See full version: The Best Air Pumps for Inflatable Boat
I’m happy to have found this product as I prefer a rechargeable air pump for inflatables. It’s small but quite powerful. I once filled 4 tubes and 4 full-sized mattresses with this pump. After inflating several items, the battery can still work to deflate them all. Hence, it’s one of the essentials when I go camping at the beach.
My new friend from the UK recommended this product. It has a design that’s made for indoor and outdoor use. I can plug it on a wall outlet or connect it to my car’s battery. A single purchase gives you a 12V outlet plug and a travel plug with a cigarette lighter.
This air compressor is a life changer for owners of inflatable SUP like me. My kids usually gather around and impatiently ask when the boards are ready. When that happens, I have to spend a lot of time under the dry heat with a manual pump. Luckily, this air pump came to the rescue!
There are three size fittings that you can choose from. I also like the power cord that I received with the 12V plug-in air pump itself. The product description says that it is 5-foot long. I’m glad I have gotten a 10-foot cord. You need to plug it into a 12V cigarette plug before connecting it to the power source.
If you are just pumping up one SUP, inflation speed may not be a critical issue. However if you are inflating several, look for a pump that has a high CFM or cubic feet per minute rating. [links]
Let’s look at a few more features you may want to consider: [links]
Hi Scott,
Appreciate your comment, the Seamax is a good option but I cannot comment to it’s long term reliability as I usually use a hand pump as a warm up. Honestly you really don’t need to go that high in pressure, I never do. I can’t tell the difference between 10psi and 18-20psi.
Once you turn it on it will sound similar to a vacuum cleaner but once it fills the SUP or Kayak to about 1 PSI the 2 nd stage compressor kicks in and you will notice a complete difference in sound and that’s normal.
Hi,
I’m writing because I’m the owner of two iSUPs and I’m having trouble getting reliable data on electric pump durability. We bought two 12’6″ iSUPs last summer. We’re not that young and don’t relish the hand pump option, so I did my research and we purchased 2 electric pumps similar to your #4 Tower pump reviewed above. Our requirements were: 20psi, 12volt, 2stage, auto-shutoff, and durable. I found that various vendors/manufacturers were selling same pump (the one you review above by Tower) just re-branded and in different colors for various iSUP manufactures (Tower, Airhead, Connelly, OBrian, Aqua Marina, etc.). We bought two pumps because the specs said they would overheat and if used continuously for more than 20 minutes. It takes 15-20 mins to fill our boards to 19 psi. This wasn’t an issue as they were selling for approximately $90 last year (well worth the price). We loved them, and they did a great job.
However, last week one of the pumps stopped working during the compressor stage. The O-rings in the compressor gave out. We’ve only used it about 20 times (the other one is still working fine). I contacted Airhead, the dealer of my pump, and they will honor their 1 year warranty (I’ve had the pump for 11 month’s). I’m still worried about the quality of this unit, so I went back online to research again. There isn’t very much technical/reliability information out there on 20 psi pumps, and the vendors I’ve talked with don’t even realize these re-branded pumps are all the same. Yesterday I called Seamax regarding the #3 pump you reviewed above. The exterior is obviously quite different from the others and it uses digital gauges and controls. Their rep assured me that their pump was very durable, but when pressed didn’t know the term of their warranty, the inflation rate, or technical information regarding the compressor.
I was hoping you might have more information on this topic or could point me in the direction of someone who did.
Thanks for your time
Our reviews of the top rated inflatable electric pumps with a comparison table and buyers guide will help you choose a pump for you.
There are a lot of different options available in the market when it comes to water inflatables. The design of the product obviously depends on the purpose of the purchase. For example, if you want to go for white water rafting, you need inflatables that are made to help you overcome the challenges this activity presents. But, if your purpose is sailing on calm water, having a lake picnic, or fishing, etc., you have an even wider range to choose from.
Specifications – more
Once you have an inflatable boat, taking good care of it ensures its durability. Where you store it matters. Keeping it away from pointy objects is a wise decision. All this and more needs to be ensured to keep the boat in good shape.
My sister told me she blew up her 16-foot kayak with it. I think it’s not entirely implausible. One of the three nozzles has a relatively large opening that can accommodate a higher air flow, after all. [links]
Four variations of this pump exist. I own the rechargeable one, and I’ll just say that I got everything I expected from it. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to get our floaties and medium kayaks in the water, and it takes just as much time to deflate them with no extra effort needed from me.
Are you interested in trying them out? I’ve prepared this guide and review of 14 products I’ve owned in all my years of boating, camping, biking, and parenting just for you!
By and large, it takes around 8 minutes to reach 15 psi, which is acceptable. With the right modifications and custom nozzle, I think it will work with tires, but I guess it’s better to buy an electric air pump for bike tires instead. [links]
Deflation is just as notable, though I think it inflates quicker. Given the limited number of times I’ve used it, I can’t say for sure. Nonetheless, I can safely say my experience with it has been mainly satisfactory. more