In this blog post, we look at and compare 1 manual pump and 3 electric paddle board pumps.

First off, let’s discuss the pros and the cons of electrical pumps.

Electric Paddle Board Pumps

Cons:

1. They are loud!
2. Uses gas or electricity which is hard on the environment and your wallet.
3. Depending on the pump you’ll need an extra item to pump your board – a car or an external battery.
4. You miss out on a free workout.
5. Risk of blowing a fuse in your car. 
6. Some board warranties are void once you’ve used an electric pump. Be sure to check with your board manufacturer.

Pump Comparison:

All four pumps were timed pumping the Red Paddle Co. 9’6 Compact 4.7” thick and 32” and the electrical pumps also pumped the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 4.7” thick and 32” wide immediately after the first board. See the full YouTube video below!

iRocker Electric Pump

• Powered by a 12V DC socket auto auxiliary power outlet aka cigarette lighter in your car. It also comes with alligator clips to attach to an external battery. *iRocker sells an external battery to use with this pump at an additional cost. Their website claims it can pump 2 boards with one charge.
• Carrying handle and a compartment to hide 12v DC cable.
• The unit can only go up when setting PSI. To reach a lower PSI you need to go all the way to the max, 20, and start at 0 again.
• 1 washer *it’s too thick for my paddle board valves so I had to switch it out and use the one that came with my manual board pump.
• Pumps 2-3 boards back to back
• Cost: $159 CAD
• Pump Time: 6:58
• More info & to purchase.

Airbank Whale Shark Pro Battery Powered Pump

• Powered by an internal battery. 2.5 hours to fully charge or 20-minute charge for 1 board. It also comes with 12V DC socket in case you run out of battery and need to plug it into your car.
• Charged via wall outlet or 12V DC socket.
• 5 different nozzle attachments
• Multiple washers and a fuse
• Easy to set PSI with up and down buttons.
• Bonus: USB charging outlet for other items such as your cell phone.
• Pumps 3-4 boards back to back and 4-5 boards on one charge.
• Cost: $250 CAD (10% off with code ‘PaddleAdventurer’)
• Pump Time: 5:55
• More info & to purchase.

Another notable brand to look at is Outdoor Master Electric pumps. I personally don’t have experience with them but have heard others have had a good experience. 

Electric Paddle Board Pump Tips:

• Keep the electrical pump out of the sun and away from your vehicle exhaust. This will help keep the unit as cool as possible.
• Put the unit on top of your board or kit bin or somewhere where it won’t suck in any dirt or debris from the ground. Figure out where your unit pulls the air from and place the unit somewhere accordingly.
• If your pump has different nozzle attachments make sure they are secure or you could have a small leak making the pump to be inefficient and taking longer to pump your board.
• If you are going the route of an electrical pump I’d recommend a pump designed to inflate paddle boards which allows you to set the max PSI (total pressure of air) for your board’s inflation level.
• 2-stage (high and low pressure) pumps are much faster and can also deflate your board. Most SUP pumps are two stages but double-check before buying.
  
  

Do you use an electric pump? Why or why not? And if you do, what one do you have and why do you like it? Share in the comments below!