Lugging big loads up and down stairs isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time, although stair-climbing trolleys can certainly make it a less painful experience. The UpCart City is built specifically to help urban folks with such tasks, taking a narrower form for tight stairwells and even folding up for easy storage once the job is done.
The UpCart City is essentially a more compact version of the company’s other all-terrain stair-climbing carts, measuring a streamlined 19.2 in (49 cm) across to navigate the confined spaces that come with apartment living.
Like the others in UpCart’s lineup, the City uses two rotating sets of aligned wheels, three in each, arranged so that the cart can roll up and over obstacles like stairs and curbs. The fold-out handle meanwhile, stands quite tall at 43 in (110 cm), making a comfortable towing height for most folks.
With a weight capacity of 77 lb (35 kg), the frame is made from powder-coated steel and the platform from aluminum, which is perfectly flat so that it can be loaded up with larger items if need be. But if it’s an enclosed space that you’re after, then a custom-fitted ripstop nylon bag can be secured to the frame to keep loose items safe and sound.
Once the carting is complete, the 8-lb (3.6 kg) UpCart City can be folded flat in a matter of seconds and stowed away in a cupboard, under the bed or in the trunk of a car. In this form, it measures a very manageable 22.5 x 20 x 4.5 in (57 x 50 x 11.5 cm).
The Upcart City is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, where the company is looking to raise US$15,000 for production. Early pledges start at $49 for the cart only, while a pledge of $59 will have a bag and bungee cord thrown in as well. The company plans to start shipping in August 2018 if everything runs as planned.
UpCart City dolly lugs loads up tight stairwells and folds flat in seconds [New Atlas]