Review: Nitecore AP01 Air Pump
The Nitecore AP01 is an ultralight air pump that uses a USB-C power bank, making it easy to inflate my sleeping pad and pillow without adding much weight to my pack.
Specs
- weight: 0.7 oz (22 g)
- inflation / deflation pressure: ±2.8 kPa
- airflow rate: 220 L/min
- price: $31.95
What I Like About It
My favorite things about the AP01 Air Pump are its tiny size and ultralight weight. At just 0.7 ounces, it’s lighter than the pump sack that came with my sleeping pad, and it’s so small that I don’t have to give much thought to where it goes in my pack.
It doesn’t have a built-in battery and instead plugs into a USB-C power bank. Since I already take a power bank on every backpacking trip, I don’t have another battery-powered item to keep charged. I also like that it uses very little of the power bank’s battery.
Inflating My Sleeping Pad
The pump comes with five different nozzles, which fit a variety of sleeping pad inflation ports. I only take the pump and nozzle that I need for my sleeping pad, leaving the rest of what is included in the package at home.
The nozzle that fits my Exped Ultra 6R Medium Wide has a silicone piece that locks into the inflate port. This is a feature I particularly like because I don’t have to hold the pump in place while my sleeping pad is inflating.
I use a Nitecore NB10000 power bank, and the pump barely uses any of its battery when inflating my sleeping pad. In timed tests, it took about 55 seconds to fully inflate my sleeping pad, which is the Exped Ultra 6R medium wide. It inflates the pad completely, so I don’t have to finish it off with a few extra puffs from my lungs.
Compared to other inflation pumps I’ve used, it isn’t the fastest, but those pumps weigh more than twice as much, are larger, and have built-in batteries. For me, the extra 30 seconds of inflation time is a worthwhile tradeoff for such a small, lightweight pump that I don’t have to recharge.
Other Uses
I also use it to inflate my backpacking pillow, and when it’s time to pack up, I can use it to deflate both my sleeping pad and pillow quickly.
Another use I’ve found for it is blowing dust off my camera when I’m on a trip. I wouldn’t take it specifically for that purpose, but it’s a useful bonus when I already have the pump with me.
My Take
This pump has become a useful addition to my backpacking kit, making inflating my sleeping pad and pillow much easier. At just 0.7 ounces, it’s so lightweight and compact that I can take it on every trip without concerns about weight or bulk.
Disclosure: this item was donated for the purpose of a review.