Are you coming ashore for sup sports? You need not depend on a boathouse anymore. Bring your inflatable by folding it small. However, bring a good pump as well.
Do you wonder why you require a good pump? This article explains the purpose of inflatable boat pumps as well as the details of buying a budget-friendly pump.
What is an inflatable boat pump?
An inflatable boat pump is used to inflate your boat so that you can hit the water whenever you need it. A good quality pump can cut your wasting time and quickly fill your inflatable full of air.
Just pumping away is not enough. There is a lot more to it. It is not rocket science. However, a good quality pump can only inflate the boat properly. Else, the rider may go through a safety risk on the water during the ride.
There are two types of pumps used to fill the air into the inflatable.
- Manual hand or foot pump
- Electric pump for inflatables
Electric pumps for inflatables can quickly inflate or deflate your boat, unlike manual pumps. You need not put any extra effort to pump your boat. However, they can derive electricity by either plugging into your car or any power outlets.
What happens if you don’t have any access to electricity? In those conditions, a manual pump really helps despite consuming more effort and time.
To enhance the performance of the inflatable boats, just an electric pump is not enough since most of these electric pumps are not strong enough at high pressure. In that case, use an electric pump for inflatables to around 90% followed by topping up with a manual hand or foot pump. By doing so, the tubes can sustain proper pressure. Or else, you can purchase a 2-stage electric pump. But it is quite expensive.
Next, let us see where we could find suitable pumps.
Where to buy a suitable inflatable boat pump?
Shopping for an inflatable boat pump is a great confusion for first-timers. If you search online, you will find many. Of course, that’s not the big deal! You can buy either from offline or online sites like Amazon. However, keep the below points in mind while purchasing suitable ones.
- Manual or electric?
- High-volume or high-pressure? – Pumps with high volume can inflate the boats within no time. But of course, you require a manual pump to finish it off. High-pressure pumps always take time to fill, but they can withstand high pressure. Hence, there is no need for a manual pump.
- Valves (Boston valve/military valve/pinch valve) – Check the boat’s valve before purchasing the pump.
- Adapter or nozzle – Buy the appropriate pump with an adapter or nozzle specific for the boat’s valve. There are many people who don’t check this before buying. At last, during the time of inflating the boat, they find that the pump cannot be fitted.
Taking the above points into consideration, select the best inflatable pumps from the online/offline market. However, budget plays a vital role before selecting the appropriate product. So, let us see how to select an affordable best product.
How to choose it in the budget?
There are many top-notch qualitative pumps that cost nearly 1000 USD. Here is the general thumb rule: The more you pay, the better the performance as well as the quality. For that, you don’t have to sell your valuables for buying a qualitative inflatable pump. You can purchase the best ones at an affordable price, say around 20-50 USD. But do not buy the pumps at a very cheaper price as they could be less durable.
However, before selecting the cost-effective inflatable pumps, you must consider the below-listed factors:
- Select the right model. Go through the LSI range and check if there is any safety feature in order to prevent over-inflation.
- Long or small cord length? What do you prefer? Think about that and select accordingly.
- Check the compatibility factor. Select the one that has valves to manage pressure and can be replaced easily.
- Check the amount of air it can fill per minute. The more it fills, the quicker the inflation.
- The facility of pressure gauge as well as auto shut-off
- Portability and weight – Select the one that has a lightweight and is easily portable.
- Noise – Less or more?
- One-stage or two-stage functionality – Two-stage pumps can quickly fill the air at high volume, compared to the one-stage pump. Hence, the two-stage pump is more expensive.
Rate varies as there is a change in the above-listed features. Moreover, manual pumps are less expensive than electric pumps for inflatables. Hence, set your priority and buy the appropriate ones.
Conclusion
Now you would have understood that there are so many pumps available in the online as well as offline market. And you must be so overwhelmed with these excess choices!
However, with these updates, you need not have to buy the pump in the dark anymore. Now, you must be aware of what to look for, how to set the priorities, and what are the other options. So, this article will surely save your valuable time and give a clear idea of how to purchase the right one.
Go ahead and buy the appropriate inflatable boat pump that suits your requirements!