Update on the Boston valve to pump adapter.
I’ve modified the original adapter design by @krafter to fit the 2025 Flextail Max Pump 3.
This pump offers 5KPa pressure. Flextail has a larger, 12KPa boat pump, but it’s only available second-hand as of October 2025.
Updated design. The mount for this pump consists of a tiny lip, necessitating a redesign for best airflow and for a snug fit. If you use my design, you will need to sand the lip a tiny bit for a perfect fit.
The file can be copied and printed here.
This adapter is a huge quality of life improvement. Without the adapter, these electric pumps couldn’t push through the Boston Valve rubber, requiring the boats to be filled via the deflation opening as shown below:
With the adapter, the nail heads slot through the plastic and push away the valve. I can finally fill the boats straight from the Valve opening.
I can inflate the packrafts up to something like 95% inflated. I like the packrafts firm I still manually temper them further, but they are very usable even without the additional effort.
For nails, I recommend using a small finishing nail and drill out the holes with a 1/16” bit to rough out the interior surface for JB weld epoxy. Use large cutters to cut the nails down.
Matt, I highly recommend adding pumps and Boston adapters to all of your kit menus. These things make a world of difference. I think a lot more people would adopt these boats if they had an easy inflation option.