Wheelchair Accessory Design for International Sports Travel
Designing a travel case for elite sports wheelchairs requires more than just protection: it demands accessibility, portability and durability for athletes who travel globally. The Pro Match Wheelchair Travel Case is the result of D2M’s specialist wheelchair accessory design expertise, working closely with a client whose son is an international wheelchair tennis player. The goal was to create a protective, foldable travel solution that could be easily handled by wheelchair users themselves, meeting the highest demands of both performance sport and frequent travel.
The Outcome
The Pro Match Wheelchair Travel Case has been successfully launched, offering athletes, coaches, and clubs a game-changing solution for transporting sports wheelchairs by air or storing them securely. Early feedback from competitive wheelchair tennis players has been extremely positive, highlighting the combination of durability, ease of use, and the ability to fold flat as a standout advantage over existing options.
The Story
The client approached D2M after finding that no existing travel case met the needs of competitive wheelchair athletes. Large, boxy cases were difficult to store at the destination, while soft cases lacked adequate protection for expensive sports wheelchairs. The brief was clear: design a folding solution that offered maximum protection in transit, but could be packed flat at the other end.
One of the most significant challenges was usability. The case needed to be operable by wheelchair users without assistance — including opening, folding, securing and manoeuvring it. This required extensive ergonomic research, focusing on closures, handles, zips and clips, all tested with less able users to ensure ease of operation from a seated position.
Another major design hurdle was balancing protection and weight. A rigid base was essential to support the sports wheelchair during transit, but traditional materials like steel or aluminium would make the case too heavy to lift or push. D2M’s team developed an innovative laminated construction for the base, achieving the necessary rigidity while keeping the case exceptionally lightweight.
With sports wheelchairs varying in size depending on the discipline, we also needed a universal fit without excessive bulk. This meant researching multiple chair configurations and fine-tuning dimensions to ensure the case provided a snug, protective fit for a wide range of wheelchair designs.
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Details
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Universal fit for a wide range of sports wheelchair sizes
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Foldable design packs down to just 18cm high for easy storage at the destination
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Rigid moulded base from high-density polyethylene with laminated construction for strength and light weight
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Durable outer fabric — woven polyester with TPU coating for water resistance and abrasion resistance
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Padded protection combining corrugated plastic and closed-cell foam to guard against knocks and scrapes
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Accessible operation with strategically positioned handles, ergonomic closures, and ramps for easy loading and unloading
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Made in the UK for quality, consistency, and ease of supply chain management