FLEXTAILGEAR Tiny Pump

[michaelzim]

I’m really not a gadget person, but this little device caught my attention when I was trying to determine the ‘truth or fiction’ of mold developing in air mattresses if you blow them up the old fashioned, human breath way. The answer to that seems to be a NO, as most clearly illustrated in this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxgbQ4NMg74

However, on a side track, the specs and little video I saw on this Flextailgear rechargeable pump were so impressive I ordered one off Amazon when it was on sale and gave it a spin at home. Here are the stats I came up with…

~ Weight with Thermarest adapter nozzle = 3 oz.

~ Decibels at 3 ft. = 70 dB.

~ Thermarest Uberlite Reg. Wide – time to fully pump up = 1 min. & 25 sec.

~ Thermarest Uberlite Reg. Wide – total inflations per charge = 16

* Pump begins to slow to 1 min. & 35 sec. after 14 full inflations.

* Motor makes a bit of a high squeak whine after 10 sequential inflations.

https://www.amazon.com/FLEXTAILGEAR-Po ... 088ZLWXBC = $22.94 on sale!

…Yes, kind of impressive for something that weighs so little.

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I toyed with the overall possibilities of switching out my lungs, or the nearly impossible to use Thermarest pump sack that came with the Thermarest (due to outrageously difficult snapping on of the connector), to see how ‘total weight’ balances would fall…

* If using my breath alone and my standard sleeping bag stuff sack as well, just a stuff sack. The total weight of “sacks” is 1 oz.

* If using the original Thermarest pump sack which weighs 2 oz. plus a sleeping bag stuff sack. The total weight is 3 oz.

* If use the Tiny Pump plus sleeping bag stuff sack. The total weight is 4 oz.

* If use the Thermarest pump sack as my sleeping bag stuff sack (1 oz.) then the real total weight of taking the pump sack is 2 oz.

# [Excuse the detail here, but this is for “ounce counters” and dual use fundis.]

In the end we are talking about an ounce or two here and there. Not really a dealbreaker. For those who severely dislike manually blowing up an air mattress or want to scream when attempting to use a Thermarest air sack, this little thing is the ticket. I have no idea how long it will last, but so far there are many positive reviews and very few complaints about the pumps failing in short order.

Oh, as added info for this subject, I complained to Thermarest about their standard pump sack and was sent a free alternative called a BlockerLite pump sack. It weighs 2.5 ounces and indeed fits the Thermarest nozzle with much greater ease. The connector plastic is softer and more rubber-like so has flex that aids the snapping on process. It also a waterproof dry-sack so can do double duty. In short, it works great even though 0.5 ounces heavier than the ‘original’ pump sack.

Lastly, I also realized that if one was somewhat concerned about breathing moist air into an air mattress you can just layer a few folds of a T-shirt over the pad nozzle and blow through that. It gets quite wet after blowing to fill a pad, so for sure is catching some of the moisture at least. I intend to do this in future if I decide to skip any of these “assistance devices” above or they break.

Best ~ Michaelzim

[mschnaidt]

I've had one of these for the last 3 years. At first, my hiking buddies laughed at me. Now they line up to use it. It's been reliable so far.

It also works great to fan a campfire.

[Gazelle]

I have one also really like!

[John Harper]

Looks like a great tool. Does anyone know if one of the adapters fits a Klymit pad?

John