Intex Giant Bellows Foot Pump

I purchased the Intex Bellows Foot Pump hoping that I could use it to play a wind instrument, in other words, just like a bladder on bag pipes. In my case, this instrument is a melodica. In fact, you can hook up this Intex to the melodica, and you can play a note - BUT you can't play a sustained note. You get one note per pump, so to speak. That just won't fit the bill for our geriatric combo. (I tried this because I have COPD, and I just don't have the expiratory volume for the instrument - or any other.)However, I would like to say that this Intex is a great foot pump. (I've had blow-up mattresses for grand children over the years, so I've had a pump or two). The Intext is quiet and efficient and there is quite a good bit of expiratory force. (If only my lungs were that good, but when I was younger, I never met a pack of Lucky Strikes that I didn't want to take home, alas).So, great for a mattress, I'm thinking (although the grandkids are grown already and we gave the mattresses away), but not for an instrument, I'm afraid. However, if you go camping, or have kids that camp out in the house a few times a year, this Intex would be a first-choice foot pump.

So I purchased an inflatable kayak, only to realize that the kayak did not come with an air pump! So the search began. At first I thought, I would just purchase an air pump that is 12 volt, so I can plug it into the car and it would do all of the work for me. Then I kept thinking about some of the trails I take, especially camping and hiking, and a vehicle cannot always reach those areas. And I certainly am not going to drag an already inflated kayak through trails. So then I began looking into battery- powered air pumps. And got to thinking that all I really need is to be stranded out in the middle of somewhere with a half- inflated kayak, and a dead air pump because I forgot to change the batteries, or they died too quickly. So then I began looking into hand air pumps. While those are a great device, and work very well, my arms are not something I want tired at the end of the day, or if I would end up needing them for, lets say paddling the kayak I just finished inflating. So then I looked into foot air pumps. And this was the best one I came across, with the most positive reviews, that would be suitable for my kayak. It takes a bit of time, but it works, and seems to be the most efficient. So overall, while an inflatable kayak is great and portable, know where and how you need to inflate it before purchasing, to ensure you don't have to have the great debate, as I have.

First of all, be careful of the metal at the hinge side of it. That thing can pinch,The tube is delicate, and mine got pinched by the metal thing when I first released it. Make sure you fully unwrap the tube before unclipping it in case you are prone to the same mistake as me.Was able to pump a extra tall queen sized coleman mattress from empty to full no problem.Did not take that long for the mattress being so huge.To get the extra firmness, the last bit I still had to do with my own lungs.I did not like how it makes funny clicking friction noises if you compress it a certain way and/or passed a certain point. It makes me question the build quality and what is going on inside, but at least there does not seem to have negative impact yet.It is very noisy, but I have no other experiences to compare it to.The air valves just make a very loud bluhbluhbluhbluhbluh every time it sucks in air.When the mattress is getting full, it begins to make the loud sharp whistle sound in the tubes.I fear being that noisy guy at camp.I also had the connection of the tube to the bellows pop out on me a couple times, but it is infrequent... for now.Otherwise, working fine!

This has been a lung-lifesaver. Any person with children knows that there's a couple of absolutely truths about children. Their favorite toy will die just when you run out of batteries (you know, the one they fall asleep to each night), they will at some point stick something small up their noses that will get stuck and not be able to tell you why they did it in the first place, and anything inflatable will take sixteen times the effort you assumed it would to blow it up yourself. My son loves inflatable pools, and in fact loves them so much that we got him one to use as his toy box in his play room. We just throw everything inside it, and we love the fact that the inflated sides give a little when he crawls over them to get to whatever it is he wants inside. No worries about pinched fingers or bruises from running into it. However, eventually the air escapes. The pool is not that big, maybe five feet across? And there's only three rings, maybe three inches tall each. That shouldn't be too tough, right? WRONG! One ring is enough to wind you, the second induces an asthma attack, and the third...well, if you make it that far and don't die I'll be impressed!When the first pool died and we got another to replace it, I went searching for something to help me because I wasn't going to survive a second one! I choose this item after looking at several options. My favorite things about it are that it's foot/knee propelled, produces a huge amount of air with each push, and can pull the air out of something as easily as it pushes it in. All you have to do is switch the hose to the correct hole. And when I'm not using it, it folds up easily to fit above a closet. It isn't something I use every day, or even every week, but when I do use it I am extremely glad I bought it!

We had to pump up 6 air mattresses frequently while on a three week stay in Guinea, West Africa. The pump worked great, it just made a horrible noise while in use. For the price it was a good buy.