Flextail's latest piece of outdoor gear is a versatile little device that'll not only come in handy at your next campsite, but also in your driveway and your study.
The Blast Air is a compact air blower that can whip up a 65 m/s storm to quickly dispatch dust and light snow off your car; it can even get debris out of your keyboard and help clean your photography equipment.
That's thanks to a powerful 130,000 RPM brushless motor, paired with a high-output battery. It's all packed into a neat card-shaped form factor that fits any car's wireless charging bay, so you always have it juiced up and ready to go.
This blower comes with a fine mesh filter and a soft silicone nozzle that you can use with a low power setting to gently remove dust from your camera lenses and sensors. Turn it up to high, and you can blow water out of hard-to-reach spots around your car after a wash. It can even help dry your fresh 3D prints.
In the great outdoors, the Blast Air can rapidly inflate your camping and recreational gear with included nozzles and 1,200 L/min airflow. The company says that should get a sleeping pad ready for use in just 10 seconds, and a small kayak in about a minute.
It's also good for swimming rings, inflatable pillows, and other outdoor gear. Plus, the blower can fan a campfire with a light or strong blast of air.
I appreciate the device's slim build and internal design that keeps it from getting too hot even after 8 minutes of full power blowing. You can switch between three levels and get up to 60 minutes of use from its 5,000-mAh battery on the lowest setting; the full-power 130,000 RPM mode will run for 18 minutes.
The battery charges wirelessly or via a USB-C port. A travel lock prevents it from turning on accidentally when packed. It all comes together in a light 7.5-oz (212-g) package that should be easy to carry along and use on hikes and road trips.
Flextail is currently crowdfunding the Blast Air on Kickstarter, where it's heavily discounted from its expected retail price of US$109. For $59, you'll get a kit that includes the blower, a set of nozzles for cleaning and inflating your gear, and a carrying case to store it all. Worldwide shipping will add roughly $10 to your order.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you'll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. For what it's worth, Flextail has previously launched and shipped numerous other products on Kickstarter – including this air pump-lantern combo I covered last December, and this tiny 1 oz pump we reviewed last September.
If all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship worldwide in August; you can pick between black and white colorways once the campaign ends.
Find the Blast Air over on Kickstarter.
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