Hi
I've just received my new air tent and can't wait to have a trial run. It's a downsize for me as I'm trying to travel lighter
The pump that has come with the tent is the type that you stand on and pump up and down. I looks really good BUT it is also big and bulky.
Does anyone know if there is an alternative and smaller pump please? I won't have electric so it would need to be manual or something rechargeable I think 🤔
Thank you in advance ☺️
Air beam tents and awnings need a pump with large VOLUME and a little bit of pressure, ideally you want the biggest pump you can handle to shift the greatest volume of air with each stroke to minimise just how many times you 'pump' the pump!
You can use a physically smaller pump, BUT the trade off is you will 'pump' it up and down a lot more times to shift the equivalent amount of air - and that IS exhausting unless you're super fit!
Rechargeable pump. MOST on the market will be unsuitable, firstly car tyre type pumps won't shift the volume of air necessary in a reasonable time, and will likely burn out/overheat and trip out or run out of charge BEFORE finishing the job! They also produce pressures FAR in excess of what an air beam can tolerate, so need careful monitoring to ensure you don't over-pressurise and damage your air beams!
The other kind are intended for airbeds and inflatable toys. They shift volume OK, but never can get sufficient pressure built up to inflate the air beams to their desired operating pressure.
It's been looked at before, got a feeling somebody did find a suitable pump, but I don't recall the details. A search of previous posts may reveal something!
What's usually suggested is the standard (usually 12v) electric optional pump for the tent and a (12v) power pack, but at the end of the day, you probably have not reduced the size at all, and have added considerably to the weight of the 'package' needed to inflate the tent! AND, once the charge has been exhausted, your pumping opportunities have also gone, until you recharge the power pack! A good old hand pump will work until YOU cease to be able to use it!
I've got an airbeam awning for the caravan, I've pumped it up with the hand pump that came with it, it wasn't too difficult, but I'm old/wise and lazy, so bought the electric pump to do it (packing space and weight restrictions not being a consideration with the caravan), but then I've got 12v supply from both the caravan and the car to hand! I still pack the hand pump as a back up, just in case the electric one fails, and TBH it's less faff to give the beams a little 'top up' with the hand pump than break out and connect up the electric one for such a small 'puff'!
Hi Monty
Thank you for your reply - that's super helpful 😊
I think now I understand it a bit more, thanks to your explanation, that it makes sense to stick with the pump that came with it.
The overall weight of tent and pump (appx 8.5kgs) is still a good 5kg less than my old pole tent. I'm reducing my sleeping arrangements to single from double, so I'll save a bit there too weight-wise.
Thanks again 😊
We use a Dometic Gale 12v pump and plug it into the car 12v socket (also have a 5m extension cable to ensure it reaches) we have an awning but no reason it would not work with a tent, it has loads of attachments for various make of airbeams and also has an automatic cut off when it reaches the target pressure (that you can set)
Quote: Originally posted by Paul and Nikki on 21/5/2024
We use a Dometic Gale 12v pump and plug it into the car 12v socket (also have a 5m extension cable to ensure it reaches) we have an awning but no reason it would not work with a tent, it has loads of attachments for various make of airbeams and also has an automatic cut off when it reaches the target pressure (that you can set)
I too have the rather good Gale pump, and agree with you, it could be used for the tent, subject to a correct fitting being available, but it does weigh getting on for twice as much as my hand pump, and OP was trying to 'travel lighter'! It's a different shape to the hand pump, but not terribly compact either!
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Topic: Air Tent Pump Alternative
via mobile 21/5/2024 at 4:19pm
