General information on electric pumps
A distinction is made between electric pumps with and without a battery. The battery makes a significant difference in terms of weight and price. Models without a battery are usually supplied with power via the car's cigarette lighter.
Advantages of pumps with battery:
- Can be used anywhere
- Quickly ready for use on site without cable clutter
Advantages of pumps without battery:
- More favourable
- Lighter
- Ready for use at any time
- No battery fatigue
There are also models with compressor only and those with fan and compressor in one housing.For models with compressor and blower the board is first filled with air very quickly using the blower with a high air flow (about one minute) and then the device switches to the compressor for high pressure.Appliances without fan function take significantly longer in the first phase.
All electric pumps sometimes cause considerable noise. By inflating at the car park, possibly even with the pump in the car with the door ajar, unnecessary nuisance can be reduced. At some beach access points, use is already expressly prohibited.
Test results of the STX pump:
The STX pump is supplied in a compact, padded carrying case in which all accessories including the hose can be easily stowed away. The two charging cables (for 220 volts and for 12 volts in the car) even fit into a small integrated compartment in the pump housing. However, the cables must be wound up properly for this. The desired pressure is set in advance and is easy to read on the large display, the pressure hose is sufficiently long at 1.10 metres. At the start, the blower starts up first and fills the board completely with air in a good minute with the sound of a hairdryer. Then the second stage, compressor mode, kicks in. With a sonorous, low-frequency hum, the pump then completes the usually strenuous part of the work in just over ten minutes to our standard pressure of 15 psi. The control measurement with an external pressure gauge confirms that the pressure is actually only slightly lower.
If maximum stiffness is important, the pump can continue to operate up to a pressure of 20 psi. This is a pressure suitable for racing, which is difficult to achieve with a hand pump. Here, too, the subsequent measurement confirms that the pump is not cheating and also shows 19.7 psi on an external pressure gauge.
As extras, the pump offers a USB port and functions as a power bank, and there is also an integrated bright LED light.
surf conclusion: A fast pump with very good features and very high achievable pressure, which quickly refuels three SUPs or five wingfoil boards with high pressure. The noise level is even - slightly - below the usual average value.
- Inflation up to 15 psi (Reference board 12'6" x 30")10:30 minutes
- Maximum achievable pressure (measured): 19.7 psi
- Volume(measured at a distance of 1 metre):65/80 dB (fan/compressor), both slightly below average noise level.
- Number of boards per battery charge: 3 touring SUPs or 5-6 wingfoil boards at 15 psi
- Accessories: Integrated battery, charger, pannier
Price and purchase: STX 199 Euro (incl. integrated battery)
