Using a manual pump to inflate your paddle board is an exhausting process that gets most people tired before paddling. This is why many people are asking whether it’s possible to use an air compressor to blow up a paddle board.
Using an air compressor to blow up a paddle board is possible if you have specific adaptors to connect the valves. However, the rate of inflating the board can be slow, especially if the CFM of your air compressor is on the lower end. Modern air compressors are able to inflate paddle boards in a practical and time-efficient manner.
Luckily, this trend is starting to change because of the higher performance of newer air compressor models.
In this article, we will detail how to use an air compressor to blow up paddle boards, including some essential features to look for.
What do you need to inflate a paddle board with an air compressor?
To inflate a paddle board with an air compressor, you need two things:
An energy source for the air compressor – This could be an integrated battery, an external battery, a 12V connection to your vehicle, or possibly your car’s battery.
A valve adaptor – This is crucial to connect the air end of the compressor to the paddle board. Without a tight-fitting connection, the pressurized air will leak into the atmosphere during the inflation process.
What is the best compressor to inflate SUP?
Swonder Seawolf S20Li Battery Electric SUP Pump
The Swonder Seawolf S20Li is a portable SUP air compressor that can inflate 6–7 boards on a single charge. What’s unique about this electric SUP pump is the integrated battery and the rapid rate of inflating the paddle boards.
| Pros | Cons |
| Large battery capacity (10,000 mAh) | Does not support 12V power sources |
| Can inflate more than 6 boards to 15 PSI | |
| User-friendly (only 4 buttons) | |
| Extremely fast inflation (an average of 4 minutes per board) |
Check it out by clicking here.
Tuomico SUP Electric Air Pump
The Tuomico SUP electric air pump is a high-pressure machine that’s able to generate up to 20 PSI. This property allows it to pump up a paddle board in less than 10 minutes.
This electric air pump works for paddle boards that use a universal HR valve. It also has 5 additional valve adaptors to suit paddle boards, kayaks, yoga balls, inflatable boats, pool floating, inflatable dinghy, inflatable sofas, and tents.
| Pros | Cons |
| Compatible with cigarette lighter outlet of vehicles (comes with a 12V DC connector) | |
| Can inflate up to 4 boards | |
| User-friendly (digital LCD screen) | |
| Very fast inflation (an average of 10 minutes per board) |
Check it out by clicking here.
OutdoorMaster SUP electric pump
| Pros | Cons |
| Compatible with cigarette lighter outlet of vehicles (comes with a 12V DC connector) | |
| Can inflate up to 3 boards | |
| Real-time pressure monitoring (highly accurate) | |
| Very fast inflation (an average of 10 minutes to inflate a 13’ paddle board) |
Check it out by clicking here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about air compressors and paddle boards
Can you use a compressor to inflate a paddle board?
It’s possible to use an air compressor to inflate your paddle board. The practicality and efficiency of this process mainly depend on the air compressor model and its characteristics (e.g., CFM, PSI, energy source).
How much PSI do you need to inflate a paddle board?
The recommended PSI (pounds per square inch) for inflating a paddle board generally ranges between 12 PSI and 15 PSI. However, most people stick to 12-13 PSI.
If you want to improve your stability or ride in cold waters, we recommend that you inflate your board to 15 PSI.
Note that some paddle boards list the recommended PSI.
Can you use any air pump for paddle boards?
A tire or mattress air pump does not produce enough CFM to inflate paddle boards. It’s possible for smaller air pumps to overheat when attempting to blow up paddle boards. For this reason, we recommend that you get a SUP air pump that can inflate your paddle efficiently and swiftly.
Can you inflate a kayak with a compressor?
Air compressors may not be the best option to inflate a kayak due to the risk of bursting the chamber. If you still want to use an air compressor to inflate your kayak, make sure you have the appropriate valve adaptors. Without a secure connection between the air pump and the kayak, inflation is impossible.
Takeaway message
Using an air compressor to blow up paddle boards is tricky; however, the newer air compressor models may facilitate this process and reduce the required time for inflation.
Hopefully, this post managed to successfully answer whether you can use an air compressor to blow up a paddle board.
If you have any experience in using air compressors to inflate paddle boards, please do not hesitate to share your story in the comment section below.
