“Quality is more important than quantity.” – Steve Jobs
Once in a while, you come across a product that puts a smile on your face. Do you need it? Probably not – but you certainly want one after seeing it in action.
A while back, on a day trip to Anza Borrego with Steve, a great guy, with a newish Defender. I was busy getting my trusty ARB Compressor out to air up when I noticed him pulling out this mysterious cylinder-like item wrapped up in a black case.
To my amazement, he pulled out what I now know to be a Power Tank and had all his tires inflated before I could even pop the LR4 hood to plug my ARB into my battery posts.
What is this black magic, I asked myself. Steve, noticing my confused expression, asked if I would like to air up the LR4’s tires – I promptly agreed and in a short time they were back to street pressure.
A few days later, I visited the Power Tank website and discovered how expensive they were. I couldn’t get them out of my mind, and while my ARB compressor does the job every time, I convinced myself I needed a Power Tank.
I don’t have any relationship or affiliation with Power Tank and ordered directly from their website after calling several times for some advice on the best tank size to purchase.
Since the LR4 tires are not that large compared to larger than 35+ on a Jeep – the 10-pound tank seemed like the best compromise between C02 capacity and size.
What I like about the Power Tank
Arriving at the trails end is always a bonus when you have a Power Tank on board. While your fellow adventurers are busy hooking up compressors, you’ve swiftly filled your tires back to street pressure and are enjoying a cold beverage.
I purchased the Speed Bag to protect the Power Tank while storing in the LR4. It stashes perfectly under the platform I built to replace my rear seats and tucks neatly on my recovery kit. I did purchase a bracket as well; more on that later.
Another benefit of the Speed Bag is the Power Tank can easily be moved from rig to rig or removed for storage. The bag is well made and has room to hold the air hose, but not enough to store the tire inflator – more from Power Tank’s Website:
The heavy-duty ballistic nylon base protects the bottom from wear, and the mesh front pocket lets you see what’s inside. The sides are fully padded. We use the highest quality YKK zippers and metal buckles for years of use. You can carry your Power Tank with the handle at the top by hand or extend the strap to create a shoulder sling. There is also a handle on the side.
I opted for the Overlander – 0-60 PSI Digital Ventoso tire inflator. When it arrived, the push-on chuck did not work on my valve stems – I called Power Tank, and they quickly shipped me the correct one.
I’m delighted with the Digital readout and always carry spare AAA batteries for backup. It’s straightforward and accurate – a great piece of gear with a five-year warranty.
I ordered the yellow tank, which was out of stock – but it didn’t take that long to arrive – this is in keeping with the black and yellow color theme of SDRover.
- Made in the USA with quality components
- Superflow regulator
- Patented hose and tool holder on power grip guard
- 5 year warranty on Ventoso Tire Inflator
- Lifetime warranty on the tank
- 5 year certification warranty
What I don’t like
I purchased a bracket, the Super Bracket, for the tank but discovered I didn’t have a good place in the LR4 to mount it. Also, for the price, I was disappointed about how flimsy the straps were; they are easily bent.
The ideal situation is the bolt-on roll cage brackets which, of course, does not exist in an LR4.
Unless you weigh the tank, you don’t know how much C02 you have left – it will run out without any warning – pressure shows constant until empty. Additionally, you must take the time to find a place to refill the C02 – you can’t top them off; they must be filled.
I would advise you to weigh the tank empty and full, so you’ll know by weighing how much you have left. Power tank has some charts on their website with estimates. I’ve marked the weight on the tank for easy reference.
The tank has to be certified every five years (All C02 Tanks).
Summary
My final thoughts, everything is high quality and beautifully designed. Another example of buy once, cry once – never regretting the decision.
I won’t be letting go of my ARB compressor. This is a great backup solution in the event of running out of CO2 – having redundant solutions is always a good idea when you are overlanding.
Head over to the Power Tank website for more information – I found them very helpful and friendly when I called several times to figure out the best solution for my situation.
