Lasfit Air - Portable Tire Inflator (and General Air Compressor Options)
TLDR: Wireless and portable air compressors are a super convenient option for inflating tires, and the new Lasfit Portable Tire Inflator is a great option that is worth a try.
General Air Compressor Overview Everyone knows airing down tires is a must for off roading but highway driving afterwards with low tire pressure is not ideal or safe. Luckily there are several options for airing up tires while off the beaten path. Some of these options include: 1. Air Compressor and Power Source - We are all familiar with the standard pancake air compressors that are found in homes across America. Some 4Runner owners carry around a generator or some form of power source that can supply enough power to run these types of air compressors. This may be a quick solution if you already have a smaller home air compressor and plan to carry around a generator, but it will take up lots of space inside the 4Runner and will be a hassle to set up. 2. Portable CO2/Nitrogen Tanks - Air tanks are arguably the fastest way to air up tires. Reminiscent of scuba diver tanks, they are typically pressurized with CO2 or nitrogen and can quickly transfer air to your tires. Unfortunately, they need to be refilled after a few uses, which adds a monthly/yearly cost, depending on how often you need to air up. These tanks can't be stored outside of the 4Runner because the environment will naturally deteriorate the tank, especially UV rays which deteriorate rubber seals. Storing them in the vehicle is the best option, however it robs storage space for other gear. I wouldn't personally do this, as I'd be concerned about the tanks rupturing in the case of an accident. 3. Portable Air Compressors - Portable compressors come in several varieties, ranging from corded to battery powered. Their compact size and ease of use make them a very popular option to throw in a vehicle. The major downside of these is the time it takes to air up tires. a. Corded options can be found which connect to the 12V sockets or directly to the battery with alligator clamps. These are fairly compact, but the cord can become damaged over time and the alligator clamp varieties are bothersome and inconvenient. Models appropriate for larger tires also cost a premium, especially from big name brands.4. Onboard Air - There are a few options to install onboard air, most of which entail hard mounting a portable air compressor in the engine bay. This is a convenient, out of sight option to store the air compressor but heat from the engine and partial exposure to the elements may decrease the overall life of the compressor. It can also be a complex install, especially if you choose to hard mount air hoses near each tire location. For those looking to install air lockers or to save every cubic inch of storage on the interior, this is the obvious solution, but most don't need the added complexity. Everyone will have different needs and wants for airing up tires. Those looking for the quickest inflation should go for the air tank. For those with air lockers, onboard air is the only option. Anyone not needing to show off their engine bay compressor mount will likely find the portable compressor is a good solution, especially the weekend warriors. I personally have been using a 12V socket Husky air compressor for about a year now because it was cheap-ish and convenient to purchase at my local home improvement store when I was in a pinch. But I am tired of the cord and it was time to upgrade. In my case, the portable compressors are all I need. Lasfit recently released a compact battery powered tire inflator and since I have been very happy with Lasfit products in the past, this was a natural choice. Lasfit Air - Portable Tire Inflator Lasfit recently released three different tire inflators. The first is an ultra compact, small tire and ball inflator. This is intended for inflating bicycle/motorcycle tires and sports balls (such as soccer balls, basketballs, etc.). The next is slightly larger inflator intended for normal car tires (coupes and sedans) along with the other items listed for the small inflator. The last option is their dual cylinder inflator intended for larger tires, such as those on the 4Runner, which I will be focusing on for this thread. The dual cylinder inflator is marketed towards off road vehicles and seems to have the specs to back it up. With a max psi rating of 150 and a 20 minute duty cycle, it should be perfect for airing up at the end of the trails or topping off in the cold winter months. The website does not list a flow rate, but the box says 50L/min, which is about 1.75 cubic feet per minute. Some of the other nice features this inflator boasts is an LED light and a 12V socket power cord, in case the battery dies and you still need to air up. It also has USB ports that can be used as a battery bank to charge mobile devices and comes with various fittings to inflate tires, balls, etc. Here is a link to the product page: LASFIT Tire Inflator for Heavy Duty Pickup Trucks Initial Impressions The inflator shipped quickly via FedEx. Compared to other Lasfit products, I noticed the box was a bit crushed, but it is likely the result of FedEx mishandling it during the holiday season rush. Regardless, the inflator was protected by the case inside the box. Everything comes nicely packaged in the case, which means it can all be stored together to avoid misplacing parts. It comes with the inflator itself, two air hoses (red and black), four air fittings (presta valve, schrader/standard valve, needle, and multi-purpose), a USB charging cable, a 12 volt socket cord, and instructions. The inflator does have some weight to it, but I would not call it unreasonable. It has a predominantly matte finish aside from the screen. There is also a nice cutout on the bottom to store the different air fittings. Turning on the inflator is as simple as holding the power button for about 4 seconds which lights up the screen. You can then change modes which have a set psi range, or you can adjust the final pressure with the +/- buttons. The air hose connects to the inflator with a quarter twist, making it extremely convenient to assemble. When