Get Pumped: A Guide to BOTE Pumps
The BOTE mantra has always been that ‘we build gear for us’. So you can imagine it wasn’t long after we perfected the solid paddle board that we expanded our horizons to support the pack-and-go lifestyle with inflatable paddle boards, kayaks, docks, and seating, including chairs and couches--that’s right, we made an Aero Couch!
Each of our inflatable products is designed with AeroBOTE or AeroULTRA technology that is surprisingly soft and malleable when deflated, and extremely rigid and strong when inflated. That means everything from inflatable SUPs to Aero docks and chairs can fold down into small, compact spaces when not in use. While many can be inflated with a hand pump--it’s included with the product if it’s compatible--items can be inflated more efficiently with some of our other Aero pump systems.
We also believe the more you know about something, the better you rock it and the more you enjoy it. There’s nothing worse than investing in an awesome inflatable something only to find yourself scratching your head and saying, “how the hell am I supposed to inflate this thing?” or “how can I inflate this as fast as possible?”.
Well, it’s time to get pumped, AeroBOTE pumped. Consider this your launchpad to understand the difference between each of our BOTE pumps, including the foot pump, the hand pump, and the AeroPump. Each pump was designed to support one or more AeroBOTE items, so read on to find out which pump is right for your personal fleet of BOTE inflatable products.
The Aero Foot Pump
Best for: Aero Chairs
The Aero Foot Pump gets its street cred for being incredibly compact and portable, while still giving high pressure to get your inflatables up and operating in no time. We recommend the foot pump for our Aero Chairs for a couple reasons. 1.) It’s a manual pump, so best to do the smaller stuff with your foot pump, and save your bigger inflatables for an electric pump, like the AeroPump. And 2.) Since the foot pump doesn’t have a PSI Meter, it’s best used to inflate things that focus more on your comfort preference, and not on a hard fast PSI recommendation.
Due to its compactness, the Aero Foot Pump is also great if you plan to venture far out into the wilderness before pumping up your inflatable. With a clasp on the hose to store it flat, this easy-to-transport pump can hitchhike a ride with you and your inflatable while you traverse to your secret fishing hole.
“We love how Convenient and quick the foot pump is! Works amazing for the boat and on the go travel.”
– Beth F.
HOW TO USE YOUR AERO FOOT PUMP
The first thing you need to know is the foot pump has a separate inflation and deflation port that the hose can be attached to, so if you’re inflating, you want to attach the hose firmly to the inflation port. Then attach the other end of the hose to your AeroBOTE inflatable.
Note: Each AeroBOTE inflatable comes with its own valve attachment instructions, so you’re going to want to read those as well to ensure you attach the hose to your inflatable correctly.
Make sure you have the foot pump on a level surface. Pump steadily and don’t use extreme force. It’s the consistent and steady movement that’s going to get your inflatable, well, inflated the quickest.
Don’t over inflate. Our chairs and couches are all about your preference, from soft to sturdy. If you feel your Aero Chair is ready to go, take a moment to sit back, relax, and confirm it’s inflated to your liking. Once you feel that, you’re ready to roll.
To deflate your inflatable with the Aero Foot Pump, simply attach the hose to the deflation port on your pump and use a steady pump movement with your foot to shrink your inflatable back to a packable position.
The hand Pump
Best for: Aero Couch, Inflatable Paddle Boards, Kayaks, and Docks
If you’re looking to give your calves a break and work the biceps, the Aero Hand Pump is a great alternative and a step up from the foot pump. Available in black or white, the hand pump is perfect for our inflatable couch, paddle boards, kayaks, and docks.
An added bonus to the Aero Hand Pump is the PSI Meter, so you can confidently know when your inflatable is ready to hit the water or get its lounge on. Plus, it’s design makes it the go-to compact companion to your inflatable gear, especially when traveling longer distances to your preferred water source.
“It does the job to inflate and deflate the board. It’s a workout but it’s a good one.”
– Kristin H.
HOW TO USE YOUR AERO HAND PUMP
Here at BOTE, we want to make sure you look like a pro each and every time you inflate your AeroBOTE inflatable, so we made this quick video demo on how to use the Aero Hand Pump on our Aero SUP boards. Seriously, it’s less than 30 seconds, but if you’re not interested, here’s the rundown:
The Aero Hand Pump has separate inflation and deflation ports, so make sure to attach the hose to the inflation port and attach the other end of the hose to your inflatable. Again, each inflatable comes with its own valve attachment instructions, so read those to assure you attach the hose to your inflatable correctly.
Our hand pump comes with a gear switch, allowing you to pump air into your inflatable on both the upstroke and downstroke or just the downstroke for an easier (but longer) inflation. The handy PSI meter will register once it hits 5 PSI, so pump away until you reach your desired and recommended PSI level for your inflatable.
To deflate, attach the hose to the deflation port, and just like you inflated it, deflate it until it’s ready to be packed away.
The aeropump auto electric pump
Best for: Inflatable Paddle Boards, Kayaks, and Docks
The most badass of pumps is our AeroPump Auto Electric Pump. Inflating up to 20 PSI, this mother of pumps is what you want to have in hand when inflating our inflatable paddle boards, kayaks and docks. Powered by a car charger or battery clamp, inflating is as simple as unrolling your inflatable, hooking it up, and dreaming about what your lore will bring in while the AeroPump does the work.
This lux electric pump comes equipped with a non-kinking hose and a PSI dial, allowing you to set your preferred PSI before you even start. So when we say to kick back and relax, we mean it. Watch or read how:
“Inflated my Deus very fast! Started out in low pressure/fill mode then switched into compressor mode! Pressure switch turned the pump off automatically at the set pressure. Well worth the price!”
– E.J. Sigety
HOW TO USE YOUR AEROPUMP
Like all our pumps, the AeroPump has both inflation and deflation ports, so make sure you have the hose hooked up to the right port already! And read the separate valve instructions for your inflatable. Okay, now onto the cool shit.
Set the PSI Dial to the recommended PSI level for your inflatable and press the ‘ON’ button. When the PSI Meter reaches the set PSI Dial, the pump will automatically shut off. How cool is that? A couple of things to note about the PSI Meter:
1. The dial will not register until it hits 5 PSI, so don’t fret if you don’t see movement the moment it starts inflating.
2. When the pump reaches 7 PSI, it kicks into second gear, which means it’s working hard to get your inflatable pumped, but may become louder and with more vibration. Totally normal.
Ready to deflate? You get down a ladder the same way you get up it, right? We hope so, at least. Same concept here. Attached the hose to the deflation port, switch on and watch your inflatable shrink down.
Still have questions? No problem. Call us directly, send us a message on our social channels, or chat with us via our website at any time to learn more about our pumps. We’re here to help, and we’re pumped about it.