Flextail MAX PUMP 3 Review: Is It Worth Carrying for Wild Camping?

When it comes to wild camping, I’m usually pretty ruthless about what earns a place in my backpack.

Everything has to be carried uphill, after all.

So, at first glance, adding an electric air pump to my wild camping kit might sound like unnecessary luxury. But the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 has a much stronger case for coming along than simply saving me from having to blow up my sleeping mat at the end of a long day.

It weighs just 122g, inflates and deflates, doubles as a small camping light and, perhaps most importantly, means I can avoid repeatedly blowing warm, moisture-filled breath into my inflatable sleeping mat.

For anyone who regularly wild camps with an inflatable mat, this tiny pump is even more interesting.

Here’s my Flextail MAX PUMP 3 review: what it does, why I think an electric pump can be worth carrying for wild camping and whether those extra 122 grams deserve a place in your backpack. If you like the sound of it, you can use code kate15 for 15% off!

AD | Affiliate links. Flextail gave me access to the Max Pump to try. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up through my link, at no additional cost to you. As always, everything here is based on my own experience.

What Is the Flextail MAX PUMP 3?

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The Flextail MAX PUMP 3 is a compact rechargeable air pump designed for inflatable camping equipment and other inflatable products.

Despite measuring only around 84 x 48 x 48mm, it delivers up to 5kPa pressure and 500L/min airflow and can be used for both inflation and deflation. Flextail also includes six different nozzles, making it compatible with a range of inflatable products.

It also has an integrated light with three brightness levels, which Flextail says can provide up to 11 hours of illumination.

Flextail MAX PUMP 3 Specs

• Weight: 122g

• Size: 84 x 48 x 48mm

• Inflation pressure: 5kPa

• Deflation pressure: 5kPa

• Airflow: 500L/min

• Maximum pump running time: up to 60 minutes

• Light: three brightness levels

• Maximum lighting time: up to 11 hours

• Nozzles: six included

  
  

For wild camping, however, the specification I'm most interested in is probably the first one.

122g.

Because an electric pump can be brilliant, but if I'm going to carry it for miles over the Lake District fells, it still has to justify the extra weight.

Why Use an Electric Pump for a Wild Camping Sleeping Mat?

There is an obvious answer.

Because after hiking all day, pitching your tent and sorting your camp out, sitting there blowing repeatedly into a sleeping mat isn't particularly enjoyable.

But convenience isn't actually my main reason for using one.

Blowing Up Your Sleeping Mat by Mouth Can Introduce Moisture

Every time you inflate a sleeping mat by mouth, you're blowing warm, moist air from your breath into the mat.

Whether this causes a significant problem depends on your mat's construction, so it's always worth checking the manufacturer's guidance.

However, it isn't simply outdoor folklore.

Rab specifically recommends using a pump sack with its air mats because it reduces moisture build-up. Rab warns that repeatedly blowing into a mat by mouth can create conditions suitable for mould and potentially reduce the mat's thermal performance.

Sea to Summit also explains that mouth inflation introduces moisture into a sleeping mat, and condensation can affect warmth and air pressure. The brand recommends pump inflation to reduce how much moisture enters the mat.

That matters even more when you've spent a decent amount of money on a lightweight insulated sleeping mat.

I want mine to last.

So while saving myself several lungfuls of air at the end of a hike is lovely, reducing the moisture I repeatedly put into my sleeping mat is probably the more convincing reason to carry a pump.

Using the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 for a Sleeping Mat

This is where the MAX PUMP 3 makes the most sense for me as a wild camping product.

Attach the appropriate nozzle to the pump, connect it to your mat, and let the pump do the work.

Flextail supplies six different nozzles, but check that one is compatible with the valve on your particular sleeping mat before relying on it for a trip.

And there is something rather appealing about switching it on and getting on with another camp job.

While the mat inflates, I can organise my sleeping bag, sort dinner, or put the kettle on.

Tiny luxury? Perhaps.

But there are worse things than making camp setup slightly easier after several hours of hiking.

The Deflation Function Might Be Even More Useful

Inflating a sleeping mat gets most of the attention, but packing one away can be considerably more annoying.

You roll it.

There's still air inside.

You unroll it.

You squeeze it.

You roll it again.

Somehow, it is now about three times the size it was when you bought it.

The MAX PUMP 3 works in reverse too, with Flextail quoting the same 5kPa pressure for deflation.

For wild camping, that's genuinely useful.

Removing more trapped air helps an inflatable mat return to its proper packed size, which means less wrestling on a cold morning and a neater pack when it goes back into the backpack.

And when every litre of backpack space counts, properly compressing bulky kit makes a difference.

Is 122g Too Heavy for Wild Camping?

This is probably the biggest question.

If you're an ultralight backpacker cutting toothbrush handles in half to save three grams, the answer may well be yes.

You don't need an electric pump.

Most inflatable sleeping mats come with a pump sack, and that will do the job perfectly well without adding an electronic gadget to your equipment list.

But not every wild camper is chasing the lowest possible base weight.

I tend to look at whether an item earns the weight I'm carrying.

At 122g, the MAX PUMP 3 isn't weightless, but it isn't enormous either.

And it's doing several jobs:

• inflating my sleeping mat

• reducing the amount of moisture entering the mat

• helping completely deflate the mat

• acting as a small tent light

• inflating other camping equipment

• working as a compact vacuum pump for compatible storage bags

  
  

That makes 122g easier to justify than if it only performed one job.

