Inflating or deflating off-road tires when trail running is necessary but it’s a chore that seemingly takes forever: a slow air compressor, air hoses tangled in a spaghetti-styled mess, or tire pressure gauges that read the same psi (no matter how often you check it) can all contribute to delays. Deflate or inflate. Check tire pressures. Deflate or inflate again and again—and so on, all while kneeling. The monotony of inflating or deflating tires makes me wish I was elsewhere, even at the dentist’s office.
What if a system was devised to make this chore easier? And was high quality, easy to use, and durable?
InDeflate is the answer to inflation or deflation woes. This South African company, available in North America exclusively via Adventure Imports, created a unique tire device that inflates, deflates, and equalizes two tires simultaneously. No need to pull valve cores, keep unplugging or plugging back in to check pressures—just clip into two tires at one time and monitor until you reach your desired tire pressure. InDeflate has a distinctive dump valve system allowing the opportunity to pressurize two tires at the same time, at the same psi, all while standing.
This product feels solid and well-constructed when used. InDeflate comes with two 10-foot long hoses comprised of ozone and abrasion-resistant materials withstanding pressures of up to 300 psi and temperatures of 14°F to 140°F. Each hose is connected to the center-mounted, aluminum-encased 100 psi instrument gauge (which has a 700 kpa/100 psi combination display measuring in increments of 2 psi or 50 kpa). This precision gauge is made via a military spec, hard-anodizing process—making them scratch resistant and very durable. It’s manufactured by one of the world’s leading suppliers of quality pressure products. Additionally, InDeflate features solid brass air chucks.
During our testing period, we’ve noticed little patina or scratches, even though we’ve had our test unit in dusty and muddy conditions and have used it amongst small rocks as we inflated and deflated our tires. The quality is superior—it will surely serve us well for the next several years, and use was easy and efficient.
Here’s where the magic happens:
To Deflate
- Remove the valve stem covers.
- Clip the chucks onto two valve stems (it doesn’t matter if they’re on one side, the backs, or fronts).
- Grab the psi gauge and slide the center bottom cylindrical dump valve (it’s located below the InDeflate logo), and now you’re deflating your tires.
- Monitor the psi gauge by sliding the valve in the opposite direction, giving you real-time PSI readings. Slide it again if more deflation is needed.
- Once the desired tire pressures are reached, remove the chucks and re-screw on the valve stem covers.
To Inflate
- Repeat steps one and two.
- Slide the dump valve in the other direction.
- Connect an air compressor (or another form of air supply) to the Schrader-style valve at the bottom of InDeflate’s gauge.
- Turn on the air supply.
- Monitor the gauge by sliding the dump valve back and forth.
- Repeat step six and turn off the air compressor.
InDeflate automatically equalizes the pressure of both tires and states you can inflate tires from your spare in case of an emergency. Although we didn’t test the spare tire idea, InDeflate quickly deflated and inflated our 33-inch BFG KO2 and Nitto Ridge Grappler tires with ease with no kneeling or futzing. It was easy to check the tire pressures, with the total task seeming to take less time than traditional tire adjustments. (See the time chart below.)
What’s included?
- InDeflate unit
- A hook to hang your InDeflate from a tire, roof rack, or bumper
- Quick coupler air chuck
- Heavy-duty canvas bag with handles
InDeflate makes your life easier. It’s quickly become one of our go-to items to have in our off-road kit. InDeflate offers a one-year warranty from the date of purchase. InDeflate | $170
Pros
- High quality
- Durable
- Easy to use
Cons
- Expensive
Actual times
Deflation – 32 PSI to start, deflated to 18 PSI
- ARB E-Z deflator: 2 min. 15 seconds for two tires
- 1st InDeflate: 3 min. 5 seconds (including 40 seconds of unraveling hoses)
- 2nd InDeflate: 2 min. 39 seconds (minimal time unraveling hoses)
Inflation
- ARB digital: 3 min. 58 seconds for two tires
- InDeflate: 4 min. 24 seconds
InDeflate: This device is more convenient and easier to use, hence seeming faster with initial testing since it equalizes two tires at one time. But, InDeflate is a bit more cumbersome to use at the start if the hoses get tangled up. With more usage, we think these times will decrease and be even quicker.