For years, I used a self-inflating sleeping pad or foam pad when backpacking. When I finally switched over to an inflatable pad, I was surprised at how annoying it was to blow up.
It also doesn’t help that I’m blowing up pads for myself and my kids. But, even if I was only blowing up my own pad, it wouldn’t be fun to do every single night on a thru-hike. Especially at really high elevations after you’ve already hiked all day long. I’d honestly rather sleep on my uncomfortable thin foam pad than have to deal with this extra task.
Apparently I’m not alone. Several brands have started making battery-powered sleeping pad pumps for backpackers and the pumps are getting popular. Even some hardcore ultralight backpackers swear by these pumps as a “luxury item” that improves their trips. They can also deflate pads so your morning pack-up is faster and you save space in your pack.
Other Reasons to Use a Pump
Aside from making your backpacking trip easier, a pump doesn’t put moisture into your air pad like breath does. That means your pad is less likely to get moldy or gross inside. There’s a good reason that manufacturers don’t make transparent-color air pads!
This isn’t too much of an issue with most air pads. But if you’ve got a down-insulated pad, you definitely shouldn’t breathe into it. At the very least, use a stuff-sack type pump!
This is NOT a good way to blow up an air mattress!
Random Note:
The backpackers who laugh at you for carrying this “unnecessary” piece of gear are the same ones who annoyingly ask to borrow it the next day.
A mini pump will only inflate 8 to 10 pads with one charge. So, on multi-day trips, definitely say no! Otherwise your pump will run out of charge from filling other people’s pads. Or, if you really want to be nice, tell them that they can use the pump but only if they charge it from THEIR power bank!
Stuff Sack Pumps vs. Battery Pumps
If weight is your primary concern, you still can’t beat a stuff sack pump. The Pumphouse Ultra by Big Agnes, for example, weighs 2.9oz. This is on par with a mini battery-powered pump, but it also doubles as a dry bag.
It takes a bit of practice and gear coordination (you don’t want to have to empty dirty socks or something from the stuff sack each time you need to blow up your mattress), but those stuff sack pumps are really useful. You can even blow up an entire raft with one.
But it’s still not as easy as using a battery powered pump. So, if you are often exhausted when you reach camp and want to make life easier, the extra weight of the pump is worth it.
Best Battery-Powered Backpacking Pumps
There still aren’t too many options when it comes to UL backpacking pumps. Here they are. Of these, I’d only recommend the Flextail pumps.
Flextail Gear Pumps
At the moment, Flextail is the best brand when it comes to ultralight air pumps. Their products are the only ones which hold up well without the fan dying.
Their newest and lightest option is the Flextail Zero. It advertises itself as 1.2oz, but that’s the weight without the battery. With the battery, it’s closer to 2oz. The battery isn’t integrated so you have to remove it to charge it. Because of this, their Tiny Pump is probably the best option.
They also make several “Max” pumps which are heavier. However, these pumps also serve as a power bank. So, if you only need to charge a phone or headlamp once during your trip, these would be a good option since you could leave your power bank at home.
| Pump | Weight (oz) | Battery mAh | Light | Pressure kPa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | 2 | 650 | No | 2.5 |
| Tiny Pump | 2.82 | 1300 | No | 3.5 |
| Tiny Pump 2 | 2.82 | 800 | No | 4 |
| Tiny Pump X | 3.1 | 1300 | Yes | 3.5 |
| Tiny Pump 2X | 3.3 | 1300 | Yes | 4 |
| Max Pump 2 Pro | 5.6 | 3600 | Yes | 2.5-4.5 |
| Max Pump 2 Plus | 6.7 | 4800 | Yes | 2.5-4.5 |
And here’s a video from the brand.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Micro (NOT Recommended)
I really like Therm-a-Rest gear but this is not one of their better products. The pump has a lot of issues, including:
- Takes a very long time to inflate pads
- Loud
- Easy to turn on accidentally
The pump isn’t cheap, so I’d expect something which would actually hold up and do what it’s supposed to.
Exped Widget Pump (NOT Recommended)
This pump is also not recommended. I might be okay with the fact that this pump weighs 7oz since it serves as a power bank. However, the pump doesn’t work well. It takes a very long time to charge and there are lots of reports of the fan breaking quickly.
Aerogogo Giga Pumps
The brand Aerogogo makes a line of “Giga Pumps” which are very similar to the Flextail pumps. But they are a generic Chinese brand and even their website has a lot of spelling errors and inconsistencies about weight, so I doubt they make the most reliable products! They currently aren’t cheaper than the Flextail pumps, so try them at your own risk.
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