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  5. The Gear: Portable RV Air Compressors
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  5. The Gear: Portable RV Air Compressors

The Gear: Portable RV Air Compressors

Compact and mighty, the Viair 400P RVS portable air compressor won’t leave road trippers feeling deflated.

Image Caption: Photo Credit: Fyodor Shiryaev

Gas-station air compressors: Just say no. Never mind the hassle of finding one you can navigate your rig alongside—you can’t trust the damn things. Used, abused, and poorly maintained, they can’t be counted on to show accurate inflation pressure. If you’re on the road with any regularity, you need your own. Bonus points if it’s easier to store and tote than your average beach cooler.

Viair 400P RVS air compressor

Photo Credit: Fyodor Shiryaev

The Viair 400P RVS checks every box. It looks like something out of Nikola Tesla’s workshop, weighs not quite 11 pounds, and is versatile and powerful enough to service everything from tow vehicles to B-vans to monster fifth-wheels and motorhomes. Connect it to a 12-volt power source—such as your vehicle’s batteries—and it can take a 40-inch tire from fully flat to 150 PSI in minutes. A built-in pressure gauge, along with auto shut-off and thermal overload protection, prevents accidental overinflation.

Operating temps range from a high of 158°F to a low of -4°F means you’re all set on a bad day in Death Valley or an average one in Wisconsin. And the kit ships with an inflation gun, a 30-foot main air hose, and a 30-foot extension hose, plus a 45-degree extended chuck and a 90-degree twist-on chuck—like it’s daring you to find a tire it can’t reach. $370. viaircorp.com

Worthy Alternatives

TireMinder RV Air Compressor

Photo Credit: TireMinder

TireMinder RV Air

Standout feature: a digital gauge that’s accurate to within 1 PSI. With a noise level of just 60 decibels, you might even be able to top off without violating quiet hours. $370. tireminder.com

Smittybuilt air compressor

Photo Credit: Smittybuilt

Smittybilt High-Performance 5.65 CFM

Built with off-roaders and overlanders in mind, its one-third horsepower motor delivers a continuous output of 40 PSI for up to 40 minutes, and onboard safety features prevent overheating. $204. smittybilt.com

Viair 88p air compressor

Photo Credit: Via

Viair 88P

Not as powerful as its bigger, pricier sibling, but it weighs just 4.75 pounds and still outputs up to 120 PSI, easily handling tires up to 33 inches. $90. viaircorp.com

This article originally appeared in Wildsam magazine. For more Wildsam content, sign up for our newsletter.

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