Blowing up an air mattress can be hard work. If you do it by mouth, it introduces moisture which is detrimental to insulation and can cause other problems like fungal growth. Pump-sacks are great but can be cumbersome. This little pump is a good solution for NeoAir users. It only weighs 72g with two alkaline AAA batteries (51g minus batteries). It inflates my NeoAir short in just over one minute. To fully inflate it still requires one or two breaths.
The pump is simplicity itself, with an impeller at one end and an extendible rubber tube which attaches to the valve on the mat at the other. The pump starts working when the door to the compartment housing the rubber tube is opened. It’s an incredibly simple, yet effective device. I don’t know how many pump cycles one set of batteries will last, but comments elsewhere suggest a fair number. Obviously, it won’t appeal to the SUL crowd, but it’s light enough for most backpackers.
Additional: I’ve used it with my POE mats and it works with those too 🙂
Disclaimer: the NeoAir Mini Pump was purchased with my own funds and I have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with Thermarest
blogpackinglight 
Must admit that I’ve been tempted by one of these but I’ve resisted because nobody’s been willing/able to tell me:
a) If/how they perform using Ni-MH/Eneloop batteries (which have 1.2V ratings); and
b) If they work on other mats such as POE Insul-Mats.
If you’ve tested the thing on other mats and with 1.2V batteries I’d be interested in reading the results.
I don’t have any AAA NI-MH batteries. It should work on POE as it fits over the valve. Won’t work on Exped.
Thanks, Robin. Now I know that it’ll fit my POEs I’ll get one and try it with different batteries.
Just tried it on my POE Ether Elite. It works and takes just over 3 minutes to inflate. You still need a couple of puffs to finish it off.
I’d be more interested if it had a hand crank.
🙂
3 minutes to inflate? Well, Robin, I think you could do worse than getting this pump:
http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/outdoor-equipment/camping-equipment/camping-accessories/thermarest-neoair-pump-sack
The nice thing about it is that you can use it as a pack liner, then when you get to camp you empty its contents inside the tent and you use it to pump up your mat. It is surprisingly fast and bother-free, and no faffing about with batteries. It’s light. It does double duty. What more can you want? It works on the same principle as the Exped down mat sacs. I find it really convenient.
I’ve got an Exped pumpsack. They are good but awkward to manoeuvre in the tent. For a small weight penalty, I thought the mini pump was rather good. I can double up the batteries with a head torch.
Aha, yes, the pump sacks are a bit awkward in confined spaces. I tend to use short mats so that’s all right. And you’re right. The batteries can be used in the torch! I was thinking dual use, liner/pump, you were thinking dual use, pump/torch. Nice one!