Vive Shower Chair: a seat with a backrest for sitting while you wash

A shower is one of the few parts of the day that most people want to handle on their own. A good seat can help keep it that way. The Vive Shower Chair has joined our bathroom shelf, and it is one of the more straightforward options we carry: a seat on adjustable legs, with handles and a back. Below is what Vive tells us about it.

What it is and who it suits

Vive designed this chair for people who want to shower independently but find standing difficult, whether because of balance, limited mobility or getting tired on their feet. You sit on the textured seat, and water runs off through holes in it rather than collecting under you. The legs end in rubber tips that grip the floor, and their height can be adjusted.

Vive says the base is compact enough for most single shower stalls and for tub and shower combinations up to roughly 23 inches across. The curved backrest lifts off, so if the user would rather have an open back for washing, or the chair needs to fit a tighter space, it can go without.

One limit to keep in mind: the chair does not fold. Vive notes that it can be taken apart instead, which is the way to store it or bring it along on a trip.

Key specs

These figures come from Vive's product page for the Shower Chair:

• Weight capacity: 300 lbs
• Base: 17.75 by 17 inches
• Chair weight: 10 lbs
• Width at the top of the handles: 21.5 inches
• Tub or shower width it fits: up to about 23.3 inches
• Frame: aluminum, corrosion resistant
• Seat: textured composite with drainage holes
• Leg tips: non-slip rubber

The measurement most worth checking is the inside width of your tub or shower floor. Measure across the flat bottom, not the rim, since that is where the legs will stand. Then compare the 21.5-inch width at the handles with any doors, glass panels or curtain rods the chair has to pass.

Before you order

Think through the whole routine, not just the sitting. Where will the soap and shampoo sit so they can be reached from the seat? Is there a handheld showerhead, or will the user be turning to face a fixed one? Is there something to hold while lowering onto the chair? These questions do not change the chair, but they shape how well the whole shower works with it. A grab bar or two from the list below often rounds out the setup.

What's in the box

• The shower chair
• A user manual

Warranty

From Vive's product page:

• Vive Health guarantee: lifetime
• Vive means the product's estimated lifetime by "lifetime"
• Product registration: within 30 days of buying it

Vive's guarantee policy page lays out its overall approach.

Related products on our shelf

• Vive Swivel Shower Chair, a seat that turns and locks in place, for getting in and out of a tub.
• Vive Shower Stool, a backless round seat for smaller spaces.
• Vive Transfer Bench, a long bench that spans the tub wall.
• Vive Metal Grab Bar, a straight wall handhold in several lengths.

Browse the rest in our bathroom safety collection.

Shipping

We ship within the lower 48 states and to DC. When your order totals over $500, shipping is free; under $500, it is $15. Sales tax is covered by us. Our shipping by state page has the specifics. For help comparing seats, contact us at info@faithmobility.com.

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See the Vive Shower Chair on Faith Mobility.

Sources

• Vive Health: Shower Chair
• Vive Health: Guarantee policy