The Hi-Tech, Portable Camping Gadget Outdoor Enthusiasts Will Want To Pack On Every Trip

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Your outdoor gear can make or break a camping trip, whether you're car camping in your home state or backpacking at a bucket-list outdoor destination halfway across the globe. One handy piece of hi-tech gear that Redditors have recommended in recent years is a small portable automatic air pump — a solution to that dreaded problem of inflating and deflating air mattresses while in camp. These pumps are small enough to hang on a backpack or fit in a coat pocket but powerful enough to inflate a single camping mattress in less than a minute. "I love these things," said a Redditor on the r/CampingGear thread. "I was laughed at by my wife when I first told her about it. Then she had to swallow her pride and ask to use it as I pulled out my book and began to read while she was still inflating her pad." 

These portable air pumps differ from expensive and unnecessary outdoor gadgets like fancy multi-tools, which can come with more than 70 different attachments. While multi-tools' sharp knives are useful for preparing food and cutting rope, when was the last time you whipped out that watch opener or pharmaceutical spatula in the backcountry? Portable air pumps, on the other hand, are highly practical, as they save campers time, energy — and that priceless resource known as breath — when they're setting up and breaking down their camps. What's more, these pumps boast a variety of other uses in outdoor and travel settings: blowing air on kindling to help start campfires; inflating and deflating water toys like pool rings, floaties, and rafts; and deflating vacuum storage bags to save space in backpacks, duffel bags, and suitcases.

One popular product in the portable air pump category is Flextailgear's Ultra-light & Tiny Air Pump, which has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars across more than 10,000 Amazon reviews. Palm-sized and weighing only 2.8 ounces, the pump definitely qualifies as small and is very easy to operate via a small button. It's also surprisingly affordable, retailing for approximately $23 on Amazon. This particular pump comes with five different nozzles to allow a secure attachment to most sleeping pads, air mattresses, inflatable beds, inflatable furniture, pool toys, and vacuum bags (however, not car tires). The pump is capable of inflating 6 to 8 single camping air mattresses in a single charge and is rechargeable by a USB-C port through connection to a power bank, laptop, car charger, or power adapter.

Flextailgear also sells portable automatic air pumps with advanced features, like low noise operation and extended run times. One such model, the Tiny Pump 3X Portable Air Pump for Inflatables, doubles as a camping lantern, with five different lighting modes to serve a range of purposes in the outdoors and around the home. This model currently retails for around $40 on Amazon. Another best-selling portable air pump with built-in lantern features is Etenwolf's AIR 3 Air Pump for Inflatables with 2600mAh Battery & Camping Light. Looking for more inexpensive ways to upgrade your camping adventure? Add a few lower-tech gadgets to your camping list, like portable showers and drying racks to keep you and your clothes sweet-smelling throughout your trip, and glow sticks to add some color to a campsite.