoor activities on my own, especially so I could go to the dog park and handle small real-world obstacles. Unfortunately, that has not been my experience. Didn’t handle outdoor terrain as advertised The wheelchair was marketed as having more robust wheels and being able to climb curbs. While that may be true in ideal conditions, in real situations it struggled immediately. At the dog park, I couldn’t drive over small tree roots, and I ended up getting stuck. Controller is problematic The wheelchair drifts slightly. It doesn't immediately stop once I take my hand off the controller. It rolls forward or to the side depending on the angle of momentum. I've smashed into things and people as a result. The controller is difficult to handle in certain situations due to it drifting. For example, when I'm driving on the edge of a sidewalk I have almost careened off the edge as trying to maintain an even straight course is difficult in tight circumstances. Auto-leveling created a ramp/vehicle safety problem When loading into a wheelchair taxi, I have to **duck my head** because the **auto-leveling** function raises my seat too high when ascending the ramp. That means I’m repeatedly dealing with an avoidable fit/clearance issue during what is already a stressful and tight process. "Auto governor" nearly stopped me in traffic conditions Outdoors, when going down a short curbside incline, the "auto governor" kicks in and almost completely stops all forward momentum. This is especially dangerous because it triggers after I’m already off the sloped area and in the street, where vehicles are coming. Poop pickup accessibility issue I’m unable to pick up my dog’s poop even at the lowest setting, because the seat height/position isn’t low enough for me to reach comfortably. This is a basic daily living need that the wheelchair simply doesn’t support for me. Rear support bar is more hindrance than help The back bar is necessary for me when I need manual help getting up or over certain things—but it sticks out too far. I’m constantly smashing into things with it. It also creates a problem when boarding public transport: it’s difficult to buckle into the wheelchair area on public buses because the bar prevents me from backing in all the way. Side storage bags are too cumbersome I purchased the two XSTO side storage bags expecting them to help me stay independent, but they’re too wide. They scrape and get mushed/mangled when going through certain thresholds. Overall I am honestly regretting this purchase. I hate it. It was supposed to help me be more independent outdoors with my dog, but it has turned everyday situations—dog park access, ramps/taxis, curb inclines, bus boarding, and even reaching down for basic tasks—into problems, including dangerous ones. I’m sharing this because the issues aren’t minor inconveniences; they affect safety and independence.I hope XSTO addresses auto-leveling/auto-governor behavior before recommending this for independent outdoor use