What’s worse than getting stuck in the 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 have a look at the best ATV tire inflators on the market
V1 Motor Portable Mini Air Compressor
Best Overall
Pros
- Compact
- easy to operate
Cons
- limited power due to size
12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump
Budget option
Pros
- Affordable
Cons
- Can get a bit tangly
Cordless Tire Inflator Air Pump
Premium option
Pros
- Great all around option
Cons
- Can run out of battery
These are suitable for people that enjoy going offroading. If you have been offroading before, these pumps are worth their weight in gold, and I’ll tell you why. If you get bogged, the best way to get out of that situation is to let down your tire pressure.
This increases your tire’s surface area and provides more grip for your ATV to have the chance of getting out. However, once you are unstuck, your tires don’t automatically reinflate, so that’s where you will need a portable air pump.
Let’s take a look at the 6 Best Portable Air Pumps for ATVs:
V1 Motor Portable Mini Air Compressor
If you’re looking for something incredibly small and light, V1 Motors Mini Air Compressor is your best bet.
Coming in at only 3/4ths of an lb on the scale.
This is the on-the-road insurance policy that you can fit nearly anywhere.
The hose on this is 26 inches, and it can connect to your ATV with the 12V adapter or alligator clips. No dc outlet required!
This air compressor has multiply adaptors so it can fit onto a range of different valves. There are a few minor downsides. Of course, the wires can get a bit tangly. But seeing how portable this is, we think this thing is incredible.
It comes in a little bag to pack everything away and keep it all together. This will need to fit a power source, and the adaptors for this come in the package. Keep in mind that it is one of the smallest on the market, so while it’s great for storage, the time it will take to inflate your tires will be more significant compared to a larger, more powerful pump.
12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump
This portable air pump has more impressive features than the one above; however, it is not as small, but it makes up for that in other areas.
Let me explain. It’s cheaper than the one above and has a screen that allows you to adjust the pressure you want to achieve.
Additionally, it comes in its own carry bag, as a manual switch and multiple attachments for inflating different ATV tires. It can be used to inflate not only tires but soccer and rugby balls etc.
This has auto-shut-off programming as well. Just enter your desired pressure, and it will fill to that level. Lastly, in case you are doing this in the dark, it has a flashlight installed as an extra touch.
Cordless Tire Inflator Air Pump
This drill-like handheld tire inflation is a different look. Its lightweight at 3.3 pounds and carries similar features to a drill. It has a rechargeable battery, so no cables are needed.
The operation of this is similar to operating a drill. The trigger starts up the Compressor.
It has a light on it for operation in the dark. It’s worth noting that purchasing a second battery might be a good idea because it only comes with one battery if you plan to inflate tires from flat. The max pressure is 140 psi, which is good for a tire pump this size.
Heavy Duty Portable 12V Air Compressor Kit
The Audew Portable Inflator has a solid plastic housing and will clip onto any 12v Battery. 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 has a psi guige.
It’s also capable of pumping out up to 100 PSI, not that you will ever need that much pressure in your ATV tires. 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, something is better than nothing. It has a Powerful Motor: 540W Oil-Less Direct Drive Motor. It has a maximum cycle of 40 minutes. This is common amongst small air compressors as the motor has to work in overdrive, putting that much pressure into tires, so cooling time is normal.
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 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 unit as well, at 16 feet.
Fortunately, it comes with a carrying case! It has some negatives, but the 88P Compressor is still a handy little unit with solid reviews to back up its performance. It has an easy-to-read gauge and comes with overheat protection that shuts off the device when it nears 167 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to car tires, it works on bikes and comes with a needle valve for balls and cone adaptors for pool toys and inflatable kayaks or SUPs.
Standard-Duty Low-Speed Tire Buffer Kit
This last one is a manual tire inflator that doesn’t require any battery power. Having one of these around is excellent if you don’t have the 12v facility around. By no means is it easy to operate.
If you are pumping up a tire from a flat, you need to put in some elbow grease. It’s a great emergency option and can be used for other inflation items, not just tires.
What to look for when buying a tire inflator
When purchasing an ATV tire inflator, there are a few things you should check. Make sure the length of the cord and the tube will reach all your tires from the battery when it’s plugged in. It’s no good only bei9ng able to inflate the front 2 tires. Make sure the Compressor is compatible with the battery in your ATV and that the battery in your ATV can be accessed so you can clip on the leads for the Compressor. Lastly, make sure the Compressor is capable of providing the desired PSI. All the ones we reviewed are cap[able of pumping up ATV tires.
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 piece 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. It can also inflate other things around the house, so it will hardly go unused.
How do Portable Tire Pumps get electricity?
They operate from the battery of vehicles. 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 power, though. Most that we listed use alligator clips straight onto the battery terminals. 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, the slime emergency repair kit is available. 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.
Our final say on ATV air compressors
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.
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