everything is connected, just hit the power button to start inflating and it will turn off once the desired pressure is reached. I received the inflator about a week ago and it came just in time to top off the tires for the winter. The colder temps in NY tend to throw TPMS lights on the dash and this was the perfect opportunity to test the Lasfit inflator. I started by inflating the 4Runner's tires from 26psi to 28psi. I have Baja Boss SL 285s which require less pressure than LT tires, which took no time at all. I also topped off my wife's Lexus which is currently on winter tires and requires 35psi. Since neither of these was a challenge, I decided to give it a better test and deflated one of my 285s to 15 psi and bring it back to 28psi. This took just 3 minutes and 23 seconds to complete. The inflator barely used 2 bars of battery to inflate my 4Runner tires, my wife's tires on her Lexus, and conduct the 15psi test. I can definitely see it being able to air up all 4 tires at the end of the trail. Here are a few thoughts after my short time with the inflator: - Battery Life - Based on my current experience, the battery life seems to be great. Even if the battery dies, it comes with a 12-volt socket extension cable to fill up in a pinch. The only time I see myself using this is when I forget to charge the inflator or if I need to fill up multiple times in a day.Overall, I am very pleased with the inflator. It seems to be everything I expected and fits my needs. As mentioned above, if you are looking for the fastest inflation time or a flashy on-board-air system, then a portable air compressor may not be for you. But if you are the average 4Runner owner and just want a convenient way to air up after the trails, then this Lasfit inflator is worth a try. I'll plan to update this thread if anything changes. For now, here are some photos: This is how the box came after it was removed from the FedEx bubble wrap envelope. It is slightly beat up but the protective case inside kept the inflator safe. https://i.imgur.com/A8BN2zn.jpg Everything nicely stored inside the protective case. https://i.imgur.com/IFIegCO.jpg This is the contents. Note the charging cable and the 12 volt socket cable, as well as the two air hoses. https://i.imgur.com/9L3j0Pv.jpg These are the four different fittings that come with the inflator. https://i.imgur.com/hxfO6v5.jpg There is a nice storage compartment at the back to store the fittings. https://i.imgur.com/bxj1XOg.jpg Powering it on for the first time and going through a few of the preset pressure modes. https://i.imgur.com/fu4uWnq.jpg https://i.imgur.com/QVyfexz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/oiSojIT.jpg Here is the inflator connected to my 285 tire. Note the air hose has a bit of slack to accommodate even larger tires. https://i.imgur.com/uO6eljQ.jpg I started by topping off the tires from 26-28 psi and the inflator stopped as it reached 28 psi. https://i.imgur.com/598So7T.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Ik1QTkY.jpg Also filling up my wife's winter tires on the Lexus. https://i.imgur.com/7sXVOBf.jpg This is the 15psi test. Notice the 15psi on the analog gauge matches the 15psi (top number) on the inflator. https://i.imgur.com/loc2EJE.jpg Inflating to 28 psi only took 3 minutes and 23 seconds. https://i.imgur.com/lewcB3R.jpg The analog gauge shows a slightly higher pressure but some error should be expected. https://i.imgur.com/jKQMf64.jpg This is where I am currently storing the inflator with an analog pressure gauge wedged in to prevent sliding. The case fits nicely in the tray above the driver side rear wheel. https://i.imgur.com/JlLYbDQ.jpg This is the inflator size compared to my Husky compressor. https://i.imgur.com/egYKd6t.jpg https://i.imgur.com/g1Hj9D6.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qkMv9Jc.jpg https://i.imgur.com/cAc8wnP.jpg |
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i received one of these in the mail, they are pretty neat.
I filled 4 x 34 inch tires from 20 to 35 with some battery life to spare. I wanna say they are just as fast as my single ARB compressor that I have hard mounted under the hood. I do like the form factor though, and the ability to walk around to a different tire without having to drag my hose around. Pros: 1. its fast, 4 min per tire, give or take. 2. can air up at least 4 tires from 20 to 35 without running out of batteries. 3. can use cigarette plug / 12 volt to continuously run it. You do NOT have to rely on the battery pack for this unit to work. 4. can compete as a stand alone unit, or an ancillary unit to another hard mounted unit (back up unit). 5. seems well built and rugged. 6. comes in its own carrying case. 7. gives you your tire PSI. 8. comes with all the accessories (except for wall charger), in a carrying case. 9. great form factor. NO more huge hose to lug around. 10. no need to connect to your car battery for it to work but uses a cigarette outlet instead. Cons: 1. its no quieter or louder than any other compressor on the market. 2. it doesnt include a USB wall charger. 3. Has to be a 5v/2.1a USB wall charger (luckily they are cheap), or you will get weird battery display behaviors. Overall: I do like it alot. Mainly because i can run it via a cigarette adapter, or I can use the battery pack. The form factor makes it way more versatile than a hard mounted unit, because you can move it from vehicle to vehicle, and you don't need additional accessories. |
I have the Milwaukee M12 and M18 Inflators. The M18 inflator is great! I have taken it with me many times. I have aired down my tires to ~10-12 PSIG while playing on the sand at the beach. At the end of the day, just before getting back on the road, inflated all 4 tires back to 35 PSIG in about 10-15 Minutes.
I would highly recommend, especially if already invested in the Milwaukee M18 tool line. The M12 inflator is smaller, but slower. It is ok. I mainly use it for smaller inflation jobs (bicycles, wagon wheels... etc). |
I guess I'd be more inclined to view this thread favorably, if the reviewers acknowledged the fact that they were given the unit, in exchange for the "Review".
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