The Built-In Light Makes More Sense Than I Expected

A multi-purpose kit always gets extra points when I'm packing for a wild camp.

The MAX PUMP 3 has a built-in light with three brightness settings, and Flextail says it can run for up to 11 hours, depending on the mode used.

I wouldn't replace my headtorch with it.

A headtorch is still essential safety equipment when I'm hiking or wild camping, particularly if I need to navigate after dark.

But headtorches aren't always particularly pleasant inside a small tent.

Turn your head, and suddenly you're interrogating your sleeping bag.

A softer, stationary light inside the tent is much nicer for eating dinner, getting organised, or settling down for the evening.

And because the light is already incorporated into something I'm carrying for another purpose, it doesn't require another separate gadget.

Another Clever Use: Compression Packing Bags

There's another use for compact electric pumps that I hadn't really considered before: vacuum compression bags.

Flextail also sells vacuum storage bags alongside the MAX PUMP 3, while its related VOLLYC range includes the EZY PACK, a reusable compression packing bag designed for luggage and backpacks.

VOLLYC says its EZY PACK can compress packed clothing by up to 85%, although the system is sold with its own EZY PUMP rather than marketed specifically around the MAX PUMP 3.

The principle is particularly interesting for camping and travel because bulk can sometimes be as much of a problem as weight.

Fleeces, spare clothes, and insulated layers can take up an enormous amount of backpack or luggage space without necessarily weighing much.

So the MAX PUMP 3's ability to deflate and extract air also opens up possibilities beyond simply inflating a sleeping mat. Flextail itself currently offers the MAX PUMP 3 bundled with vacuum storage bags.

For a normal overnight wild camp, I probably wouldn't start vacuum-packing everything I own, but for longer camping trips, car camping, campervan trips or travel, it's another useful job that a tiny pump can potentially perform.

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And that's exactly why I think the MAX PUMP 3 is more interesting than a gadget that simply blows up a mattress.

What Else Can You Use the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 For?

Sleeping mats are probably the most obvious wild camping use, but Flextail also markets the pump for a much wider range of inflatable equipment.

Depending on nozzle compatibility, that could include:

• camping mattresses

• inflatable pillows

• inflatable camping furniture

• pool inflatables

• packrafts

• vacuum storage bags

• other low-pressure inflatable camping equipment

Flextail supplies six nozzles for different applications.

One important point: this is a high-volume, low-pressure camping pump. It isn't a replacement for a specialist high-pressure pump for items such as car tyres.

What I Like About the Flextail MAX PUMP 3

For me, the strongest points are:

It's genuinely small

At 122g and roughly 8cm tall, this isn't a huge gadget taking over a backpack pocket.

It helps protect my sleeping mat from moisture

I'm much happier using dry ambient air to inflate a good sleeping mat rather than repeatedly filling it with my breath.

Inflation and deflation are both useful

The deflation function isn't just an afterthought. Getting a sleeping mat properly flat can make packing noticeably easier.

It does more than one job

The pump, deflator, and tent light in one little unit make the weight easier to justify.

It's useful beyond wild camping

The same pump can come along for car camping, campsite trips, holidays and other adventures where inflatable equipment or vacuum packing is involved.

What Are the Downsides?

A few things are still worth considering.

It's another 122g to carry

There is no getting around this one.

A traditional pump sack weighs less and doesn't require charging.

For someone trying to keep their wild camping setup as light as humanly possible, an electric pump is definitely a luxury rather than an essential.

It's another battery to remember

Unlike a manual pump sack, it needs power.

If you're heading on a longer trip, battery life becomes another tiny piece of camp admin.

You need the correct nozzle

Don't assume every inflatable mat uses the same valve.

Check compatibility at home rather than discovering on top of a mountain that none of your six nozzles fit.

That would make for a particularly irritating evening.

Who Is the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 Best For?

I think the MAX PUMP 3 makes the most sense for:

• regular wild campers using inflatable sleeping mats

• backpackers who aren't obsessively ultralight

• people with expensive insulated mats who want to reduce moisture inside them

• anyone who hates manually inflating their sleeping mat

• campers who struggle to completely deflate their mat

• bikepackers

• car campers

• campervan owners

• travellers using vacuum compression bags

If you only camp once or twice a year, you probably don't need one.

But for someone regularly sleeping outdoors, particularly with an inflatable sleeping mat, it starts to make considerably more sense.

Flextail MAX PUMP 3 Review: Is It Worth It for Wild Camping?

For me, the deciding factor isn't that the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 saves me from having to blow up my sleeping mat.

That's nice, but it's hardly life-changing, mind you; after a long hike, this can feel like Christmas!

It's the combination of inflation, deflation, reducing moisture inside my sleeping mat and having a small tent light, all in something weighing 122g, that makes it useful.

Wild camping equipment is always a compromise.

Comfort versus weight.

Convenience versus simplicity.

Things you need versus things that are simply rather nice to have.

I wouldn't describe an electric pump as essential wild camping equipment. You can absolutely head into the hills without one.

But I wouldn't dismiss it as a pointless gadget either.

If I'm carrying a good inflatable sleeping mat I want to look after, being able to inflate it without blowing moisture inside, then deflate it again the next morning and use the same tiny device as my tent light makes those 122 grams earn their keep.

And that's usually the test I apply to anything going into my backpack.

Does it make the trip easier enough to justify carrying it?

For regular wild camping with an inflatable sleeping mat, I think the Flextail MAX PUMP 3 makes a surprisingly convincing case.

Shop the Max Pump 3 here and use code kate15 for 15% off