Frequently asked questions
Customer Service
How do I buy ADAPTS?
Visit the ADAPTS Shop to order your ADAPTS, or come see us at an upcoming event to purchase one in person.
Are you interested in a bulk order?
ADAPTS offers price breaks for large orders and retail stores. If you are interested in a price quote, please email us at info@adapts.org
Where can I offer product feedback?
Please take our product feedback survey.
Where is ADAPTS made?
ADAPTS is crafted with care in the USA (Fort Wayne, Indiana) of US and imported materials.
ADAPTS is shipped from Hatch Fulfillment in Woods Cross, UTAH.
Do you sell factory seconds at a discounted price?
Because ADAPTS is a piece of safety equipment, we do not sell factory seconds at a discount. Every ADAPTS sling is factory inspected for quality. Only those that pass inspection are sold. We use any factory rejects as demo slings if the factory rejection is a cosmetic imperfection that would not compromise safety.
What is your return policy?
As a personal use item, ADAPTS is non-refundable and all sales final except in the case of a defect as identified within 30 days of purchase for exchange only.
To complete your return, we require proof of purchase as well as an RMA number (return merchandise authorization) which you can obtain through our customer service department by emailing info@adapts.org. Include a description of the defect, where and when you purchased the product, and the lot number on the tag found inside the pocket.
You may return ADAPTS with a copy of the proof of purchase and the unused item, unwashed in its original packaging. Payment for return shipping and any subsequent damages from return shipping are the responsibility of the purchaser. Please consult our FAQ regarding warranty from defects for more detail.
To return your merchandise, please ship to address below and include your RMA number inside the parcel:
HATCH FULFILLMENT Attn: ADAPTS LLC- Returns Dept 999 West 1500 South Suite 900 Woods Cross, UT USA 84087
What if my ADAPTS needs to be repaired?
Once we have received your product, our Repair Service and Quality Assurance Departments will inspect the product. It is then determined whether the product will be covered under this limited warranty. If the product is deemed to be covered under our warranty policy, it will either be repaired or replaced at the sole discretion of ADAPTS LLC at no charge to the Customer. If product is determined to be non-warranty, payment will be required prior to shipment. Once repaired, product under warranty will be returned to you free of charge.
If you need further assistance, please contact us via email at info@adapts.org
Thank you for your continued use of ADAPTS LLC products.
What is the ADAPTS international shipping policy?
International shipping cost is determined during check out. Please note that the customer will bear the cost of any customs fees or duty incurred in the transaction. Be advised there may be a delivery delay up to 4-6 weeks if customs in your country chooses to inspect the product.
What is the ADAPTS warranty?
ADAPTS is warranted to be free from defects in workmanship for a period of ten years from the date of purchase when used as intended for emergency evacuation by passengers with a disability.
Proof of purchase may be required at the discretion of ADAPTS LLC, which, in the sole judgment of ADAPTS LLC, have received excessive or abusive use or have been altered in any way by a dealer, the customer or any other person, will not be covered by this limited warranty.
The only obligation or liability of ADAPTS LLC under this limited warranty is to repair or replace the product and ADAPTS LLC shall not, under any circumstances be liable for loss of use or any consequential damages sustained by the Customer.
All other warranties expressed or implied, and remedies with respect to the condition or use of the product, which might otherwise be provided by law in any jurisdiction, are specifically excluded.
If you need further assistance, please email our Customer Service Department at info@adapts.org. Thank you for your continued use of ADAPTS LLC products.
What should I do if my order for ADAPTS hasn’t been delivered yet?
If you need further assistance email at info@adapts.org Please include your order number with your email inquiry.
Thank you for your continued use of ADAPTS LLC products.
I lost the instructions that came with my ADAPTS. Can I get another copy?
Absolutely! You can download a copy in the Shop or get the PDF here.
I would like a copy of a flyer to distribute for an event to help promote ADAPTS.
Thank you, here is a link to download a flyer! Check out the promo code too!
Product FAQs
How much weight will ADAPTS hold?
ADAPTS is industrial tested for dynamic and static loads up to 450 lbs (205kg). Keep in mind the amount of weight the sling can carry depends on the amount of weight the rescuers can lift. For heavier people, 4 to 6 rescuers may be needed.
ADAPTS is a manual lift for times when no hoist is available or practical. ALWAYS use proper lifting technique to avoid injury.
Do you have a video?
We have videos posted on our YouTube Channel, as well as the Resources and Gallery pages of our website. You can also see a live demonstration at our booth during any of the expos we attend. Check our Events schedule for expos in your area.
