From tram tracks in Vienna to cobblestones in Budapest, the byACRE Carbon Overland handled it all with ease.
Learning from the last trip
Last summer, my partner and I went on our first ocean cruise. It was incredible. A completely different way to travel, and I loved how easy it was to see multiple countries in such a short space of time. Five countries in seven days. We tried to make the most of every stop.
But physically, it was too much.
By day four, I had borrowed a wheelchair from the ship and was taking all my extra painkillers. My pain levels, fatigue, and spasticity were through the roof. I was still enjoying the experience, but constantly aware of my body hitting its limits.
When we started planning a river cruise a few months later, I knew something had to change.
Finding the right mobility aid
I was born with mild left hemiplegic cerebral palsy, which affects balance, coordination and movement. When it comes to travelling, the biggest impacts for me are pain and fatigue from walking longer distances.
My main mobility aid is a walking stick, which I use alongside AFO splints. In the past I have also used a wheelchair and crutches.
As someone with both a visual impairment and cerebral palsy, I am always balancing my visual and physical needs. Normally, I need one hand free to work Dezzie, which makes using a more supportive mobility aid that requires two hands difficult. But with my partner able to support me visually on this trip, and the holiday involving a lot more walking than usual, I had the chance to think differently about my physical support. There will be other opportunities too — long walks when Dezzie is off duty, other holidays, or any time someone is with me to support me visually.
I kept arriving at the same conclusion: I needed a rollator.
I had never used one before. But in hindsight, a rollator fills exactly the gap between a walking stick and a wheelchair, and that is exactly what I needed. The question then was whether there was one that could handle travel, cope with changing terrain, and not look like something from a hospital ward. Turns out, there is.
First impressions of the byACRE Carbon Overland
When the Overland arrived, I was surprised by how light it felt. The frame is larger and sturdier than I expected, but it does not feel heavy or awkward. It also looks genuinely stylish, which matters more than people might think when you have spent your whole life using mobility aids. It felt like an accessory rather than just equipment. Trust me, outfits were planned around the gorgeous Defender Green frame!
I did struggle with attaching the backrest accessory at first, but my partner managed it quickly, and once fitted it felt secure and supportive. Before the trip, we tested it at a local nature reserve, which gave me a chance to get used to it before we were navigating an actual airport. Getting in and out of the car was easy, and adjusting the handle height made a noticeable difference to my posture almost immediately.
Getting through the airport
Flying with a mobility aid can be nerve-racking when you rely on it for independence. If anything were to happen, you would be in a different country without the support you need. Turns out I had nothing to worry about!
I removed the backrest before we left, as it does not fit in the travel bag when attached, and packed it in my hand luggage. I used the Overland right through the airport until boarding, which made navigating long distances and busy terminals much easier than my walking stick would have. The travel bag is something I would strongly recommend. It made carrying the rollator easier and gave me reassurance that it was protected in transit.
At the aircraft door, my partner folded it into the bag and handed it over as a mobility aid. We asked for it to be returned to the aircraft door on arrival. It was waiting for me both times, which made a huge difference to how the journey felt.
Out on the Danube
During the cruise we visited Budapest, Bratislava, Dürnstein, Linz and Vienna. They were all beautiful places and we had the best time.
Using the byACRE Overland throughout the trip changed my experience completely. Instead of constantly managing pain and calculating how much walking I had left in me, I was able to pace myself more naturally. The stability it gave me made my walking feel more even, which in turn reduced pain and fatigue in a way that my walking stick alone could not.
The seat was just as important as the frame. Having back support and the ability to fully take weight off my feet made a real difference to how long I could stay out. At the zoo during one excursion, I could sit at different points and properly take in the animals rather than rushing between enclosures to find a bench. That is the kind of thing I would normally have to sacrifice. Being able to just stop and enjoy it felt like a small win.
Onboard the ship, I did not tend to use it much as the corridors were quite narrow. But that was not a problem, given the energy I was able to save when out and about. Getting on and off also involved stairs, and my partner carried it up and down, which he found very easy. Off the ship, it came everywhere. It fitted easily onto coaches, folded down quickly in smaller spaces, and even in tiny gift shops it rarely felt bulky or in the way.
The terrain handling was a real standout. Cobblestones in Budapest, tram tracks in Vienna, uneven streets in smaller towns — all handled far better than I expected, and gave me much better balance on uneven pavements compared to a walking stick.
I also found the brakes to be really strong and supportive. Locking them into place quickly became second nature and could even withstand the bustle of a tram in Vienna.
Reactions from others
One thing I did not expect was how little attention it drew. I thought I might feel self-conscious, but it blended into the environment far more than I anticipated. If anything, people commented on how lightweight and stylish it looked. Moving through busy tourist areas, I felt more confident and less like I was being slowed down or observed.
What could be improved
A few things did not work perfectly for me personally.
The kerb lifter requires more balance than I have, so I avoided it and lifted the frame over smaller obstacles instead. Fortunately it is light enough that this was not a problem.
I also feel the backrest could benefit from size options; as a smaller user, I occasionally needed to adjust my position to feel fully supported. And early on, my weaker hand kept slipping off the handle, though this improved once I became more familiar with it.
Overall
This trip was a very different experience to my ocean cruise. I still had some fatigue afterwards, as I normally would after a lot of activity, but it did not reach the same level of payback I am used to after big trips. That alone feels like a significant shift in what travel can look like for me.
The byACRE Carbon Overland did not remove my disability. But it changed how I moved through it. It gave me more freedom to explore, more confidence in my movement, and more control over how I used my energy.
For me, that is the difference between simply travelling and actually experiencing a place.
Learn More About Chloe's Rollator
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About the Author
Chloe Tear
Chloe is an award-winning disability blogger, freelance writer, and public speaker with over 13 years of experience documenting life as a disabled young woman. Living with Cerebral Palsy from birth and a progressive visual impairment, she writes candidly about disability attitudes, stereotypes, and daily life, and works professionally as a senior content designer.
Learn more about the author on Chloe's website.