gas station air pumps

Another VAir user here
Pricy but works well

Are a pain in the ass.

I have a Viair 200psi Model that travels with me.

Thanks for all the replies. The truck stop lanes seem the best when traveling. I do have a 110V air compressor ( 3 gallon 100psi 1/3 HP Harbour freight) which i run off my invertor if needs be, but find it takes a long time after about 66 psi but glad to have it as it has got me out of problems even if taking a long time.
Good to read the types of compressors other people use and wish i had brought a 135 psi model now

local tire shop does for us. I bought some tires from them years ago, now just pull in and they take care of it for me. In other places, I have found most tire stores will do it, either free or at minimal cost. Also, most big truck stops will take care of it for you, but there may be a wait.

I have a Dual voltage inflator. 12 volt dc or 120 VAC so it can be used anywhere. Works well and much quieter than my prior one. 80 psi on a pickup tire as fast as the quarter snatchers at a gas station. Never tried it for 120psi but its rated for 130.


$50 at Lowes
Kobalt inflator

It also has a set and walkaway ability, it will shut off at whatever pressure you set.
I wouldn't expect it to last for years in a commercial shop, but for occasional use it seems to do well.

DrewE wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
A cheap Walmart inflator is rated for 130 psi.

Just buy one and carry it with you. You'll alway need one. The other, to always check balanced air pressures on all your tires after several hundred miles or in severely fluctuating weather conditions.

They say 130 psi, but if you need to add more than a couple pounds to a large tire you'll be waiting for a very long time (and the cheap inflators are not designed or rated for continuous usage). Even a standard car tire takes a decent length of time to inflate with one of them. The high pressure rating is perhaps useful with things like road bicycles where the volume of air required is pretty minimal.

I carry a small 120V compressor, a Fini AirBoss, which does very nicely at putting air in the tires while not being too large or heavy.

That's funny! As a "just in case" I bought one of those +130 psi 12 V. battery powered portable compressors (with clamps) at WalMart. Well, the need finally did arise and I wanted to top off my one of my 19.5" Goodyear G670's from 80 to 85 psi. After 10 minutes I was up a whopping 2 psi. That's when the brand new "compressor" started to struggle. First came the electrical burning smell, . . . . then the smoke. Then, . . . . it was all over. I returned the compressor the next day. No questions asked.

Chum lee

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
A cheap Walmart inflator is rated for 130 psi.

Just buy one and carry it with you. You'll alway need one. The other, to always check balanced air pressures on all your tires after several hundred miles or in severely fluctuating weather conditions.

They say 130 psi, but if you need to add more than a couple pounds to a large tire you'll be waiting for a very long time (and the cheap inflators are not designed or rated for continuous usage). Even a standard car tire takes a decent length of time to inflate with one of them. The high pressure rating is perhaps useful with things like road bicycles where the volume of air required is pretty minimal.

I carry a small 120V compressor, a Fini AirBoss, which does very nicely at putting air in the tires while not being too large or heavy.

I use a 12 volt MV-50 inflator (amazon). Not as fast as a 175psi service station but I can fill at my leisure right at camp or just a few minutes on the road if needed.

If you consider a 12v get one that clamps on the battery only. Anything with a cigar plug is weak.

A cheap Walmart inflator is rated for 130 psi.

Just buy one and carry it with you. You'll alway need one. The other, to always check balanced air pressures on all your tires after several hundred miles or in severely fluctuating weather conditions.

I carry a Sears Craftsman tankless 2hp compressor. It takes up minimal space and will air up my 22.5 tires in a couple of minutes. I've had it for several years and don't know if Sears even sells this one anymore.