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| Campout, April 2021 (Photo by V.A. McMillan) |
The VIAIR 88P portable 12-volt air compressor is a handy piece of gear, especially if you drive routes that take you off paved roads. Of course, having a portable air compressor to top up tires even when traveling the blacktop is also quite convenient.
This compressor unit was a gift and came from Amazon, checkout my review (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/customer-reviews/R1HPSAMZ2C94SM/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B005ASY23I). I am impressed with this little unit, considerably more useful than my last 12-volt air pump.
There are two things I would change, if the design team at VIAIR were to give me a call. 1) This air compressor would be even better if it had a 1/4" quick connect. Then any 1/4" air hose with the proper 1/4" quick connect fitting would be usable, thus making replacement in the years to come much easier for the end user.
2) The 88P deserves a beefier travel bag. The one that comes with it is well made, however it is too tight for frequent use. Because the bag is so tight, I fear the air hose has unnecessary pressure placed on it right where it connects to the compressor. This is a poor design in my opinion.
To solve this issue SATAS Co. has designed a prototype travel tote for the VIAIR 88P 12-volt portable air compressor.
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| Original VIAIR Tote and the New SATAS Co Prototype |
As you can see in the photo above, the original VIAIR tote is a compact package. It is around 10" long by 5" wide and almost 6 1/2" tall. In contrast, the SATAS Co prototype Travel Tote is 13" long by 6" wide and over 7" tall. Further, the prototype uses felted fibre padding to protect the air compressor from minor bumps while in transit on gravel roads.
Here is a closeup shot of the top of the compressor:
The air hose connects just below the air pressure gauge. You will notice the power cable has plenty of space at the bottom of the Travel Tote.
The Travel Tote allows the air hose to be loosely coiled inside placing minimal stress on the hose mounting point on the compressor.
The air hose is long enough to reach from the rad area of a 1998 Tahoe to either back tire. The power cable is heavy enough to survive filling a tire without overheating and the clamps are sturdy and grip the battery posts without having to worry if they will slip off before your inflation job is complete.
One last upgrade is the under lid storage pouch and pen/tire gauge pocket. The pen pocket was made from fuzzy (loop) Velcro type material, so you can stick extra stuff on, if needed. The pouch has a small Velcro type closure to keep accessories inside.
If you need a Travel Tote for your VIAIR 88P portable compressor here are the basic plans that were used to create the prototype:
Maybe the folks at VIAIR will reach out and want to chat about making a custom Travel Tote for the VIAIR 88P 12-volt portable air compressor.
Until next time...If you find an issue with your new gear, then find a solution!!
Mountainman.
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