Special Update!
AIRBANK IS OFFERING A DISCOUNT
FOR TREKERS READERS:
20% off code for D2: D220
Link:
30% off code for D7: D730
Link:
Airbank reached out to us about testing and reviewing their small, rechargeable portable inflator called the D2. We have an inflatable kayak and very little storage space in our Class B RV. So this seemed to fit our needs.
Note that we received the unit free of charge. But this is my honest review. And although I provide links to their products, we are not an affiliate for Airbank.
The unit is indeed small. It takes up just a little more space than a can of cola. It requires a few hours to charge using the USB-C charging cord. Note that a charging block is not included. But the battery seems to last a long time. Plus, having a light gauge on the side showing you remaining battery life is a nice feature to see if you have enough juice left before you head out to blow stuff up. (That sounds a lot cooler than “inflate your pool toy,” doesn’t it? 😄)
Positive Features
A great feature of the D2 is that it comes with multiple tips. So it’s likely that whatever you need to inflate will have a valve the D2 can handle.
Another feature I like is the way they have set up the power button. You have to long-press the button to start the portable inflator up on Level 1 power. You then click the button again to activate Level 2 and a third time to turn the unit off. I especially like this because it is frustrating when it’s too easy to turn devices on accidentally. This happens a lot when trying to cram items into small storage spaces in our van. With the D2, the button can get bumped all day long and it won’t start up — it takes a rather long press for that to happen.
Despite its small size, this portable inflator can pump things up quite rapidly, assuming you aren’t trying to inflate something requiring high pressure. So, beach balls, pool toys and floaties, or accessories for an inflatable kayak are fine. This thing puffed up our kayak seats, as well as the small front and rear inflatable chambers on our boat, in short order.
It’s Not Made for Boats
As for the kayak itself, I was asking too much of the D2. But the company representative warned me about that. What I discovered was that on Level 2, the thing gave its all to pump up the main floor chamber and the two side walls of the kayak. The trouble is, the inflation needed for those chambers is quite high. The D2 impressively pumped those boat chambers up to about two-thirds of the way and maybe even a little more. But, alas, we had to finish up the inflation with the foot pump that came with our Sea Eagle 330 kayak.
I don’t fault the unit for that failure. Airbank does make a larger unit, the D7, which they said is specifically designed for high-pressure needs like those you would find on an inflatable kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
One downside to the D7 is that it is quite a bit larger than the D2. Plus, it also is not rechargeable and must be plugged into a 12-volt power source. That combination of size and power is what allows it to finish the job the D2 was incapable of doing.
Overall Impression
The D2 is a little workhorse though, so don’t get me wrong. I like it and plan to keep carrying it in the van. That’s a big compliment when you live in a tiny space. I could see the D2 coming in handy for small inflation needs. Plus we can use it as a secondary pump on our kayaking trips. While one of us is using the foot pump on the main boat chambers, the other could be working with this portable inflator to get the seats and small chambers finished. Because it does those so quickly, we could even use it to get a headstart on the main chambers so the person operating the foot pump could quickly finish those off.
The D2 portable inflator also can be used as a deflator. So if we really want to get the air out of our boat or seats more quickly or completely, we can hook the D2 up and suck the air out. I also noticed on their website that one suggested use is to evacuate the air from compression bags. We’ve thought about using those before for the storage of seasonal clothes. (I wonder if Jessi would notice if I put a bunch of her shoes in one of those bags and flattened them out so I wasn’t always tripping over them. 🤔)
Pricing
The bang for the buck on this portable inflator makes sense if you can find it on sale. Airbank lists the D2 for $49 on their website, on sale for $25. Being closer to the $25 range is more reasonable to me given this unit’s capabilities in terms of pressure. The features it offers, its portability, and its apparent solid build do warrant some of their decision to price the unit higher though.
If you’re in the market, check out the Airbank D2 portable inflator. It might be just what you need to…blow stuff up.