Different Options For Inflating Your Inflatable Paddleboard

Unlike a hardboard, an inflatable paddle board offers you the kind of convenience any paddler would desire. Whether you want to inflate your board before heading out or not, the choice is yours. Besides, you can pump up your SUP when you arrive at your preferred location. However, you'd still have a hard time choosing the most excellent way of inflating your paddleboard.

The best method is the one that requires little effort but pumps up your paddleboard quickly. Most paddlers never look beyond two options; the manual and electric pumps. It takes effort to use the manual pump, but you can use it anywhere. On the other hand, the electric pump requires no effort, but you must have a power source for it to work.

Whatever option you choose, I'm sure it will do the trick. But what if there are other options you can consider to make your work easier?

In this article, we'll go over various options which might interest you:

Hand pump

Many paddlers often use the hand pump to inflate their standup paddleboards. It's the typical type of pump to use because it's part of the package when you purchase an inflatable paddleboard.

While they come in different qualities, they do the work reasonably well. Most paddlers use dual-action pumps with pressure meters. Depending on your needs, this allows you to inflate your ISUP to high or low-pressure levels. Besides, it's effortless to get your board inflated to the right PSI level.

K-Pump

A K-pump is a pump that features a low-pressure mode and a high-pressure mode. The K-Pump should be a top choice for paddlers who love traveling a lot. It's small, compact, and does an excellent inflation job—it allows you to inflate your inflatable board in two stages. You can carry it wherever you go without any hassle. There are various models available in the market that suit different needs.

The most critical aspect of the K-Pump is that it's easy to use: push the end of the K-Pump into the kayak or SUP valve to inflate your ISUP to maximum air pressure. However, it's important to note that the pump is not cheap( it costs around $129.95). But ease of use and effectiveness are two essential things worth this amount.

Electric Pump

An electric pump is a type of pump that can inflate your SUP in one minute. If you haven't used the electric pump before, you may not understand its benefits. Try it today, and you'll ditch your manual pump. Those that tried using it grew to love it more.

It's effortless to use an electric pump to inflate your board. What's more, it takes about one minute to put your board to maximum air pressure.

There are different kinds of electric pumps—first, there is the battery-powered pump which is convenient to use. You don't have to connect it to your car or any power source for it to work. While a battery-powered electric pump is pretty expensive, it's worth the price because of its convenience.

A battery-powered electric pump inflates most ISUPs. The pump may not fit appropriately on some ISUPs, but you can use an adapter valve to connect the pump to your board.

Another option is an electric pump; you can fit a 12V battery using a cable and alligator clips. It's an excellent option for most paddlers because you can pump up your board next to your vehicle. It's pretty cheap when the pump connects to your car's battery instead of the one that comes with its battery.

There is also another electric pump that can connect to your car's cigarette lighter. However, it's not effective, especially if you don't have the right adapters.

Caution:

It's easy to overinflate your board when using an electric pump. It takes about one minute to pump up your board to maximum air pressure. Also, an excellent electric pump should have a pressure gauge to enable you to check the PSI level to prevent damages to your inflatable board.

Foot Pump

A foot pump is effective at inflating your inflatable board. It's pretty easy to the foot pump. Unlike the hand pump, the foot pump is lightweight, making it easy to carry from one place to another.

However, most people prefer using it for part of the inflation process, i.e., getting the board into good shape for pumping. It isn't easy to get the SUP to a high-pressure level as required when using a foot pump.

Also, foot pumps can break down quickly, especially if you opt to continue pumping when it becomes problematic. You can use a foot pump if you have another pump to help you top up the pressure when it gets difficult to pump. Some of the pumps you can use include a good hand pump or the K-Pump.

Slingshot High-Pressure Valve

If you're open to more possibilities of inflating a SUP, a high-pressure slingshot valve can be an excellent option. The valve connects to a compressor to enable you to inflate your board quickly. That means you can use this valve to pump up your inflatable board at a gas station. It's an exciting way of boosting your board to maximum air pressure.

Conclusion

The good thing is that inflating your inflatable board is an effortless task, especially when you have the right pump. Hand pumps are the most common of pumps. While they can do a pretty job and works well for its price and can be used anywhere, there are other options you can consider if you plan to paddle often and deflate each time after using. For instance, an excellent electric pump can inflate your board to maximum air pressure in a minute. But you have to be careful not to damage your board when using the electric pump option.

That doesn't mean those are the only options at your disposal. There are many pumping options to choose from including, hand pumps, foot pumps, K-pumps, high-pressure slingshot valves, and more. Depending on your individual needs, you can select an excellent option to pump your board effectively.

Whatever option you choose, ensure to read the instructions practice a couple of times before using it. I'm pretty sure your paddleboarding experience will be pretty cool when you have the right pump for your needs. Scroll up to learn some of the best methods of pumping your inflatable board.