From there, Lemay contacted the UK-based company and worked for over a year to convince them to ship one of the models out to the US for him. The moment that he received his TerrainHopper, Lemay was finally able to experience life—in the way that everyone deserves to.
“I was able to go on the beach with my wife and go hiking with my nieces and nephews, and just do all of this cool stuff that I’d never been able to do before,” Lemay recalls.
His appreciation for the TerrainHopper quickly grew from admiration to a full-fledged passion. And after feeling an itch for something new, Lemay eventually sold his IT company and committed to doing whatever he could to bring the TerrainHopper to the US.
While other companies may be trying to market similar mobility devices, there is simply nothing like the TerrainHopper. The off-terrain vehicle can operate on surfaces and landscapes where wheelchairs can’t. And because the TerrainHopper has been licensed as an Other Powered Driven Mobility Device (OPDMD), this means that the device is able to go anywhere in the country that a pedestrian is allowed to walk. So, whether it’s hiking a trail nestled in the woods of Northern Arizona or visiting one of the state’s stunning National Parks, the TerrainHopper can take you there.
Michael Garnreiter, Lemay’s business partner, noted that their vehicle isn’t just effective, it’s also practical and comfortable—a luxury that isn’t always afforded with many of the other models that are currently available on the market.
“There are maybe a dozen competing vehicles that have one or more limitations—including that many of them look like wheelchairs with big tires—but they don’t look as stable for somebody that maybe doesn’t have the upper body strength or the ability to manage their own body over some rougher terrain,” says Garnreiter. “We have many different harnessing capabilities, depending on one’s disability. And some of our competitors look, quite frankly, frightening going down or even up a slight grade. So, there’s nothing that does what ours does in the same way.”
Although the TerrainHopper boasts dozens of success stories, Lemay hopes that people understand that the vehicle goes beyond just assisting those with physical disabilities.
“The TerrainHopper is not just meant for people in wheelchairs. It’s meant for older people who maybe just don’t have the stamina and they’d love to go on a hike in North Scottsdale or enjoy South Mountain Park,” says Lemay. “We’re getting them in a TerrainHopper, getting them out doing things with their grandkids and getting them out in-style because it doesn’t look like a wheelchair.”
The TerrainHopper currently comes in two different models: the Overlander 42S Mini, which starts at $17,000, and the Overlander 42Zs, which starts $18,000. The vehicle can accommodate children and adults, and they are even sold in a variety of colors.
For more information, visit the TerrainHopper USA official website.
