Talking of tyre inflators, Antigravity provided me with their very compact Air Pump to test. Compared to my trusty Cycle Pump inflator (with its external pressure gauge), the Antigravity pump is very compact and lightweight, fitting unobtrusively under the seat of my Tiger 800 alongside the Micro-Start Sport. It runs off the 12V socket, but can also be powered from an XP-1 via a short power cable.
There is an obvious pay-off from being so small - it shifts less air and is therefore slower. This is mitigated by including a threaded nozzle on the inflator hose, which allows the hose to be attached to the tyre valve; screw it on, fire it up and then leave it until the integrated pressure gauge tells you to stop.
The body of the pump is plastic. This keeps it light but may mean the pump is vulnerable to the heavy and sustained abuse can be expected from a six-month overland trip. I’d want to test it over a more protracted period of time before deciding if it is up to such rigours, but as a back-up pump which can be left under the seat, it is an excellent option.
Some final words of advice. Antigravity’s success and popularity has led to many fakes appearing on the Internet. You can find what looks like Antigravity Micro-Starts for very reduced prices on Amazon. You’ll also find several one-star reviews on the same site claiming the batteries blew up or failed to hold their charge. These instances are almost certainly the fake batteries. Shop carefully to ensure you buy a genuine product.
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ENDS