Bravo BP12 Single-Stage Electric Pump

BP12 single stage electric pump

This is a review I should have done a long time ago but am only just getting around to writing it now.

I have used this BP12 Single-Stage Pump for a very long time. In my opinion it is the best one on the market for under $100.

If you want to save yourself a lot of effort to get your inflatable SUP on the water, then you will love this pump.

Inflating Your SUP

All ISUP’s come with a hand pump. Some are better than others but in general they work quite well.

It will take some effort to inflate your board to 15 PSI with the hand pump but it is totally doable.

I find that inflating one board with the manual pump is no big deal but if you need to inflate two or more manually it gets tough.

If you want to eliminate the sweaty work of pumping by hand then you will need an electric pump.

I have tried many different pumps out there including other types of manual pumps, electric pumps, air compressors, etc. You name it I have likely tried it.

None of the pumps are perfect but this one is my fave.

More About the BP12 Electric Pump

Bravo has two main electric pumps that they sell… This one and a more expensive double-stage pump.

I have both and use them both often. The Double-Stage electric pump is awesome but really only necessary if you plan to use it to inflate your board plus other larger boats.

If your main use for an electric pump is solely for your SUP then the Single-Stage version is all you need. You do not need to spend the extra money on the Double-Stage pump.

What I Love Most About This Electric Pump

The Single-Stage Pump is slightly smaller and weighs only 2.6 lbs.

It comes in a carry case that stores the pump, the hose, the alligator clips and the valve attachments. It is super portable.

When you attach the high-pressure piston pump to the valve on your paddle board then set the PSI level on the pump, you can then stand back and just let it do its thing.

It will stop automatically when it reaches the desired PSI level.

How It Works

using the Bravo BP12 electric pump to inflate my paddle board

The valve attachments will work with all inflatable SUP’s that have a Halkey-Roberts style valve… Which from what I have seen is pretty well all ISUP’s.

The pump will not only inflate your board but it also has a deflate function.

I never use it to deflate my SUP but it is a great option if you want to use it.

The PSI level can be set from 1 to 14.5 PSI. Most solo inflatable SUP’s recommend an air pressure of 12 – 15 PSI.

This pump has always gotten my boards very rigid but if you have a board that requires more air pressure you could always top it off with the hand pump.

It comes with alligator clips that you can attach to your car battery and is very simple to use.

Time

It takes approximately 6-7 minutes to inflate an ISUP depending on the size of the board.

In truth you can inflate your board with the manual hand pump in the same amount of time but it will take a lot more effort 😉

Noise Level

Any type of electric pump is going to produce some noise and this one is no different.

It is a little noisy but the powerful ones always are. I wouldn’t worry about the noise, it is to be expected.

The Negatives

As I mentioned before no pumps are perfect and the electric SUP pumps on the market are definitely no exception.

Some are extremely slow, some are extremely noisy and some burn out way too fast.

This one is not slow, the noise isn’t too bad but yes it can burn out with over use.

I have had a few of these pumps and here is what I have learned in order to make them last a long time.

1. You will notice that the hose gets quite hot as it is working hard. This is never an issue if just inflating one board.

However if you are using it to inflate multiple boards give it a chance to rest for a few minutes in between inflating them.

This will help it to cool down and not burn out way too soon.

2.If the pump does stop working give it a week or so to rest.

I have had a couple pumps burn out and I thought they were done for good. About a month later I decided to try them again and to my surprise they worked.

They seem to need rest time and cool down. A little annoying yes but keep in mind this was after a LOT of use on my end.

3. Be careful of using it to inflate too many SUP’s at once.

There are times when I have taken out three or four boards on the same outing with friends and have used my electric pump to inflate them all.

This is a sure way to burn out your pump really fast.

I do know many people who use these pumps to inflate multiple ISUP’s at once regularly and their pumps are holding up.  However from my experience I would advice only using one pump for two boards at once if you want it to last a long time.

I have used these Bravo electric pumps for years and have recommended them to my friends.  I honestly haven’t found anything that works any better on the market.

This BP12 Single-Stage pump is still a good one!

With Or Without The Battery Pack

There is the option of getting this pump with a rechargeable battery pack.  The battery pack is great if you need to inflate your board away from your car.

I have the battery pack and I like it a lot but I have to admit that I barely use it.

I almost always inflate my board where I park my car and using the alligator clips by attaching them to my car battery is really simple.

The battery pack is a little heavy and often I forget to recharge it.  Plus it costs roughly $100 more to get the BP12 with the battery pack.

Up to you whether you feel it is worth the extra expense.  Personally I would recommend just the basic pump and use the alligator clips with your car battery.

Where To Buy

For the best deal on the BP12 electric pump go to SeaEagle.com.

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Comments

  1. Hi everyone,
    I have an Isle SUP and this Bravo BP 12 single-stage pump. I lost the adaptor that marries the black hose to the valve on my SUP. I’ve spent a lot of time measuring the ends and scouring websites for this replacement piece, with no luck. Does anyone know if it’s available and/or even if I buy the black hose again, is that available and will it come with the SUP adaptor?
    Any help will be greatly appreciated!
    Kira in CA

    • Hey Kira, Any H3 valve adapter should work and you could probably pick one up on Amazon. Just not sure if it will fit properly into the pump hose. If in doubt you could try contacting the company where you purchased the pump and see if they have any spare extra adapters that they could send you.

  2. We’re to buy it in usa

  3. Everyone has mentioned and so does the brochure that comes with the pump that it turns off automatically. Mine is not turning off automatically. Air just starts coming out of the value on the paddleboard, so I am assuming that means it’s full, so I remove it. Never really know if I would let it continue to fill would be board eventually pop.

    • Allison says:

      Hi Diane, It definitely should turn off automatically. Depending on the size of your board it normally takes roughly 6 minutes to inflate my boards to 14.5 PSI. I’ve had several of these pumps but never had any not auto shut off. Sometimes air will come out the valve as the air pressure increases and you might need to hold the hose to keep it connected properly. You could always check the air pressure with the hand pump to see what PSI level it is at and if it is actually fully inflated or not. Good luck!

  4. Does anyone know how to attach the Halkey-Roberts style valve to the end of the hose?

  5. Good review! I have the two stage Bravo pump w/ battery pack and love it! I bought it 4 years ago and use it constantly and not until this summer did my battery life end. I’ve never used the alligator clips, I just think messing w/ my car battery is an extra step I want to avoid and have a clean easy inflate with the battery. Yes, the battery is pricey but convenient and lasted 4 years so I’ve ordered a replacement. Also, I’ve never had my pump stop on me or burn out even when inflating 3 SUPs in a row… not sure if it has something to do with the extra turbo stage?

  6. I’m on my 2nd season with this pump. The thing I most like about it is the convenience. I can hook this up and start inflating my board while I am putting on my pfd, sunscreen, and getting other things ready. I can be on the water in around 10 minutes. Especially later in the season, when daylight is shorter, the time aspect is great. There is no going back to a hand pump once you’ve used one of these.

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