As a lover of inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), a SUP pump is an essential accessory that you can’t do without unless you want to spoil your SUP adventure. Fortunately, when you buy that favorite inflatable SUP from us, be aware that most of them come with a hand pump.
However, while this hand pump generally gets the job done, it may not be as effective and powerful as the SUP electric pump.
Having said that, it’s important to understand these two types of pumps by looking at what they are and what makes them different.
What’s the Hand Air Pump?
A hand air pump is a manual SUP pump that, as the name suggests, requires you to use your arms to pump pressure into your SUP. For many pump users, hand air pumps are preferred to foot pumps (you use the foot to pump them).
Typically, pumping up your inflatable SUP using the manual pump isn’t a favorite activity for anyone. This is even more complex if you need to preserve that energy for the water ahead of you. However, you can make your life easier by using the available high-performance hand pumps.
Advantages of Hand Air Pumps
- More affordable compared to the SUP electric pump
- Solely rely on mechanical energy, and so you don’t have to worry about the source of power
- They’re reliable
- They can inflate your SUP to the required pressure point
Disadvantages of Hand Air Pumps
- Time-consuming when pumping the air, especially for those who regularly go out paddling
- Demands for more energy and labor to use
- It is inconvenient because you don’t want to deflate the board after use. It means, with an inflated board, you need a car to carry after the adventure.
Some of the common hand air pumps include:
- Gymax SUP Pump
- THURSO SURF Manual Pump
- BRAVO SUPer Pump
- K-Pump K20
What’s the SUP Electric Pump
While the hand air pump uses mechanical energy to pump air into your iSUP, the SUP electric pump, on the other hand, is an electrically charged device that is specifically designed to efficiently and quickly inflate your board.
Understandably, personal choices and experiences can determine the type of pump you want. However, each comes with its merits and demerits.
In case you’re a beginner and still confused on whether to take the SUP electric pump or not or which brand is better, one thing is for sure: all SUP electric pumps can inflate your SUP board to the recommended PSI level (14-16 PSI) within 8-15 minutes. Interestingly, some SUP electric pumps can inflate your board all the way to 29 PSI!
It’s pretty fast, right?
Depending on how you want to use it or your needs, various SUP electric pumps come with features and power sources. While some have rechargeable batteries, others are powered by your car’s cigarette lighter.
Advantages of SUP Electric Pump
- It saves time because it can inflate your board within minutes
- It’s efficient as you only need to press the required button, and the pumping is done
- It can be set to disconnect once the required PSI is achieved
- it isn’t labor-intensive
- It’s user-friendly
Disadvantages of SUP Electric Pump
- It needs a power source
- It’s a bit pricey
- Single-stage SUP electric pumps may not achieve the desired high-pressure inflation
- Can easily over-inflate the board if not well-monitored
Some of the common SUP electric pumps include:
- Seamax Electric Pump
- Sevylor Water Sport Pump
- OutdoorMaster The Shark Pump
- Sea Eagle BTP Mano Turbo Pump
The Difference Between Hand Air Pump and SUP Electric Pump
Indeed, there are major differences between the hand air pump and the SUP electric pump. The main difference is the source of power. While the SUP electric pump gets its power from electricity (whether rechargeable batteries or the car’s cigarette lighters), the hand air pump gets its power from the manual pushups you do.
Also, some SUP electric pumps have digital pressure selectors to help you quickly and conveniently choose the exact PSI level you want.
Other differences are in terms of the speed with which they inflate the boards. Obviously, a SUP electric pump will save you time by inflating the board in under 10 minutes, which isn’t possible when using the manual pump.
Why Us
As a lover of inflatable SUPs, you can’t afford to have a deflated board at a time you want to paddle. In this case, you need a dependable pump that is not only durable, but efficient too. While the market is inundated with iSUP pumps, ours come out as the most dependable.
Here, we have your needs covered. Or pumps are fast and don’t waste your time. We understand that you need this time and energy to paddle the board and enjoy the cool breeze on the waters.
And while at it, apart from inflating your board, our pumps are designed to inflate tires, beds and other inflatable devices. This multi-functional design enables you to only have one pump for different devices, reducing the cost of buying more pumps for yourself.
To crown it all, our pumps are low-noise and you’ll hear nothing apart from the little engine humming as the pump inflates your board.
Conclusion
When you want to inflate your board, you will definitely go looking for a pump that will get the job done and do it efficiently. For those with a tight budget and who still want to paddle the iSUP, the hand air pump could be the better option for you. But if you’re willing to spend some extra cash to enjoy the convenience of inflating your board and saving the energy for paddling, then select the SUP electric pump.