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What sucks worse than getting stuck in mud? Getting out of it with a flat tire!
It’s a great idea to get yourself a portable compressor so you always have something handy when you’re out and about.
And there are plenty of great options to inflate your tire at a reasonable price.
Let’s take a look at the 4 Best Portable Air Pumps for ATVs:
1. V1 Motor Portable Mini Air Compressor for ATV
Holy moly if you’re looking for something that is incredibly small and light, V1 Motors Mini Air Compressor is your best bet.
Coming in at only 3/4ths of a lb on the scale. This is the on the road insurance policy that you can fit nearly anywhere.
The hose on this is 26″ and it can connect to your ATV with the 12V adapter or alligator clips. No dc outlet required!
There are a few minor downsides of course. One, this is going to require some type of bag to shield it from the elements. And two, the wires can get a bit.. tangly. But seeing how portable this is, we think this thing is awesome.
2. EPAuto 12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump, Digital Tire Inflator
If you happen to have a dc volt add-on for your ATV, we thought we’d give you the most heavy-duty choice on the list first!
This is a portable compressor of course, but it will require a power source. Others in this list will not, specifically our #3 option.
The EPAuto compressor has a nifty digital display and they’ve even included a few adapters. Its portability comes in really handy and you’ll probably end up using this for multiple things besides your tires.
This has auto-shut off programming as well. Just enter your desired pressure and it will fill to that level. It does cost a bit more but it has all those fancy bells and whistles so you know why.
2. Audew Portable Tire Inflator, Mini Air Compressor - Easy Carry Tire Pump with Gauge, 12V DC Auto Tire Inflator for Car, Bicycle, Motorcycle, SUV,Basketball and Other Inflatables
The Audew Portable Inflator has a solid plastic housing and will plug into any DC outlet.
What we like best about this unit is how neatly everything tucks away. There are actual grooves in the back(not pictured) for you to store the adapters for your tires.
It’s also capable of pumping out up to 100 PSI. The main limitation that all of these adapters have being tiny, is that it will take a while to get to that pressure. But, we figure if you’re stuck somewhere you won’t mind!
This is in a similar price range to other units and we think it’s a good value. If you’d like an option that doesn’t require a DC outlet, look above at the V1 Motor Compressor.
4. Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor
Viair is one of the top brands when it comes to air compressors for all vehicle types.
This composite design features a metal/plastic fusion that will connect to any 12 Volt outlet and it draws 20 Amps.
Your engine needs to be on for this to work and it can also connect using the alligator clips. Use the LED indication to set your preferred PSI.
There is a gauge to measure tire pressure on top of the unit. This is the heaviest and biggest unit of anything we’ve reviewed, it’s nearly 5 lbs. With the longest hose of any units as well, at 16 feet.
Unfortunately it doesn’t come with a carrying case! It has some negatives and positives but the 88P Compressor is still a handy little unit with glowing reviews.
Why get an Air Pump for your ATV?
If you have newer tires and are familiar with where you’re driving – chances are you’ll never need one. But, if you tend to go offroading in new spots or your tires are a bit worn down then it’s a pretty great thing to have. For me, it’s a comfort of mind thing.
I don’t necessarily need a lot of emergency stuff in life, but damn do I feel better when I have them. Kind of like my seatbelt.
Plus, many of the options today are so small and affordable that it’s just a smart thing to do. You can pick up one of the higher quality pumps for under 40 bucks and still have it a decade later.
How do Portable Tire Pumps get electricity?
Slap that baby in a wall socket! Most of the time, this will work fine.
As for how they connect to your ATV battery they connect directly with cables. It depends on each compressor how you’re going to supply the juice, though. Most that we listed use a 12v plug, alligator clips or a rechargeable battery. A few of them have multiple ways to charge.
What's something to get "just in case"?
If you want something extremely portable that could fit in your pocket, there is the slime emergency repair kit. It’s not a long-term solution like having an air compressor but it comes with 3 cartridges, plugs, an adapter, and tools to stop the damage if a tire is punctured. It’ll get you back home.
The usual tire will take all 3 air canisters so you might want to bring more with you. This will also fit in a Ziplock bag if you want to keep the elements out. The case is pretty nice but not waterproof.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you make your mind up on a portable air compressor for your ATV! We think there are plenty of great options available, with some being more catered to having a garage and others specifically to take with you on a trail.
For us the best value is the V1 Motor Compressor. It’s small, portable, and while not the cheapest, we like that it uses alligator clips so you don’t need a dc outlet.
If you end up picking something from this list, let us know how it works out. And thank you for stopping by.
Conor
I'm the owner of Beast Auto. I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I love anything automotive related, and taking road trips all across my beautiful state.