Electric Downmat pump.

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Electric Downmat pump.

Postby Buddy » Thu 30 Jun, 2022 9:58 pm

Hi all, have recently become aware that such an item exists. Has a rechargeable battery. A search has shown there is a bewildering array. I obviously don't want to pay a fortune. Does anyone have experience? And which ones are suitable for the Exped Downmat?. TIA.
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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby Nuts » Sat 02 Jul, 2022 11:13 am

Exped make their own now but (iirc) Flextail were the first(?) Had the early ones from them and worked well, if bit a noisy. They started to have trouble with the lid/switch and eventually stopped working (reliably) after a couple of intensive years. I did see a review of later Flextails that was pretty good. They have since moved to an integrated battery, maybe changed the switch mech? For personal use some sort of bag inflation may be better, more multi-use, less to go wrong.

The ones we had included a rubber nozzle that would go over the various protruding valves (not sure about the later recessed/flip style valves(?).
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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby andrewa » Sat 02 Jul, 2022 6:14 pm

Add it to your wood burner stove system as a bellows…or modify your wood burner stove bellows to inflate your pad….as per telemarktims offerings with stove pumps. Shouldn’t be that hard todo both.

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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby Buddy » Sat 02 Jul, 2022 9:59 pm

Thanks guys.
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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby keithy » Sun 03 Jul, 2022 10:28 am

I have used a couple of these portable electric pumps. I started looking at them when one of my lightweight summer mats where the material is quite thin showed signs of mould inside when held up against the light.

The first pump I tried was the original Thermarest Neoair pump (the white one with the protruding rubble nozzle). It ran on 2xAAAs and I can't remember the flow rate but the pump was just ok. I disliked it eventually as I didn't carry anything else that used AAAs. With batteries it was just over 100g.

The next one I tried was the Flextailgear Light Pump 2, I got it not long after their Kickstarter campaign for it back in 2018 from memory. This one didn't have a built-in battery and runs off a microUSB socket so you can use a powerbank. This one came with three nozzle attachments, but the built in nozzle fits the Sea to Summit and some Exped one way valves. This one weighed about 60g without the extra nozzles. I set it up to pump up the mat while doing something else, and I found the deflate to be handy as well so I could multitask while it deflated my mat. Not the quickest mind you.

The thing I would look out for is the flow rate if you are looking at the pumps. The LightPump 2 had a flow rate of 70L/m but with the small pump and fan, this means that you won't get the mattress to firm inflation when the pressure of the air in the mat is greater than the pumps output. So I've generally moved on to pump dry bags now - my favourite since 2018 is the JR Gear Dry Pump 25L as the nozzle fits my Klymit mat as well as the Sea to Summit one way valves.

I've now made an extension tube for the Flextailgear light pump 2 to use an electric fan for my small folding wood stove, but have used it at campfires as well.

Newer pumps with built-in batteries have higher advertised flow rates (150L/m to 300L/m) but I've not tried those out. They do weigh in the 150-250g range. Flextailgear have a few different models, and there's the Exped Widget and the new Thermarest Neoair Micro pump, and Klymit's Electric pump that I know of. Price wise, I think the Flextailgear stuff seems to be at the cheaper end of the scale depending on where you look.
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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby Buddy » Sun 03 Jul, 2022 10:52 pm

Comprehensive Keithy. Thank you!
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Re: Electric Downmat pump.

Postby Buddy » Mon 11 Jul, 2022 9:19 pm

I have opted for the Exped Widget, people. I decided to abide by the old principle that the poor man buys everything twice lol. Arrived today and is an excellent product. Even came fully charged.
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