My new kite pump arrived this week and I got a chance to try it out yesterday at Lake Waconia. My old pump had a leaky hose taped on with electrical tape, and extensive wear such that it would only pump air on the downstroke rather than up and down stroke.
The pump I got is called the WMFG 1.0 T Pump which stands for Waterman’s Manufacturing 1.0 “Tall”pump. The idea is that the taller pump is easier on the back and easier to apply downward pressure without having to bend knees and back as much, as well as the added air volume of the larger chamber.
At first glance, the pump isn’t that much larger, the diameter is the same but the height is about 6 inches taller.
I rolled out my 12 meter and attached the pump. It seemed like only about 30 seconds and my kite was fully pumped up. I had hardly put any effort into it but my kite was fully pumped and the gauge was showing 7 PSI, kite was firm and ready to go. Later, I pumped up my 17 Meter kite with ease and even let a friend pump up his 15 Meter Turbine in record time.
There’s a relief valve on the side that you can uncap if you want to only do downstrokes. This can come in handy when you reach high pressure and don’t want to put strain on your back on the upstroke. The ergonomic hand grips were easy on the palms as well.
There was an extra bag of nozzle attachments that should fit every kite ever produced. The hose screws on like a garden hose which eliminates the hose popping off after the tabs break off on conventional kite pumps. WMFG really did their homework on this and it shows. The pump is an often overlooked piece of equipment but it’s one of the most important. Even the pump leash has a special hook that doesn’t fall off when it’s windy. It’s as if WMFG interviewed every kiter and put the results into this perfect pump.
I guess I should talk about the Bad, but there really isn’t any other than it’s huge and might be difficult to fit in a travel bag, but all in all, I’m very happy with this pump. I got mine from Mac Kiteboarding for $60 and it’s worth every penny. If you’re in need of a new pump or want to increase your time on the water, this pump will get you there.
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