I was quite happy buying my float tube from Cabela's. They also have great customer support. I have a caddis with the boston style valves. This allows you to quickly deflate your boat. Rather than bleed a little air out of a tiny valve you have to hold open.
For a pump, I went with a foot bellow pump. Like what you would use for a pool toy or an inflaitable mattress. However, the ribbed air tube made so much noise. So I switched it out with a flexible straight sided black plastic tube. I think it is called pond pump tubing. Anyway, the pump was about 12.99, and the tubing was 14 cents a foot. I bet the pump weighs about a pound, so you may be interested in carrying this with you. But I would warn, a folded-up float tube is a bit of an ackward package, plus you have to have a dry place to put whatever bag you carried your tube in.
One possible solution is a large dry bag with built-in backpack. That would keep everything dry while one the water (extra cloths, lunch, emergency kit), and you would pack out a "wet" bag. this would only work for day trips of course.
I don't know if anyone has given you a lecture about a pair of SOSpenders. Don't worry, mine is short! Get a pair.
For a pump, I went with a foot bellow pump. Like what you would use for a pool toy or an inflaitable mattress. However, the ribbed air tube made so much noise. So I switched it out with a flexible straight sided black plastic tube. I think it is called pond pump tubing. Anyway, the pump was about 12.99, and the tubing was 14 cents a foot. I bet the pump weighs about a pound, so you may be interested in carrying this with you. But I would warn, a folded-up float tube is a bit of an ackward package, plus you have to have a dry place to put whatever bag you carried your tube in.
One possible solution is a large dry bag with built-in backpack. That would keep everything dry while one the water (extra cloths, lunch, emergency kit), and you would pack out a "wet" bag. this would only work for day trips of course.
I don't know if anyone has given you a lecture about a pair of SOSpenders. Don't worry, mine is short! Get a pair.
