If you have seen my list of the best inflatable stand up paddle boards for beginners, then you already know that I am a big fan of the iSUP sets that come with a paddle and pump.
And I make no secret just how much I love the iSUP sets.
Of course, in my opinion all those inflatable SUP sets have one small annoyance for me (and maybe you, too) – those pumps are all hand pumps instead of electric ones.
Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t take that long to get your iSUP inflated with a manual air pump, but it sure does seem like forever when my arm is getting tired from pumping it up.
And because you can air up your iSUP by hand doesn’t mean that you have to, right?
Right! I mean, if you can get an inexpensive electric pump for your inflatable stand up paddle board, then why not?
Of course, not all the iSUPs are as easy as switching out your pump.
For instance, some models require a special valve in order to use an electric pump with it.
Before You Buy An Electric Pump for Your iSUP
As I mentioned, some of the iSUPs require a special converter valve before you can inflate with an electric pump.
So, definitely look into this before you end up at the lake with only an electric pump and no way to air up your board.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is very easy to over-inflate your board when using an electric pump.
Of course, this is a great way to damage your board, which is not something that you want to do.
Probably the easiest way to prevent this from happening is to get a high-pressure air compressor so that you can set the pressure you want and have the air compressor automatically stop once that psi is reached.
The downside of using one of these over something like a kayak electric pump is that it is much more expensive.
So, you have to decide – do you spend more on the pump and avoid damaging the iSUP or spend less on the pump and take the chance of wrecking your iSUP?
I think the answer here is obvious – go with the high pressure air compressor because the iSUP isn’t exactly cheap.
However, let’s look at both options below in my best inflatable SUP pump reviews in case you’re having trouble deciding which route to go here.
Bravo High Pressure 12 Volt Pump for iSUPs
If you want to go with a high pressure air compressor, then I believe that this model is probably your best choice when it comes to inflating your iSUP.
In fact, Tower Paddle Boards actually recommends the Bravo High Pressure 12 Volt Pump for iSUPs.
With this pump, you select what psi you want your iSUP inflated to and then it does the rest for you.
Once the requested psi is reached, the pump automatically shuts itself off to prevent over-inflation.
You can also use this pump to quickly deflate your iSUP as well.
Probably the only thing to complain about with this pump is the price.
It is not cheap.
Of course, it does prevent you from damaging your inflatables, which makes it a good investment.
I think that this high pressure iSUP air pump is very versatile.
Why? You can also use it to inflate your rafts, kayaks and other gear.
See it in action in the video below.
K-Pump K20 Inflatable SUP Pump Review
For most paddle boarders, I believe that this electric pump is the standard choice.
It is small and compact, which is perfect for people like me who do adventure travel and want to keep luggage to a minimum.
And you can use this on your kayak too.
There are actually a few different models of K-Pumps for sale but this K20 is the only one designed specifically for inflatable stand up paddle boards.
If you are cost conscious, then you will like that this electric iSUP pump has a lower price at NRS than the Bravo pump listed above.
I think that the worst thing about this pump is that it does not have an auto-shutoff.
And that means that you have to pay close attention to the psi in order to avoid over inflating your board.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should definitely buy the extra K-Pump Kwik Check Gauge so that you want watch the psi as your board inflates.
If you buy both the pump and the gauge, you’re looking at spending around $170 at NRS.
At this point, I’d just get the Bravo for about the same price unless you really need the compact size of the K20.
That being said, this K20 pump does have some really cool features – it works as both a low pressure and a high pressure pump.
So, you could really just opt to use it as a top-off pump if you wanted to.
To use it, you inflate your board to around 6 psi with the low pressure feature and then finish it off with the high pressure.
Overall, this little pump works well and is great for traveling.
You can use it as an everyday iSUP pump if you want or upgrade to the Bravo above for better control in maximum psi for your board.
