You may be surprised to see a small, lightweight, USB-C rechargeable air pump on these pages but this Flextailgear Tiny Pump 2X has earned a permanent place in my backpacking gear.
This is sold as an air pump for sleeping pads but I think of it more as a lantern that happens to blow up sleeping pads. That is how it earned a spot in my pack… it kicked out the backup light/lantern that I was already carrying out of my pack.
Maybe it is weird to start out a review of this pump talking about its secondary functionality as a lantern, but is actually a very useful light. The included bail makes it easy to hang up in or near your tent and it has broad, floody beam with three well-spaced output settings. It’s a better backup light/tent light than what I was carrying before and it weighs less than many similar lights.
The main reason that I appreciate the pump feature is how easy it makes setting up my sleeping pad. After a long day hiking up hill the whole way, it’s easier to push a button than to blow up the pad with your lungs. It’s also nice to not introduce the moisture from your breath into your sleeping pad where mold can form. This might help extend the life of your sleeping pad and help you sleep a bit warmer.
At around 3.5 ounces and roughly the size of a shot glass, this Tiny Pump 2X packs a lot of usefulness into a small space. I would probably never carry a dedicated pump, but a lantern that also happens to pump up my sleeping pad effortlessly… I can get with that.
I bought my Flextailgear Tiny Pump 2X on Amazon.com but shop around, as sometimes there are better deals direct from Flextailgear.
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