2026 BUYING GUIDE
How to Choose a Tilt-in-Space Wheelchair
Advice from our South Surrey showroom
A tilt-in-space chair tips the seat and back together, so the person stays in position. Most are fitted to the person, and we help from the first assessment to the day the chair arrives.
THE SHORT ANSWER
We work with occupational therapists and can provide one when needed.
Ordering a custom chair? We lend you a chair while yours is built.
Not sure how long it will be needed? Ask about renting a tilt chair.
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By the South Surrey Medical Equipment team · Updated September 2026
STEP 1 OF 6
Decide how much tilt is needed
Start with why the person needs tilt, and how much. An occupational therapist can tell you. We work with a team of occupational therapists and can provide one when needed.
The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT, the PDG Stellar GLT and the PDG Stellar GL each tilt up to 45 degrees. If a therapist asks for more, the PDG Fuze T50 tilts 50 degrees, the most in PDG's range.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Ask a therapist how many degrees of tilt are needed.
Note whether tilt is for positioning or for pressure.
Decide who will work the tilt: the user or a caregiver.
STEP 2 OF 6
Think about meals, tables and transfers
Knee rise matters at the table. The PDG Stellar GL has a low knee rise. Its seat tilts back without lifting the knees into the way, so the person keeps table access and can still self-propel.
Forward tilt can help too. The Stellar GL offers 5 degrees of forward tilt, which helps with standing up and with eating.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Measure the height of the table the person uses most.
Note whether the person moves the chair themselves.
Ask whether forward tilt would help with standing up.
STEP 3 OF 6
Book a personalized fitting
Seat size shapes comfort and posture, so the chair should be fitted to the person. We offer personalized fittings. The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT is made to order, with its seat size chosen for each chair.
Some frames can change as needs change. The PDG Stellar GLT comes with a fixed or adjustable-width frame. The PDG Stellar GL comes in seat widths from 14 to 32 inches.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Book a fitting so the person is measured seated.
Bring the measurements of the person's current chair.
Ask whether the frame can adjust as needs change.
STEP 4 OF 6
Choose a frame for the load
Check the weight each frame is built to carry. The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT is steel and comes in standard or heavy-duty configurations. Its frame capacity is chosen for each chair.
A lighter frame is easier to lift and move. The PDG Stellar GLT is aluminum and carries 300 lb with manual tilt. For a heavier person, the PDG Bentley has a steel frame that carries 450 lb.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Confirm the person's weight against the frame's rating.
Ask about heavy-duty options if more capacity is needed.
Ask for the transport weight if the chair will travel.
STEP 5 OF 6
Choose the cushion, back and headrest
Many tilt chairs are built around the person. On the Maple Leaf SUPERTILT, the positioning components and accessories are chosen for each chair, and a therapist's advice helps with those choices.
A custom chair takes time for the manufacturer to build. After you order a custom tilt chair, we provide a complimentary loaner chair to use while yours is built.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Ask which parts come with the frame and which are separate.
Bring any therapist recommendation you already have.
Ask about a loaner chair while yours is built.
STEP 6 OF 6
Plan how the chair will travel
Think about every trip, from appointments to family visits, and who will lift the chair each time. The PDG Stellar GLT is aluminum and has a 34 lb transport weight.
If the chair must fit an ordinary car, the Kanga Adult folds, and its frame collapses to 12 inches wide. If trips are by HandyDART or up a condo parkade ramp, tell us.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Measure your trunk opening and the space behind the seats.
Decide who will lift the chair, and how often.
Check ramps and elevators at home and at appointments.
BEFORE YOU BUY
Four common mistakes
01
Choosing by tilt angle alone. The SUPERTILT and Stellar GLT both tilt up to 45 degrees, so compare seat size and seating too.
02
Assuming the seating comes fixed. On the Maple Leaf SUPERTILT, positioning components and accessories are chosen for each chair.
03
Leaving transport until last. Measure the car early, and ask for each chair's transport weight: the Stellar GLT's is 34 lb.
04
Buying before you know how long the chair is needed. If you are not sure, ask about renting a tilt chair.
SEE TILT CHAIRS IN SOUTH SURREY
Plan a tilt chair visit
Call first and ask about trying a tilt chair at our South Surrey showroom, minutes from White Rock. When you come, the caregiver and the person can try the tilt together and watch how the knees sit.
Bring the person's seat measurements and any therapist notes. We may be able to offer an in-home consultation, depending on the chair and where you live. We help with funding and insurance paperwork, and financing is available.
Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave
Surrey, BC V4P 0A2
MATCH THE CHAIR TO THE PERSON
Which one is right for you?
Start with the situation closest to yours.
Built around the person
The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT is made to order, with seat size, frame capacity and positioning components chosen for each chair. The Stellar GLT is configured around the person.
TRY FIRST
Lighter to lift for car trips
Look for a light frame. The PDG Stellar GLT is aluminum, with a 34 lb transport weight, and carries 300 lb with manual tilt.
TRY FIRST
Staying at the table and self-propelling
The PDG Stellar GL has a low knee rise, so the person keeps table access and can still self-propel. Its 5 degrees of forward tilt helps with standing up.
TRY FIRST
A larger person or wider seat
The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT comes in standard or heavy-duty configurations, with the frame capacity chosen for each chair. Stellar GL seats run up to 32 inches wide.
TRY FIRST
Needs that are still changing
Choose a frame that can change with the person. The PDG Stellar GLT comes with a fixed or adjustable-width frame.
TRY FIRST
Not sure how long it is needed
Renting may suit you better than buying. We rent tilt-in-space chairs, including the Maple Leaf SUPERTILT. Call us and we will talk it through.
TRY FIRST
Tilt-in-space wheelchair questions
What happens while a custom tilt chair is being built?
We lend you a chair. After you order a custom tilt-in-space chair, we provide a complimentary loaner chair to use while the manufacturer builds yours. The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT is one of the chairs made to order, with its seat size and frame capacity chosen for each chair.
Can I rent a tilt-in-space wheelchair?
Yes. If you are not sure how long the chair will be needed, renting may make more sense than buying. We rent tilt-in-space chairs, including the Maple Leaf SUPERTILT. Call 778-545-0102 and we will talk through what suits the person.
Does a tilt chair come with a cushion and headrest?
Not always, so ask before you order. On the Maple Leaf SUPERTILT, positioning components and accessories are chosen for each chair. The PDG Stellar GLT is configured around the selected seating rather than as one fixed package. A therapist's advice helps with these choices.
How much weight can a tilt-in-space wheelchair carry?
It depends on the frame. The PDG Stellar GLT carries 300 lb with manual tilt. The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT comes in standard or heavy-duty configurations, and its frame capacity is chosen for each chair. Ask us about the rating of any frame you are comparing.
Do I need a therapist to choose a tilt chair?
Not always, but it helps. We work with a team of occupational therapists and can provide one when needed. A therapist can advise how much tilt the person needs and which seating suits them, and we offer personalized fittings to set the chair up for the person.
Are your tilt-in-space chairs made in Canada?
Many of them are. The Maple Leaf SUPERTILT is a made to order steel chair built in Mississauga. The PDG Stellar GL is built in Canada too. If where a chair is made matters to you, ask us about any model you are comparing.
How do I arrange to see a tilt chair near White Rock?
Please call 778-545-0102 before your visit and ask about trying a tilt chair. The showroom is at Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave, in South Surrey. Come with whoever will operate the tilt each day, so you can both see how far the seat leans back.
Ready to talk through tilt chairs?
Browse every tilt chair we carry, then call us about an assessment, a fitting or a rental.