Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review | 2024

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – Overview

The most recommended accessory for any inflatable paddle board user is an electric pump. These devices offer “set it and forget it,” hands-free inflation allowing you to continue getting ready for your day on the water.

Besides saving you the time needed to inflate and then get ready, electric pumps also make it easier to reach full inflation pressure and don’t tire you out before you even get on the water – which means more time for paddling!

The Retrospec Weekender electric pump is a great addition to your paddle boarding kit, but also works with other inflatable devices.

— Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review Summary and Ratings —

Specifications

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – Features, Usability, and Portability

The Retrospec Weekender pump is fast and easy to use with iSUPs and other inflatable items.

Sometimes less is more, and when it comes to getting your board inflated and on the water, a simple pump is just the ticket.

After plugging the Weekender pump into a 12v DC power source (like your car), the unit automatically powers on. The first time you use the Weekender pump you’ll need to set your desired inflation pressure (selectable in either PSI or Bar), but after that the pump will remember the last-used setting.

The “PSI/BAR” button switches between the two units of measure. The “+” and “–” buttons adjust the pressure setting higher and lower, and the power button activates and deactivates the pump.

The backlit LCD screen is easy to read outdoors, even in bright sunlight, and will automatically turn itself off after two minutes without input or use.

Once you’ve set the desired pressure level on the pump (between 0 – 20 PSI / 0 – 1.38 Bar), simply connect the hose to the pump and board and press the power button to begin inflation. The Weekender pump will automatically turn off once it reaches the desired pressure.

Along with the pump itself, you also get the pump hose, six different valve adapters, and additional O-rings. There are four O-rings with different thicknesses included with the adapters that let you get an exact fit for whichever valve types you are working with.

The different valve adapters and O-rings let you inflate everything from beach balls to paddle boards, kayaks, air mattresses, and more.

The pump hose attaches easily to the pump body with a rotating collar. Simply screw the hose onto the “inflate” port of the pump when getting ready for the day, and you can use the “deflate” side to finish removing all of the air from your board after initially opening the board valve.

Fully deflating your board with the pump makes it much easier to roll up and fit into the board bag. You will need to monitor the pump when deflating, though, as there is no automatic cutoff when using the pump in reverse.

The Weekender pump does not come with a storage bag to keep the hose, adapters, and pump together. There is a twist tie for the pump power cable, but no integrated storage.

The handle is easy to grab to move the pump around, but does greatly increase the overall size of the pump body and makes it more difficult to fit into your SUP bag.

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – Inflation Speed

Many electric pumps use the same internal mechanisms wrapped in a different shell. To be honest I sort of expected the Weekender pump to operate the same as a few other electric pumps we’ve tested with the same form factor. However, that is not the case.

The Retrospec Weekender Pump is actually one of the fastest electric pumps we’ve tested.

Like most iSUP pumps, the Weekender pump uses a two-stage motor. The first stage is a high-volume/low-pressure mode to quickly fill the board with air. Once your board reaches around 1 PSI, the pump automatically switches to its second stage – a high-pressure/low-volume mode – to bring your paddle board to its final pressure.

In our testing we use the same 11’ x 32” x 6” iSUP for all pumps. The Weekender pump quickly brought the board to shape and ran its first stage for an average of about 90 seconds.

To bring our test board to its target 15 PSI, it took an average of about 10 minutes, 15 seconds.

While a hand pump can inflate a paddle board a couple of minutes faster, it requires significantly more effort and prevents you from doing anything else at the same time. Many smaller paddlers may even struggle to manually inflate their iSUPs to their maximum pressure, but an e-pump makes it easy with the press of a few buttons.

The 10:15 average inflation time makes the Weekender pump the second fastest we’ve reviewed to date. Because it runs on a constant 12v power source, this inflation time also won’t change when inflating multiple boards.

However, the Weekender pump does not have an active cooling system, so it is best to allow the pump to cool down between uses and not allow it to run for more than 20 minutes (inflating 2 boards) in a row. With all electric pumps, its also best to keep them shaded when in use to prevent overheating.

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – Warranty and Customer Support

Retrospec offers a 1-year warranty for their Weekender electric SUP pump. They also offer a 50-day return period, which is significantly longer than most electric pumps available today. If you do have any issues with your pump, you can reach out to Retrospec’s customer service team via telephone, web form, website chat, or social media.

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – Final Thoughts

The Weekender Pump is a fast and easy to use electric pump for your paddle board. While it’s not the most portable unit, its fast inflation time and competitive price point make it a great choice for any paddler.

Retrospec Weekender Electric Pump Review – FAQ