U3 Light
The Panthera U3 Light Wheelchair is a variant of the adjustable U3 that makes significant weight savings through its welded frame. This makes the chair far more efficient to propel, as well as being easier to lift, although it removes the capability to make adjustments to its setup. This means the U3 Light is best suited to more experienced wheelchair users who already know their ideal setup.
Various frame options are available, including Low and High variants, ideal for shorter and taller people respectively. A compact tapered Y-front frame is also an option.
As you would expect from a Panthera chair, the U3 Light features their typical dual-tube box frame manufactured from chrome molybdenum, providing unrivalled strength and rigidity, for an extremely responsive and manoeuvrable ride.
Options
While it is a welded chair, the U3 Light can still be built in a selection of seat widths, and with a range of personalisation options, such as sideguards, push handles and handrims. However, there is less customisation than other wheelchairs, although this is partly because it has several premium lightweight options such as a carbon fibre axle tube and Spinergy X wheels included as standard.
While Panthera chairs are configurable to suit a wide variety of body shapes and sizes, as well as practical needs, they don't have the same level of customisation as most other configurable active wheelchairs, which will often have tens of thousands of different combinations of options.
Our Verdict
There are few wheelchairs that weigh less than the U3 Light, and those tend to be carbon fibre framed ones. For the ultimate combination of strength and weight savings, the U3 Light is an obvious choice, and it is particularly suited to being paired with powered add-ons such as handbikes, which work best with an exceptionally strong chassis.
If you're after the lightest on the market, then consider carbon fibre chairs like Progeo's Noir, Quickie's Krypton R and the Panthera X. However, only the Noir from those is suitable for use alongside handbikes. If you're after a strong dual-tube chair, then TiLite's titanium TR is worth considering, and it has far more options - particularly in the seating - to it than the U3 Light, although it is heavier.
For less experienced wheelchair users, we would recommend Panthera's adjustable U3 as the better option to start with.