Why is ADAPTS bright yellow? Does it come in other colors?
We can certainly offer custom colors in the future. For now, to keep production costs low and offer ADAPTS at an affordable price, we chose yellow with black handles. Yellow is the universal color of distress much like life vests, life boats, and the emergency slides for airplanes. Although we appreciate wanting to blend in with others in public, in an emergency you want it well known that you need assistance!
For large volume orders, we can certainly customize colors and branding. Email us at info@adapts.org for more information.
Is ADAPTS washable?
To take care of ADAPTS, simply hand-wash it in soapy water and hang to dry. Or wipe it down with a moist sponge. Do not put it in a washing machine or dryer and do not iron it.
Will ADAPTS float?
ADAPTS is not inflatable. Currently there are life rafts and life vests on board an airplane that are inflatable and cover that safety need. Making an inflatable version would add to the production cost and another layer of complication in an emergency.
Where can I buy ADAPTS?
ADAPTS is available for purchase online in our Shop by credit card, Pay Pal, or your Amazon buyer account. We do not accept cash or checks.
ADAPTS is also for sale in person from our Abilities Expo booth and other expos nationwide. Save $20 and the cost of shipping when you buy ADAPTS in person. Stop by and say hi to the ADAPTS team!
For retail wholesale prices or bulk order discounts, contact us at info@adapts.org.
Check out our upcoming events to find an expo near you to see a live demo!
Other inquiries
What is the Fly Safe Today program?
Fly Safe Today is a collaboration between ADAPTS and All Wheels Up to provide the ADAPTS portable transfer sling and/or the CARES harness for FREE to individuals who would like to apply. The link to the application is here: https://www.allwheelsup.org/fly-safe-today-giveaway/ Be advised there is a fairly long waiting list. If you can afford your own ADAPTS and/or CARES, please consider donating to All Wheels Up so that others may benefit from this giveaway.
Until there is a wheelchair spot on commercial airplanes, ADAPTS and AWU want everybody to travel with a safe and effective transfer sling that could save their lives in an emergency evacuation. Apply here. Please use the hashtag #FlySafeToday when you fly with your ADAPTS sling and post about it!
Where is ADAPTS found on social media?
Like, share, tweet, and follow us here:
You can also follow us on Kickstarter!
I have a PR or media request. Who should I contact?
Please email Stephanie Brown at info@adapts.org for all media and PR requests.
Where can I participate in the ADAPTS travel safety survey?
Access the 12 question survey, which takes about 4 minutes to complete. Our goal is to compile answers to present to airline leadership and government representatives showing what the safety gaps are for wheelchair travelers. All responses are anonymous.
Where do I sign the petition to bring attention to this unmet safety need to Congress?
Absent any device, wheelchair users are at a disadvantage in an evacuation compared to other passengers. Every passenger should have equal access to safety. Please go to change.org to sign the petition addressed to Congress members and bring legislative attention to this urgent unmet safety need.
UPDATE: We have over 1400 signatures and comments on our petition, so it is officially closed and going to Washington, DC to share with members of congress as they update the ACAA and REAADI Acts and other legislation coming soon!
Safety topics
Why should airlines, cruise lines, train or bus operators, and hotel chains be responsible for providing their customers with ADAPTS?
While ADAPTS is super simple to use and the design requires no assembly in an emergency, crews and hotel personnel will need to be trained in how to use ADAPTS. In addition, there is currently no such assistive device available on an airplane to swiftly evacuate a person with disability. (ADAPTS patent is pending.)
Absent any device, wheelchair users are at a disadvantage in an evacuation compared to other passengers. Every passenger should have equal access to safety. Please go to change.org to sign the petition addressed to Congress members (who also happen to be persons with a disability) to bring legislative attention to this urgent unmet safety need.
Under what other circumstances would ADAPTS be helpful?
ADAPTS can help with any circumstance where a gurney or stretcher can’t go: evacuations through stairwells or over rubble, disaster prep kits in the home, removing injured on the battlefield, wilderness hiking safety kits, after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides, wildfires, and earthquakes. Also high rise offices, schools, universities, neighborhood disaster response teams, police and firefighter departments, and medical supply stores.
ADAPTS weighs about a pound. It folds up to the size of a sheet of paper, and is about three inches thick when folded.
How might ADAPTS be provided to passengers on a cruise or guests of a hotel?
Our vision is that someday, upon check-in, the guest would be given ADAPTS in a sealed bag. In the event of an evacuation, the bag would be opened and used. If not used, ADAPTS can be returned at check-out. If the guest decided to purchase, it would be billed to the room after checking out.
