SKS Airbuster CO2 Inflator review

The SKS Airbuster aims to take the faff out of puntures and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Cycling Weekly Verdict

For the price the Airbuster is a solid investment and can be taken along on rides as back up or for when you can’t bear standing around pumping. Able to take either 16 or 24g CO2 cartridge means it could inflate two tyres if push came to shove. Changing from Schrader to presta vlaves was a slight issue, so ensure you do this before heading out on your ride, as it involves unscrewing and flipping bits of the nozzle.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Caters for Schrader and Presta valves

  • +

    Lightweight and small

  • +

    Simple design with some clever features.

  • +

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Somewhat of a faff to change from Schrader to Presta.

  • -

    Canister cover isn’t great.

  • -

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Getting a puncture is pain in the rear, all the faff followed by what seems like hours of pumping to get some air back in the tyre. The SKS Airbuster eliminates the latter, which is great when in a rush or if you’ve had to stop on a cold day.

After an initial confusion as the SKS Airbuster was set for Schrader valves this little inflator was super easy to use. Simply unscrew the canister to release the transport safety catch, re-screw the canister in – ensuring the top cap is turned to closed - push the nozzle onto the valve, turn the top cap to open and hey presto your tyre begins to inflate smoothly. The top cap can be used to control the speed the tyre fills at, but we advise turning it slowly to keep track of how hard the tyre is getting.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1