Mini pumps

I've been meaning to write this review for a long time, having bought my first ipump over 16 months ago.
IPUMP have been around for a good couple of years now, although not so many people seem to know about them.
I've seen reviews online that were fairly mixed, with the usual complaint being that the small size means that they take longer to pump your tubes up, and the higher price being the other common complaint.
Here's my take on the situation....

I've been a cyclist for over 37 years now, and I've ridden for fun, raced, commuted, and worked on my bike.
In all that time, the amount of punctures I've had, compared to the amount of times I've ridden is miniscule.
Nobody likes getting punctures, they're a pain in the ass... But for me personally, I hate having to carry awkward, overweight pumps, which don't even do their job any better than most other pumps when I know that I'm probably not even going to need them most of the time.
I hear people complain about how mini and micro pumps are useless, take ages to pump a tube back up, etc... But again, for me personally... Given how many times I actually use a pump out on rides, I'm happier sacrificing a few minutes more pumping time, and a bit of psi just to not have a heavier, bulkier pump to carry.

I don't expect my 'on ride' toolkit to function as well as my 'at home' toolkit. All I ask of it is that it can fix whatever the problem is well enough to either get me home, or worst case scenario, get me to a place where I can fix things properly.
To this end I've stripped my on bike toolkit down more and more over the years, and tried various products to both shrink, and lighten my load.
This is how I stumbled upon the ipump.

I'm a sucker for super light products and have been happy to both spend, and in some cases, waste money in the pursuit of lightweight products that do their job well enough to keep them.
So over 16 months ago I ordered an ipump twist.
The extra couple of grams over the micro model seemed more than worth it for the folding T handle.
When it arrived it was indeed crazy light... So light that I didn't expect it to be able to work at all, let alone better than the pump it replaced... Which was a Topeak micro rocket carbon.
The Topeak was small, light, and with effort could pump well enough to get me home... But I always hated the fact that it was a fixed head, which meant you had to try and hold it on the valve at the same time as pumping, which had caused more than one damaged valve over the years.
The ipump twist had a really flexible, pull out hose which meant it could be screwed onto the valve, and then pumped without constantly pulling on the valve.
Incidentally it's also the only mini pump with a hose that screws on that I've personally tried that HASN'T ever unscrewed the valve core when removing. The same couldn't be said about similar Topeak or Lezyne offerings I'd tried.
This hose is a huge plus for me on such a tiny pump.
The other plus for me is that the folding T handle ends up at the hose end, not the opposite end like every other pump. This feels so much better to me, as it allows you to be pushing against the palm of your hand, while the pumping hand has the biggest part of the pump to hold onto. Maybe it's just me, but I find this much easier...especially as micro pumps take a lot longer to inflate tubes to decent pressures.
With regards to that, there's no getting away from the fact that pumps of this size will always take longer to use than bigger pumps... But that's a compromise I'm more than happy to make given that I don't have to use them all that often, but have to carry them every single time I ride my bike.
But, the ipump still takes less time, and is easier to use than many other micro pumps... So I'm certainly not complaining.

I know this is turning into a pretty long review, but these are two of the few products that have actually impressed me over the last couple of years.
Which brings me onto the second pump... The ipump floor.

The ipump floor is promoted as the lightest floor pump in the world.
Given that you use it by resting it on the floor, that is a legitimate claim... However, to me it's still a mini pump, certainly not a workshop pump... But it's a mini pump that is easier and quicker to use, as it has a good width T handle and rests on the floor (with a rubber base)... Although the lack of any kind of 'foot' means you obviously need to steady it with your second hand.
The floor version also has a pull out, screw on hose... Except this time it pulls all the way out of the pump, and you then simply push the end of the hose into a little hole on the side of the pump right at the Base. The built in clamp then securely holds it and seals it in place. To remove it again you push the edge of the 'collar' around the hose inwards and simply pull the hose back out, and then store it back inside the pump. It's a really easy to use system that keeps the pump ridiculously small and slim. Barely any heavier than the twist version.
The floor version is a lot easier and quicker to use, due to both its longer length and the pumping method of pushing against the ground.

Due to the ridiculous light weight of the pumps I actually take both pumps on longer rides... Simply for the fact that I will always have a spare if anything should go wrong...(and the total weight is still less than most other companies lightest micro pumps on their own)... Like the time a previous Topeak came apart in my hands on a ride rendering it useless.

There's no denying that the price is high for these pumps, but I don't personally feel they're overpriced. Considering that they're constructed from Carbon fibre, aluminium, and industrial grade urethane.
Given how much money I've spent on other pumps that weighed more, didn't last as long, and didn't work as well... But value is a subjective thing. It depends how much you value dropping weight from your toolkit, and how prepared you are to take a little bit longer to pump after a puncture.
For me personally, I couldn't be happier with my ipumps, and they're with me every time I ride.

Another bonus is that Morris, the guy who owns the company and designs the products is a really nice guy. I found this out after messaging him to tell him how happy I was with the first pump I bought. He's genuinely passionate about what he does and is genuinely grateful to receive feedback.

When I told him I was going to write a review for LFGSS of the pumps he actually offered to give a 20% discount to any LFGSS members who order a pump from his site... However, the problem is that he doesn't have a discount code option on his site, so I'm not exactly sure how that is going to work... But I guess it's worth asking him about that if you choose to order one. :)

Again, this review is purely based on my own experience and my own feelings and preferences where these kind of products are concerned... So if you should order one, and don't feel the same way... Don't come crying to me! :)