iSUPWorld Review: Whale iSUP Electric Pump With Rechargeable Battery

Repost from iSUP World

Ask almost anyone with an inflatable paddle board and they will tell you that it’s totally worth it to get an electric pump to inflate your SUP.

The type of electric pump you get really matters as not all work great with paddle boards. Most electric pumps connect to the 12V DC connector in your vehicle or to the battery in your car.

However what if you want to inflate your board away from your vehicle? In that case you need a pump with a rechargeable battery.

I just started using the Whale pump this year and I’ve been really impressed with it. It’s made by Outdoormaster, the same company that also sells the extremely popular Shark II Electric Pump (Shop on Amazon).

The Whale is super easy to use and comes with some great features.

DEAL ALERT

We have a special coupon code that you can use to save 10% off the Whale Electric Pump. Use code OMBLOG20 for 10% off (website only) at checkout. Shop on Amazon.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WHALE AND THE SHARK II ELECTRIC PUMP?

There’s a few differences between these two pumps to be aware of before deciding which one is right for your needs.

BUILT-IN RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

The main difference between these two pumps is that the Whale has a built-in 6000 Mah Lithium-ion rechargeable battery so it can be powered away from a vehicle or it can be powered using the 12V DC connection in your vehicle.

The Shark pump does not have a built in battery so it can only be connected to the 12V outlet in your car.

With the rechargeable battery you can charge the Whale and use it absolutely anywhere. With a full charge you can easily inflate 2 paddle boards.

I found that it took about half an hour to fully charge the pump. With the battery option this pump becomes very portable and versatile as you don’t need any power source close by to use it when fully charged.

16 PSI LIMIT

The Whale pump has a PSI limit of 16 PSI whereas the Shark II pump can go right up to 20 PSI.

So although the Whale is not capable of reaching as high of a PSI level it’s not really a big deal as most paddleboards only need to be inflated up to 15 PSI.

USB CONNECTION

The Whale pump also a USB connection so you can charge your devices as well. The Shark pump does not have this feature.

WEIGHT

Another big difference is that the Whale pump weighs a couple pounds more than the Shark II. The Whale weighs 5.8 lbs. whereas the Shark only weighs 3.4 lbs.

I weighed them myself with my own scale because I found on the Outdoormaster website it is stated that both of these pumps weigh 3.6 lbs. but I did not find that to be correct.

The Whale pump is slightly larger because of the built-in battery however it is still easy to transport and bring to the water.

However if you want the Whale pump for backpacking your SUP to remote waterways it might be important to take the size and weight into consideration.

LED LIGHT

The Whale pump also has a nice LED light at the rear of the pump that you can turn on or off. I honestly haven’t had much use for the light as I am usually paddling during daylight but it’s nice to have the light if you are ever using the pump in the dark.

SPEED

As far as the speed of the pump goes the Shark and the Whale are very similar. I inflated two boards that were exactly the same size (11’x32″x6″) to 14 PSI.

One board took 7 minutes and 26 seconds to inflate with the Whale pump and the other one took 7 minutes and 33 seconds to inflate with the Shark pump.

So the difference was only 7 seconds between the two pumps.

MORE GREAT FEATURES ON THE WHALE PUMP

Besides the features listed above here are a few more that really make this pump stand out.

WHALE ELECTRIC SUP PUMP

16 PSI, first pump with built-in battery, inflate as you go
Shop Now

DUAL STAGE WITH COOLING SYSTEM

This is one of the most important parts of the pump. The patented interior design with the built in cooling system prevents the Whale pump from overheating either from overuse or even just from being used in hot weather.

Plus it has two different stages for inflation. The first stage will inflate your board up to 1 PSI. This stage isn’t that noisy and is for maximum speed at 350L/min.

When the second stage kicks in the noise level goes up a bit. This stage is for maximum pressure and will inflate your board up to the set PSI level at 70L/min.

INFLATE & DEFLATE OPTIONS

Not only can the pump inflate your board but it can also deflate it as well.

When the hose is connected to the deflate nozzle it takes just under 3 minutes to suck all of the air out of your ISUP so that it is easy to roll up and pack away.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF

This is an important feature and one that most good electric pumps will have these days.

Once you set the desired PSI level and hit power the pump will inflate your board and shut off automatically when it reaches the target pressure.

