Topeak JoeBlow Booster, Black

Product Information

The Topeak Tubibooster X is the most expensive standalone tubeless inflator in this test. It’s also rated to withstand the highest pressure, 124 bar to be exact. That’s over 1700 psi, a pressure which is impossible to reach with a floor pump. The unattainably high maximum pressure and heavy metal tank made us feel very confident charging the Tubibooster X to a ‘mere’ 160 psi for our tests. The inflator head is made of plastic and looks pretty basic. It works with both Presta and Schrader valves, providing you unscrew the end cap and flip the double-sided insert to work with its corresponding valve type. In our lab tests, the Tubibooster X scored with a great flow rate of 3.1 l/s and a one-shot pressure of 27 psi. It’s both easy to use and stable, and we were 100% confident pressurising it to 160 psi and beyond. If you are after a tubeless inflator pump that draws attention wherever you take it, the Crank Brothers Klic Floor + Burst Tank is for you: it wouldn’t look out of place next to the flashiest superbike. The option to remove the chamber and use it as a ‘standard’ floor pump is nice, and if you can get used to the connection process it delivers good performance. Tubeless tire inflators have a high-pressure cylinder that is charged with air from either an integrated floor pump or a separate pump, normally to a pressure of 140-200 psi depending on the model. The inflator is then connected to the tire and using a lever, the air is rapidly released, the rush of air forces the bead of the tire onto the rim and seals it tight. No swearing, no sweating, just an overwhelming sense of accomplishment: this is how you should feel after following our tubeless setup guide. There are a host of models for every budget, but the first decision boils down to the following two choices: “I already own a good floor pump”

The gauge is mounted HIGH and at the TOP of the pump so it is very easy to see, even in low light conditions, and even by us 60+ year olds. Gauges on most other pumps are mounted at the bottom which makes it just about impossible to clearly see the gauge. This pump uses a 2” gauge, 3” if you include the bezel. Nice and large and easy to see. It has a decent length 105cm hose and comes with a top-mounted gauge, which is close to the user but the numbers are quite small, so are not that easy to read. The handle is not the most comfortable either, when it flexes for the final few charging strokes, and there’s also a slightly cheap metallic feel to the pumping action. Please take a look at the videos below. These show the process of pumping up road tubeless tires. DO I RECOMMEND IT? COMPLETE THE PROCESS – When the tire is full, depress the gold air release button on the front of the pump then remove the pump valve from the valve stem by popping the lever.Constructed with premium materials, the JoeBlow Booster is built to withstand frequent use and provide long-lasting performance. Its durable construction ensures that it can handle the high pressures required for bike tires, without compromising on reliability. The pump's ergonomic handle provides a comfortable grip, making it easier for users to pump up their tires. The best thing about the Flash Charger is the Auto-select head – it fits both Presta and Schrader valves and clamps solidly to the valve stem. The Flash Charger produces a good blast of air and seated our test tyre first time. Due to the slightly smaller charging chamber the pressure in the tyre averaged around 30psi, which does mean you have to bleed off air rather than add strokes. There’s a release valve on the side but this only bleeds off air in the hose and main chamber.

Unfortunately, we did not get on well with the MilKit Booster. We like the concept, however, in practice the system is not as easy to use as advertised, and the leaky plastic threads on the inflator head are worrying. There’s nothing particularly flashy about this tubeless inflator pump. It’s well-built, and even the plastic parts feel robust. The wide handle is comfortable to use, and the stroke is smooth and pretty well dampened. The large, easy-to-read gauge proved to be accurate in our tests, however, it does need a little while to settle before you can take a reading. The Presta + Schrader Smarthead is a great feature, allowing you to use the pump on both types of valves without having any faff. We also liked the twist-to-release lever, which matches the overall robust feel of the pump. The Topeak JoeBlow Booster performed averagely in our lab, recording a peak flow of 2.8 l/s in our test scenario and a one-shot pressure of 24 psi. While these numbers weren’t outstanding, we were impressed by the JoeBlow’s reliability, bomb-proof build and useful features. Those are the good points. The bad points are (a) higher cost than a clincher, need to run a tire sealant (which negates the reduced weight since not running a tube), a much harder time getting the tire initially mounted onto the rim and impossible to inflate the first time using a standard pump. Hence the purpose of this test using the JoeBlow™ BOOSTER pump. At the end of the day, I ended up keeping my current 15 year old Topeak Pro. It still works, but the gauge is off. At low pressure the gauge is reading almost 8psi low ... compaired to my first gen Topeak SmartGauge.

What is a smart head?

With the Klic Floor + Burst Tank inflator, Crank Brothers have gone all-out to stand out from the crowd. The pump features elegant metal construction, a solid base and great attention to detail. An accurate gauge, well-dampened stroke and easy-to-use levers all bode well for this inflator pump. While the hidden hose, magnetic connectors and detachable Burst Tank do put this pump in a league of its own, they can also make for complications. It took us a few tries to fully sus-out the features, and make sure all the connections were securely in place. In our lab tests, the Crank Brothers Klic Floor + Burst Tank inflator scored reasonably well, with a 3.36 l/s flow rate and a one-shot pressure of 31 psi. Although the Topeak Booster is brand new, functionally it’s identical to the Bontrager Flash Charger. It’s essentially a standard JoeBlow floor pump with an aluminium air chamber bolted to the side. This is charged in the same way as the Flash Charger, but instead of a lever that flips down, it has a dial on the top, which you turn to select either Charge or Inflate.