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I recently received an EXPED Widget Pump to evaluate from EXPED USA. As per full disclosure this product was sent to me free of charge in exchange for promotional consideration. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the company EXPED, the particular features and benefits of this product and I will actually test it on an air mattress that I own.
EXPED USA is based in Tacoma, WA and is a subsidiary of EXPED AG of Zurich, Switzerland. They make sleeping mats, tents, packs, and sleeping bags. Their tag line is: Born in the Swiss Alps, we make REFINED GEAR FOR ADVENTURE.
So what exactly is a widget pump? Basically, it’s three pieces of outdoor gear in one:
1) It’s a small pump that is designed to inflate an air mattress that one may use when backpack camping or car camping.
2) It’s a camp light that can be used in your tent, on the picnic table or around the campfire.
3) It is also a powerbank, allowing you to charge your phone or other rechargable outdoor gear with a USB port.
Here are some specs. The number one feature/benefit is the weight. This device weighs only 6.7 ounces. I will be comparing this unit to a 15 year old DC powered pump that I have. This old pump weighs 13.7 oz without all of the attached cables/adaptors and 1 lb, 7 oz with all the cables/adaptors. The size is another feature/benefit. The EXPED model is only 3.3 x 5/6 x 2.4 in. The 15 year old DC only pump that I have is twice the size. The Widget Pump runs off of a rechargable battery. The DC powered pump that I have has to be plugged into a DC source. So the EXPED will work anywhere. And you can charge the EXPED with a USB cable and adaptor through your vehicle or through house current with a USB cable and an adaptor. The Widget pump also has the provision to charge your phone. No need to bring a separate power pack into the wild. The EXPED Widget comes with instructions, various adaptors, a USB cable and a carrying sack for the accessories..
Time for some field testing. Since I am now in my 70’s I have started combining a Big Agnes CORE Ultra air mattress with a Thermarest open cell foam sleeping mat when I tent camp. I strap them together with elastic straps and and enjoy very comfortable tent camping with this combination. So I went and did a comparison test using the EXPED Widget Pump and my 15 year old Great Land Outdoors 12 Volt DC pump to see which one would inflate my Big Agnes sleeping mat the quickest.
I got my Big Agnes CORE Ultra sleeping pad and placed it in the back of my Subaru Outback. I then hooked up my old 12 VDC air pump and timed how long it would take to fill up my sleeping pad. I chose this place to do my test because there was a 12 VDC outlet in the back of the vehicle. It took 57 seconds to fill up my sleeping pad using the 12 VDC pump. I then deflated the sleeping pad and attached the EXPED Widget Pump to the Big Agnes. I repeated the same procedure as the 12 VDC inflation. This time it took 1 minute and 12 seconds. The EXPED Widget Pump came in 15 seconds slower. However, I consider these times to be comparable. The EXPED Widget Pump is lighter, has a lamp built into it, has a phone charger built into it and is three times lighter than my old 12 VDC pump. With all these features, I feel that the EXPED Widget Pump comes in on top.
Thanks to EXPED USA for giving me the opportunity to play around with the EXPED Widget Pump. Outdoor gear is getting smaller and lighter all the time. The less weight that you have, the farther that you can go. If you are interested in learning more about EXPED products in general, please click/tap on the EXPED logo above. If you are interested in purchasing an EXPED Widget Pump, please click/tap on one of the Buy Now buttons below. The The EXPED Widget Pump 2025 model runs $59.95 and is currently out of stock. However, the 2024 model is available and on sale for $29.95. If you would like to purchase the 2024 model, please click/tap on the Buy Now button below.
EXPED 2024 Widget Pump
Was $59.95, Sale $29.95
EXPED 2025 Widget Pump
$59.95 (out of stock)
Mike C
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