The Specialized Air Tool is easy on the wallet, but we’re glad to say the budget price isn’t an indicator of its performance in any way and we were very impressed indeed.
The sleek, no-fuss design switches between Presta and Schrader valves in the usual way by flipping the head but the locking lever has a very positive action that is firm without being too stiff, making for a secure seal.
The handle has a knurled effect that fits just right in your hand to make for a faster, easier action and when you’re all done, an easy twist fixes it to the body. It pumps a lot of air very quickly.
A nice extra is the hidey-hole storage in the end of the handle, which comes stocked with glueless patches so that you’re never caught out on the trailside again. The only downside is that it’s slightly too long to fit into a jersey pocket, but as it comes in at a relatively light 139g you’ll barely notice it in your pack.
Paying less money usually means compromising performance in some way, but not here – the Air Tool is hard to beat for the price and it comes with a water bottle mounting bracket too.
