Allsop Wheel Easy, Collapsible garden carts/wheelbarrows

The WheelEasy Collapsible Garden Cart is one tool that anyone can put to good use. Allsop has designed the ultimate garden cart in a soft collapsible wheelbarrow that's both low-loading and low-riding. Its ergonomic design reduces impact on the lower back and shoulders and makes tough chores easier.

Because it's so easy to load, WheelEasy minimizes backbreaking work far better than a conventional wheelbarrow. Its low center of gravity balances the load about 50 percent lower than a standard wheelbarrow, and the soft bucket with its self-leveling design cradles and stabilizes the load.

The soft bucket lowers directly to the ground for easy loading of heavy items such as firewood, rocks, sod, masonry products, bark, and small trees. Simply rake, roll, or slide the load directly into the back end of the cart. This collapsible yard cart works great for spring and fall yard cleanup of leaves, shrubs, cut grass, pruned branches, and other debris. Harvest potatoes, squash, and pumpkins and move them indoors from the garden. Haul tools to the far corner of the yard for a landscaping or repair project.

Think beyond the garden and consider how easy it would be to transport a cooler—or even an entire picnic—to the beach or park. Take it camping and haul the tent and cooler to the campsite; once there, haul firewood or transport the big fish you caught to frying pan. Once you get your hands on this puppy, your mind will go into overdrive!

The best feature about WheelEasy is how the unit lowers to the ground on its newly designed support handles. They now angle to the inside and are much easier to grab. The design of the handles helps keep the bucket in a ground-level loading form, allowing you to roll or slide heavy items directly into the bucket between the handles. You can rake leaves or shovel dirt directly from the ground into the bucket, raise the back flap, and then grab the handles and roll the cart away.

The bucket has also been redesigned. The rear of the bucket angles inward so the user's knees and legs don't rub up against the back of the bucket.

The WheelEasy collapsible garden cart weighs 20.5 pounds, and the frame is built of heavy-gauge powder-coated steel. Its overall length is 68 inches. The 38-inch-long bucket is 10 inches deep by 13 inches across in the front and 34 inches across at the rear, and it is capable of carrying loads up to 350 pounds. The heavy-duty earth-tone green canvas bucket is replaceable if it wears out.

When the job's done, WheelEasy quickly folds for easy and compact storage and transport, unlike bulky conventional wheelbarrows.

I personally tested WheelEasy by moving crushed gravel and firewood, and it made my projects flow easily and smoothly. The ground-level loading feature worked great, and (don't tell my wife) I'm actually looking for my next carrying project!

Reviewed 03/26/04: For smaller jobs, Allsop offers the WheelEasy LE with all the same features described above—but this unit is designed with her in mind. Personally, I liked the LE version because its overall length is just 54 inches long. The 30-inch-long bucket is 7.75 inches deep by 10.75 inches across in the front and 28 inches across at the rear. The whole unit weighs in around 12 pounds yet it can carry up to 150 pounds in its heavy-duty green canvas bucket. The frame is built of powder-coated steel in a lighter gauge than the unit described above.

Because the WheelEasy LE is smaller, the handles curve down so the weight of the bucket rests on plastic plugs inserted into the ends of the handles, similar to the newly designed larger model described above. The curved handles perform the same function and permit the user to roll or slide heavy items, rake leaves, or shovel dirt directly from the ground into the bucket between the handles, raise the back flap, and then grab the handles with comfort and roll the cart away with ease. And yes, it also folds for easy storage or transport in a vehicle's trunk.

WheelEasy's products are not wheelbarrows; instead consider these collapsible yard carts as the next evolution of the wheelbarrow. Save your conventional wheelbarrow for mixing concrete; use WheelEasy's ergonomically designed back-saving products for all other gardening and yard projects.

Copyright © 03/26/04 & 01/28/06 LAF/C.R.S., Inc. All rights reserved.

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