This allows for two things:

You don’t have to worry about over inflating your board.
You can set it and leave it, get the rest of your gear ready and not have to worry about it.

12V DC CAR CONNECTOR & AC ADAPTER

If you don’t want to use the battery or if you’ve run out of charge you can connect the pump to the 12V DC connector in your vehicle. It also features a 12A fuse for increased safety.

It’s nice to have both options of the rechargeable battery or the 12V DC connector. It means you’ll always be able to use your pump regardless of the situation.

EASY TO READ DIGITAL DISPLAY

The digital display at the top of the pump is very easy to read. On the display you can monitor the air pressure in real time and check your progress.

STORAGE BOX & LED LIGHT

The storage box is at the top back of the pump and allows you to store the power cable and 12V connector.

I really like that you can tuck the cables away so you don’t have to worry about dragging them around.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see a USB Port DC Charger in the storage box. I wasn’t expecting that and it could be quite handy for charging other accessories.

ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS AND TEST APPROVED

According to Outdoormaster the Whale pump has CE certification and has gone through extensive testing.

The pump itself is also manufactured with eco-friendly materials and is very durable.

INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE

Besides the Whale electric pump you’ll also find in the package:

4.5FT HOSE to connect the pump to the valve on your board.

5 PIECE NOZZLE SET makes the pump compatible with almost any high-pressure inflatable, including inflatable paddle boards, inflatable kayaks, inflatable boats, inflatable tents, inflatable arches and inflatable pools.

The nozzles included in the package are:

1 X Boston Valve
1 X C7 Valve
1 X H3/HR Valve
1 X Pinch Valve
1 X 805 Valve

3 GASKETS of different sizes that allow for a tight seal to the valve on your ISUP. You can switch the gaskets on the valve adapter to find the size that works best with your board.

WORKS WITH MOST ISUP BRANDS

This pump will work with most inflatable stand up paddle board brands including:

Hero SUP boards, Red Paddle Co, iRocker, ISLE, Bluefin, ROC, Nixy, Fanatic, Atoll, Bote, Body Glove, Peak, Hydro-Force, Advanced Elements, Penguin, Thurso Surf, Gili Sports, Focus Hawaii, Sea Lion, Newport Vessels, SUP-YAK, SCOUT and Others.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIP

A quick tip I’d like to share if you’re having any trouble fitting the SUP nozzle on the Whale pump to the valve on your board.

If the valve adapter won’t seal properly to your board valve try switching the gasket (little white rubber ring). There are three of them included in the package of different sizes.

By switching to a different sized gasket you will be able to properly seal the nozzle to the valve so that the pump is able to work properly.

You’ll find the white rubber rings on the other valve adapters. Switch to the size that fits your board valve best.

SPECS

Supported Pressure Range: 0.5-16 PSI (0.034-1.103 Bar)
Digital Sensor Accuracy: 0.01 PSI
Inflation Auto-Off Function
Max Pumping Speed: 350L/min at 1st Stage, 70L/min at 2nd stage
Dual Inflators Switch Point: 1 PSI
Max Energy Consumption: 10A, 120W (12V), DC
DC Power Cord Length: 9ft (2.75m)
4.5ft Hose
Net Weight: 5.8 Lbs.
Battery Capacity: 6000mAh

ANY COMPLAINTS?

I’ve been using this pump for a whole season now and I have had no issues with it whatsoever.

I can charge it up before heading out and it’s always ready to go. I typically inflate two boards when I’m out and I’ve never had the pump sputter or stop before it was supposed to.

Even in some extremely hot summer weather this year it seems to be holding up exactly as it is supposed to.

I will say however that unless you plan to inflate your board away from your vehicle I’m not sure it’s worth the extra cost. I almost always inflate my boards by my car so for me I could really stick with the Shark II Electric Pump, which I’ve had for a couple years now.

However the extra features on the Whale are pretty cool and it definitely does work well. I have enjoyed the freedom of inflating my board wherever I want to.

This is a super nice pump and my only real complaint is that it doesn’t come with a carry bag. A carry bag would really make it awesome.

It has a built in carry handle though so it’s easy to transport and carry and of course the storage compartment keeps the power cords safely tucked away.

For transport and storage I keep mine in the box it came in so that it is protected.