Inflight use
Is ADAPTS approved by the FAA?
ADAPTS complies with FAA Air Circular 25.853-1 that requires materials brought into commercial airline cabins meet certain minimum flammability standards. ADAPTS is industrial tested and conforms to these standards.
If the passenger brings their own ADAPTS onboard, no approval is technically required, but we felt it was important to jump through those safety hoops on behalf of wheelchair travelers.
If the airlines ever supply the device, a more stringent FAA approval will be required. We will need an airline or the government to collaborate with us to obtain that certification.
Will airlines provide ADAPTS for my flight?
We are working hard so that someday, on every airplane ADAPTS will be required equipment stowed with the onboard safety kits.
For now, you should bring your own ADAPTS on a flight then you have with you in a hotel, or the office, amusement park, on a cruise, visiting homes of friends or relatives, AirBnBs…you name it…the places for ADAPTS are endless!
What if I prefer a window seat to an aisle seat on an airplane and I want to use ADAPTS?
You can place ADAPTS on the airline seat first (for either aisle or window) and transfer onto ADAPTS from the straight-back aisle wheelchair. Use the side handles to move the passenger to the window or back to the aisle while sitting on ADAPTS.
I don’t want to sit on ADAPTS but want to have it available. How would it work if I choose not to sit on it?
For other modes of transportation like trains, buses, cruise ships or when escaping from a hotel room in a fire or natural disaster, then yes, having ADAPTS nearby or using it as a lumbar pillow is perfectly fine. Airplanes are a different story.
We recommend that on a flight it is best to sit on ADAPTS. You can keep yours at your seat as a lumbar pillow if you chose not to use it. Having said so, understand that you have less than 90 seconds to escape from an airplane engulfed in fire and smoke conditions. The time spent getting on ADAPTS could mean the difference between getting to safety and first responders or not.
IF you do choose to keep ADAPTS nearby, rescuers would roll you side to side and slip ADAPTS under you or unfold ADAPTS on the floor and place the passenger on it. Once in position they would grab the handles and go. These extra steps could be crucial in an emergency especially since it would happen after all other passengers have escaped.
What happens next when I am taken in ADAPTS to the emergency exit door on the airplane?
Your rescuers will go in tandem (head-to-foot) down the narrow aisle with you to the door of the airplane. You will all jump into the slide together and when you arrive at the bottom, up to six people can grab a handle and take you to first responders. This is why ADAPTS has no buckles or straps to attach (which take extra time) and nothing sharp that might poke a hole in the inflatable slide.
The current plan for evacuating a wheelchair user is the “grab & go” or “grab & run” method whereby someone grabs the passenger under the arms and another grabs them behind the knees. Why is ADAPTS a better option?
There are several drawbacks to the “grab & go” method:
- It assumes the passenger has legs. What if they are an amputee or they have a prosthesis?
- It assumes the passenger does not have a neurological condition that affects muscle tone. In this case, by not being able to provide resistance when grabbed under the arms, this passenger would slip right through the rescuers grasp.
- It does not take into account the passenger’s dignity.
- It risks further injury to the passenger depending on their disability.
ADAPTS is a better method because:
- ADAPTS comfortably cradles the passenger in the sling.
- There is nothing to assemble and nothing that would puncture the escape slide.
- ADAPTS yellow color clearly identifies a passenger who will need assistance.
- In the pre-flight briefing, the flight attendant briefs the passenger behind directly across the aisle from the ADAPTS passenger on how to help and ensure they agree to help in the same way exit row passengers are briefed.
Isn’t there a collapsible wheelchair available for long flights on larger airplanes? Why can’t that be used in an evacuation?
Yes, in accordance with the ADA and ACAA, there is a collapsible wheelchair for use during a long flight to visit the accessible lavatory.
You cannot use a collapsible wheelchair in an evacuation because it takes too much time to put together. It is made of hard metals and connections which cannot go down an inflatable escape slide.
Will the ADAPTS seat attachment interfere with the Inflight Entertainment (IFE) televisions?
It might. If so, ADAPTS can be attached for takeoff. During the flight, you can roll ADAPTS down the back of the seat and reattach it for landing. We prepare for landing (or an emergency) by returning seats to upright position and folding away tray tables. Same would apply to ADAPTS. In addition, the person behind ADAPTS is also one of your rescuers! (The other is the person across the aisle from the ADAPTS user).
Does ADAPTS offer expedited international shipping?
We cannot offer expedited shipping to international destinations.